Public Advocate pushes for body cameras for cops in wake of chokehold death

NY Daily News ^ | August 21, 2014 | EDGAR SANDOVAL , BARRY PADDOCK

[B4Ranch]

>>I want to see why the cop thought it was necessary to withdraw his weapon from his holster. That is what needs to be shown, not the shooting.<<

I am familiar with the Ferguson shooting. I am referring to every shooting involving a paid officer.

[Swordmaker]

I am familiar with the Ferguson shooting. I am referring to every shooting involving a paid officer.

Good point. No public employee who is on duty should have ANY expectation of privacy. They should not be permitted to hide behind the fourth Amendment protection against search and seizure of papers relating to any documents, recordings, etc., relating to the position as a public servant because they are NOT acting as a private citizen at those times. As soon as they put off the mantle, clock-out, enter back into private citizenship after work, they again have those protections.

Ergo, with our current level of technology, every police cruiser should be equipped with a "blue box" device recording 360° view and ambient sounds. Routine, non-eventful recordings would be overwritten, but all public contact would be kept for a specified time—traffic stops until adjudicated and/or statutorily finished in some manner, misdemeanor and felony until the statute of limitation has expired or the case has been adjudicated/sealed/appealed/or other action required. . . but in any case such recordings are kept UNDER SEAL, unless subpoenaed by appropriate warrant or administrative complaint to protect the privacy of private citizens OTHER than the officer.

Tied into that system would be any officer mounted mikes and/or cameras.

After the officer's probationary period, all reviews of such recordings by superiors would be limited only to reviews initiated by public complaints or positive evidence of corruption. Officers should not feel they are untrustworthy and have big brother watching over their shoulder. However, if this system is operated real-time recording to a central location, then the officer should be able to request real-time monitoring by a superior when going into a risky situation.

[Swordmaker]

I use a chest mounted GoPro and it has never gotten in the way. I haven't had to wrestle anyone, though. It protrudes between the buttons on my shirt.

The chest mount you show would show a black screen in that choke hold from behind that supposedly killed the guy in NY. That's the problem I was referring to. . . but I don't see a method around that unless every officer has a swarm of housefly sized flying robotic camera drones following him around at a suitable distances to get multiple views of the action.

[B4Ranch]

Perhaps when an officer sees that his every move is being tracked they will lose some of their Never mess with a Cop attitude.

I would much rather see a cop realize beforehand the potential for a situation to escalate and have him retreat than have him shoot someone who is angry for whatever reason and that result in a $30 million trial judgement for the relatives.

[PeterPrinciple]

I would much rather see a cop realize beforehand the potential for a situation to escalate and have him retreat than have him shoot someone who is angry for whatever reason and that result in a $30 million trial judgement for the relatives.

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These are no win situations. How many times did law and victims retreat to avoid escalation. At best you delay it, but in the meantime you encourage the bad behavior. And some day you will have to engage.

[B4Ranch]

True but if you delay it for 30 minutes that gives the rowdy ‘suspect’ a chance to calm down and you to gather some backup where hopefully the suspect would then realize he was outnumbered and surrender peacefully. That keeps the costs in damages to human bodies and bank accounts way down.

[Swordmaker]

Perhaps when an officer sees that his every move is being tracked they will lose some of their Never mess with a Cop attitude.

Just the mere knowledge that anything he does that COULD wind up in such a civil case, would absolutely be reviewed video and audibly, should be enough to curb such behavior. Police aren't stupid.

[B4Ranch]

Police aren’t stupid.

That would be better if you had said, “Most Police aren’t stupid.” Most police will walk away from a serious scuffle and come back with some big guys who like to tussle with idiot suspects. There’s always the young and dumb ones who haven’t yet learned the smart way of doing things. They are the ones who I hope cameras will push out of law enforcement.