New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore found himself at the center of controversy this week following a traffic stop in Providence, Rhode Island. The 25-year-old was pulled over just before 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday and issued three traffic violations: operating an unregistered vehicle, improperly displaying a license plate, and driving with expired registration.
The traffic stop escalated when Barmore took to X (formerly Twitter) shortly afterward to express his frustration, posting a now-deleted message accusing the Providence police officers of racism. “I just experienced for the first time 5 Providence cops being very unprofessional—racism at its finest,” Barmore wrote in the post.
According to a report from Boston 25 News, the Providence Police Department provided details on the incident, explaining that after officers signaled for Barmore to pull over, his vehicle performed a “slow roll.” Police stated that this tactic is often used to conceal contraband or weapons before officers approach the vehicle. “This tactic is known to police by slowing down an intersection with police to hide any contraband or weapons,” the police report said, adding that the area is known for high narcotic activity.
During the 45-minute traffic stop, officers claimed that Barmore was “belligerent” and displayed an “attitude” toward them. The situation intensified when they informed him that his vehicle, which had tinted windows and a covered license plate obscuring the registration sticker, would have to be towed due to its expired registration.
Upon checking the registration, officers discovered it was registered to someone in Maine with a different name. Additionally, the police reported finding an ashtray containing a “blunt” under the driver-side seat, along with several tubes they suspected contained marijuana.
RELATED: Patriots Player Christian Barmore Hospitalized With Scary Health Issue
In response to Barmore’s accusations of racism, Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez issued a public statement defending the actions of the officers. “In this particular case, the vehicle in question was found to be unregistered during a routine traffic stop, which is a violation of the law,” Perez said. “The officer acted in full compliance with department protocols and state regulations. We understand that any encounter with law enforcement can be stressful; however, it’s important to note that officers are required to enforce all applicable laws, including those related to vehicle registration. We will continue to review the situation to ensure that proper procedures were followed and to maintain transparency with the public.”
To address the racism allegations, the Providence Police Department also released bodycam footage of the traffic stop. In the video, Barmore can be heard voicing his frustrations to the officers, saying, “I’m a football player, bro. I’m not here for none of that. Don’t touch me, y’all crazy. I dare you to touch me. I’ll sue all of you.” The footage aims to show that the officers conducted themselves according to department policies.
Michael Imondi, president of the Providence Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), spoke out in defense of the officers, stating that they were within their rights to stop Barmore’s vehicle. “These officers did their job. They were within their rights to stop the vehicle,” Imondi said. “If the individual would have simply complied, this would have just been a routine traffic stop and nothing more.”
The Providence FOP also addressed the situation on their Facebook page, urging Barmore to retract his accusations. “The situation would have and could have been nothing more than a routine traffic stop but not for the uncooperative and argumentative behavior of the driver toward the police officers, which ultimately escalated the atmosphere of the stop,” the post read. “For these reasons, the FOP hopes that this individual will publicly rescind his false accusations against our police officers and issue a similarly public apology.”
As the investigation continues, the incident has raised questions about both Barmore’s behavior during the stop and the officers’ handling of the situation, with both sides standing firm in their positions. Whether Barmore will issue an apology or further clarify his side of the story remains to be seen.
Leave a Reply