The officer, focused on a robbery suspect matching a description in red shirt and blue jeans, suddenly pivots when city director Ken Richardson arrives in a vehicle, slowly rolls behind the patrol car, and begins recording the stop from inside his car. A law enforcement officer may not arrest a person for failure to identify himself or herself unless the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the person has committed or is about to commit a crime. Instead of recognizing Richardson as a public official potentially exercising legitimate oversight, the officer treats him as an immediate threat, steps out, demands he leave, accuses him of encroaching, and handcuffs him within minutes for refusing to drive away, demonstrating how quickly authority figures are neutralized when they challenge police control rather than comply. >> What's up? Huh? >> Keep going. Keep going, please. Right now, you're posing at a risk to me. Go >> drive, please. He does not want you taking his picture. >> All units, it's in the area of Asher University. Asher and you be on the lookout for subject that's traveling northbound on University. Yes, sir. >> What sir? >> I said, "Show me, please. >> You're walking up on the police. You're apparently driving by this gentleman. I've stopped because he's a possible suspect robbery with the chief tomorrow." >> Oh, that's fine, sir. You need to drive. You need to leave my traffic or my stop and go. >> I was going, >> sir. You need to go. >> Sir, I'm going. I'm call now. That's fine. You're more than welcome to leave now or you're better under arrest. Leave. >> Sir. All right, turn around. Play change back. >> Now I'm having to turn my my attention away from this suspect over here. I've got handcuffs. >> All right. Hey everybody, hang tight. I'm trying to do something really simple. >> That's fine. >> Hey, close my door with that, baby. You have any guns weapons? >> 63. Start me another unit over here, please. >> Negative. I got one person stopped in reference to ZAG robbery, a possible suspect, and then another guy rolled up on me while I'm trying to handle this stop and then refused to leave the stop. Step over this way for me. >> Have a seat. Watch your head when sit down. >> You have ID on you, sir? >> Yeah. I'll just get your information for right now. Okay. pockets a little tight there. >> Yeah. >> Have a seat for me. Okay. >> Okay. >> Talking about a polo shirt. You said something. You said a red polo shirt. That's what you said. >> It's a polo style shirt. It's a collar and everything. Hang tight. I'm trying to get this stuff done and then I got this dude rolling up. Okay, >> it's a simple stop, man. There's no need for it to go sideways or anything. >> Huh? >> They say it's the wrong simple stop. >> Okay, you match the description. If I'm not stopping you, then I wouldn't be doing my due diligence. You know how many times I've caught aggravated robbery suspects because of a simple stop because they match the description and they're standing right in the exact same spot that the victim described he got robbed in. You know what I'm saying? >> And people hang around, right? Just hang tight for me. Well, I was over there looking for that and then I spotted you who matches the description. So, just hang tight for me. Right. >> You're aware that you can't roll up on the police and then encroach a subject stop and then refuse to leave, right? >> Well, you were you were over there creeping behind me. I'm the only officer on this call right here and I'm stopping a possible aggravated robbery suspect and then you're turning my attention from being able to complete that because you're sitting where I can't see your hands in a vehicle. He's complaining that you're videotaping. >> You get what I'm saying? So >> well We need our battery. Oh, great. Try somebody else. Lee Sean Mlan is his name. >> Hey man, you know your name's Lee Sean Mlan, right? You know your name is Lee Sean Mlan? >> My middle name is Lee. >> Huh? >> My middle name is Lee. Lean. My middle name is >> Why is your ID says Lee Sean Mlan? Not nothing about Thomas. >> ID. >> I have an ID. >> Okay. Well, when I run you, it comes back. >> You have nothing in your name about Thomas. >> Okay. >> All right. So, you're under arrest at this point for giving me a false name. >> Okay. Well, I'm under the arrest >> because you just gave the police a false name. >> So, can I ask you a question? What? So, that's your purpose of stopping me, man. What was your what was your real purpose of stopping me, man? Cuz it looks of a robber. >> Hey, you can argue in court. >> In court? >> So, I'm being under under arrest for >> when the police stop you. And I had reasonable suspicion, which is what the law requires. >> That's what I'm getting arrested for cuz you ain't doing my name. So, I mean, >> you're under arrest because you gave the police a false name. >> Oh my god. So, that's that's that's that's >> If you wouldn't have given me a false name, we'd probably be >> taking me down to the county. So, many times I've been down to the county. You going to take me down to the county for that? >> Yes, sir. >> And I was n my own business. Yes, sir. Okay, man. Don't worry about it. I want your I want your name and number when we get >> That's fine. I'll write it down for you, sir. >> Everything the badge number and all that. You messed up, man. I'm sending the matter, man. >> Is there anything weird [ __ ] in there, man? >> I don't even want to talk to you no more, bro. >> Okay, that's your right. Hank that right there. Don't move for me. >> I'm going that handcuffs on. >> Well, you never know. People do crazy things sometimes. Cuz I got I just like I did a crazy thing and rob a [ __ ] right there. Standing right there in the same [ __ ] spot [ __ ] that don't make no sense. >> People do crazy things, man. >> [ __ ] like that. I don't rob nobody. >> Okay. Well, I don't know you from man. >> I don't know you either. >> Okay. >> You know you stop me for for no reason >> because I did you stop every black man that you see with a red shirt on and some blue jeans pants that fit my prescription. Did you? He asked my wife what's going on. >> Who troll? Who troll Jack? >> Man, whoever book bag I was I was borrow somebody book bag, man. That was in the book bag already. >> This is a children's book bag. >> You answer the phone. Tell my wife what's going on. >> Hold on. Hang tight. We're going to stop or you going to hit this early, too. Quit hollering. We're going to get there. Hang tight. Now I've got this gentleman to deal with as well. We're going to walk right back here. Engine alone to X-ray 63. >> Walk right up here to the front of the car and we'll ask you a few questions. You're going to appear for operations. for what? >> Obstructing governmental operations. >> We're not going to discuss it, sir, then. >> Okay. >> I tell you, right? >> Hey, don't run off. Let me give you my business card. Don't run off. >> Okay. All right. Take that for me. >> Right there. While the robbery suspect is arrested for providing a false name, initial aliases like Lee John Mlan that failed to match records, Richardson is detained under similar obstruction claims for not departing the scene and for videotaping. Yet, once his identity as a city director is confirmed, the officer shifts to issuing only a citation instead of jail transport. Obstructing governmental operations includes refusing to obey a lawful order of a law enforcement officer. The body cam reveals the officer repeatedly framing Richardson's presence as dangerous officer safety interference despite no weapons, no approach beyond standing near the patrol car, and no physical resistance, revealing a pattern where everyday citizens face harsher detention for comparable behavior. While higher authority receives downgraded consequences once status is verified, Hey, don't run off, sis. I'm getting my card. Are you still living on Mystery Cove, sir? And the current telephone number for you, sir. >> I can't hear you, sir. >> 3714510. >> Hey, be quiet, sister. >> How old are you? Thing about traffic. >> About how tall are you to guess? >> 510. >> 510. How much you weigh? 125 >> 175. >> Hello, little man. >> I'm just waiting for backup. I got the uh driver What's up? >> Yeah. Are we doing the same thing? Are we doing double duty here? Mr. Richardson? >> No, >> you were supposed to be doing him, >> right? >> So, I just need you to do your stuff there cuz I didn't. >> No, not not Mr. Richardson. The other guy. >> You're killing me. >> No, I said the other guy here. >> He's talking about Richard. >> Yeah, we we'll avoid it. Just the guy from the computer that's in the other vehicle. >> He was in your computer. That's why. >> Oh, okay. All right. Will you get the other guy's information off my computer and write him a citation for obstruction operations? >> Okay. >> Over here. location has changed for me gas station 9.8 I'm hungry. What's up, little fellas? >> All right. [clears throat] All right. >> How you doing? Yeah, ma'am. I'm doing all right. >> You good? >> Yeah, I'm good. I'm straight. >> You doing all right? >> Yes, sir. >> Doing all your >> Yes, sir. already. >> All right, man. Appreciate your kind words, man. >> I appreciate your kind words. >> Uh, if you've got another unit, just swing up there and check. I got a feeling this is going to be the same, guys. All right, take these off here real quick. All right, Mr. Richardson. So, this, like I said, this is a criminal citation to appear. All right. It's for a c misdemeanor for obser operations. All right. You can go ahead and sign right here where it's a signature of accused. It's not an admission of guilt. It's simply a or agreement to appear in court rather than having to go to jail. Yes, sir. >> Right there. >> We got one suspect in custody and it doesn't say if it was just a regular sto vehicle or if it's a car. Nothing. Right. >> Use my phone. >> Yeah, that's fine. Okay. >> Call 63. Can I get my man in my report number please? >> Infinite number is 127025. 127025. >> Ma'am, thank you. All right. This is your copy of the citation, sir. Hey, I got another item to add to agenda tomorrow. Okay. Operations, criminal court of Little Rock, 600 West Markhamm Street, 23rd day of 23rd day of October, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. And that's my name right there. Okay. Is there anything any questions, comments, concerns? >> The guy number 1013, right? What was his name? >> Officer Crawford. And here, I'll write his employee number down for you. >> Appreciate it, >> sir. And his employee number is 33549. I don't know his badge number off the top of my head, but that's what we go by. >> 13. >> Okay, it might be. I'm not sure. Keys, your ID, and you're free to leave. >> Yes, sir. Here's your car. >> After roughly 30 minutes of detention, Richardson received a misdemeanor citation for obstructing governmental operations and was released at the scene with the officer providing court date details and badge number. Yet, the encounter triggered a federal wrongful arrest lawsuit against the city that continues to unfold years later. Government officials may not retaliate against individuals for exercising their First Amendment rights, including the right to record police in public derived from Glick versus Kunif and related federal precedent applied in Arkansas. The wrongful arrest lawsuit filed by Little Rock City Director Ken Richardson against the city over his October 2019 detention remains ongoing. In late October 2024, a judge denied the city's motion to dismiss the case and ruled that a jury should decide key issues, leading to a scheduled trial that was indefinitely postponed after the city appealed the decision, underscoring persistent allegations of police overreach when confronting elected higher authority.