Miami-Dade Cop Investigated for ‘This Is How You Guys Get Killed’ Comment to Driver
A video of a traffic stop last week is going viral after a Miami-Dade police officer reportedly told a Black driver, “This is how you guys get killed out here.”
The incident occurred last Wednesday in North Miami Beach when, according to NBC 6, Gerardson Nicolas was stopped by a motorcycle cop as he was driving to work. Nicolas started recording the interaction on video and captured the unidentified officer saying, “Give me your driver’s license, registration and insurance. If not, you will not be going to work today. Simple thing, man. This is how you guys get killed out here, man.”
“What? Say that again? Say what you just said,” Nicolas responds, as the video shows.
“Registration and insurance,” the officer answers.
As the video started to go viral amid speculation the lawman was threatening Nicolas, supporters of the officer are alleging he was referring to the fact that Nicolas was not wearing a seatbelt.
“People die from not wearing seat belts every day,” Steadman Stahl, president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, told The Miami Herald.
Gerardson Nicolas: “I’m going to work, man.”
Officer: “No, you’re not going to work.”
Gerardson Nicolas: “I’m going to work.”
Officer: “You’re gonna give me your driver’s license.”
“I’m scared. I’m afraid it’s gonna happen again,” said Nicolas.
Nicolas posted his traffic stop on social media, where the exchange can be heard.
Officer: “Simple thing, man. This is how you guys get killed out here, man. Registration and insurance.”
Gerardson Nicolas: “What? Say that again? My God, say that again.”
Officer: “All you have to do–“
Gerardson Nicolas: “Say what you just said.”
Officer: “Registration and insurance. Do you want to give them to me?”
Gerardson Nicolas: “What? We get killed? What we get killed for? OK, OK.”
Officer: “Don’t do that again.”
Gerardson Nicolas: “What we get killed for? What we get killed for?”
Officer: “Don’t do it again.”
Gerardson Nicolas: “OK, I got you in recording.”
Prior to the verbal encounter the men had on Northeast 149th Street and 18th Avenue, Nicolas said the officer inexplicably entered the passenger’s side of his car and snatched his car keys from the ignition, even though Nicolas said the car was in park and turned off, but that comment is what he said has him still scared.
“Threatening my life. I felt like my life was threatened,” said Nicolas.
Miami-Dade Police said the officer’s patrol duty was changed to administrative desk duties, pending a complete investigation, which is now being handled by internal affairs.
“Look at him. Got nothing on me. Pulled me over,” said Nicolas in the video.
Nicolas also said in the video that he would see that officer later in court. He was pulled over for the seatbelt violation, and he was also ticketed for not having proof of insurance and no proof of registration.
He later did show proof of insurance and registration when his mother came with those documents.