A
Black
paralegal
is
speaking
out
after
a
racial
profiling
incident
by
police
left
him
feeling
“vulnerable
and
targeted.”
This
story
comes
to
us
from
Legal
Cheek,
a
legal
website
that’s
based
across
the
pond
in
England.
According
to
LC,
Eldred
Taylor-Camara,
a
caseworker
for
a
London-based
solicitors
firm,
was
traveling
by
train
when
several
British
Transport
Police
(BTP)
stopped
him
for
questioning
and
searched
him
because
he
“look[ed]
suspicious.”
Here
are
the
details:
When
he
asked
the
officers
for
an
explanation
as
to
why
they
had
stopped
him,
Taylor-Camara
says
they
told
him
he
looked
“lost”
which
“raised
their
suspicion”.The
paralegal,
who
was
wearing
a
suit
at
the
time,
said
the
experience
made
him
feel
“felt
vulnerable
and
targeted,”
and
that
he
was
“concerned
by
the
glaring
mistakes”
by
officers
“purportedly
acting
on
intelligence”.The
police
said
they
had
received
“intelligence”
and
that
the
aspiring
lawyer
matched
the
description
of
an
“extremely
violent”
drug
dealer
in
the
area.However,
Taylor-Camara
believes
that
he
was
racially
profiled
and
that
police
failed
to
provide
a
“robust
explanation”
as
to
why
he
was
stopped
for
“extensive
questioning”.
Taylor-Camara
said
the
police
run-in
“unnerving,”
and
it
“showed
the
disassociation
of
the
police
between
themselves
and
those
in
the
public
who
are
likely
to
encounter
this
kind
of
treatment
—
specifically,
people
who
are
Black
and
male.”
He
continued,
saying,
“Due
to
the
conduct
of
the
officers
and
the
inadequacy
of
the
response
to
my
complaint,
the
only
plausible
rationale
that
I
could
draw
at
the
time
is
I
was
stopped
because
I
am
a
young
Black
man.”
Taylor-Camara
filed
a
complaint
with
BTP,
but
to
no
avail.
It
said:
“The
conduct
of
the
officers
left
me
feeling
intimidated
and
publicly
humiliated.
Despite
my
formal
attire
and
explanation
that
I
worked
for
a
solicitor’s
firm,
I
was
treated
with
suspicion
and
subjected
to
extensive
questioning.”
BTP
offered
this
statement,
in
relevant
part,
following
Taylor-Camara’s
decision
to
go
public
with
his
treatment:
“Following
the
stop
a
complaint
was
received
and,
as
with
every
complaint
we
receive,
was
subjected
to
a
thorough
investigation
by
our
Professional
Standards
Department
(PSD).
Body
worn
footage
of
the
stop
was
reviewed
by
senior
officers
and
accounts
were
taken
from
all
the
officers
involved.
The
result
of
this
investigation
was
that
the
service
provided
was
acceptable
and
no
further
action
was
taken.Our
officers
who
patrol
the
railway
and
engage
with
passengers
every
day
are
not
there
to
cause
distress,
but
to
ensure
everyone
is
safe
and
that
the
network
remains
a
hostile
environment
for
offenders
to
operate
in.
Stopping
passengers
to
speak
to
them
is
part
and
parcel
of
that,
and
we
will
always
provide
our
full
rationale
for
doing
so.”
In
comments
given
to
The
Independent,
Taylor-Camara
said,
“The
most
important
thing
for
me
is
spreading
awareness
about
this
issue.
For
those
who
experience
it,
I’m
aware
that
this
is
nothing
new.
However,
for
those
who
are
trying
to
pursue
a
professional
career,
thinking
it
affords
them
protection
from
being
profiled
…
I
want
them
to
be
aware
that
this
is
still
a
possibility.
It’s
important
to
highlight
this
reality,
so
it
informs
others.”
Black
paralegal
‘felt
vulnerable
and
targeted’
after
being
stopped
by
police
on
the
way
to
visit
client
[Legal
Cheek]
Black
trainee
solicitor
stopped
by
police
for
‘looking
suspicious’
on
way
to
meet
client
[The
Independent]
Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
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LinkedIn.