Cops don't like cell cams

[racrguy]

Fair enough. So, what do you plan to do about it?

I do it on this message board every time I question an officers methods, motives, and justifications. But a majority of the time I post FTP stuff I'm just fucking with 'em.

It does almost no good to bitch at the brass and bureaucrats, they just like to blow smoke. If you bring it up to the officers themselves unless they're total shitbags they'll see what's going on and keep an eye out for that kind of thing, in effect policing themselves.

^^ the bolded part is all opinion and probably idealistic at best, but meh.

[slow99]

Certainly. But all it takes is one irresponsible person to kill another carload of innocent people by making the bad decision to drink and drive. Someone needs to police those who find it difficult to police themselves.

Nevermind, you completely missed my point.

[Steve]

By worry about it I mean don't pay it any mind, like "it's a once in a while kinda thing, no biggie, they'll fix it."

I, and I imagine a vast majority of the "choir" you're speaking about had that same mentality, but with the prevalence of this kind of thing happening it's no longer a "they'll fix it" kind of issue, action must be taken. And regardless of whether you agree with it or not, discussing it here on the internet is doing something to address the situation. It lets others know that it's happening, what they can do to protect themselves against it, and how to spot the early warning signs that something like this is about to occur. (the last point depends on how much information we can gather about the situation)

Fair enough. So, what do you plan to do about it?

Most people in everyday society can hang out at bars without incident as well.

Certainly. But all it takes is one irresponsible person to kill another carload of innocent people by making the bad decision to drink and drive. Someone needs to police those who find it difficult to police themselves.

[slow99]

I get what you are saying, but it's pointless to argue hypotheticals. Most people in everyday society go about their day without having an incident with the police.

Most people in everyday society can hang out at bars without incident as well.

[racrguy]

By worrying about it, do you mean complaining about it on a forum preaching to the choir? If you were truly "worried" about it you would be actively doing something about it to address the situation.

By worry about it I mean don't pay it any mind, like "it's a once in a while kinda thing, no biggie, they'll fix it."

I, and I imagine a vast majority of the "choir" you're speaking about had that same mentality, but with the prevalence of this kind of thing happening it's no longer a "they'll fix it" kind of issue, action must be taken. And regardless of whether you agree with it or not, discussing it here on the internet is doing something to address the situation. It lets others know that it's happening, what they can do to protect themselves against it, and how to spot the early warning signs that something like this is about to occur. (the last point depends on how much information we can gather about the situation)

[Steve]

Because it doesn't happen to people every day we should not worry about it when it does? I'm not being confrontational, that's a serious question.

By worrying about it, do you mean complaining about it on a forum preaching to the choir? If you were truly "worried" about it you would be actively doing something about it to address the situation.

[racrguy]

I get what you are saying, but it's pointless to argue hypotheticals. Most people in everyday society go about their day without having an incident with the police. I've dealt with officers in the LAPD that had some severe attitude and I came out of it just fine.

Because it doesn't happen to people every day we should not worry about it when it does? I'm not being confrontational, that's a serious question.

[Steve]

Not so fast... I have another PM proving otherwise, of course it was a few days ago so...

Nice try bud, I was nothing but nice to you asking you a question to get your side of the story which you declined to answer. No drama to be had.

...and I hear distant thunder on the horizon.

Nope, no drama here, sorry to disappoint ya Eric.

I don't disagree with any of what you are saying. But this lady didn't break the law, and they jacked her memory card and beat her ass (again, assuming the article is true). So to play out a hypothetical. Let's say, for instance, several people are at a friend's house for a get together. Everyone is out in the driveway. Some driver (totally unrelated) gets pulled over in front of the house, next house over, etc. One thing leads to another, and a couple cops start kicking the guy's ass. You pull out a cell phone, and start recording it. Cops come kick your ass and steal your memory card out of your phone.

*If* the article is accurate, and the story checks out, it's essentially the same thing, other than the driver in the story is the lady's husband.

I get what you are saying, but it's pointless to argue hypotheticals. Most people in everyday society go about their day without having an incident with the police. I've dealt with officers in the LAPD that had some severe attitude and I came out of it just fine.

Rofl at a fat white guy getting racial profiled.

Stevo

LOL, it is funny when you put it that way. Truth be told, I've only gotten fat in the last decade after getting married. But it's on the way off, I'm no where near the biggest fatty on this board. I will hit my goal of 205lbs but end of the summer. No more heavyweight divison for me!

[stevo]

If you aren't doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to worry about.

Not true.

Being white, I got stopped and searched often just because I was white and they thought I was in the neighborhood to buy crack.

Rofl at a fat white guy getting racial profiled.

Stevo

[bcoop]

I seem to make it through everyday life without having any negative interaction with police. In my opinion, if you are having some sort of negative interaction with a cop, you did something to attract their attention in the first place. If you aren't doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to worry about. It's simple, don't break the law.

Keep in mind, I grew up in LA in a dominant, black gang infested neighborhood. Being white, I got stopped and searched often just because I was white and they thought I was in the neighborhood to buy crack. Sure, it got irrtiating to get stopped for 30-45 minutes at a time answering the same fucking questions over and over but I understood why they were doing it. It's not a personal thing. Most cops are just trying to do the right thing a majority of the time.

I don't have a clue why anyone would want to be a cop in the first place. You're dealing with people everyday having one of the worst days of their lives. Constantly seeing horrible things happen everyday. They start out trying to do the right thing to help people, protect and serve and all that BS. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to go out there everyday to put their lives on the line only to have select individuals criticize the manner in which they provide their service. They're human too and it's bound to have an effect on them one way or another.

It's easy to sit on the internet to complain about a cop doing this or that especially when it's not you out there putting your life on the line everyday. They aren't policy makers, they just enforce the law. It's true, not all cops are good cops, but that comes with any job in which you will have good and bad people. There is some real assholes out there but there is also some damn good people who want to genuinely help.

I don't disagree with any of what you are saying. But this lady didn't break the law, and they jacked her memory card and beat her ass (again, assuming the article is true). So to play out a hypothetical. Let's say, for instance, several people are at a friend's house for a get together. Everyone is out in the driveway. Some driver (totally unrelated) gets pulled over in front of the house, next house over, etc. One thing leads to another, and a couple cops start kicking the guy's ass. You pull out a cell phone, and start recording it. Cops come kick your ass and steal your memory card out of your phone.

*If* the article is accurate, and the story checks out, it's essentially the same thing, other than the driver in the story is the lady's husband.

[Forever_frost]

I know of one particular instance where the camera had been inoperative for months. I know of other instances where it was made sure an arrest was not in view of the camera. Shit happens all the time. Houston is not far off DC and surrounding areas...


Not so fast... I have another PM proving otherwise, of course it was a few days ago so...

Or you get corrupted video files, the mic malfunctions, the video didn't record.....

[ceyko]

I'm not saying your depart does it or even can do it, I'm just saying it has happened and will happen again. There have been plenty of times that the recording has mysteriously disappeared or were victims of mechanical failure when requested by the public.

Stevo

Not to mention maintenance. I see plenty of state/fed organizations have budget to buy, but not maintain gear. 9 times out of 10, they don't have people nearly qualified to maintain it and no budget to pay professionals.

Understand, I'm not calling the employees dumb. They just have their job, and special gear tends to require its own training and these folks are doing enough already and/or don't have the free cycles to learn it.

So, it's completely realistic that cars are rolling around out there with non-functional gear, the mesh network is down, the server side is malfunctioning, backups are not occurring or backups are lost...etc...etc. - with no malicious activities, just system failures due to poor maintenance.

Not so fast... I have another PM proving otherwise, of course it was a few days ago so...

...and I hear distant thunder on the horizon.


:20!

[kingjason]

I know of one particular instance where the camera had been inoperative for months. I know of other instances where it was made sure an arrest was not in view of the camera...


Not so fast... I have another PM proving otherwise, of course it was a few days ago so...

I dont doubt that one bit. The second one of our in car cameras go down the car is pulled out of service.

Fortunately, our founders disagree with the "if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be worried about police." And police ARE policy makers. Well, of a sort. They have discretion on what they want to enforce, when and whom on. If you think they enforce all laws equally all the time, you're foolish.

That's why you best be havin' a good attitude when they pop you for no front plate!