This Black Princeton professor says cops handcuffed her to a table over parking tickets

Professor Imani Perry claims she was mistreated at the hands of Princeton police over parking tickets.

Perry detailed what transpired on Twitter. In summary: She said she was pulled over, arrested, and taken into custody over what she said was a three-year-old parking ticket.

https://twitter.com/imaniperry/status/696340768588480512

https://twitter.com/imaniperry/status/696341099967807489

She added more details in a Facebook Note:

There are a number of commentators online who have repeated to me an all too common formulation: “Well, if you hadn’t done anything wrong this wouldn’t have happened.” But this demand for behavioral perfection from Black people in response to disproportionate policing and punishment is a terrible red herring.

Princeton police told NJ.com that Perry was arrested Saturday morning after being stopped for driving 67 mph in a 45 mph zone. They determined she was driving on a suspended license, and that a warrant had been issued for her arrest, Lt. John Bucchere said. The New York Times reported that the arresting officers determined her driving privileges had been suspended and a warrant was out for her arrest over two unpaid parking violations from 2013.

“Perry was taken into custody pursuant to the warrant which is mandated protocol and required by state law,” Bucchere said.

Perry was issued tickets for speeding and for driving on a suspended license. She was released after posting bail, Bucchere said according to NJ.com.

The Times said dashboard camera footage of Dr. Perry’s arrest showed a male officer had checked the “exterior portion of [Perry’s] clothing,” meaning her jacket pockets and areas around her shoes.

However, chief Nicholas K. Sutter acknowledged department policy does not require that only women search other women, because only eight female officers were on the force and it was not practical.

“When we can, we should. We will look at the policy,” he said.

Rob covers business, economics and the environment for Fusion. He previously worked at Business Insider. He grew up in Chicago.