| ne getting a telephone call in the middle of the | | | | the hospital parking light, the Texans running back |
| night, informing you that a family member was in | | | | also pleaded with Powell to let them go, saying |
| the hospital with only minutes to live. What would | | | | that Powell was wasting his time. |
| you do to be able to spend the final seconds of a | | | | “I can screw you over,” Powell |
| loved-one’s life at their bedside? Would | | | | responded at one point. Dallas police Chief David |
| you do everything you possibly could to be there | | | | Kunkle immediately apologized to Tamishia and |
| for a person who had been there for you | | | | Ryan Moats, placing Powell on paid administrative |
| throughout your entire life? | | | | leave on March 26. Powell has since resigned. |
| Well, that is what Houston Texans running back | | | | “When we at the command staff |
| Ryan Moats, 26, and his wife Tamishia Moats, 27, | | | | reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, |
| did on the night of March 18 in the Dallas suburb | | | | disappointed,” Kunkle said. |
| of Plano, Texas as they rushed through the | | | | “It’s hard to find the right words |
| streets of Dallas in a desperate attempt to make | | | | and still be professional in my role as the police |
| it to the bedside of Tamishia’s mother, | | | | chief. But the behavior was not |
| Jonetta Collinsworth, who was dying of breast | | | | appropriate.” |
| cancer. | | | | After hospital staff and another officer came out |
| However, a time that should have been | | | | of the hospital to validate Ryan Moats’ |
| sentimental for Ryan Moats and his family turned | | | | story, he was ticketed and allowed to see his |
| dangerous when they were confronted and | | | | mother-in-law in the hospital but she had already |
| verbally assaulted in the parking lot of the Baylor | | | | passed away. |
| Regional Medical Center in Plano by Dallas police | | | | “(Powell’s) behavior in my opinion |
| officer Robert Powell, 25, a three-year member | | | | did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion, |
| of the force. Alleged incidents of police brutality | | | | the compassion that we expect our officers to |
| and abuse of power are widespread in minority | | | | exhibit,” Kunkle added. |
| communities, but this incident has outraged an | | | | Although race may have played a role in the |
| entire nation. Many critics, including Moats, have | | | | Ryan Moats incident, as Powell, who is White, has |
| wondered if this incident was racially motivated, | | | | recently been accused of jailing former Dallas |
| but it is also possible that this incident was | | | | Cowboys linebacker’s wife Maritza |
| age-related, as the young officer may have | | | | Thomas who is Latina, for three hours and giving |
| overreacted in an attempt to prove his power, | | | | her five tickets (four of which were dismissed) |
| despite his young age. | | | | for making an illegal U-turn, he also may have |
| Powell allegedly drew his weapon on Tamishia | | | | been attempting to prove that he was a powerful |
| when she opened the door of their SUV. She | | | | police officer, despite only being 25 years-old. |
| initially pleaded with Powell to let her go see her | | | | Often, when people in their twenties take jobs, |
| dying mother, but when the officer refused to | | | | they have the belief that they are not getting the |
| listen to her pleas; she entered the hospital | | | | respect they deserve from their older |
| anyway to spend the last moments with her | | | | counterparts because of their lack of experience. |
| dying mother. “He was pointing a gun at | | | | Many times, young professionals will try to prove |
| me as soon as I got out of the car,” | | | | that they are someone to be respected by |
| Tamishia told The Dallas Morning News. | | | | abusing their power and demanding that everyone |
| The Dallas police officer had been following Ryan | | | | knows that they are in charge. Nevertheless, that |
| Moats after he ran a red light in an attempt to | | | | insecurity leads to incidents like the one involving |
| make it to the hospital in time. Despite the traffic | | | | Tamishia and Ryan Moats and embarrassment for |
| violation, Moats said he waited to see that there | | | | Powell and his colleagues. |
| was no traffic before he ran the red light. While in | | | | |