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

Post by ams6110 » Thu, Jan 28, 2016, 4:16 PM UTC

grandalf wrote: post #66

CPLX wrote: 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…

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…

Post by frandroid » Thu, Jan 28, 2016, 4:19 PM UTC

ZanyProgrammer wrote: post #123

__jal wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another poster already alluded to the point, but I'd like to make it explicit: if you believe Chicago is exceptional in this, you are wrong. The NYPD is almost as bad (as far as we know, the NYPD doesn't have an off-the-books torture chamber[1], rather preferring to sodomize arrestees with brooms in the regular jails on a more ad hoc basis). But just as life-destroying are the things that go on in smaller communities…

What about splitting the left with people who despise police unions and those who support all public sector unions 100% of the time?

Post by ihsw » Thu, Jan 28, 2016, 4:20 PM UTC

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #76

late2part wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This can't be upvoted enough. You're right. The police are protected by their dependent partners, the prosecutors. Anyone who does this should at the very least be prosecuted for one of the following: 1. Interfering with a police officer 2. Obstruction of justice 3. Destruction of property Ask yourself why they aren't? Is it the police union? Is it a true explicit conspiracy? What world we we live in that people get…

> Ask yourself why they aren't? The prosecutors and the officers they're charging may be drinking buddies, or at least have collaborated professionally before. Prosecutors may also fear other officers being unhelpful in the future to the person who charged the latters' buddy. The prosecutor may also fear having to open every case that officer was involved in to retrial. The prosecutor, themselves, may have logged tho…

Post by ihsw » Thu, Jan 28, 2016, 4:23 PM UTC

thorntonbf wrote: post #136

This is a problem at the top and the bottom of the department, and it won't get fixed until both sides are held appropriately accountable. The beat officers don't care because their management stack doesn't care. This should be pursued criminally, and would be were it anyone else messing with municipal equipment. This is a departmental corruption issue first and foremost - and it's the senior management that should b…

Post by ihsw » Thu, Jan 28, 2016, 4:25 PM UTC

hwstar wrote: post #124

GordonS wrote: post #90

Is anyone really surprised with this? These things have to be made tamper-evident, otherwise this is going to happen.

There needs to be seals on the cameras, and a connection to the police radio in the car which reports tampering back to the dispatch room. Any deliberate destruction should lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination.