Should private citizens be allowed to video record law enforcement?

by Fisherman 37 Replies latest jw friends

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman
    can't tell the difference between a cell phone and a fire arm?

    That's the danger for the person recording the police. Besides that, there are other dangers a person faces from law enforcement if they know that a person is recording -such as retaliation at a later date just to mention one danger. So, it is not without risk.

  • FedUpJW
    FedUpJW

    Are you serious? You really think someone - especially police officers who go through years of training - can't tell the difference between a cell phone and a fire arm?

    Some cannot.

    http://www.newsweek.com/man-holding-cellphone-mistaken-gun-shot-dead-las-vegas-410999

  • jwundubbed
    jwundubbed

    Nurse arrested for doing job.

    Good explanation why the arrest of the nurse was illegal

    This would never have made the news if someone hadn't recorded the event. It clearly isn't security video footage but a recording on a device.... that means that it could have been taken by a private citizen. The officer involved later lost his job. He should have been charged with a crime as well. -

    Private citizens recording police actions is the only way to keep them honest. Who polices law enforcement? They police themselves. Anyone who thinks that a system that only has internal policing isn't going to have any corruption is fooling themselves.

  • _Morpheus
    _Morpheus

    Also, if you are recording a police officer struggling to take a suspect into custody it would be greatly appreciated that you either use your cell phone to call for more help or put your phone away and lend a hand.”

    This is the worst advice i have read on this forum. Calling for more help..... maybe. Very likely that the officer (under standard protocol in almost every force in the usa) has been in contact with his precinct from the moment the stop was initiated. However it may have been some unforseen situation and if you call local emergency (911 usa) no harm in that... but helping subdue? Are you insane? Do i have explain why thats a horrible idea?

  • Brokeback Watchtower
    Brokeback Watchtower

    Yes most definitely, when a police officer knows he's being video he is much more likely to make sure he does his job right and isn't abusive without proper cause for doing so.

  • zeb
    zeb
    What level of training do the Police get in the particular force. He wanted the blood sample? So go with a warrant to get it.
  • Fisherman
    Fisherman
    Good explanation why the arrest of the nurse was illegal

    The vid shows that she resisted arrest. That is very dangerous for the cops and for her. But the vid also shows what happened which makes it harder for the cops to lie.

  • jwundubbed
    jwundubbed
    Fisherman - The vid shows that she resisted arrest. That is very dangerous for the cops and for her. But the vid also shows what happened which makes it harder for the cops to lie.

    She actually did not resist arrest. The officer chased her while trying to take something from her, which he didn't have a warrant to take. His action was illegal and if she had just handed over what he wanted she actually could be arrested. He didn't notify her that he was arresting her until after he had caught her and started to put her hands behind her back. She had no reason to think that he would arrest her because she was doing her job and upholding the law.

  • truth_b_known
    truth_b_known

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjOhlks3ZTU

    As a police officer of nearly 20 years I would certainly hope that a good citizen filming me struggling to take a suspect into custody would lend a hand.

    "The police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence." - Sir Robert Peel, Founder of Modern Policing

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman
    She actually did not resist arrest.

    The officer told her in the video that she was under arrest. From what I saw in the video, she did not submit. Great to have that video though because it also does appear that she did nothing wrong by refusing to comply to officers' demands about drawing blood.

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