Minnesota Police Claim 'Not-Reaching Pouches' Will Help Them Stop Shooting People
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is getting mocked for a new method it claims may reduce the number of people shot by police during traffic encounters: pouches.
Yes, pouches.
But these aren’t just any pouches. They are “not-reaching pouches,” and they are designed to be used by drivers, not police officers.
According to a press release, motorists are supposed to place their driver’s license, insurance card and registration in a pouch that is kept in plain sight in the vehicle.
The idea is that keeping everything in the pouch will make it easier for the stopped motorist to give their information to the traffic officer without having to reach into a glove box or other place.
Our troopers, along with several law enforcement agencies across the state, want to make it easier for drivers to store the information and for law enforcement to see when motorists are reaching for documents. pic.twitter.com/ZiCF4Ifzac
— MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) September 16, 2021
We recently purchased some Not-Reaching Pouches to help reduce deadly force encounters between law enforcement and citizens during traffic stops. The pouches store a driver’s license, and insurance card in plain sight in the vehicle on an air vent or other visible location. pic.twitter.com/GsJaAoY41V
— MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) September 16, 2021
.@MnDPS_MSP troopers and other agencies will hand out the pouches during community events and other contacts with people. pic.twitter.com/PvjAwUG6zP
— MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) September 16, 2021
The pouches were created by Valerie Castile, whose son Philando Castile, the release notes, was fatally shot by a Minnesota police officer during a traffic stop in July 2016.
Castile had been reaching for his wallet as requested when the police officer shot him.
Since then, Minnesota officers have shot others during traffic stops including Daunte Wright, an unarmed man killed in April by officer Kim Potter.
DPS Assistant Commissioner Booker Hodges said the department is “hoping these pouches help in some way reduce these instances, even if it’s just one.”
The department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
However, many Twitter users suggested that the onus on reducing police shootings should be on the actual officers and not on motorists.
Or you could not shoot people. https://t.co/zUvBSNd61Y
— Ryan Enos (@RyanDEnos) September 17, 2021
Why spend money on training officers to be less reactionary, cowardly, and racist when you can just victim blame and print up some cheap-ass plastic pouches instead. https://t.co/VZsmgSzRGF
— FakeRobHunter (@FakeRobHunter) September 16, 2021
Love to have to never leave home without my Please Don't Execute Me For Following Your Instructions Bag. https://t.co/EaoJv2Jmep
— Mike Duncan (@mikeduncan) September 16, 2021
If your officers can't resist shooting people who reach for their licenses and registration, you should probably tell them to stop ordering people to reach for their licenses and registration. https://t.co/LhfWP87C3e
— J.D. Tuccille (@JD_Tuccille) September 17, 2021
Ah yes, what's been causing the police to kill about three (disproportionately Black, plurality white) people a day was *checks notes* a lack of the right bag https://t.co/oKJ0gz0IHJ
— Dr. Steven W. Thrasher (@thrasherxy) September 16, 2021
nothing says out of control like "put all your papers in this pouch and have it waiting for us whenever you drive somewhere or we will probably shoot you" https://t.co/xRxXzonxEK
— Christopher Sebela (@xtop) September 16, 2021
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
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