Frisco Police Apologize After Wrongly Stopping Arkansas Family in High-Risk Incident
The Frisco Police Department in Texas issued an apology after mistakenly carrying out a high-risk stop on an Arkansas family who were on their way to a basketball tournament in Grapevine. The incident occurred when a Frisco officer ran the car’s license plate and mistakenly entered it as being from Arizona instead of Arkansas, leading to a registration return that suggested the vehicle may be stolen.
On July 23, a Frisco police officer spotted a black Dodge Charger with an out-of-state license plate leaving a hotel and decided to conduct a check on the vehicle’s registration. Due to the officer’s error, the plate was entered as being from the wrong state, causing a false indication that the car might be stolen. Consequently, the officer initiated a high-risk traffic stop on the Dallas North Tollway and awaited backup officers, as per the department’s standard procedure for stolen vehicles.
Body camera footage released by the Frisco Police Department demonstrates the mother, who was driving, and her 6th-grade son being ordered out of the car. The officer with his gun drawn instructs them to exit the vehicle slowly, face away from him, and show their hands outside the window. The driver informs the officer that she has a licensed handgun locked in the glove compartment, leading to a warning from the officer not to reach into the car.
After further investigation, it became clear that the stop was a mistake. Frisco Police Chief David Shilson expressed regret, saying, We made a mistake. Our department will not hide from its mistakes. Instead, we will learn from them. He added that the officer involved had taken responsibility for the error, which he commended as a display of integrity. Chief Shilson personally spoke to the family, empathizing with their distress and acknowledging their valid concerns.
The body camera footage also shows another officer questioning the mother about the car’s tags while the father converses with a second officer, explaining that they were on their way to a basketball tournament. The father emphasizes that the family had no ill intentions and that they were all law-abiding citizens.
Following the realization of the mistake, another officer arrived at the scene, and the high-risk stop was called off. The father expressed the potential dangers that could have arisen from the situation, and the emotional toll it had taken on him and his family.
Addressing the incident, the Frisco Police Department initiated an immediate review to understand the circumstances and evaluate how to prevent similar incidents in the future. They emphasized the importance of transparency and holding themselves accountable. The ongoing review aims to identify necessary changes in training, policies, and procedures within the department.
Chief Shilson offered his sincere apologies to the family involved and assured them that the incident did not reflect the department’s usual high standard of service. He concluded by reaffirming the department’s commitment to rectify the situation and maintain transparency throughout the process.
In this unfortunate incident, the Frisco Police Department has taken the necessary steps to take responsibility, apologize, and conduct a thorough review to prevent future errors. The focus remains on learning from this experience and ensuring that such mistakes are not repeated.
