Chester Township Police Department arrests man for loitering in front of his own home

[VivaRevolution]

CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Two families in Delaware County, Pennsylvania are calling for a group of police officers to be fired and the attorney general to investigate after family members were arrested for loitering in front of their homes.

Brandon Alvin said Chester Township police arrested him in front of his home on South Williams Circle on the night of September 21.

He said he did nothing wrong and should not have been approached.

The arrest was captured on grainy cell phone video where Alvin's wife, Danielle Alvin and a man can be heard yelling, "He lives here."

"You hear about it all the time, but to actually have it happen to a family member, my husband -- my kids were in the window," Danielle Alvin said.

Alvin said he was talking to his cousin, Don Roberts, when officers arrived and told him he was loitering, hanging in an area without a purpose.

"It's the same thing they been doing for the longest, they been harassing us," Roberts said.

According to the arrest affidavit, police saw Alvin leaning against an SUV and said he shouldn't be there. They tried to cuff and search him but he refused and said he did nothing wrong.

Police ended up pepper spraying Alvin twice while trying to take him into custody.

"I just want everyone to see how our community is being treated," said Danielle Alvin.

The same officer is accused of arresting members of the Briggs family down the street 10 days later, and on two different occasions; also in front of their homes.

That arrest was captured on video as well.

Both families now have the same attorneys who say they have more cases in the township and may file a class-action lawsuit.

They're now calling for the officers to be fired, and for the attorney general to investigate.


"This has been going on for years. It stops now," said attorney Thomas Fitzpatrick.


The attorneys argue that police are enforcing loitering laws that were struck down by judges back in 2012.

"We believe that they're using it as a way to harass and terrorize these black citizens in this community," said attorney Kevin Mincey.

The Chester Township police referred Action News to the Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland, who said they're reviewing one of the cases and that no one has come to them about the Alvin case.

Alvin's attorneys said the video has already been presented to prosecutors in court.

No civil complaints have been filed yet in either case.

https://6abc.com/second-family-accusing-officer-of-unlawful-loitering-arrest-at-homes /5624060/

This guy was arrested for not rolling onto his back and showing his belly, like a good little bitch dog.

That seems to be what some police officers think is appropriate. I hope our legal system proves to them other wise.

 

[VivaRevolution]

Let this be a lesson, always resist arrest and never settled disputes in court.
Always resist arrest!

And if they somehow get off, without more information coming to light, what would be the remedy then?

 

[VivaRevolution]

I wonder if all the posters defending the Nazi who had is guns taken are in here defending this guy. If not, I wonder why.

Who has two thumbs and is a equal opportunity employer?

This guy right here.

 

[VivaRevolution]

Why should he go back in his house?

To get something metal. Seems kind of dumb on the cops part. Why don't you go back inside where you potentially have access to a legal firearm while I harass you.

I really want to see someone in Florida claim stand your ground with a cop and win.

 

[Andy Capp]

I'm willing to say this sounds like the sort of story we only hear one side of and the other side of it will change the whole thing

What do you expect to change in a story about arresting someone for loitering on their own property?

Edit: this is not to say I wouldn't accept evidence to support another side to the story; just saying it seems unlikely that it would change. It sounds to me like this particular cop has it in for those two families, perhaps due to previous salty interactions, but that wouldn't justify this, so I admit I'd be fascinated to find out there was enough of another side to this to change it significantly.

 

[Slick_36]

Who has two thumbs and is a equal opportunity employer?

This guy right here.

That's why I like you even when we disagree, you're honest and that's a surprisingly rare trait in the War Room. You believe in what you speak on and aren't shifted by whatever your party leader tells you that week.

Personally I find this more egregious than the Nazi, a guy being detained for standing in front of his own home is way more concerning than a guy who glorifies the death of millions having his weapons taken away. I mean if they are concerned about tyranny enough to pick up a gun, why would they ignore this tyranny?

 

[VivaRevolution]

That's why I like you even when we disagree, you're honest and that's a surprisingly rare trait in the War Room. You believe in what you speak on and aren't shifted by whatever your party leader tells you that week.

Personally I find this more egregious than the Nazi, a guy being detained for standing in front of his own home is way more concerning than a guy who glorifies the death of millions having his weapons taken away. I mean if they are concerned about tyranny enough to pick up a gun, why would they ignore this tyranny?

If you view it through a scope of allowing actual criminals to be harassed without cause, slippery sloping into this law abiding citizen being harassed in front of his home, the two stories are actually very similiar, just on different points of the, "you are here" map.

 

[skysolo]

I seen a different news story about this last week(They were getting arrested in the daytime) Is there a reason why they have No Loitering signs posted in the neighborhood? I have never seen this before in any neighborhood.



When a story sounds too bizarre to be true, there is usually more too it.

Drug activity.

 

[skysolo]

What do you expect to change in a story about arresting someone for loitering on their own property?

Edit: this is not to say I wouldn't accept evidence to support another side to the story; just saying it seems unlikely that it would change. It sounds to me like this particular cop has it in for those two families, perhaps due to previous salty interactions, but that wouldn't justify this, so I admit I'd be fascinated to find out there was enough of another side to this to change it significantly.

I can't speak for this story.

But in some parts of Michigan, you can't hang out in the parking lot of your apartment complex. These are red zones. There is a lot of gang and drug activity in these areas.

 

[Low Test With da Best]

Why? We have repeat examples of cops, units, or even entire departments engaging in way more wantonly abusive behavior for years before the situation finally coming out to the public.

Oh for sure, but the article paints the picture as if the defense lawyer wrote it, and there are likewise many examples of arrests the are initially described as arestee doing nothing wrong ever in their life, only to later come out that they fucked themself over instead.

 

[franklinstower]

I seen a different news story about this last week(They were getting arrested in the daytime) Is there a reason why they have No Loitering signs posted in the neighborhood? I have never seen this before in any neighborhood.



When a story sounds too bizarre to be true, there is usually more too it.

Police harassing bkack people doesn't sound bizarre to me.

 

[RoosterHucklebuck]

Police harassing bkack people doesn't sound bizarre to me.

So out of all of the black people(80% of them are black in this township), why are they only harassing these particular ones?

 

[franklinstower]

So out of all of the black people(80% of them are black in this township), why are they only harassing these particular ones?

Why are you asking me?

 

[RoosterHucklebuck]

Why are you asking me?

Well you said that it isn't bizarre for police to harass black people, so I was expecting you to explain why these particular ones out of 1000's in the area are the only ones being harassed.

I am saying that it is bizarre and you are saying that it isn't.

 

[franklinstower]

Well you said that it isn't bizarre for police to harass black people, so I was expecting you to explain why these particular ones out of 1000's in the area are the only ones being harassed.

I am saying that it is bizarre and you are saying that it isn't.

I don't recognize the validity of your premise.

 

[SmilinDesperado]

What a bizzare story...

Reminds me of this one:


"Sit down!"
"No."
"Then you're probably gonna get tased"
"Why?"
"Because you have a weapon!"
"I have a weapon? I'm picking up trash on my own property. I dont have a weapon!"
"That's a weapon!"
"This is a bucket!"
"No that's a weapon!"
"This is a clamper for picking up trash"

Reads like a skit.

"You think cops are just sitting around waiting to fuck with black people for no reason?"
YES

"There MUST be more to this story."
NO.

Not all cops are bad, but they do fuck with people for no reason. Some of them are bored, some of them think they're playing detective, and some of them are just assholes.

And if you give a cop "attitude" or question why he's questioning you, he doubles down on his assholeness.
It's amazing that it's somehow easier for a large segment of the population to believe that it's more likely that black people are just all naturally more terrible humans over the possibility that biased/racist/asshole cops exist.

 

[BEER]

Well you said that it isn't bizarre for police to harass black people, so I was expecting you to explain why these particular ones out of 1000's in the area are the only ones being harassed.

I am saying that it is bizarre and you are saying that it isn't.

You are asking him to explain why a specific black person or group of black people is being harassed by cops when he made the general statement that it isn't abnormal for black people to be harassed by police.

Your entire premise is flawed.

 

[hillelslovak87]

I seen a different news story about this last week(They were getting arrested in the daytime) Is there a reason why they have No Loitering signs posted in the neighborhood? I have never seen this before in any neighborhood.



When a story sounds too bizarre to be true, there is usually more too it.

I used to have family in Texas and Arkansas (gross) and lets just say people were wary. You go down a block in order to turn around and people are watching you like a hawk. No loitering signs, as absurd as it sounds, doesn't strike me as beyond the pale.

 

[RoosterHucklebuck]

I don't recognize the validity of your premise.

You are asking him to explain why a specific black person or group of black people is being harassed by cops when he made the general statement that it isn't abnormal for black people to be harassed by police.

Your entire premise is flawed.

It is abnormal considering that everyone that lives on the street is black, yet only this one particular group is having an issue with the Police.

 

[BEER]

It is abnormal considering that everyone that lives on the street is black, yet only this one particular group is having an issue with the Police.

How do you know they're the only ones having issues with cops?