As you guys can see, I'm being surrounded right now. Three patrol cars. Um am I detained at this moment? Under suspicion of what crime? Uh is this your car? I'm not answering any questions at this point until a supervisor arrives. There has been no crime at this point, so I'm not going to I'm not going to give identification. >> Suspicious person walking around the neighborhood. >> Is not a crime. Suspicion in itself is not a crime. >> He is contacting you. You have reasonable suspicion to contact you. No, no, that's the problem. He doesn't What is a reasonable Reasonable suspicion. What is a [clears throat] reasonable suspicion, sir? That you walked around this neighborhood. Yeah. And you say you're at work. So you need to prove to us in some way that you're >> No, no, see that's actually the problem. You guys have to prove that I have done something wrong. Innocent until proven guilty, right? This roofer was out working in a neighborhood when deputies suddenly rolled up claiming somebody thought he looked suspicious for walking door to door, even after he explained he was working and pointed out that nothing he was doing was illegal. The officers kept demanding identification and started calling more units to the scene. Instead of backing down, he immediately took control of the conversation by forcing the deputies to explain exactly what crime they believed had happened while correcting them on the law in real time. Watch how this worker completely flipped the pressure back onto the deputies and forced multiple officers, including a supervisor, to justify themselves on camera without ever surrendering his authority. Hey guys. I'm out here working and this cop's been following me around. Come on, buddy. Come on. He's now behind my car. As you can see, come on. Come on, it's okay. Come on. Can you roll down your window down, please? Yes. How you doing? I'm doing all right. How you doing? Good. Do you have some ID? Oh, what is that for, sir? Well, I'm just trying to figure out what's going on today. What's your name? My name's Mike Stokes with the Sheriff's Office. Okay, the Centennial? Uh-huh. Okay, what's your badge number? 8716. Okay. Yeah, I mean, what seems to be the problem? Well, it's you parked here. Yeah. Okay, and you walked down the park Public street. I can park anywhere I want as long as I'm not blocking someone's driveway, right? >> Right. That's correct. Yeah. Yeah, and then you see me walk up there. Saw you walked up there. And then I'm walking back over here. Uh-huh. And I was here yesterday. Okay. Yeah. Can I get your name? I don't think that I need to unless I've committed a crime or I'm suspected of a crime. You know, I mean I I just don't really understand what the problem was. I mean, I can understand somebody being nervous and making a call, but once you get here and you see, well, nothing's really going on. >> That's illegal. I'm walking my dog right now. Well, yeah, but you have you have to have the actual evidence before you can just say, well, I don't know, I I think you might have. That doesn't work like that. That's not how the law law works, you know. >> going to tell me how the law works? Yeah, the law in Colorado states that I have to be under suspicion of a crime, either have committed one or I am about to, and you have to have reasonable suspicion that I am about to or have or something of that nature. Me parking on the side of the street, walking my dog, you see me talking to a neighbor over there. Nothing about that is illegal. Absolutely not. Okay. Sir. You're also obligated by law to provide identification when asked by law >> Oh, yeah, yeah, no, no. Actually, so I have the I don't think you understand how much of this I know or have been in. Oh, I'm sure I do. Okay, so the the thing is is that yes, by law, I am required to identify if there is suspicion of another crime. So, yes, sir, listen. Failure to Hey, hey, hey, no, it's just a just a guy. Don't worry. Failure to ID is a secondary charge, meaning, "Hey, look, I just did this crime. Now you come up and say, 'I need your information. You're being charged with such and such a crime.'" I must identify myself at that point. And if I do not identify myself at that point, I would get the secondary charge of failure to identify because I am lawfully arrested or being charged lawfully with a crime. At this point, that's not the case. I'm not being charged with the crime. I'm not even under suspicion of a crime. Suspicious activity in itself, which is that's what you're trying to call this, is not a crime, you know? I mean, I can understand, like I said. >> you have committed a crime? >> Well, no, but you're asking for my ID saying that I'm I obligated. You said that I'm obligated, which is not correct. Well, you're obligated to identify yourself. Yeah, once I've been charged with the crime, sir. Yeah. That is how it works. I mean, if you'd like, um, and you want to take this any further, I've requested you get a supervisor, please. And then, uh, we can go from there. >> You want to do that? Well, I mean, if you're going to leave and just leave me alone, obviously seeing that there's no crime, then no, have a great day type of thing. But, if it is going to be something where you're going to try and take this any steps further, or you're going to lie to me and say that I'm obligated to identify myself, at that point, I would like that you get a supervisor, please. Adam 31. So, you're going to take this further? No problem. No problem. And if you lie to me, you're allowed to lie to me. That's very true. Um, hey guys, thanks for hopping in here. I'm live. I'm actually at work right now. I'm here with Officer Stokes. Uh, he's been professional at this point, but they have another unit in route. Um, Hey, what's up, Taylen? Yeah, so I'm actually at work right now. I'm being stopped. They said that, uh, suspicious activity, something of that nature. Um, I never said suspicious activity. Okay, maybe I manifested that on my own. >> I think you manifested that. Okay, well then how come it is that you're asking for my ID? >> [snorts] >> You're in the neighborhood and you're going door-to-door. You don't have All you have is Interstate Roofing Yeah. on your on your shirt. And how is that leads you to believe that I'm required to give my identification? Hey, how are you doing today, sir? Good, how are you? I'm doing all right. Uh what's your name and badge number, please? >> Deputy Lovsack. Okay, got you. Are you the supervisor? Uh no, he's on his way. Oh, okay. Is this the supervisor? Nope, he's on his way. I got you. Yeah, so I mean, as you guys can see, I'm being surrounded right now. Three patrol cars. Am I detained at this moment? Under suspicion of what crime? Uh is this your car? I'm not answering any questions at this point until a supervisor arrives. I will not be answering any questions. I think I provided enough as it is. So, I'm being detained for what? You just said my car, but what crime are you suspecting me of committing at this point in time that you can lawfully detain me? Okay, based on the the database that I have used, you have a warrant out for your arrest. The database of what? Okay, that's why you're being detained. Okay. >> Now, you're being cooperative [snorts] with me. Yes. But if I feel that you're not going to be cooperative with me, I'll detain you in handcuffs. Okay, well I honestly don't think there's any need for that. >> think so either. >> You know, I I have no weapons on me, no ill will, no ill intent. The fact, first off, there's no probable cause to be running any license plate. Second off, Okay, guys, right here, I'm actually wrong in this one. This is something that I learned later on, uh and I will accept that's my fault. Um I needed to brush up some more on those laws, but he's absolutely able to run any plate that's out in public at any time for any reason. And so, this was a learning experience for me, but I do accept that I was wrong in that statement. don't >> know who am at this point in >> Okay? now Now, I'm asking You have suspicion. Right. Now, I'm asking you for identification. Mhm. Because I have reasonable suspicion now. This is my supervisor. >> This is your supervisor? Hey, how's it going, man? How are you doing? Good. Yourself? I am doing all right. I mean, I'm not sure what's going on here. We got a ton of police officers. I'm surrounded. I mean, I'm feeling pretty nervous right now. I'm at work, okay? I'm using this vehicle for work, and this officer for some reason feels that he has reasonable suspicion to be running plates around here or thinking about other stuff. I've committed no crime. >> roadway, so yes. Yeah, well, no, you actually have to have some sort of suspicion to actually be able to run it and go through that. >> 186918231. It's a public roadway. Yeah. Okay. So, what is >> identification cuz that's what he's requesting. Yeah, I know, but there has been no crime at this point, so I'm not going to I'm not going to give identification. >> Suspicious person walking around the neighborhood. >> Is not a crime. Suspicion in itself is not a crime. >> contacting you. He has reasonable suspicion to contact you. No, no, that's the problem. He doesn't What is the reason What is the reasonable suspicion, sir? That you're walking around this neighborhood. Yeah. >> And you say you're at work, so you need to prove to us in some way that you're No, no, see, that's actually the problem. You guys have to prove that I have done something wrong. Innocent till proven guilty, right? >> care. Yeah, I'm just filming for my protection, just as the other officers are filming for their protection. >> is asking you for identification. Yeah. If you don't relinquish that identification, there could be an additional charge. No, see, that's a secondary charge, sir. >> have a possible warrant for your arrest. That that That is besides the point at this point because No, no, no, see, you guys have to prove that I have done something wrong. See, sir, the law works that you're innocent until proven guilty. So, for you to say that I'm going to get a charge for that >> That's only for probable cause arrest. Yeah, so what I'm saying right now is the fact that you guys are just telling me that I'm going to get a charge for not identifying. That's That's a secondary charge. For me to identify, I have to be suspected of committing a crime. I have to be suspected of committing some sort of infraction. I I am not going to give that, sir, unless I am being lawfully arrested. >> Okay. After everything was over, the man was released without any charges, and the supposed warrant officers kept hinting it never existed in the first place. As he said in the video, there were no warrants at all, which only made the entire stop look even worse afterward. What started as deputies claiming a man looked suspicious for working and walking his dog ended with multiple officers unable to justify why they escalated the situation in the first place, turning the encounter into what many saw as an illegal detention over nothing more than refusing to hand over ID.