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A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

nytimes.com

161–170 of 353 posts

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does what the cop said matter? It sounds like a pretty wild story, so I'm not surprised someone might doubt it on first hearing about it. Did they beat you up, refuse to help you, or something like that?

Exactly, being rude and blunt right away is probably about the most efficient thing they can do. I bet 70% of the time people change their stories when confronted with that line.

And of course it doesn't matter whether the story is true or false, just the the police officer coerces the person of interest to tell as story the police officer likes.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#162
post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How was the case handled? Did they find the gunman? Was he charged? I ask because, honestly, I don't think I care what they police say when they first walk up as long as they solve the crime, catch the perpetrator. The problem we have nowadays is that we get to see "how the (justice system) sausage is made" a lot more than we used to. And it's disturbing. But those guys out there with uniforms on are the ones trying…

> It's easy to be an armchair quarterback. I don't know how to be an orthopedic surgeon. The closest thing I've had to medical training was a first aid and CPR class. What I do know is that if an orthopedic surgeon, upon first seeing an overweight patient complaining of hip pain says "lay off the cheeseburgers and your hip will be fine, you fat slob", that doctor is doing a bad job. Not only is it hostile and rude, i…

> I went to school for it, but decided that wasn't what I want to do with my life.

Interesting, because most police officers don't need to go to school for it to get the job, right?

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#163

I was recently the victim of an armed kidnapping, escaping only by jumping out of my own car from the driver seat while in gear with the gunman in the passenger seat. By the time the police arrived, my attacker escaped in my car and the first words out of the sergeants mouth was “cut the crap, quit jerking us around, what really happened?” Sure enough I was in a jurisdiction that only two months prior was equipped wi…

We'll all have to become gargoyles, recording everything around us.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#164
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be shocked if the unredacted video still exists.

In many (most?) US jurisdictions, bodycam video is cloud-hosted by Taser.[0] I don't have direct experience, but I'd bet Taser doesn't let podunk police departments really "erase" video. And given the volume, you'd think it's got to be built on AWS or another big cloud provider, with pretty good forensic tools. [0] https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/business/taser-internatio...

> I don't have direct experience, but I'd bet Taser doesn't let podunk police departments really "erase" video.

They will if they want to keep getting contracts.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#165
post #98

I was recently the victim of an armed kidnapping, escaping only by jumping out of my own car from the driver seat while in gear with the gunman in the passenger seat. By the time the police arrived, my attacker escaped in my car and the first words out of the sergeants mouth was “cut the crap, quit jerking us around, what really happened?” Sure enough I was in a jurisdiction that only two months prior was equipped wi…

> As an officer of the court myself ... Could you elaborate on that? I have some thoughts but want to know if my thoughts are really valid. What type of court officer are you? Is it in the same jurisdiction? Things like that. I don't want to prejudice your responses. (I should also mention that my thoughts aren't going to put any blame on you.)

If you represent yourself pro se you are also an officer of the court.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does what the cop said matter? It sounds like a pretty wild story, so I'm not surprised someone might doubt it on first hearing about it. Did they beat you up, refuse to help you, or something like that?

Exactly, being rude and blunt right away is probably about the most efficient thing they can do. I bet 70% of the time people change their stories when confronted with that line.

I couldn't disagree more. The police are there to gather evidence. They're effectively tainting evidence if they mistreat people or ask leading questions or the like.

You'd better believe it matters when they come after you for (say) making false statements to the police, and it's their word against yours, and the court always sides with the cops.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How was the case handled? Did they find the gunman? Was he charged? I ask because, honestly, I don't think I care what they police say when they first walk up as long as they solve the crime, catch the perpetrator. The problem we have nowadays is that we get to see "how the (justice system) sausage is made" a lot more than we used to. And it's disturbing. But those guys out there with uniforms on are the ones trying…

Here is what happened... The next morning I get a call from the detective in the county to the South confirming he obtained video from the gas station where this all originated (the defendant approaching me while I’m pumping gas). Next I get a notification from Apple my iPad has been found, which I placed in lost/stolen mode. I call the detective who doesn’t answer his phone and then the police station in the county…

Damn, that's terrible. I don't even get the police's implication here-- If you're trying to buy illegal drugs, you DESERVE to be carjacked, and furthermore they shouldn't try to press charges on the carjacker until it's proven that they weren't trying to sell you illegal drugs? The mind boggles.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#168

I was recently the victim of an armed kidnapping, escaping only by jumping out of my own car from the driver seat while in gear with the gunman in the passenger seat. By the time the police arrived, my attacker escaped in my car and the first words out of the sergeants mouth was “cut the crap, quit jerking us around, what really happened?” Sure enough I was in a jurisdiction that only two months prior was equipped wi…

(I'm not American) Smells like deception, can't you sue? You could in Europe.

Yes, you always can. You'd probably have to make a claim of some kind of injury and it would likely involve a significant time investment if not also money. To what end? It's too easy not to follow through on these things.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#169
To me, the important potential of police body cameras is not in the middle of the Bell Curve. The important effects are in the tails. The routine traffic stop that is a routine traffic stop isn't where a camera matters as much as the routine traffic stop that turns non-routine.

The important cases are where it's some civilian's word against one or several officers. It is when the police make a mistake that future training might avoid. And it is when the optics of police behavior turn out to be worse than actual police behavior.

Re: A Test of Police Body Cameras Defies Expectations

#170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How was the case handled? Did they find the gunman? Was he charged? I ask because, honestly, I don't think I care what they police say when they first walk up as long as they solve the crime, catch the perpetrator. The problem we have nowadays is that we get to see "how the (justice system) sausage is made" a lot more than we used to. And it's disturbing. But those guys out there with uniforms on are the ones trying…

It's easy to be an armchair quarterback. I hear this every time someone with a difficult job has it pointed out to them that they're doing it badly. They don't even pretend that somehow makes it acceptable to do the job badly; I honestly don't know what effect saying it is supposed to have.

It's a recognition that there are complications beyond the simplistic picture one can get without personal experience. This often includes time, budget, and policy constraints the individual has no control over.
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