The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
Pamela Brown, the Hula Hoop Lady of Granby Street, was being held in jail this morning after being charged during the weekend with making excessive noise and assault, police said.
Police were called Saturday on a noise complaint, said Sgt. Jim Robertson, police spokesman.
He did not have a copy of the police report, but said that officers responded to the loud music complaint and “it escalated from there.”
Brown also was charged with resisting lawful arrest and is scheduled to have a hearing in court tomorrow, Robertson said.
Brown got her nickname because she hangs out and hula hoops in the grassy median near Wards Corner.
Brown, who gave her age as 48 in January, said she gets up every day at 3 a.m. Robertson said he did not know what time the arrest was made because the report wasn’t available.
Brown’s car was hit by a tractor-trailer in the late 1970s and she spent several weeks in a coma. The crash left her with permanent brain damage and she had to relearn walking and speaking. She continues to have short-term memory problems and seizures.
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I See this Lady All the Time on Granby Street...
And she appears to be a harmless old eccentric. I think the NPD was WAY out of line tasering her repeatedly. I also wonder why she required jail time and a $5000.00 bond. We have plenty of gang bangers and crackheads around Wards Corner that dont get this sort of police response. But then again, they may actually fight back.
Please stop calling the police on Pam
Alright everyone – I’ve met Pam, she’s a nice lady, I’ve even made her a hula hoop. Her deal is she has seizers. If she was having a seizer I could see how the police would see a strange behavior as a threat. If she said she didn’t remember the incident I’m pretty sure she was having a seizer.
Really the issue here is the neighbors that continue to call the police on her as a noise complaint throughout the years (as this is the second time this has happened). Her little radio is hardly enough to actually bother people. I think she is a great asset to Wardscorner and an inspiration to disabled people everywhere. She still lives a very active life despite her injuries and she’s happy. It makes me happy to drive by and see her out there hula hoping. Shouldn’t we have more joyful people in our town?
So this is just a plea to those that continue to call the police on her for a “noise complaint” – please stop. Let her be happy and let our hard working police force deal with serious issues.
One Last Comment
I was in Wards Corner Satuday and witnessed part of the incident. I was more afraid for the safety of the officer than the lady. It is easy to judge the police after the fact. Without knowing this person was a local or a mental patient after the fact, I felt the policeman acted as well as he could. The person looked out of control. Cars were stopped in the streets causing more confusion. It was a tense moment. The media did not report this incident correctly.
Hoola Hoop Lady
All emotions aside, the Hoola Hoop Lady is a distraction for motorists. Very soon after her median area, is a School Zone 25MPH section that motorists need to be ready for. I think you would need to walk in the shoes of a police officer to know what they have to deal with on a daily basis.
Police were called Saturday on a noise complaint
The police didn't go track her down. They were called on a noise complaint. They would gladly rather go look for a "real" criminal but some complainer probably called 911 to whine about her.
If more people cared about their community and helped the police solve "real" crimes maybe there would be less crime. It takes more than the police to help clean up a community.
Give hardworking police a break
Wow, you guys are quick to attack the hardworking underpaid police officers. There just might be 2 sides to this story. I see the lady everyday and she seems pretty harmless but when they're called they are put in a no-win situation often times. Sorry neighbors but I'm just not that ungrateful. Keep up the good work officers!! Jerry, Pallister Rd
Hoola Hoop Lady
They probably held this vicious criminal with no bail. But...the baby-killer was let go on $100.00 bail. The cops should spend their time "catching crooks" and not beating on some lady who does not have a full deck of cards....
Unbelievable Treatment
I have worked with individuals with disabilities over the past 25 years of my career and I continue to be amazed at the lack of understanding by professionals whether public servants or other groups on how to deal with folks who have suffered some type of brain injury. Norfolk PD needs a lesson on disability awareness. Pam is not hurting anyone, she has a specific routine which she employs everyday. Really, shouldn't the officers be fighting crime in wards corner instead of picking on this woman based on a citizen complaint who I am sure also has a lack of understanding about people with disabilities. On top of all this, Pam wears a medical id bracelet to identify her disabilites and the police ignored her plea, tried to hand cuff her and were unable, due to pins in her shoulders from the damage she suffered in the accident. Norfolk PD needs to hire someone to train all officers on disability awareness, I am sure this is not the first incident of this type of tragedy.
Great job!!!
Congratulations!!! You are gentlemen and women and scholars all! Congratulations on succeeding in making our fair city of Norfolk a wonderful Utopia now. That lady was the impediment of last to the establishment of our heaven on Earth. Congratulations! Bravo Zulu! Bravo!
Oh how I love Norfolk!
Great job NPD!! You were too lazy to hunt down the criminals and murderers but you were able to take down a harmless women! Wow great job! Someone should make those officers Chief of Police. They certainly would be more qualified and thats not saying much.