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So the police can and should only stop people that are the same colour as themselves? No thats crazy, they should only stop ethnic majorities but hey, that wouldnt be reverse racism would it?

PS: Can fans sue him when he makes a mistake and the team loses????

- Admin, Ireland, 01/04/2010 18:39
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its like people cant seem to understand the case but rather talkin nonsense! in this case, defoa was detained with the police 4 hours! and at the end he is innocent, so he is therefore entitle to sue them, cos i dnt fink any apologies was issued! and he must be paid compensation as well! they should stop stoppin every luxury cars with black people cos that is pure discrimination and alienation of other ethnics cos they are fortunate to drive better cars and are non white!

- Slim, london, england, 10/09/2009 11:43
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As a taxpayer, I am confident that the Police execute theior job with diligence and good conscience. I am 100% confident that in this case they had good reason to pull Mr Defoe over for further questioning.

- Tangomike, Kensington, London, 19/08/2009 22:58
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I believe the first incident could have been avoided if the police concerned uses his brain instead of his attitude to check Jermain's background and past records. However, I cannot see anything wrong in the second incident even if its a random check unless the same officers are involved and have an axe to grind. Finally, I cannot understand the sensivity created in such incidences to involve race elements unless slanderous words have been exchanged. In which case, Jermain should not hesitate to go the legal length to get his moneys' worth otherwise, the second incident is no issue at all.

- Rolando, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 19/08/2009 04:12
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Questions will be asked of Essex Police and they'd better have a good explanation.

- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 18/08/2009 22:02
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chip on his shoulder me thinks.

- Bri, loughton uk, 18/08/2009 21:35
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All over the world the Police Force, much like the Mafia, attracts thugs and Yobs and Racist Fascists so why should the UK be any different?

- Goran Bockman, London UK, 18/08/2009 21:32
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Irrespective of whether or not there is victimization, I am completely against the police stopping anyone simply to "check everything is in order". I absolutely believe that the only time the police can even consider stopping someone is if they have resonable cause to believe that there is an offence being commited or that the person is connected with an offence. Stopping people just to see if someone gets caught in the sieve is reprehensible and smacks of a police state.

- Ross, London, UK, 18/08/2009 16:34
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I have had this happen to me several times here in the U.S. I am not confirming or denying that Defoe is the victim of racism here. I don't know, I wasn't there. But the media was not there either, and we don't know what was said. I will tell you this though, something had to have had made Defoe think that it was because he was black. We don't know what was said between the officer and Defoe. I was stopped for being with a white woman in my car years ago, for no reason. When they found no reason to of had me stopped, after repeated attempts by me to find out why, the came around the car and noticed that my yellow flasher light was out and gave me a warning. My question is, do they do this to EVERYONE regardless of ethnic background, or are they singling out people who they find "suspicious". By the way, most if not all of us speed who drive, so that is no reason to single someone out, because all of us speed, even me at times. Let's hope that this area gets cleaned up, by both the police and the public.

- Michael, Cincinnati, Ohio USA, 18/08/2009 15:48
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Defoe v The Essex Constabulary? It couldn't possibly be that the coppers involved are simply West Ham fans with long memories. Surely not..

- Richard, London SW17, 18/08/2009 15:08
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Just think, this government is about to let the Police fine you and award you point on your license, for not liking you (sorry careless driving, a vague offense, that will just get even vaguer).

So in future, the crime clear up rate will improve and the reputation of the police will be restored.

No longer will Police need to use pretence to stop the innocent, government is giving them the tools.

- Ian, Reading, England, 18/08/2009 14:46
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I have to say Defoe has a point, being a london cab driver
I'm on the roads a lot and 7 out of 10 cars i see pulled over by police have black drivers!

- Richard Luckock, london, England, 18/08/2009 14:11
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Nothing new.

Defoe, tried using the race card after West Ham fans got on his back for handing in a transfer request hours after being relegated.

This angered the fans more than his petulance.

- Roynaldo, Elm Park, 18/08/2009 13:51
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Defoe would be the first to complain if his hugely expensive car had in fact been stolen.The Police are right to be suspicious of a car of that value being driven by a young man of ANY colour,and especially in the small hours.As has already been said,once they established he was the owner,and allowed him to continue,then surely he has had the last laugh in my opinion.I cannot understand his attitude at all.This is routine policing-not racism.If middle aged Welshmen were prone to stealing expensive cars in the middle of the night,then the Police would be quite right to pick on grey haired characters wearing daffodils,and question them.

- Liz Roberts, Northwich Cheshire UK, 18/08/2009 13:47
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Another overpaid footballer who is used to getting his own way, bleating when he is stopped by police doing their job.

- S White, Northampton UK, 18/08/2009 13:42
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What does he expect?!?! Driving around Essex in a Ferrari or Range Rover would warrant anyone in any shape, form, creed being stopped

Avoid Essex you foolish man!

- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK, 18/08/2009 13:26
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I have a BMW and i am constantly being stopped by police in different towns. It comes down to this; Luxury / higher profile cars attract attention from all levels and they are targeted by thieves, hence why police stop and check the vehicles.

- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 18/08/2009 13:14
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Hey Chinaman gets pulled overtoo.. but you have to stop if you are questioned by the officer of the law.. and if you are cleared you smile and wave goodbye.. if you are wrong you will get in chachrable.. Whats is so hard or colourful about that?? some police demand immediate cash for their time and trouble.
be thankful for their services to the public.. as you have called on them when you needed them.
And as for that Mr loophole hes statement seems harsh for such a high profile murder case of diplomatic mission

- Paul, london, 18/08/2009 12:51
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It is often the case, just watch Police Interceptors or Traffic Cops, that some very high value cars are "removed" from owners homes while owners are asleep. They often are not reported stolen until the next day. That is why such vehicles are checked at night, even if ANPR does not 'flag' them as stolen. Carry on doing your job, Essex Police, it is the correct way to catch car thieves. The first incident with Mr Defoe was not a mistake of the police officers on the road who stopped him. So he should swallow a large slice of humble pie & accept the apology of Essex Police.

- Mike B, Epsom, Surrey, England, 18/08/2009 12:33
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They only pulled him because they couldn't see his head over the steering wheel as he's a 4 foot nothing wally! Stop driving your flashy cars around poxy Essex towns and get a life!Do something constructive with your time like help those fans who pay your wages who are not so fortunate because of money, family problems or ill health!

- Fingers Reggie, London's East End, 18/08/2009 12:29
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My mum is 64 and white. She has been pulled over 3 times whilst driving her Ford Fiesta 1.1 at 30mph. It made her chuckle everytime, and is quite a funny story to tell the family. That's it! Get a life Defoe.

- D R, Kent, 18/08/2009 12:18
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Hopefuly this will trigger a review of 'stop and search' , or 'stop non-whites and search' as oit is more commonly known

Apartheid-era laws specifically designed to harass ethnic minorities should be repelled

- Alan, Islngton. Europe, 18/08/2009 12:15
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Regrettably all football "stars" whatever their background seem to think they are in a special category and the normal laws of the land do not apply to them.

- Patrick, Dalston, 18/08/2009 11:51
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Oh the racism card, the great all covering get out of jail free card.

Does his Ferrari or his Range Rover have tinted windows, if so how would they know who was driving the cars ?

I saw a recent programme on TV where the police were demonstarting their new ANPR system, (automatic number plate recognition). This system can read and check a registration number against all the police databases within seconds, they had pulled over a car driven by a young black man because the system had told them the vehicle had no insurance, which turned out to be correct, further checks revealed that the Driver had no licence either.

Because the stop had taken place around the corner from where this guy lived, his mother turned up at the scene, she told the interviewer that the only reason he had been stopped was because he was Black.

- Steve M, London, 18/08/2009 11:41
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I believe the police were right in this case. They said Jermain Defoe was stopped as part of an operation to tackle a spate of burglaries in which valuable cars have been taken. OK, now just supposing Defoe´s car had been stolen. And supposing it had not been Defoe who was driving it when the police stopped it. You can bet your bottom dollar that Defoe and his solicitor would now be singing the praises of the police. I get a bit tired of hearing the race card being played all the time. Does Defoe really have a genuine complaint, considering the money he is being paid just to kick a bag of wind around?

- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 18/08/2009 11:40
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'The player was pulled over by a traffic police patrol in Chigwell shortly after 11pm on Sunday. After checks on his identity he was allowed to continue.' In what way is that racist? Was he pulled from the drivers seat and asked who he'd stolen it from? Or did they simply look at him a bit funny?
I imagine that most - not all - Ferrari owners in Essex are tucked up in bed at that sort of time on a Sunday as they have to be in the city to "earn" their huges bonuses on Monday morning. If Mr Defoe is stating that his vehicle should be exempt from the law which allows ANY vehicle to be stopped for NO reason, he's a bloody fool.

- Tom, London, 18/08/2009 11:39
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I'm with Defoe on this. Do the police have the right to stop every car over a particular value every time they see it? I thought the police had to have a reason to believe a crime had been committed. Somebody driving a car doesn't mean a crime has been committed unless the police are still using the old black man + expensive car = crime mentality. If so, the sooner they learn otherwise the better.
Yours,
white, non-criminal, non-Spurs fan, male

- Dc, London, 18/08/2009 11:37
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Why are the police making special efforts for high value cars. These cars should have trackers fitted and if insurance companies insisted they would have to get them fitted. The police should concentrate on young drivers in dodgy motorsespecially at 11pm in Chigwell.

- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey, 18/08/2009 11:16
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Here we go again the "it's because I is black" card comes out. Of course defoe will sue i to get his mugshot in the paper

- Trevn, Abu Dhabi, 18/08/2009 11:15
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Maybe his local police all support Arsenal in which case it all seems fair to me.

- G Ooner, London, 18/08/2009 11:08
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Were I a RICH,SUCCESSFUL black man,personally speaking IF and I repeat IF the police were stopping me purely on the fact that I was black and driving an extremly expensive car, after they'd done the usual computor checks and found out everything was above board, I'd laugh and wave them goodbye.

- Sam, beds, 18/08/2009 10:57
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The sight of a rich and successful black man evidently appears to be too much for some people

- Alan, Islington, Europe, 18/08/2009 10:55
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Keep up the good work Essex Police ignore the known speeders bleatings

- Gary, Brentwood, 18/08/2009 10:53
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I'm curious as to how exactly he thinks it was racist? If you're driving behind a Ferrari you can't see the driver, you'd have to pull up alongside and then look downwards to see them. I have no doubt there are racist police out there but this is simply a footballer who continuously breaks the law but employs very expensive lawyers to get him off bleating about being picked on.

- Bob, Cheam, 18/08/2009 10:47
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"A hard core of white lumps find the success of ethnic minorities hard to swallow. "This sounds remarkably like racusn from you, Tony

- Keith Price, Luton England, 18/08/2009 10:38
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So if Defoe's Ferrari had been stolen from outside his mother's house, Defoe would have liked the police just to let it sail on by...

- Ollie, London, 18/08/2009 09:57
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I am very glad to see the Essex Police are doing their job properly.Will Mr Defoe use the harassment card if he is searched at Heathrow.

- Alexis Dogilewski, London England, 18/08/2009 09:52
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Racism in Essex - surely not. I grew up in that part of the world and it depresses me that in recent years several BNP councillors have been elected in Loughton, near to where Jermain Defoe was arrested. When I lived in that part of the world, racism was endemic among a section of the population. In the 70s, there was a large Jewish community in Chigwell that was often targeted. Now there's a growing middle class black and Asian community. A hard core of white lumps find the success of ethnic minorities hard to swallow. All the best to Jermain. The story above in no way surprises me.

- Tony Mcmahon, London UK, 18/08/2009 09:48
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To keep pulling over an innocent motorist is disgraceful but in this case I have no sympathy for Defoe.
He has been caught speeding on multiple occasions. He then employs Mr Loophole to try and get him off on a technicality. If you're going to drive with no regard for the law or for other road users or pedestrians you should at least be man enough to accept the punishment. Ban him for good.

- Julian, London, 18/08/2009 09:32
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