BETHLEHEM, Pa. — “Handstand Jesse” Almodovar makes it look easy.
A South Side Bethlehem resident, Almodovar uses the city as his playground.
But he also says some locals have mistaken the way he walks — he lives with hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy — for drunkenness and have called the police on him.
- Jesse Almodovar, Southside Bethlehem resident, loves doing handstands
- He says he's been mistakenly stopped by police a number of times in the past about his physical condition
- All residents should be able to traverse the city unbothered, he says
And he wants to change that — not just for himself, but for all people with disabilities and those they encounter.
And city police say they're on board.
On a recent day, Almodovar adjusted his gloves, mounted a concrete platform on his hands and shot his feet into the air.
People on the South New Street sidewalk watched as he held form.
After confidently maintaining his position for several seconds and a photo op, he hopped down.
Some would say the move is quite a physical feat for anybody, even more so considering his physical conditions.
But for "Handstand Jesse," it’s just his thing.
Like the back of his hand
In a recent interview, Almodovar recalled doing his first handstand in 2009, and said he's honed his skill ever since, despite some challenges along the way.
“So there’s a lot that I can’t do that I’ve tried. And all that was left were my hands.”Jesse Almodovar, Southside Bethlehem resident
“So there’s a lot that I can’t do that I’ve tried,” Almodovar said. “And all that was left were my hands.
“From the first day I started, every single day I was outside, throwing myself onto my hands — hurting myself every single day, pissing my parents off coming home injured every single day,” Almodovar said.
“But I did not give up.”
He’s so moved by his experience with handstands he even got a tattoo in 2012 based on his Facebook cover photo. The photographer who shot that photo coined the notable nickname, and Almodovar said it stuck.
“I wanted that on here so that down the road, any time I had any moment of plateau — or any moment where I felt stuck or uninspired — I could look at this.”Jesse Almodovar, Southside Bethlehem resident, speaking about his "Handstand Jesse" tattoo
“I wanted that on here so that down the road, any time I had any moment of plateau — or any moment where I felt stuck or uninspired — I could look at this,” he said, pointing to the art on his upper left arm.
Taking a stand
Almodovar, who said he's an avid exerciser and gym-goer, said he wants all people to feel comfortable being out and mobile around the city.
But he said he's drawn attention from some locals and police since 2008, following his high school graduation and a wish to spend more time outside.
“That’s what I want for my disabled people,” Almodovar said. “I want to see them nicely walking outside here, just nicely walking out there without having it have to be turned into a traffic stop every time you step out the door.
“It shouldn’t be like that. And I’m not saying that because I think it happens, I’m saying that because it has happened to me.”
Almodovar said he moved from New York to Bethlehem in 2006, and stayed until 2017. After some time living in Florida, he said, he made his way back to the Lehigh Valley in 2022.
He reflected that police in New York often patrolled on foot, offering more opportunities for meaningful interactions with residents.
During his time in Florida, he said he lived in a rural area with minimal foot traffic, and had only one interaction with police worth noting.
“It just ate at me for a while, and I just, I guess I just lacked the courage to speak up. And now I guess I finally just thought enough was enough.”Jesse Almodovar, Southside Bethlehem resident, speaking on his comments at the city council meeting
But one year in Bethlehem saw up to 20 interactions with the police, he said. He added that the number got progressively lower as time went on and more officers became aware of his conditions.
“It just ate at me for a while, and I just, I guess I just lacked the courage to speak up,” he said. “And now I guess I finally just thought enough was enough.”
A balancing act
At the March 21 meeting of Bethlehem City Council, Almodovar spoke of an interaction with a Bethlehem officer who took his just walking as "staggering."
Three additional personnel arrived soon after he was stopped, he said.
“So we have newer officers, and some of the older officers that are familiar with Jesse are in specialized units now, so they’re not out on patrol.”Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott
Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott on Thursday said she remembered Almodovar from her days as a patrol officer in training. She said the the first time she saw him, her training officer was sure to mention, “That’s just Jesse.”
Kott referenced a report management system used by the department, stating there have been two calls over the past two years regarding Almodovar.
Following his appearance at the city council podium, Kott said she had to explain to him that the department has been dealing with high turnover rates as well as officers retiring or making career changes.
She said she has sent out a message to the entire department with Almodovar’s information and context on his points made at the council meeting.
“So we have newer officers, and some of the older officers that are familiar with Jesse are in specialized units now, so they’re not out on patrol,” she said.
“We want to set up a ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event, where we can sit down somewhere, talk, get to know each other and help break down some of those walls."Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott
To combat that, she said, the two have combined heads for Almodovar to come and meet six freshly graduated BPD officers on June 29.
Kott said she’s even invited him to make contact with every new cadet from here on out if he’d like.
Extending a friendly hand
Almodovar and Kott also will join forces with Lt. Manuel Rivera of the department’s Community Services Division to plan an outreach event for the fall, inviting other members of the area with physical conditions.
“We want to set up a ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event, where we can sit down somewhere, talk, get to know each other and help break down some of those walls,” Kott said.
A similar event with pizza is another idea the department will toss around soon.
“Please reach out if you are having any experiences that are adverse that you’re not satisfied with. We take any and all criticisms or praise; that’s the only way we’re going to get better.”Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott, speaking to city residents living with physical hardships
Kott said she wanted people to know her officers will be “out and about” at city events this summer — whether on foot, bike or horseback — and BPD always is looking for local input.
“It’s important for us to have contact with community members, because going through all the training in the world, though important, it doesn’t replace the power of that person-to-person contact and getting to know someone,” she said.
“Because that really makes a difference in how an officer conducts themselves.”
The chief said residents “have my word” that the department wants to put the community first.
“Please reach out if you are having any experiences that are adverse that you’re not satisfied with,” she stated. “We take any and all criticisms or praise; that’s the only way we’re going to get better.”
Hand in hand
Kott said all uniformed officers are required by the state to complete courses in the academy designed to improve their personal interactions and rapport with all residents of the community.
From there, the chief said each officer attends an eight-hour crisis intervention course provided by the Northampton County Crisis Intervention Team.
“In that training, it really drives home to officers that not everything is what it appears to be,” Kott said. “You have to look deeper. You have to be patient and get to know people and talk to people to see what the real issue is.”
Other training involves role-playing and developing a careful attention in officers to not use force unless a situation specifically calls for it.
"You have to look deeper. You have to be patient and get to know people and talk to people to see what the real issue is.”Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott
“We build that into all of our training as well, because we want our officers critically thinking,” the chief said.
