Verify My Credentials
Diane shoved Marcus another step toward the cruiser.
The red marks from the cuffs had already begun forming around his wrists.
He didn't resist.
He didn't raise his voice.
He didn't threaten her.
He simply watched.
That seemed to irritate her more than anything else.
"Get in."
Marcus turned his head.
"Before you transport me, I want my detention documented as a police-impersonation investigation."
"It will be."
"And I want dispatch audio preserved."
Diane stared at him.
"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?"
"I'm telling you what will be relevant later."
"What will be relevant?"
Marcus paused.
"The fact that you had multiple opportunities to verify my identity."
Diane shook her head.
"You people always think you're above the law."
The sentence hung in the air.
Marcus's expression changed almost imperceptibly.
"You people?"
Diane seemed to realize what she had said.
But instead of correcting herself, she reached for her radio.
"Dispatch, run Marcus Bennett."
The dispatcher responded.
"Date of birth?"
Marcus gave it.
Diane repeated the numbers.
Then came silence.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Diane looked impatient.
"Dispatch?"
A voice finally came through.
"Unit 214, confirm subject is Marcus Elijah Bennett?"
"Affirmative."
Another pause.
Then the dispatcher spoke again.
"Be advised, Marcus Elijah Bennett is listed as active sworn command personnel, Atlanta Metropolitan Police Department."
Diane's face went still.
Officer Shaw looked at her.
The other officer near the gate lowered his eyes.
Diane pressed the radio again.
"Rank?"
The dispatcher responded immediately.
"Deputy Chief."
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Marcus looked at Diane.
"Now you know."
Diane stared at him as if the database had personally betrayed her.
"There has to be a mistake."
"There isn't."
She looked toward Shaw.
He didn't speak.
"Verify the supervisory chain," Diane ordered.
The dispatcher answered.
"Deputy Chief Bennett oversees Patrol Operations Central and North sectors."
Shaw swallowed.
"That includes us."
Marcus answered quietly.
"Yes."
Diane finally reached for the cuffs.
Marcus raised his hands slightly.
"Leave them on."
She looked confused.
"What?"
"You were comfortable putting them on before verification."
Marcus glanced toward the neighbors who were still recording.
"Keep them there until your supervisor arrives."
Diane's face hardened.
"Chief, I didn't know—"
Marcus interrupted.
"Exactly."
She stared at him.
"Five minutes ago I was a suspect."
He turned slightly.
"Don't change your procedure just because you discovered my title."
The words struck everyone differently.
Officer Shaw understood immediately.
If Marcus had been a patrol officer, Diane would have treated him one way.
If he had been a private security guard, another.
If he had been a civilian, perhaps worse.
But now that she knew he was a Deputy Chief, the handcuffs suddenly seemed dangerous.
The underlying problem wasn't the rank.
It was that she had assumed the person standing in front of her was powerless.
A patrol supervisor's vehicle arrived three minutes later.
Captain Samuel Rhodes stepped out.
He was wearing a white command shirt.
He walked quickly toward the gate.
Then he saw Marcus.
Then the handcuffs.
He stopped.
"Deputy Chief Bennett."
Marcus nodded.
"Captain."
Rhodes looked at Diane.
"Why is he restrained?"
Diane began speaking quickly.
"We received a report of a possible impersonator. He was wearing command insignia and refused—"
Marcus turned his head.
"Careful."
Diane stopped.
Rhodes looked at her.
"Refused what?"
Diane hesitated.
Marcus answered.
"I refused nothing. I requested credential verification several times."
Officer Shaw stepped forward.
"That's accurate, Captain."
Diane looked furious.
Rhodes noticed.
"Officer Shaw, continue."
Shaw took a breath.
"Deputy Chief Bennett provided his name. He asked Officer Mercer to verify his credentials. She believed his badge and insignia were fraudulent. She cuffed him before running his information."
Rhodes closed his eyes for a moment.
"Body cameras?"
Shaw nodded.
"Running."
Rhodes looked at Diane.
"Yours?"
She nodded.
"Good."
He turned toward Marcus.
"Chief, I'm sorry."
Marcus shook his head.
"Not yet."
Rhodes looked surprised.
"Sir?"
"Don't apologize until you know what happened."
Marcus held up his cuffed hands.
"Preserve the footage. Pull dispatch audio. Secure the original caller's statement. Then determine whether policy was violated."
Rhodes nodded.
"Understood."
Marcus extended his wrists.
"Now remove these."
Diane unlocked the cuffs.
Marcus rubbed his wrists once.
He adjusted his sleeves.
Then he looked at Diane.
"Officer Mercer, you will remain here until relieved."
Her eyes widened.
"Am I being suspended?"
"I haven't made that decision."
Marcus turned toward Rhodes.
"And I won't."
Diane seemed almost confused.
Marcus continued.