Officer Collins didn't want to hear it. He marched up to Kendrick, grabbed his arm roughly, and spun him around. "Drop the bikes. Hands behind your back," the officer barked.
Kendrick obeyed, letting the bicycles fall to the grass. He remembered his mother's strict instructions for encounters like this: Comply, stay calm, survive. We will fight the battle in the courtroom later. He allowed the cold metal handcuffs to be snapped tightly around his wrists.
The commotion had drawn a crowd. Neighbors stepped out onto their porches. What Melissa and Officer Collins didn't realize was that several younger neighbors had already pulled out their smartphones and were recording the entire encounter from different angles. They were capturing Melissa's smug face, the officer's aggressive demeanor, and Kendrick's calm, compliant behavior.
Officer Collins was just beginning to read Kendrick his Miranda rights when a small voice broke through the tension.