An Unlikely Encounter at a Protest

Wednesday, while protesting with my daughter following the press conference given by the Grand Jury and Attorney General Cameron, (I write about it here) I saw several people I

haven't seen in months or years but who I love dearly. One of these reunions...well read on.

I was standing with Caroline in the street just behind the yellow caution tape. We started hearing a bullhorn and a police officer saying we needed to disburse or be arrested. I've got to admit, I haven't been to many protests (count them on one hand), but I was very confused. No one was doing anything except standing there and occasionally chanting and yet they were saying they were going to arrest us. I looked around, and there were far less people than there are on a typical Friday night on Bardstown Rd. Apparently, I wasn't the only one confused. Several people started shouting, "What have we done?" After much unproductive back and forth, an officer (not the one with the bullhorn) came over and said, "Please just get out off the street and onto the sidewalk." So we did. (To be completely transparent, another officer was trying to force people off the sidewalk as well. He was pulled back by a fellow officer.)

Now I've got to admit, I was completely flummoxed. Behind us were at least 30-40 police cars parked with their lights flashing. Obviously the road was closed, so why did it matter if we were standing in the road or on the sidewalk? I wasn't the only one confused. Lots of people were asking the question. Let me be clear--lots of people were asking each other the question, and shouting at the police.

I'm not good at not having answers. 

I looked back down the street where the police cars were and saw four LMPD officers walking up. (Let me paint the picture. In front of me was yellow caution tape and oodles of police officers standing at attention batons in hand. Behind me were all the police cars with lights flashing. That is the direction I was facing when I saw the four officers without batons approaching.) Two were on the sidewalk and two were on the side of the street. They were smiling and talking with people in the crowd.

I moved towards them. (I think Caroline may have tried to stop me--not an uncommon occurrence. My young adult children are never quite sure what I'm going to do and often are not thrilled about it. But as one of my friend's told Caroline years ago--she birthed you so...") 

The officers were answering questions others were asking. I heard one explaining they were part of the community engagement unit of LMPD. Read about the Community Engagement Unit here I waited until they finished explaining what that was and said, "May I ask y'all a question?" They nodded, so I continued, "I'm really not trying to be a smart ass. I really just want to understand. I'm not trying to create any problems." (One of my "issues" is being overly concerned about offending people. Can I get an "Amen" from my British friends? How many conversations did I start in the schoolyard with, "I'm not criticizing; I just really want to know...") Anyway, I must have gone on for an inordinate amount of time because one of the officers said, "M'am, what's your question?" Snapped back into reality I said, "Oh, I don't understand why we can't be in the street when clearly the street is closed because of all the cars parked in the way as well as the area blocked off with caution tape. How is it different than if we were marching in a parade?" 

A look of relief crossed the faces of the two standing in front of me. "It's for your safety M'am." one officer stated, "During protests sometimes there are drivers who won't stop even though the road is blocked and a car could plow into the parked police cars pushing them forward into pedestrians. We don't worry about that during parades." "Thank you," I said, "That makes sense." A second officer said, "M'am, are you the priest at St. Thomas on Westport Rd?" I nodded yes, but before I could ask him how he knew that I felt a tap on my shoulder and heard, "Mrs. Doyle?"

I turned around and might have--okay I did--shrieked. I threw my arms around the neck of the officer standing there and he hugged me right back. It was Officer Ivan Haygood, but in my world, he was Coach Haygood or just Haygood.

I haven't seen Coach Haygood probably since 2015. He was my sons' basketball coach at LCS. During those years we often talked about faith and his dream of becoming a police officer. Those were good conversations, but most importantly during that time I was privileged to have conversations with a man with integrity, a love of basketball, and true concern not only for my sons but for all the young men he coached. He pushed them to be better on and off the court. He cared about developing them into basketball players who excelled, but he really cared about helping them to develop into being excellent men. And he did it with the most beautiful smile you've ever seen.

We stood on the sidewalk catching up as quickly as we could before he had to move on. We embraced again, and he was gone. As he walked away one of the protestors standing with me chuckled and said, "Well now that's not what you expect at a protest. A priest and a police officer with their arms around each other." Someone else said (in a joking manner), "I think you've missed the point of this protest." We all smiled, enjoyed the moment of levity, and began to chant and march.

My heart is still full after seeing Coach (Officer) Haygood. I might have even spent some time stalking him on Facebook and in the news to see what he's been up to. I also keep thinking about those comments. Even though the comments were made lightheartedly, my heart is heartbroken that a priest and a police officer hugging at a protest sounds like the start of a bad (Dad) joke. "A priest and a police officer met at a protest..." 

Officer Haygood and I embraced as two human beings who have loved and respected each other and as people who love and respect other people. The collar I wear and the uniform he wears does not or should not change who we are as people created in the image of God who love one another, respect one another, and want the best for all of humanity. I know that is what I want, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, it's what Haygood wants too.

I don't want to simplify all the complexities that are driving us to the streets day after day. I know justice needs to be served and hasn't yet. I know all people, particularly people of color,  are still not treated with dignity and respect. I know there are systems of injustices that need to be dismantled, and I want to be a part of the process. I will continue to stand up and to show up, and I will continue to seek the humanity and strive to see the image of God in everyone else who shows up as well--regardless of which side of the caution tape they are standing.