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Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

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Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#81

When they can always get away with slap on the wrist, why not destroy camera or turn it off before shooting someone. Some other cop is going to back any and all claims in court. There is no evidence anyway. They make sure of that. I'm still waiting to see what happened with Ian's case. At least some are indicted because of cams now a days. Turning of cam should have some mark on service records and effect their pay/p…

In this case, charge the police officer with murder and obstruction of justice; the camera footage would exonerate them if they killed legitimately, after all. Disabling a camera means they've got something to hide.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#82
post #21

Though I agree that this behavior is reprehensible and probably criminal, the comments here seem to miss at least some of the human dynamic here. I can't hardly imagine that most people posting here would ever consider a job where literally every word or sound that came out of their mouth during their entire working life was recorded, and likely subject to public disclosure. Saying that this is what cops signed up fo…

If you've worked a retail job, or one handling stock or money, you've been surveilled as much as humanly possible while you were working.

I've worked at places where phone calls were retained.

Absolute privacy is at ends with most business requirements. And they usually handle goods.

Police handle livelihoods and lives.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#83
post #12

Just to be clear: what we are looking at is a concerted and coordinated criminal conspiracy to cover up a range of activities including murder.

Absolutely, but also look at the higher level- The snowden revelations showed a treasonous level of criminal activity at the highest levels of government.

So, of course, Snowden is the bad guy and no charges have been filed against the perpetrators of the crimes.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#84
post #21

Though I agree that this behavior is reprehensible and probably criminal, the comments here seem to miss at least some of the human dynamic here. I can't hardly imagine that most people posting here would ever consider a job where literally every word or sound that came out of their mouth during their entire working life was recorded, and likely subject to public disclosure. Saying that this is what cops signed up fo…

> I can't hardly imagine that most people posting here would ever consider a job where literally every word or sound that came out of their mouth during their entire working life was recorded, and likely subject to public disclosure.

Taxi cab driver? Truck driver? Pilot? Train engineer? And none of them even get guns.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#85
post #75
post #2

I do not understand how these cannot be made idiot proof and cop proof. You can buy the simplest dash cams from China that record HD video and sound that take mere minutes to set up for under a hundred bucks. The first step needs to mandate a tamper proof system and disabling of any police car from leaving they yard unless the device passes on all tests. Then it should be required to report periodically to a central…

I've been on a ride-along with my suburban, middle-America department. The guy had to put clip the wireless mic to his shirt, make sure the antenna was oriented and power it on at go time to save battery. I don't know if there's newer tech that had more of a promise of being able to be made fool-proof from human error much less willful defeat.

Yeah, smartphone technology; they run on 3/4G networks and have long battery life if just recording / transmitting audio.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#86
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We trust cops to protect the weak, to wield and use firearms, and to enforce our laws. This puts them in a tremendous position to abuse their power. The recording devices were installed precisely because abuses of power and criminal activity were already a big problem. The thugs destroyed the recording devices because they want to continue abusing their power, period. For an honest cop, the recordings offer proof of…

Your comment brings up the old and terrible response "if you haven't done anything wrong you have nothing to hide" Is that irony? I never can tell if I use that word right.

As the other person who replied points out, it's very different for a trusted government official and a private citizen. The official gives up his/her right to privacy when acting in the role of public enforcer of laws...

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#87
post #2

I do not understand how these cannot be made idiot proof and cop proof. You can buy the simplest dash cams from China that record HD video and sound that take mere minutes to set up for under a hundred bucks. The first step needs to mandate a tamper proof system and disabling of any police car from leaving they yard unless the device passes on all tests. Then it should be required to report periodically to a central…

Yeah, just install smartphone technology behind the windscreen; always on, always connected, and can be monitored remotely. Software on there can deal with spotty connection, too - keep recording if connectivity is lost.

And of course make any intentional damage to the things come out of the police officer's own pockets.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#88
post #37
post #2

I do not understand how these cannot be made idiot proof and cop proof. You can buy the simplest dash cams from China that record HD video and sound that take mere minutes to set up for under a hundred bucks. The first step needs to mandate a tamper proof system and disabling of any police car from leaving they yard unless the device passes on all tests. Then it should be required to report periodically to a central…

I'm sorry but this is hoplessly naive. It's Chicago . One of the most historically corrupt machine governments in the USA. Nothing gets done without dozens of people getting paid off if not in cash than in favors or quid pro quo. It's not even something that people on the inside find unusual. It's just how it is, and always has been. It's a much bigger problem than just mandating tamper-proof cameras.

This is why I state, these items must be tamper proof and back by regulations and laws. Likely all this must be at the federal level and it become a crime on the federal level to tamper with them.

So you make it nearly impossible to break/tamper without trying and its a federal offense to do so. Simple.

Re: Chicago Police Hid Mics, Destroyed Dashcams to Block Audio, Records Show

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this, as simple as this. This isn't a rogue "bad cop" - it's systemic, criminal abuse of power, and the very reason we have separation of powers - so this kind of activity can be checked all the way back to its origins. Which is pretty much the origin of my disillusionment, since it isn't happening at all, in the face of red-handed evidence.

What's the bar for 'at all'? People seem to speak (at least relatively) favorably of the new policing situation in Camden, the old department was disbanded: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden_Police_Department_%28Ne... That's a large municipality discarding their entire police organization and creating a new one.

I see no mention of systemic checks and balances or corruption investigation further than a couple of bad actors. So yeah cover it up replace it with something hopefully less corrupt, but not what needs to happen to prevent it from happening again.
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