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Mayor Cedric Glover: It's something that no police officer no police division anywhere within this country would defend or support or allow.

Robert Baillio: Now..you lost me there for a second. Uh when I said "are you still there"..you..I'm not sure what you are saying..Uh Mayor Glover.

Mayor Cedric Glover: You are not sure of what I'm saying?

Robert Baillio: Well...I don't know if my phone broke up or what but you're saying that...As a citizen...when I am stopped by a police officer I don't have any rights?

Mayor Cedric Glover: Your rights at that point, Mr. Baillio, have been suspended. That's part of what makes the powers and duties of a...in fact it's one of the things that I say to each and every one of the police officers who graduates from the Shreveport Police Academy since I've been mayor.

You have to understand there is a great deal of power that is vested within...uh...the law enforcement personnel of this country. It's why there is a great deal of responsibility that has to go along with it. That's why I'm very proud based on the description that you just gave. It appears that this particular officer has exercised that power in a very professional fashion.

Each of those police officers...even the most junior the one who is fresh out of the academy...uh...has a power...uh...that I as the elected mayor of the city of Shreveport...uh...that I do not have. They have a power that the President of these United States does not have...and that is the ability to be able to suspend your rights.

When you have been pulled over for whatever suspected action that you have taken, at that point your right to continue to proceed has been taken away. If you chose to continue to advance down the road in your truck, despite the fact that you know that you have been properly and appropriately signaled by a law enforcement personnel to pull over, then you are in violation of the law.

So that's the first right that you've had at that particular point in time that has been suspended. Your choice to keep your driver's license in your pocket and away from even inspection has been suspended. Your choice to keep your vehicle registration and insurance information in your glove compartment or wherever it is that you keep it...has been suspended.

Your right to be able to hold onto your weapon and say whether I have a weapon or not is my own business at that particular point in time...has been suspended.

Robert Baillio: So...what if I would have had the door locked on my truck? And...and..

Mayor Cedric Glover: In answer to the question that the officer gave to you of "do you have a weapon in the vehicle?"...if you had said "no", and the officer chose, in the interest of officer safety, to secure you in a safe position, and then do an appropriate inspection of your vehicle...and determined that you had in fact did possess a weapon, you would be guilty or potentially guilty of even a more severe offense.

Robert Baillio: Which would be what?

Mayor Cedric Glover: Failure to..b..to..to..honestly answer a question that has been asked of you by a law enforcement personnel.

Robert Baillio: Well I answered that question honestly and he...disarmed me. If I...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Which would be a propriate and proper action, sir. The fact that you gave the correct answer...it simply means that you did what it is you were supposed to have done and that is to give that weapon to the police officer so he could appropriately place it in a place where it would not be a threat to you, to him, or to anyone in the general public.

Robert Baillio: Well you know he still had a gun? How is he...how is he..

Mayor Cedric Glover: Because he's a police officer. As I've just related to you, that police officer has powers, sir, that you do not have. He has powers that I do not have. I'm the mayor of the city of Shreveport. I'm responsible for the entirety of this city, but if you are travelling down a street in this city right now, and I pull my vehicle in behind yours...and I yell for you to pull over. You can look at me and give me whatever sign or signal or say whatever it is that you are inclined to do so.

Because despite the fact that I'm the mayor and I sign the paycheck of every police officer in this city...I do not have...arrest powers. I do not have the power to detain you. I do not have the power to be able to suspend your rights, sir...but a police officer does.

Robert Baillio: Well...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Barack Obama who commands the military forces of this country...does not have that right. I'm the appointing authority for each and every member of the Shreveport Police Department. I am their commander in chief, but I do not possess the power that they have. I do not have that authority.

Robert Baillio: No wonder I...

Mayor Cedric Glover: I am not a member of law enforcement, sir.

Robert Baillio: Well I wonder why we see "to serve and protect"? It doesn't sound like service. It sounds like...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well again that sounds like where we will disagree sir. It sounds like you were served well, protected well, and even got a consideration that maybe you should not have gotten...because if you had in fact made an improper lane usage that might have been something that the officer in the interest of public safety should have properly sanctioned because it might have been...had he not been there...and someone else had been in a similar position might have caused an accident and possible physical harm or damage to property.

Robert Baillio: You know...uh...(cough)...Mr. Mayor I have been stopped before (cough) by police and I've never been asked that question. I have always been asked, "Let me see your driver's license, proof of insurance, and registration." I've never ever been asked that question, especially before (cough) any other questions.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well then that would be called anecdotal evidence, Mr. Baillio, and it would not necessarily be representative of what happens 100% of the time. Those are the types of issues that are left up to officers' descretion...just like him not choosing not to cite you for the offense that he pulled you over for was officer discretion.

Robert Baillio: Well of course that has absolutely nothing to do with what my complaint is. The fact...the ticket...

Mayor Cedric Glover: You've given me your complaint. Sir, I've given you my opinion. If you would like to pursue the matter, the appropriate place for you to actually file that complaint so a proper complete and thorough investigation can be done would be the internal affairs division of the Shreveport Police Department.

Robert Baillio: Well I don't think internal affairs really would be the place to go since the officer himself, I don't think is really the thing that's out of line. I think the thing that's out of line is the policy, and I don't think internal affairs handles policy or do they?

Mayor Cedric Glover: Ok..Well if if that is the case...uh...and you would think that it's a policy decision, then I would suggest...uh...that that you put your complaint...uh...in writing to me...uh...feel free to send it to members of the city council as well...um...and ask that we give it some consideration. But always know that as mayor of the city of Shreveport I'm going to look this as anyone who is in a civilian capacity should.

I will always look to the leaders of my law enforcement division to..to..give to me what it is they believe in their professional opinion should be the policy and precepts of the Shreveport police department would not look to politicize those by interjecting my own as someone who is not a member of law enforcement unless there is an absolute compelling reason to do so.

Robert Baillio: Well, (cough) Mr. Mayor, you know there's people that pose as police officers and have lights on their cars and uniforms and if they come up an say "do you have any weapons" and go get it...where are we at? How do know these people...I mean if they're gonna...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Here's what I would suggest to you sir. If you ever find yourself in a situation where someone is attempting to present themselves as a law enforcement official and you are not sure if they are, then at that point you should continue to proceed, not pull over, get to some place where there are other individuals. If you also have at your disposal a cell phone or other means of communication, call that number and report that.

Dial 911 and say that there is a vehicle has lights but does not have appropriate markings. It has lignt but does not have appropriate markings. It have light but the individual is not wearing a uniform. I'm located at such-and-such location. I do not know am not sure don't believe that this is a member of law enforcement.

Would you send out a uniformed marked unit that would confirm that I am actually in the presence of a commissioned duly appropriated...or duly appointed rather...law enforcement personnel or someone who is attempting to convince me that they are law enforcement personnel.

Robert Baillio: Well at that time I was out of the car. There was no...there was not anything I could do.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well was this a uniformed officer who pulled you over, sir?

Robert Baillio: That's correct.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Was he in a marked patrol unit?

Robert Baillio: I couldn't tell. It was night-time. It had lights in the front, lights on the top, in the windshield. Whatever.

Mayor Cedric Glover: But he was wearing the uniform of a Shreveport police officer?

Robert Baillio: Yes.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Ok. Then that would generally be your confirmation.

Robert Baillio: Well...It's the...I guess generally...

Mayor Cedric Glover: You also...you also have the right to ask for...uh...additional identification above and beyond the badge because also all duly commissioned law enforcement personnel for the city of Shreveport will carry with them card identification that will have their picture and other information on it as well as my signature on the back of it as well as the signature of the chief of police.

Robert Baillio: You see by the time he had my gun...there (cough)...excuse me...it wouldn't have mattered.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Mr. Baillio, as I said to you I listened to you in depth and in detail. You gave me the complete parameters of the situation. I've said to you that I disagree with you. Now this isn't a debate. You have your position...I have mine.

Robert Baillio: I see that. I see that. So I can be clear about this...When a citizen is pulled over by the police, they have absolutely no rights...Is that what you are saying, right or wrong?

Mayor Cedric Glover: Their rights have been suspended sir. Certainly you have the right...uh...to to to all of the things to be protected and what have you, but in terms of your right to be able to proceed until that officer has done with the work that he had at that particular point - yes sir your rights have been suspended.

Robert Baillio: But I wasn't proceeding. I'm missing something.

Mayor Cedric Glover: If you are inclined to get in your car and continue to drive, do you have the right to do that sir? Without facing additional criminal sanctions?

Robert Baillio: No!

Mayor Cedric Glover: No you do not!

Robert Baillio: But I was just standing there, I wasn't going anywhere.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Sir! Do do you understand what it is that I'm saying to you? I'm assuming that you...I'm assuming that I'm having a conversation with someone who has common sense. So no...Am I saying that all of your rights at that point have been eliminated and anything can be done to you no matter what. No I'm not saying that.

But what I am saying to you is that at that point the mere fact that you have been pulled over and have been told that...I understand you may be on your way to work. You may be on your way to church. You may be on your way to any number of different places. If it does not at this point constitute an emergency then you will stay here until what it is we are doing has been duly finished and concluded. So in that regard, yes, your rights have been suspended.

Robert Baillio: So...so...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Cause it's your inclination to do what? If you had your way, you would get what? Back into your truck, you would take your driver's license and anything else that you're gonna hand over and you would go on about your business.

Robert Baillio: No that's not my way. I tried to do everything perfectly legal.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well sir you did everything perfectly legal.

Robert Baillio: I understand.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Because my my direction to you is...is that had you chosen not to properly identify the fact the you had a weapon and directed that officer to where that weapon was located...had you been taken from the vehicle and the officer, in the interest of his safety, looked, found, and determined that you did in fact have a weapon...then, sir, you would have faced additional, insive, or more severe criminal sanctions.

Robert Baillio: So what you're saying is I give up all my rights to keep and bear arms if I'm stopped by the police. Is that correct?

Mayor Cedric Glover: Sir...you you have no right when you have been pulled over by a police officer for a potential criminal offense to stand there with your weapon at your side in your hand because of your 2nd Amendment rights, sir. That does not mean at that point your 2nd Amendment right has been taken away. It means at that particular point in time it has been suspended.

Robert Baillio: I've never heard of rights being suspended. This is the first I've heard about it, but I didn't have it in my hand.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well sir...I...I would suggest that you go and talk to folks who appear to be smarter than you and I. Only thing I'm offering to you is that is how law enforcement works sir.

Robert Baillio: But I..I'm...Maybe you misunderstood. I didn't have a gun in my hand. It was in the vehicle.

Mayor Cedric Glover: You had one in your vehicle sir.

Robert Baillio: Correct.

Mayor Cedric Glover: You had one in your vehicle and you had one that could possibly be within your reach. That is the point sir.

Robert Baillio: Well...you have a very interesting point of view.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well...as as do you sir.

Robert Baillio: Well the Constitution says I can keep and bear arms.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Absolutely.

Robert Baillio: Now...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Do you...do you have right now at this particular point in time the possession and ownership of the weapon that the officer..uh...temporarily...uh...uh...took from you...uh...upon pulling you over?

Robert Baillio: Absolutely.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Ok..alright...did you have to come and retrieve that weapon?

Robert Baillio: No.

Mayor Cedric Glover: From me or from the chief of police?

Robert Baillio: No sir. He gave it back to me.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Ok.

Robert Baillio: Like I said, he was a very nice guy. I just...the...the...it...it...is not what he did.

Mayor Cedric Glover: And see what what what you...what you..what you indicating to me is even when an officer conducts himself in a proper appropriate and professional manner that there are still people uh who will look at the job that they do and still find fault with them.

Robert Baillio: No that's absolutely not true mayor. I don't appreciate that. That is not true.

Mayor Cedric Glover: That's what it sounds like to me sir.

Robert Baillio: NO! I'm saying that the..that the...the weapon in the vehicle is totally separate from my conversation with the policeman.

Mayor Cedric Glover: No it is not.

Robert Baillio: Well in in...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Because when that officer...when that officer takes you outside that vehicle and you decide for whatever reason that you now want to go and try and put your hands on your weapon because you don't want to be here anymore or you are tired of your rights being suspended, you disagree, or you are somehow altered in some other way too chemically or otherwise

and now you have an unsecured weapon that's in your vehicle...uh...and that you may try and make a run for and dash for...uh...because you now want to take actions into your own hands that officer has placed himself, you, and the general public at risk.

Robert Baillio: So if somebody comes by and starts shooting at us I'm just a target? (cough)

Mayor Cedric Glover: Ok sir.

Robert Baillio: Well...now your...

Mayor Cedric Glover: That...that...that...that's the least likely of the potential problems can occur under the circumstances that have just been identified.

Robert Baillio: But it's also the least important it sounds like to y'all. My safety...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Not only could someone pass by and start shooting through no provocation, but someone could come by and ram their vehicle into yours or the officer. Ok...so that's a possibility as well.

Robert Baillio: Right...and I have...I have no way to protect myself.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Somebody could also pass by and throw a cream pie at you, sir.

Robert Baillio: That's right. Now you're getting my point. The officer is not going to catch it.

Mayor Cedric Glover: All of those...no...the officer would would...the officer's training, sir, under those circumstances would dictate for him because he has you in his protective custody. Secure you, secure himself, to take cover, asess the...the...the situation and take the appropriate action.

Robert Baillio: (Sigh) Well, you know I always support the police. Tell em they can come by here...

Mayor Cedric Glover: No no no sir. No you not. Not based on what you're saying. No way. There's no way you can say that in good conscience.

Robert Baillio: You're saying I don't support the police because I believe that I have the right to...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Not if you find fault with the actions or the policy...uh...the actions taken by this officer or the policy guideline that he followed. No. That officer acted in his safety and in yours sir. And if you find fault with that then no you are not.

Robert Baillio: Why don't you ask one of em that comes by here to use the bathroom or have a...get a bottle of water or something, if I support 'em. I don't support anybody that breaks the law. Ok? Now...that's my...that's my bottom line on it mayor. If somebody breaks the law I don't care....

Mayor Cedric Glover: If you find fault with the actions or policy that that officer took then no, I cannot say that you are a supporter of law enforcement.

Robert Baillio: Well I'll tell you this...I don't support police goin' and gettin' kids to buy alcohol so they can arrest the person that sells it to 'em. It's against the law, and they shouldn't be doin' it. That's another point but...

Mayor Cedric Glover: Sir that's another issue of discussion.

Robert Baillio: But it's the same same thing.

Mayor Cedric Glover: No it's not sir.

Robert Baillio: Well it's breaking the law to arrest somebody. Breaking the law to enforce the law. It doesn't make sense.

Mayor Cedric Glover: If...if...if we have folks out there who choose to sell alcohol to underage children and will do so without consideration for what the implications of those actions are, then it's our responsibility to create a situation to bring those people to justice.

Robert Baillio: What does that do to the kid though? I mean that goes in there. You know it teaches him how to...how to buy it.

(noise)

Robert Baillio: Alright, mayor I appreciate you calling me back.

Mayor Cedric Glover: That's not a problem.

Robert Baillio: And we definitely disagree.

Mayor Cedric Glover: Well yes we do.

Robert Baillio: Alright well have a good evening.

Mayor Cedric Glover: I'll do and you do the same now.