I'm saying I received a call about suspicious activity, and I need to verify your identification. That's all. Bennett shifted the dresses to one arm and pulled her wallet from her purse. She extracted her driver's license and held it out to Patterson. Here's my identification.
Now, unless you're charging me with a crime, I'm going to continue shopping. Patterson took the ID and barely glanced at it before handing it back. In his mind, he'd already decided that Bennett didn't belong in this boutique, regardless of what her identification said. He'd made his judgment based on the color of her skin, and nothing was going to change that assessment. "Ma'am, I need you to leave this store," Patterson said firmly.
"You're making other customers uncomfortable. If you leave now, there won't be any further issues." Bennett looked around at the other customers again. Most of them looked uncomfortable, but not because of her. They looked uncomfortable because they were watching a police officer racially profile someone.
A few customers looked sympathetic to her situation. Patricia Patterson stood off to the side looking pleased with how events were unfolding. Bennett turned back to Officer Patterson with absolute certainty in her voice. I'm not leaving. I haven't done anything wrong.
I'm not done shopping. I have every right to be here and try on these dresses. Patterson's expression went cold. Ma'am, if you refuse to comply with my lawful order to leave these premises, I will place you under arrest for trespassing and disturbing the peace. Trespassing?
Bennett's voice rose slightly. Disturbing the peace? I'm holding dresses. I'm shopping. This is insane.
A young white woman who worked at the boutique, a sales associate named Jennifer, who'd been helping another customer, approached the confrontation nervously. She looked at Officer Patterson and then at Bennett, clearly trying to figure out what was happening. Officer, "Is there a problem?" Jennifer asked. Patterson gestured toward Bennett without taking his eyes off her.
"This woman is refusing to leave after making customers uncomfortable and acting suspiciously. I've asked her to leave voluntarily, but she's refusing to comply." Jennifer immediately looked at Bennett with suspicion and sided with the officer without asking Bennett a single question or attempting to understand the situation. "Ma'am, if the officer is asking you to leave, you need to comply. You're disturbing the peace of our boutique."