My three-year-old daughter recently experienced her first police stop, a milestone that left me embarrassed, but not for myself or for her. Dance class begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday mornings.

Instead, his raised voice and incensed yelling only allowed for the periodic spraying of my face with his saliva. For a brief moment, his words were indistinguishable, muddled sounds. I clenched the ...