Racial Profiling happened to me...

The title says it all.

Yesterday afternoon, I left a job interview for a company located in Kingwood, TX. For those that don't know, Kingwood is a smaller community, dubbed as a "city", located on the northeastern border of Houston. I myself don't know the area that well as I hardly ever visit there. Really, there's nothing there. 

Anyway, as a made my way back towards Highway 59 looking for a way to the west side of the highway, or the southbound side, I was pulled over by TWO Houston police officers. One Caucasian and one Hispanic. Mind you, I don't know the area so of course I was driving 30-35 mph and I didn't doing anything suspicious, other than being a little lost. 

The Caucasian officer approached the car and asked for my license, which I provided, then asked if I've ever been arrested, to which I respond of course, "No." Meanwhile, Hispanic officer is on the other side of the car, peering through the window. The Caucasian then asked that I step out of the car, which I did, and he immediately began to search me, asking if I had any weapons on me or anything in the car that shouldn't be there. "No" to both questions. The Hispanic officer asked, which sounded more like a demand, to search the car, which I allowed. The white officer kept asking if I was positive I've never been arrested before, and I'm like I'd know if I've been to jail or not. Seriously, come on. So, while he runs up my information trying to seek whatever it is he feels he could find, the Hispanic officer comes back questioning why a wooden bar is in the car. Y'all know black folks: we always need something to hold the hood open. Then asked about me being a college student and what I was majoring. He was more friendly than the white guy. They questioned where I live too, and they actually knew the area. Not a bad neighborhood but it's no suburbia either. When I asked why I was out in the area, I explained I came from the interview, giving them a description of what the job and company is about at their request. Not finding what he was hoping for, the white officer handed back my license and stated they were letting me go with no tickets. What they were going to ticket me for anyway? Beats me.

The Hispanic guy went on to say that I was a good guy *duh!* told me to finish school and congratulated me on getting hired, even going as far as giving me a high-five. If y'all could have seen the look on my face.

The whole time I was thinking: 

But I kept my cool. Most people would get angry or highly upset in a situation like this that they lose control of their emotions and their mouth. Not me. I cooperated, remained calm and answered every single question with confidence and without hesitation. I know you're probably saying, "Why didn't you get upset? You should be PISSED!" The thing is, I did NOTHING wrong. If I reacted differently, it would show that I'm guilty of something. But they picked the wrong guy...

The better question is: Why were these HPD officers pulling drivers over in the jurisdiction of the city of Kingwood, which has their own officers? Being a part of a family of police officers and sheriff deputies, I know all about the law and how each department/jurisdiction operates, and their rules. These officers broke the rules. I memorized the white officer's badge number while he researched my information. All it took was a phone call to my people...