Harassed Outside My Back Door

Pete Messina shared this post via CopBlock.org’s submit page.

Date of Interaction: 15 Aug 2014
Police Employees Involved: LaSalle, Illinois PD

I was locking up my car ten feet from my back door when two LaSalle, IL cops walked up and asked me my name. I voluntarily gave my name. Then I was asked if I lived there; I answered yes and told them I was locking up my car. My back door was wide open, my kitchen lights were on, and I was standing out there in bare feet. That’s wasn’t good enough for them. They demanded ID. I asked why. “What crime do you suspect me of committing?” I inquired. I got no answer. I then asked if I was being detained or if I was free to go? I was told I was being detained. I asked for a supervisor and the one doing all the talking told me that he is the supervisor. I asked why I was being detained and I was told it was for not producing ID when ordered to.

I was told that no one is allowed on the property after 10:00pm that doesn’t live there. I reminded them that I already stated that I live there and that my open back door was ten feet away. Then I asked if they have some reason to believe I didn’t live here. I asked if there was a 911 call or if management called and they had reason to believe I was trespassing. This time the answer was, “You have to prove to us that you live here.”

I knew which way this was going so I called up to my wife to start recording. This was the end of things with the supervisor telling me that if I live there I MUST produce ID on demand. When I wouldn’t give up my ID and they remembered my wife was recording, suddenly I was free to go. The women the cry baby “supervisor” was threatening to call on me is the apt manager. This was the second time I’ve been harassed outside my back door by LaSalle PD and the second time they’ve threatened to “tell on me.”

The last time this happened, I was outside my back door locking up my bike and the officer involved told me as he was walking away that, if I refused to identify myself again, “things would go very badly for me.” This time I made sure to record at least some of my interaction with them. I understand the need for safety because this is a large apt complex, but this isn’t about safety, it’s about control.

Pete Messina