Editor-in-Chief
University Police Department detained Grover Perry, 50, of Bakersfield on March 7 near the intersection of Residence Way and Don Hart Drive.
UPD received a call about a man urinating by the bus stop and talking to himself.
The caller wanted UPD to make a welfare check on the subject.
According to Perry, an officer on a bicycle asked if he could talk to Perry. However, when the officer explained to Perry about the call UPD received, Perry responded to the officer that it was not him.
Perry said the officer then proceeded to ask Perry to stop and talk to him.
Perry said when the officers asked to search him, he got upset because he felt he had done nothing wrong.
“It caught me off guard because all I was doing was walking down the street,” said Perry.
According to Chief of Police Marty Williamson, the officers patted down Perry for weapons and for any illegal substance.
“Nothing that was illegal enough to violate the law. They did not seize anything,” said Williamson.
Three officers responded to the scene, after sometime of arguing back and forth the officers detained Perry and handcuffed him.
Perry said the officers were blaming him after they had to handcuff him.
“It’s my fault because I’m getting upset with them. I’m yelling and I shouldn’t yell,” said Perry.
Williamson said the officers asked for identification but Perry did not have a valid form of identification. Therefore, the officers had to produce a Field Interview card to be able to identify Perry.
Perry said officers also asked for a social security number.
Williamson said the officers then proceeded to check for warrants. However, Perry had no warrants and UPD released Perry.
“[The officers asked me for] my everything, my social security number, my name. They checked me. The only reason they let me go is because I didn’t have any warrants,” said Perry.