LUBBOCK, Texas — A foot-traffic stop by the Lubbock Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit has gained national attention after body camera footage showed a suspect bolting when an officer made a joke about his horse, KCBD reported.
The incident happened on Sept. 22, when Officers Bryson Lewis and William Trotter stopped a man walking in the road rather than using the sidewalk, according to the report. Bodycam footage shows the situation take a turn when officers suspected the man might have illegal drugs.
| WEBINAR: Active shooter response: The patrol officer’s complete toolkit
“Would you mind if this officer behind you checks your pockets to make sure you don’t have any narcotics or anything like that?” one of the officers can be heard asking.
When the man apparently responded negatively, the officer decided to break the tension with a little humor.
“That’s cool, I have a narcotics-sniffing horse right here,” he said.
Video then shows the man, apparently missing the joke, fleeing on foot. The officers on horseback pursued him and quickly took him into custody.
“I was going to make a joke because it seemed like it was going to break some tension. You know, it seemed like it was kind of stiff for a second there,” Trotter later told KCBD.
“We are cops first; we enjoy this job. Chasing bad guys is part of the fun in it for us, so when you get to chase down a bad guy and not even get tired, it’s a good day,” Lewis said.
