Shorewood, Whitefish Bay Police Chiefs to Meet with Coach Over Traffic Stop

track coach Dominic Newman said he wanted to start a dialogue with local police — and it looks like he is getting his wish.

Newman said Shorewood Police Chief David Banaszynski sent him an e-mail late last week requesting a private meeting with him and Whitefish Bay Police Chief Robert Jacobs to  “discuss the incident and come to a mutual understanding.”

Newman said no date is set for the meeting, but it will happen soon. The two chiefs could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The invitation comes on the heels of a in Whitefish Bay that wound up with Newman being surrounded by around a half a dozen North Shore squads, forced from his wife’s silver Volkswagen Golf and handcuffed at gunpoint. A 911 call report of a car alarm sounding and window busted around 2 a.m. put police on the prowl for a stolen vehicle. Newman was driving his wife’s car, which sounded its alarm for several seconds every time the door opened.

The incident left Newman angry because he thought police overreacted.

“I’m still angry,” Newman said Wednesday.

It also left questions whether the incident was a case of racial profiling or “driving while black,” Newman said. Newman said he doesn't believe the incident was fueled by race.

The has since contacted Newman, but hasn’t discussed whether it plans to pursue a case against Shorewood or Whitefish Bay police. Newman acknowledged North Shore authorities have built a reputation for racial profiling African Americans, and he wants to talk with both the Shorewood and Whitefish Bay Police Chiefs about how they can change that.

"People do call Whitefish Bay, 'White Folks Bay'...so how can we change that?" Newman asked.

The ACLU of Wisconsin wasn’t available for comment Wednesday.

The incident, first reported by Patch, has generated widespread media attention and Newman said he has received more than 100 e-mails of support. Many of the e-mails include stories of racial profiling by police in the North Shore, said Newman, who is a teacher at .

Shorewood police have said there was no way they could have pulled over Newman because of the color of his skin because they didn't have a description of him before he was stopped.

Newman told Patch last week he was from police for the early-morning incident, while Banaszynski said Newman received one from police on the scene.

Indeed, in of the incident obtained by Patch early this week, police are heard apologizing to Newman.

However, Newman said he had been seeking a more formal apology for what he called excessive actions, but now just wants to have a dialogue with police.