Although Chattanooga City Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod did the same thing many frustrated citizens - perhaps even City Council representatives - have done after a recent police stop, her threat to call a high official after what has been called a "proper procedure" traffic encounter is not conduct becoming an elected leader.
Coonrod, a former convicted felon who won back her voting rights and ousted six-term Councilman Yusuf Hakeem in an April council runoff, told rookie Officer Tiffany Lentz she was going to call then-Police Chief Fred Fletcher after the officer issued the driver of the car, Anthony Gladden, a ticket for driving an unregistered car (which is Coonrod's), driving without a license and no proof of insurance.
After issuing the ticket, the officer told the city councilwoman she would have to drive because the driver didn't have a valid license, then asked her if she had any questions.
"Nah," said Coonrod, who was not belligerent and did not raise her voice, according to the officer's body cam video footage, "I ain't got no questions. I'm just [going to] call Chief Fletcher." When told she would have to move the car out of the road, she then asked the officer if she could call a supervisor. The officer said she could not, and then Coonrod said she was "asking you as a council representative to get in touch with Chief Fletcher." Told she could not, Coonrod said, "Are you sure?" The officer said she was sure.
Coonrod then attempted to make a call, asked the involved officers their names, then said she would "reach out" to Fletcher herself.
Both Fletcher and Assistant Chief (for neighborhood policing) Eric Tucker said the officer handled the stop by the books.
Coonrod told the Times Free Press she holds herself to a "very high standard of integrity" and expects "to be treated like all other Chattanoogans."
We don't believe the new city councilwoman has done anything unforgivable, but several things about the incident are clear. She intentionally allowed a friend to drive a car she knew was not registered. She said the officer didn't allow her time to pull up evidence of insurance coverage on her phone, but she had several minutes to do so when the officer returned to her car to write the ticket. She also plainly was told if proof of insurance was presented in court, the charge would be dismissed.
In addition, Coonrod clearly attempted to intimidate the police officer. And, if Gladden was being forthright in a weekend interview with WDEF and he was driving because Coonrod had taken medication, she was negligent in not telling the officer she couldn't drive in Gladden's stead because of the effects of the medication.
Since the councilwomen is someone who has been given a second chance herself, we hope she'll use the incident as a learning experience about the responsibility she must take and the responsible conduct she owes the citizens of District 9.