It is happening again, subtly, uncomfortable and dangerous if not dealt with. I have noticed it subtly creeping in again. I had seen the signs but often brushed them off. Maybe I was too tired after a long day at work or too preoccupied thinking of what to make for dinner. But today was different. I had just picked up a package and boarded a small commercial taxi.

My phone was almost dead, with only three per cent of battery left, so I had nothing else to distract me. Cramped between strangers, my knees aching from the tight space, I looked ahead and hoped we would get to our destination quickly. There were five of us in the car four women and one young man.

A few minutes into the ride, we saw uniformed officers ahead of us. The driver was asked to stop and open the trunk. Which he did calmly. The officers inspected the luggage and confirmed it belonged to some of the women.

Then, one of them walked to the front of the car, looked at the only male passenger, and said, “Get down.” He did not argue. It seemed like a routine to him almost like he had been through this before. They asked what he does for a living, where his workplace identification was, and where he was coming from. He answered respectfully and showed them some educational documents with his passport photo attached. Only then was he allowed back into the vehicle.

As we drove off, I was reminded of a similar situation where another young man was stopped and searched. That time, I had two devices with me one of which belonged to my sons and was asked to unlock it. However, the device had been locked and needed a PUK code to be opened. I remember responding with a strong but firm voice that the device belonged to my sons but since there was no phone found on the young man, the look I got from those men felt like I was almost being treated as an accomplice. And then it hit me. The profiling has started again!!!

As a mother of three boys, I began to shudder. I thought we had moved past this. I thought our children could now grow up with dignity free to express themselves, dress freely, and live boldly without being seen as suspects. But what happens when our sons become young adults? Will they be stopped to prove where they work or what school they attend? Will they have their phones searched by strangers in uniform? Will they have to defend their right to simply exist?

We encourage our children to be independent and to start small jobs early. But how many small businesses provide valid staff identification? And if they do not, do our sons deserve to be criminalized for it? Our men in uniform must do better.

There are better ways to handle societal decay, but not at the expense of our sons’ dignity. Not by profiling them. Some people look rough, not by choice, but by circumstance. To judge them solely on their appearance is unjust.

Our boys deserve a society that treats them with respect and fairness just like every other child. We must protect our boys. They deserve more than suspicion. They deserve to grow, thrive, and walk freely without fear. Our men in uniform, who were once just boys too, must remember what it means to be seen, not as a threat, but as a human being.

This is not just about law enforcement. It is about dignity. It is about justice. And it is about the kind of society we are shaping for all our children.

We must do better.

For their sake.

For ours.