Dallas

Family Demands Forney Police Changes After Traffic Stop Mistake

Supporters of a mother and her children mistakenly stopped by Forney police in an Aug. 9 search for armed suspects are demanding big changes at the Kaufman County town's police department.

They want immediate racial sensitivity training for Forney officers, an independent citizens police review board and hiring of African American officers for what they claim to be an all-white police force.

"We recognize that an apology has been given, however the apology is hollow," said the Rev. Frederick Haynes, pastor at Friendship West Baptist Church. "If someone hits you and abuses you and says 'I'm sorry,' but actions do not change, then you basically have an apology that is artificial."

At a church press conference Tuesday, Haynes and other critics claimed the Forney police have a history of racial insensitivity.

Forney police dashcam video of the incident showed Kametra Barbour removed from her car and handcuffed and then showed her frightened 6-year-old son leaving the car and walking toward an officer with his hands up.

The woman's husband is a Dallas firefighter, but now she said her kids are afraid of police and uniforms.

"And I don't want to drive in my own community because of this, and I'm tired," Kametra Barbour said.

Police clearly realized on the video they had the wrong car, but they still approached the vehicle with guns drawn and searched around in the vehicle occupied by kids.

"We've always been a household that respects the police," said the children's father, Chris Barbour. "How do we get our children to trust the people that are supposed to protect them?"

Forney police had received a call that night about a tan or beige car occupied by men waiving a gun.

The Barbour car is dark burgundy and does not match the suspect vehicle description.

The original 911 caller called the Forney dispatcher back to tell the police they had stopped the wrong car.

Dallas Attorney Ray Jackson is preparing a civil rights lawsuit for the Barbour family against the Forney Police Department.

"Their actions were not only outlandish, their actions were incompetent," Jackson said.

Forney police issued an Aug. 24 apology for the incident but declined to respond to the critics' demands Tuesday. A police spokesman said another statement could be issued soon.

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