Hamilton Coun. Matthew Green told a disciplinary hearing he felt “criminalized” and “humiliated” when a police officer stopped him while waiting for a bus in April 2016.
Testifying at a disciplinary hearing for Const. Andrew Pfiefer Monday at the Sheraton Hotel, Green said in answer to questions by his lawyer, Wade Poziomka, and lawyer Brian Duxbury that he believed the encounter was “unlawful” and “arbitrary” and was done only because he was a black man. All he was doing, said Green, was waiting for a bus and checking his email on his phone.
“I was humiliated,” said Green. “I felt I was criminalized in my own community.”
Green said he didn’t believe the officer stopped him because he was concerned about his welfare. The Ward 3 councillor said only at the end of the discussion did the officer ask if he was OK.
“This was about power; this was about control,” said Green.
Defence lawyer Bernard Cummins argued during an at times confrontational cross-examination with the politician that the officer expressed some concern about Green’s situation. Cummins said that when the officer initiated the conversation with Green, he immediately asked him if he was OK.
Cummins then asked Green if he was standing in a pile of mud while waiting for a bus at Victoria Ave. South and Stinson Street beside a bridge adjacent to the Central Memorial Recreation Centre. He also asked if he “pounded his chest” and if he yelled at the officer.
Green, who said he was wearing the same blue jacket, light blue shirt, beige pants and brown shoes that he wore during his encounter with the officer, emphatically denied the description that Cummins painted for the councillor.
Green called the idea that he pounded his chest in cold weather while standing in mud, “bizarre,” “preposterous” and “ridiculous.”
Cummins said two officers will testify that Green was pounding his chest, standing in mud and acting in an aggressive manner, which prompted Pfiefer, a 10-year-veteran of the service, to stop his cruiser and ask if the councillor was OK.
“I don’t make a habit of hitting my chest,” said Green.
Green said he sent out a tweet while on the bus after the encounter with the officer, identifying the incident as “carding” or what the Hamilton police termed a “street check.”
“For those of you who think police carding is over. I was just arbitrarily stopped/questioned by @HamiltonPolice as a City Clr in my own city,” Green tweeted.
Hamilton police have stated its officers do not engage in the controversial practice of “carding.”
Instead, they conducted at the time what was known as “street safety checks” where officers write information down in their notebooks after an interaction with community members.
Cummins said Pfiefer had to record the encounter with Green in his notebook. If he did not, said Cummins, he would be violating the Police Services Act.
The officer is charged under the Police Service Act with one count of discreditable conduct.
Green said by the time he arrived home, he was “furious” at what happened. He filed a complaint with the Ontario Civilian Police Commission and to the Hamilton Police Service the next day.
The questioning of Green by Cummins remained tense throughout the morning session as the lawyer repeatedly asked the councillor to respond to his queries.
“Stop dancing and answer my questions,” said Cummins.
Several times, the hearing officer, Terrence Kelly, interrupted the hearing to tell Green to listen to the questions that were put forward to him.
Green responded that he wanted to answer the lawyer’s questions, but he was being prevented from answering them.
At one point, Green told Cummins that his questioning was “antagonistic” and “derogatory” toward him in a tone similar to the incident with the police officer.
The hearing is scheduled to continue for three days, if required, this week at the Sheraton Hotel.
Meanwhile, Green said prior to the hearing he filed a complaint to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission against Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, who is also chairman of the Hamilton police services board. Green’s complaint involves comments Ferguson made about racial profiling on Bill Kelly’s CHML show in June.
Ferguson didn’t want to comment on the issue when asked, saying he wanted to seek advice before making a statement.
Hamilton Coun. Matthew Green told a disciplinary hearing he felt “criminalized” and “humiliated” when a police officer stopped him while waiting for a bus in April 2016.
Testifying at a disciplinary hearing for Const. Andrew Pfiefer Monday at the Sheraton Hotel, Green said in answer to questions by his lawyer, Wade Poziomka, and lawyer Brian Duxbury that he believed the encounter was “unlawful” and “arbitrary” and was done only because he was a black man. All he was doing, said Green, was waiting for a bus and checking his email on his phone.
“I was humiliated,” said Green. “I felt I was criminalized in my own community.”
Green said he didn’t believe the officer stopped him because he was concerned about his welfare. The Ward 3 councillor said only at the end of the discussion did the officer ask if he was OK.
“This was about power; this was about control,” said Green.
Defence lawyer Bernard Cummins argued during an at times confrontational cross-examination with the politician that the officer expressed some concern about Green’s situation. Cummins said that when the officer initiated the conversation with Green, he immediately asked him if he was OK.
Cummins then asked Green if he was standing in a pile of mud while waiting for a bus at Victoria Ave. South and Stinson Street beside a bridge adjacent to the Central Memorial Recreation Centre. He also asked if he “pounded his chest” and if he yelled at the officer.
Green, who said he was wearing the same blue jacket, light blue shirt, beige pants and brown shoes that he wore during his encounter with the officer, emphatically denied the description that Cummins painted for the councillor.
Green called the idea that he pounded his chest in cold weather while standing in mud, “bizarre,” “preposterous” and “ridiculous.”
Cummins said two officers will testify that Green was pounding his chest, standing in mud and acting in an aggressive manner, which prompted Pfiefer, a 10-year-veteran of the service, to stop his cruiser and ask if the councillor was OK.
“I don’t make a habit of hitting my chest,” said Green.
Green said he sent out a tweet while on the bus after the encounter with the officer, identifying the incident as “carding” or what the Hamilton police termed a “street check.”
“For those of you who think police carding is over. I was just arbitrarily stopped/questioned by @HamiltonPolice as a City Clr in my own city,” Green tweeted.
Hamilton police have stated its officers do not engage in the controversial practice of “carding.”
Instead, they conducted at the time what was known as “street safety checks” where officers write information down in their notebooks after an interaction with community members.
Cummins said Pfiefer had to record the encounter with Green in his notebook. If he did not, said Cummins, he would be violating the Police Services Act.
The officer is charged under the Police Service Act with one count of discreditable conduct.
Green said by the time he arrived home, he was “furious” at what happened. He filed a complaint with the Ontario Civilian Police Commission and to the Hamilton Police Service the next day.
The questioning of Green by Cummins remained tense throughout the morning session as the lawyer repeatedly asked the councillor to respond to his queries.
“Stop dancing and answer my questions,” said Cummins.
Several times, the hearing officer, Terrence Kelly, interrupted the hearing to tell Green to listen to the questions that were put forward to him.
Green responded that he wanted to answer the lawyer’s questions, but he was being prevented from answering them.
At one point, Green told Cummins that his questioning was “antagonistic” and “derogatory” toward him in a tone similar to the incident with the police officer.
The hearing is scheduled to continue for three days, if required, this week at the Sheraton Hotel.
Meanwhile, Green said prior to the hearing he filed a complaint to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission against Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, who is also chairman of the Hamilton police services board. Green’s complaint involves comments Ferguson made about racial profiling on Bill Kelly’s CHML show in June.
Ferguson didn’t want to comment on the issue when asked, saying he wanted to seek advice before making a statement.
Hamilton Coun. Matthew Green told a disciplinary hearing he felt “criminalized” and “humiliated” when a police officer stopped him while waiting for a bus in April 2016.
Testifying at a disciplinary hearing for Const. Andrew Pfiefer Monday at the Sheraton Hotel, Green said in answer to questions by his lawyer, Wade Poziomka, and lawyer Brian Duxbury that he believed the encounter was “unlawful” and “arbitrary” and was done only because he was a black man. All he was doing, said Green, was waiting for a bus and checking his email on his phone.
“I was humiliated,” said Green. “I felt I was criminalized in my own community.”
Green said he didn’t believe the officer stopped him because he was concerned about his welfare. The Ward 3 councillor said only at the end of the discussion did the officer ask if he was OK.
“This was about power; this was about control,” said Green.
Defence lawyer Bernard Cummins argued during an at times confrontational cross-examination with the politician that the officer expressed some concern about Green’s situation. Cummins said that when the officer initiated the conversation with Green, he immediately asked him if he was OK.
Cummins then asked Green if he was standing in a pile of mud while waiting for a bus at Victoria Ave. South and Stinson Street beside a bridge adjacent to the Central Memorial Recreation Centre. He also asked if he “pounded his chest” and if he yelled at the officer.
Green, who said he was wearing the same blue jacket, light blue shirt, beige pants and brown shoes that he wore during his encounter with the officer, emphatically denied the description that Cummins painted for the councillor.
Green called the idea that he pounded his chest in cold weather while standing in mud, “bizarre,” “preposterous” and “ridiculous.”
Cummins said two officers will testify that Green was pounding his chest, standing in mud and acting in an aggressive manner, which prompted Pfiefer, a 10-year-veteran of the service, to stop his cruiser and ask if the councillor was OK.
“I don’t make a habit of hitting my chest,” said Green.
Green said he sent out a tweet while on the bus after the encounter with the officer, identifying the incident as “carding” or what the Hamilton police termed a “street check.”
“For those of you who think police carding is over. I was just arbitrarily stopped/questioned by @HamiltonPolice as a City Clr in my own city,” Green tweeted.
Hamilton police have stated its officers do not engage in the controversial practice of “carding.”
Instead, they conducted at the time what was known as “street safety checks” where officers write information down in their notebooks after an interaction with community members.
Cummins said Pfiefer had to record the encounter with Green in his notebook. If he did not, said Cummins, he would be violating the Police Services Act.
The officer is charged under the Police Service Act with one count of discreditable conduct.
Green said by the time he arrived home, he was “furious” at what happened. He filed a complaint with the Ontario Civilian Police Commission and to the Hamilton Police Service the next day.
The questioning of Green by Cummins remained tense throughout the morning session as the lawyer repeatedly asked the councillor to respond to his queries.
“Stop dancing and answer my questions,” said Cummins.
Several times, the hearing officer, Terrence Kelly, interrupted the hearing to tell Green to listen to the questions that were put forward to him.
Green responded that he wanted to answer the lawyer’s questions, but he was being prevented from answering them.
At one point, Green told Cummins that his questioning was “antagonistic” and “derogatory” toward him in a tone similar to the incident with the police officer.
The hearing is scheduled to continue for three days, if required, this week at the Sheraton Hotel.
Meanwhile, Green said prior to the hearing he filed a complaint to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission against Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, who is also chairman of the Hamilton police services board. Green’s complaint involves comments Ferguson made about racial profiling on Bill Kelly’s CHML show in June.
Ferguson didn’t want to comment on the issue when asked, saying he wanted to seek advice before making a statement.