A routine traffic stop in Texas has sparked debate after newly released body camera footage showed a woman repeatedly pleading for help as she was taken into custody following a stop for minor traffic violations.
According to KPRC 2, 40-year-old Elizabeth Kim was pulled over on May 21 around 9:30 p.m. off Interstate 45 in Shenandoah by a Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy. The stop was reportedly initiated because Kim failed to use her turn signal and had a dim license plate light.
The bodycam video shows the encounter quickly becoming emotional as Kim repeatedly tells deputies she is scared, asks for a female officer, and calls her mother before she is ultimately arrested.
The footage has generated widespread debate online, with some viewers arguing the deputy unnecessarily escalated the stop while others believe Kim’s refusal to immediately comply with commands contributed to the outcome.
Bodycam Shows Deputy Ordering Driver Out Before Explaining the Stop
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According to KPRC 2, the deputy exited his patrol vehicle and immediately issued loud verbal commands from a distance rather than approaching Kim’s window first.
“Hey driver, can you step back here?” the deputy says in the video.
Kim later told KPRC 2 she was confused because she expected the deputy to walk to her vehicle and explain why she had been stopped before ordering her out.
About four minutes into the encounter, the deputy approached the passenger-side window and identified himself. He told Kim she had been stopped for failing to use her turn signal and for having a license plate light that was too dim.
Kim eventually exited the vehicle but continued to call her mother as the encounter continued. Moments later, the deputy placed her in handcuffs. She was charged with interfering with public duties and resisting arrest.
Kim Repeatedly Asked for a Female Officer
During the encounter, Kim can be heard repeatedly telling deputies that she was scared. “I want a female officer,” she says in the bodycam footage. “You’re scaring me.”
Kim later told KPRC 2 she has experienced past trauma, which she said contributed to her panic during the encounter. “I didn’t think I would ever be in that situation, let alone with a police officer,” she told the station.
After she was placed in the patrol vehicle, Kim continued pleading for help. “Please, it scares me so much. I’m so scared,” she can be heard saying.
Can a Driver Demand a Female Officer?
Kim’s request for a female officer is understandable in the context she described, but it does not automatically mean deputies were legally required to stop the encounter and wait for one.
Under U.S. Supreme Court precedent, officers may generally order a driver out of a vehicle during a lawful traffic stop. Officers may also conduct a limited pat-down for weapons when they have reasonable suspicion that a person may be armed and dangerous. That does not mean every search or arrest is justified, nor does it resolve whether this arrest was lawful. It does mean a driver generally cannot refuse a lawful order simply because the officer is male.
Many law enforcement agencies prefer same-gender searches when practical, particularly when a search is more invasive. During a roadside stop, however, officer safety and the circumstances of the encounter typically determine whether waiting for another officer is feasible.
While drivers may request a female officer, whether a female officer can respond depends on department policy, staffing, and the circumstances of the stop.
Drivers who feel uncomfortable can politely request a female officer, explain their concerns, and, if they believe an officer acted improperly, later challenge that conduct through a complaint or in court rather than refuse lawful commands.
District Attorney Call Captured on Bodycam
According to KPRC 2, the deputy later contacted the district attorney’s office to discuss potential charges. During that conversation, the deputy reportedly explained that Kim had been on the phone with her mother.
A person on the other end of the call appeared to question whether that alone justified an arrest. “Her on the phone, that’s not enough,” the person can be heard saying in the recording.
KPRC 2 also showed the bodycam footage to Dr. Greg Fremin, a retired Houston Police Department captain with 34 years of law enforcement experience.
Fremin told the station that the deputy’s approach was unusual for what began as a minor traffic stop. “That is highly unusual to see a minor traffic violation occur where the officer is screaming, almost yelling commands for the driver to come out and meet him halfway back,” Fremin said.
Fremin also said that, in his opinion, the stop escalated unnecessarily and that he did not believe there was probable cause for the arrest. That assessment represents his professional opinion and has not been adopted by a court.
Viewers Were Deeply Divided
The bodycam footage quickly spread online, where commenters largely split into three camps.
Many argued that drivers should comply with lawful orders during a traffic stop and address any concerns afterward through the courts or an attorney.
Others questioned why the deputy initially ordered Kim out of her vehicle from a distance before explaining the reason for the stop, saying the encounter appeared to escalate unnecessarily.
A third group believed both sides contributed to the outcome, saying Kim appeared to panic while the deputy’s communication style may have made an already stressful encounter worse.
Several viewers also noted they would like to see the complete, unedited bodycam footage before drawing firm conclusions, pointing out that television news packages typically condense much longer encounters.
Sheriff’s Office Reviewing Questions About the Encounter
Kim showed KPRC 2 bruises on her inner thighs that she said resulted from the arrest.
“I’m pretty messed up right now,” she told the station. “They think this is okay, and this is normal. It’s not okay.”
KPRC 2 reported that it contacted the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office about the deputy’s actions. A spokesperson said the agency would inquire with the appropriate command staff and respond.
The station also reported that it is not naming the deputy while it works to determine whether he is the subject of an internal investigation.
KPRC 2 also requested the deputy’s personnel records. The sheriff’s office forwarded that request to the Texas Attorney General’s Office for an opinion regarding their release. As of publication, the sheriff’s office had not said whether the deputy was the subject of an internal investigation.