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8 BOCNEWS.comDECEMBER 2015 Statement of Harassment Vermell Emerson Hill is the Nephew of Now Faith Christian Centers Pastor Leon Emerson At approximately 200 a.m. on Saturday October 24 2015 I was accosted by police for no reason and arrested on a warrant that is completely absurd. I was leaving McDonalds near Mississippi and Potomac heading home when I noticed that a police officer made a U turn and started to follow me. Out of concern I decided to take a route that was well lit in case he pulled me over. As I was approaching Havana and Mississippi the officer did indeed pull me over. I kept my hands on the steering wheel and had my palms up as to show the officer that I had nothing in my hands. He asked me multiple times why I appeared to be so nervous and if I had some- thing to be nervous about. I expressed to him that I was not nervous. He insisted that I was and asked if I had a reason to be nervous. In a calm respectful tone I communicated to him that if I had a reason it would be because I am a Black Man and he is a police officer. He then pro- ceeded to ask me if I thought he only pulled over Black People. I responded by asking him what he needed from me and making it clear that I have no reason to be nervous because I will cooperate and do what I am asked to do. After that conversation I asked why I was being pulled over. He told me that the light that illuminates my license plate was not functioning this would later be discovered to be false as I saw the license plate illuminated while I sat in the back of the offi- cers car. I thanked him for the information and assured him I would remediate the issue. He then without prompting started to say that he pulled me over because my windows were tinted too dark. He asked for my license only my license I gave it to him and he went to his car. He came back along with another officer that had pulled up and he asked me to turn my vehicle off and placed me under arrest. I asked him what the arrest was for he would not tell me saying that all he could see was a warrant. At this point I am completely confused and started to ask if it was traffic related. He told me that it was not traffic but rather a civic disturbance. I had no clue what that could have meant. I asked the officer if he could find more informa- tion and he refused. I told him that the only inter- action that I have had with the City of Aurora was paying my water bill and a couple of warnings for the condition of the lawn of a home I had just pur- chased. He then revealed to me that it was indeed a warrant issued for a citation that I was issued for landscaping. While being booked there was another arresting officer or correctional officer who overheard the offi- cer who arrested me and I speaking and she decided to chime in I cut my grass every week. Little did any of them know that I had recently invested thousands of dollars in the landscaping of the home landscap- ing that I inherited when I purchased the home less than six months ago and I have lived in the home for less time than that. The bottom line is there are two areas of concern here the clear racial profiling by the arresting offi- cer and harassment upon pulling me over and the absurdity that a law abiding tax paying citizen who owns three homes in the City of Aurora and is invest- ing in their improvement thus investing in the city is harassed menaced and sent to jail like a thug because he bought a home with a rough yard. I am sure that there are more pressing issues fac- ing the law enforcement arm of the City of Aurora than that of landscaping and while it is important to keep the community clean and beautiful there are a number of ways to execute that short of arresting a citizen. To make things worse I have for over a month had the lawn completely renovated. I now have one of the best lawns on my block. Had the City of Aurora bothered to do another likely drive by to see the condition of the yard now vs. when I bought it less than six months ago there would be no issue. The city has harassed and humiliated one of its most promising citizens. It is my desire to have my life restored to the point that it was prior to the arrest. I expect a full pardon and complete financial restoration of all monies paid out as a result of this process including legal bond processing fees and impound costs. If the taxpayers and officers of this city are wast- ing time and resources jailing upstanding citizens I would like to think that there is NO crime in the city and thus they have nothing better to do with their time. We all know that is not the case. Jail is not for upstanding citizens it is to protect upstanding citizens from those who are proven to be menaces to society. How is it possible that I a tax paying voting citizen of the United States the State of Colorado and the City of Aurora who has invested into the city by owning and improving property and providing affordable housing for families is categorized as a menace to the very society that he serves Allow me to outline my additional community involvement Founded a Memorial Scholarship at Colorado State University that gives young women an opportunity to attend college On the board of Families Against Violent Acts a community based non profit An active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated where I serve on the Executive council Adopt a family each Christmas with the Lowry Family Center Sponsor a table at the Now Faith Church iMat- ter Womens Empowerment conference to give low income mothers a chance to attend the conference Volunteer as a host at the Colorado Black Women for Political Action annual gala luncheon in tribute to black women Volunteer staff member with the Denver Chapter of NAACP Someone who boasts such ser- vice to his community is indeed a menace and should be removed from the streets correct Aurora PDs Response Iwanted to take a moment to provide a brief update on the situation involving the letter you shared with me last week First Mr. Vermell Hills letter and concerns have been formal- ly entered into APDs electronic complaint system by the Internal Affairs Bureau IAB. This was accomplished by the Lieutenant over IAB who also spoke with Mr. Hill and pointed out that con- cerns about the warrant issued would need to be addressed with the Citys Code Enforcement department. The investigation into the complaint involving the officers actions is underway. Second through my involve- ment with Mr. Hill it was learned that APDs online complaint pro- cess needs some improvements. We are working to see if we cant make the system more user friendly for citizens when making a complaint or commending an officer. As always thank you for your support. From Lieutenant Marcus Dudley Jr. Executive Officer to the Chief of Police Aurora Police Department COMMUNITY By Vermell Emerson Hill On December 2nd 2015 Caldwell-Kirk Funeral Cremation Services Heflebower Funeral Services Royal Davis Family Mortuary Humphrey Funeral Services Encore Funeral Services Abbot Funeral Services and Shannon Malone Chapel of Peace Funeral Home. The Mortuaries came together to support the Family of the deceased daughter Ashley Marie Malone July 1985 - November 23 2015. Mother Felicia A.T. Malone is owner and operator of the Shannon Malone Chapel of Peace Funeral Home in Westminster CO. Competing Mortuaries Come Together as Family