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Driving while black: Montreal police stop man to see if he was in a stolen car

WATCH ABOVE: Kerwin Clarke was driving with his toddler in Verdun when Montreal police pulled him over to make sure they weren't in a stolen car. He tells Global's Tim Sargeant that, though the officers were nice, he wonders if it's a case of racial profiling – May 21, 2018

Kerwin Clarke was pulled over in Verdun last weekend by Montreal police officers — and he says, for no clear reason.

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The Saint-Lambert resident was in the car with his daughter, Quinn, in the back seat when they were stopped.

READ MORE: Longueuil man’s racial profiling case heads to Human Rights Tribunal

“I was thinking, maybe I did something wrong. Did I stop at the last stop sign properly, completely? What did I do wrong? Did I check my phone?” he asked.

WATCH BELOW: Montreal police to pay victim in racial profiling case

Officers said they were checking to see if his 2017 GMC Yukon was stolen.

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“I feel it was just squarely because I fit a profile they were looking for, being a younger-looking black male driving a nicer car,” Clarke, a criminal defence lawyer, told Global News.

“So, I felt really hurt.”

READ MORE: Coalition calls for public consultations on ‘systemic racism’ in Montreal

The south shore man says, though the officers were polite, the father of three believes he was the victim of racial profiling.

WATCH BELOW: Montreal couple looking for answers in alleged racial profiling case

“I would like to think that someone would do a little more police work to vet a situation and not engage in what I feel is lazy police work,” he said.

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Clarke hasn’t filed a complaint, but says he plans to do so.

READ MORE: Montreal resident from the U.S. says he was racially profiled

Minority rights activists insist more training needs to be done to improve the force’s relations with visible minorities — including hiring officers of a diverse background.

READ MORE: Montreal couple claims they were victims of racial profiling, excessive force by police

“Police officers have to reflect and look like the community they serve and reach out to,” said Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR) Executive Director Fo Niemi.

Montreal police did not return Global News’ request for an interview.

WATCH BELOW: Laval man claims racial profiling

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