View Comments
Shaquille O’Neal recently revealed what he told his sons to say to police if they ever have to have an interaction with them, and it includes diffusing the situation.
What’s going on?
- O’Neal recently appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to talk about the nationwide protests, which began around the death of George Floyd. Since then, the protests have focused on police brutality, systemic racism and racial injustice, according to People magazine.
- O’Neal said he talks with his children all the time about potential interactions with cops. He said he gave his youngsters some advice, too.
- O’Neal said: “I told them, ‘First of all, you have to try to diffuse the situation or show respect. If you have to understand that these people are also out here to do all their jobs. So you try to diffuse the situation. If it happens to get rough, don’t say anything, don’t do anything, just comply.’”
- O’Neal added: “‘And then when all is said and done, you call me, and if stuff gets out of hand, then I will handle it. I will be the one to come around and act crazy. I don’t want you to act crazy while you’re out there by yourself.’ So I just try to tell them, just comply, just listen, but a lot of times that doesn’t work either.”
Some context:
- O’Neal became a police officer five years ago after leaving the NBA, according to The Associated Press. He served as a reserve police officer in Miami Beach and Golden Beach in Florida; in Tempe, Arizona; and the Port of Los Angeles.
- In 2017, reports suggested O’Neal would run for a sheriff position in 2020, according to Business Insider. He said he would work to “bring back community policing.”
- He said: “We need more togetherness. We need more joyfulness. That’s why I always try to just make people laugh because there’s a lot going on — a lot of craziness going on and you would think, in 2017, we would be much more advanced, but it seems like we’re going backwards.”