My Story
On December 12, 2019, a swat team came to my house while pursing a suspect in the Vista Gardens community of Bowie Maryland. The team leader alleged that a suspect broke into my home OR ran into it.
They arrived with guns drawn and after deescalating the situation; they returned only to escalate it.
Video narrative coming soon! Meanwhile, read what transpired in the police complaint.
Complaint filed Against the PGCPD – JANUARY 7, 2020
INCIDENT DATE: December 12, 2019
TIME: 2:30 am – 2:40 am
SUBJECT: Complaint from …………………. Against the PGCPD for Creating Trauma and Violating Our 4thAmendment Rights
2:30 AM
Around 2:30 am; I saw a silhouette of a man with a flashlight running towards my car. He ducked down between my husband’s car and the neighbors. So I started beating on the window to scare the thief off.
As I pounded on the glass, I was screaming throughout the house THIEF, DAMN, THIEF OUTSIDE, GOT DAMN F…….. THIEF OUTSIDE. The man with the flashlight wouldn’t leave. No matter how many times I banged on the window calling him a THIEF and yelling GET OUT OF HERE. GET THE F… OUT OF HERE; he stood his ground.
Next, I was at the living room window. The blinds were wide open, and I was looking at him. He stood there. And I’m still yelling at him to get out of here. Since we were at a standstill, I ran upstairs and told my husband about the thief outside. So he got up and came down stairs with me.
We watched the man outside with the flashlight for a minute. And I continued banging on the window yelling GET OUT OF HERE, Thief. At that point, my husband told me to call the police. In all the chaos, I said; I called the police (phone timestamp 2:35 am). And I don’t remember ever hanging up.
Suddenly another man appeared. In an effort to deter the crooks, my husband clicked his car alarm hoping to scare them off. Then we heard the man outside say; that’s it, someone go around back. And he started walking towards my door.
Meanwhile, my husband and I looked in the kitchen. There was a man out back with a flashlight looking in the backyard.
2:35 AM (see video 2) Video 2
Then my husband and I returned to the living room. The man out front was Shouting “OPEN THE DOOR, OPEN THE DOOR, OPEN THE DOOR.” My husband had cracked the main door and was looking out. He ASKED: are you the police? No answer.
All we heard from that point ON was OPEN THE DOOR, OPEN THE DOOR, OPEN THE DOOR. He was now at the top landing. THE STORM DOOR WAS STILL LOCKED.
MY HUSBAND looked through the glass door and asked AGAIN: ARE YOU THE POLICE? AGAIN, NO ANSWER.
BEING scared of the gunman pointing a gun at his head, my husband opened the storm door.
Come outside, come outside, the White man asked.
My husband asked, WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
WHY YOU GOT A GUN AIMED AT ME?
WHATS GOING ON?
THE WHITE COP LOWERED HIS GUN A LITTLE and never replied. Then the White cop asked “are you the only ones here?” At that time, we could see the PGCPD insignia on his jacket and his badge. YES, WE REPLIED.
COME ON OUT, COME ON OUT. He urged.
I DON’T HAVE ANY SHOES ON, MY HUSBAND REPLIED. NO I’M NOT COMING OUTSIDE, I SAID.
Then the White cop said, we thought someone ran in here. No one ran in here, I replied. Next, he asked if someone broke in.
No one broke in our house. Next there was short WHITE cop that came in without an invite. Asking us to step outside.
No, I’m not going outside. And you can’t search my home.
They all left. I thought it was over.
A minute later, they came back.
2:36 AM – PG COPS RETURNS (see video 3) Video 3
A minute later, we heard a knock at the door. My husband answered it, saying “what’s up man.” Then the White cop PUSHED his way passed my husband followed by the Black cop saying, “we think someone broke in the back of your house. We just want to make sure. “
KEEP IN MIND, THEY NEVER IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS PGCP.
ONCE INSIDE – ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE (no inside video)
My greatest fears came to life. AFTER the two men barged into my home. We had no way to protect our personal items or privacy.
Our personal assets were all over the place. Credit cards, debit cards, ID, money, passwords, etc. was lying about. The Black cop stood by the door and push my powder-room door open. I said, no, no, no, you can’t search my house.
After hearing me say “No, No, No” to the Black cop. The White cop said to his partner; hold up, hold up. That’s when the White cop drew and cocked his weapon.
What was happening in our home? Why are these men here? Those were the words in my mind? And they still had not identified themselves. This was happening so fast, and we were totally caught off guard, in our own home. A home that PGCP was not invited into.
How many times did I need to say, you can’t search my home. My words fell on death’s ears.
The Black cop started to leave, so I pleaded with him not to leave me alone with this cop who at the same time, drew and cocked his weapon. Then I said, go take a look at the door, verify that no one broke in, and that’s it.
The White cop went into the basement, alone. No one wanted to follow him. He had a gun aimed at us. Who’s going to follow a cop with a cocked weapon down the basement.
All I saw was a killer.
When the officer emerged from the basement, he wanted to go on the deck. Why? My husband opened the door for him. Then he destroyed our screen by attempting to walk through it.
As he walked towards the front door, he still had his weapon drawn. This time he had it pointed at me. I was in his line of fire. And no one, absolutely no one, was a threat to him.
I will NEVER open my DOOR for any PGCPs again, no matter how sweet and trusting an officer may appear. I will continue to abide by the law, and will only allow access to my home when a PGCP presents a warrant or I call for help.
THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TRUMATIZED MY HUSBAND AND I. NOW I HAVE NIGHTMARES, DAYMARES, I’M SUPER PARANOID, SEE HORRIBLE VISIONS OF A COP KILLING ME, EVERYONE IS SUSPICIOUS, and I’M CRYING A LOT.
All my years of ministerial training has gone out the window. Now I need therapy to move from this place of FEAR AND MISTRUST. It’s not healthy.
After this ordeal, I’m not happy living in PG County anymore. MY biggest fear, is how long it will take for me to heal from this TRAMATIC EXPERIENCE (fearing law enforcement).
Post Trauma STP continue
12/12/19 – Present
My Emotions
This horrifying experience has left me fearful of the PGCP, traumatized, suspicious of them, non-trusting of them, paranoid, and angry. I am angry, depressed, having day and nightmares, with visions of a PGCP watching us, and trying to kill us. I never been miserable during the holidays before now.
Husband’s Emotions
My husband is suffering as well. Being a man, he’s trying to man up. But I listen to the quiver in his voice, see the angry expression on his face when he recounts the experience. He can’t hide his true feelings. I see the horror in his eyes every day he speaks of our ordeal. That fear of a gun pointed at his head is a day and nightmare. It’s a constant reminder that he is a Black male living in PG County where law enforcement does not respect his rights to protect his home and family.
He’s a law-abiding citizen, homeowner, a man who plays by the rules and pays taxes. His fear of the PGCP invading a man’s privacy, is real. He may not express his emotions well. But his eyes, voice, facial expression, words to me tells me his pain.
Our View
Neither of us wants to ever relive our experience on 12/12/19 between 2:32 am – 2:40 am. It was traumatic, horrifying, emasculating, and totally devastating.
WHO WANTS A GUN POINTED AT THEM ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY AND IN THEIR OWN HOME? A HOME, NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO WALK IN, AND NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT OR PERMISSION.
ALL THOSE officers should be ashamed of themselves for ignoring our 4THAMENDMENT RIGHTS, then DRAWING A WEAPON and pointing that weapon at us for absolutely no reason at all.
The alleged suspect was never identified.
Internal Affairs – No Investigation
On 2/6/2020; I got a call from Internal Affair investigator who was reviewing my complaint.
Since there was no evidence or record verifying officers were at my house on 12/12/31 at 2:32 am; he was closing my case.
I told him I had video.
After reviewing the videos, he concluded that a ghost whisper was heard of the officers identifying themselves as Prince George’s County Police Officers.
Final Outcome
-
- No Investigation
- Talk to Officers About Doing a Better Job Identifying Themselves