Key tips when being pulled over

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Over the last few years, social media has highlighted numerous cases involving minorities dying from the hands of law enforcement officers, leaving many people skeptical.

An anonymous person said, “It makes me a little worried about bringing a future me into the world. It makes me a little paranoid myself, because what we’ve seen in featured videos and on the news, one false wrong move can lead to disaster.”

During a traffic stop, the officer and driver usually don’t know each other, so respect and healthy communication is pivotal.

Jeramy Smith said, “When I get pulled over what goes to mind, what did I do wrong? What’s on the officer’s mind, and what can I do to make this as safe as possible?”

“Most officers, they’re going to treat every stop as a dangerous stop. They have to do that. We can’t afford to take a chance to let our guard down and allow something to happen to us or to that person. We have to think about their safety too, not just ours,” said Hattiesburg Police Officer, Lt. Harris Tapp.

Some people may feel uncomfortable being pulled over.

“If you think he’s being overly cautious, he’s just trying to feel that out. He’s trying to see who is this person, what are their intentions. They ask you to put your hands on the steering wheel, don’t get upset, don’t feel like they’re treating you different than anyone else. Don’t be offended by it. Just do what he asks,” said Tapp.