Oh, Florida. Stay classy
More than likely, it’s no coincidence that the cop–Harold Garzon–who pulled over a Harvard graduate and law student for blasting N.W.A.‘s classic “F*** Tha Police” record has been cited 16 times by Internal Affairs. This will do little to change his image.
According to a Miami New Times report, Garzon was in the middle of working a case at an intersection in a Miami neighborhood when he pulled over Cesar Baldelomar, who pulled up beside him at a stop light with the N.W.A. record blasting out of his car.
F*** the police!
F*** the police!
F*** the police!
F*** the police!
Something about that bothered Garzon–we’re still trying to figure out what–so he pulled Baldelomar over, and told him that playing loud music within 25 feet of another person is illegal. The awesome part about that is 1. it’s not, and 2. Baldelomar knows that because in between graduating from Harvard and being a law student, he picked up on a couple things.
In 2012 the state supreme court struck down any law banning loud music. I knew that because it was a case I had actually studied in law school.
Comedy. After Garzon was flustered by Baldelomar’s rebuttal, he promptly called two other cops over and tried to slap him with two other bogus charges–riding without a seatbelt, which Baldelomar says isn’t true–and failure to produce paper proof of insurance–Florida has allowed proof to be shown over the phone since 2013. Naturally, Baldelomar will fight the tickets, and had this to say about his encounter.
I’m educated. I know my rights. And I speak English, so I can fight this. But what about when this happens to someone who’s not so lucky? Policing has to change in this country.
Lastly, just in case you’ve never heard N.W.A.’s ode to the boys in uniform.
