Here’s What’s Wrong About Tyreek Hill’s Arrest And How It Compares To Scottie Scheffler’s Incident

By now, many of us have witnessed the unfortunate event that transpired last weekend with Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins and law enforcement. It was an uncomfortable reminder of the “two Americas” that we often cite as Black people. Something as routine as a traffic stop could’ve quite possibly escalated into much more. We know this based off of a huge sample size of gruesome conduct from police officers . Luckily, Hill is able to move on unscathed. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t speak to why we must continue to add context to these happenings. There was a lot wrong with what went on, and these officers should absolutely be held accountable.

So, before I go any further, let me address the short and impatient nature in which Hill responded to the police officer. I would be the first to say that he could have been more cordial in how he responded to them asking him to roll down his window. However, I also am not confident that his initial compliance would have resulted in a less contentious situation. There is an inherent distrust between Black people and law enforcement. Knowing this, understand that once any Black person is stopped by the cops, we do begin to feel uneasy. Sometimes it can manifest exactly how it did with Hill. Fortunately, on this occasion, it didn’t result in his demise.

Furthermore, the ways in which Hill was handled afterward demonstrate why he was uneasy to begin with. He was hoping to have a minimal correspondence with the officer as possible. The opposite happened as he was forcibly handcuffed while never physically posing any threat to the officers addressing him. The video footage above is chilling. It’s egregious how some of these officers comport themselves.

There’s something to be said for the fragile egos exhibited by many of these officers. This lust for having authority or power over someone really can go too far. It makes you wonder, is it the police departments that ingrain this attitude in their officers? Or are these the ugliest sides of these people that tend to surface in moments when they feel inadequate? I don’t have those answers, but it’s worth giving a thought to. What I can assure you is that these officers were unequivocally wrong in their decision to use excessive force on an unarmed Black man yet again.

Yes, the story hasn’t changed. Those officers have stepped in it now because they did this to an affluent Black man. Unfortunately, affluence only offers Black people material benefits. The benefit of the doubt on the other hand? Good luck. It doesn’t exist here. And when you juxtapose this incident to the one with the PGA’s Scottie Scheffler , for instance, the force used was night and day between the two. So, in essence, there was no need for it.

Until we see widespread improvement in de-escalation during these stops and arrests, I, along with others, will continue to call it out. The ends must begin to justify the means, and there’s so much overhaul that has to happen for us to experience a brighter reality. Hell, one of the things we all can do of legal age is vote. So, please vote in the interest of the improvement of Black lives. Read, research and try to understand the game at large, and find the best ways to leave your imprint on it — positively.