APD (Atlanta) won't hinder citizens who videotape cops

ajc.com ^ | 2-10-11 | Bill Rankin

[rawhide]

Faced with complaints from a citizen watchdog group, Atlanta police will stop interfering with people who videotape officers performing their duties in public, an agreement reached with the city Thursday says.

The agreement resolves a complaint filed by Marlon Kautz and Copwatch of East Atlanta, a group that films police activity with cell phones and hand-held cameras. The group has volunteers who go out on patrols and begin videotaping police activity when they come across it.

Last April, Kautz said, he pulled out his camera phone and began recording Atlanta police who were arresting a suspect in Little Five Points. Two officers approached him and said he had no right to be filming them, Kautz said. When Kautz refused to stop, one officer wrenched Kautz's arm behind his back and yanked the camera out of his hands, he said.

Kautz said that when he asked to get his phone back, another officer said he'd return it only after Kautz gave him the password to the phone so he could delete the footage. When Kautz refused, police confiscated the phone, he said. When police returned it, Kautz said, the video images had been deleted, altered or damaged.

As part of Thursday's settlement, the city will pay Kautz and Copwatch of East Atlanta $40,000 in damages. APD will also adopt an operating procedure that prohibits officers from interfering with citizens who are taping police activity, provided individuals recording the activity do not physically interfere with what the officers are doing.

The two officers who confronted Kautz -- Mark Taylor and Anthony Kirkman -- received oral admonishments for failing to take appropriate action.

"Commanders have made it clear that Atlanta police officers in the field should not interfere with a citizen’s right to film them while they work in public areas," Campos said.

[MrEdd]

If officer donut had nothing to hide, he would never have objected.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

An agreement reached for APD to stop violating peoples civil rights and illegally arresting them?

How nice of’em...

[Christian Engineer Mass]

"copwatch"



Screw the few cops who abuse their power, and screw wasters like this that want to make their jobs harder too.

It's no different from having crazy rules of engagement in Afghanistan. Sometimes you have to bust the ass of scumbags to maintain order in a city like Atlanta.

It's the same mentality that gives us reparations, and an administration who wants to give half of America to "native" Americans. If you are saying that the way they did things in the 40s/50s/60s/70s is illegal now, doesn't that open the door for scumbags to sue, saying their rights were violated in 1942, because the robbed an old lady & when they were arrested, the cop kicked them...

[SandRat]

Marlon Kautz and his fellow Berkly Kalifornia Kreeps should have known better. Good Ole Boy Georgia Cops don’t like Yankees (non-Georgia fellows) interferin in any way with them.

[SeeSharp]

One of the issues that prompted the Boston Tea Party was a provision in the Navigation Acts that eliminated the ability of citizens to sue British officers personally for their actions.

[max americana]

>>The group has volunteers who go out on patrols and begin videotaping police activity when they come across it<<

How about videotaping actual crimes being committed? Just askin’...

[piytar]

“The two officers who confronted Kautz — Mark Taylor and Anthony Kirkman — received oral admonishments for failing to take appropriate action.”

Not even a strongly worded letter...

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Screw the few cops who abuse their power, and screw wasters like this that want to make their jobs harder too.

Observing and recording the actions of uniformed cops in the performance of their duties isn't going to make their jobs any harder. Unless, of course, they're doing things they shouldn't be doing.

Good cops should have no problem with this.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Sometimes you have to bust the ass of scumbags to maintain order in a city like Atlanta.

Don't forget murdering 92 year old ladies in their homes! Gotta put the final beat down on anyone who dares defend themselves from an illegal home invasion by state agents...

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

How about videotaping actual crimes being committed? Just askin’...

Actually they were... just int his case the crimes were being committed by the police.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Observing and recording the actions of uniformed cops in the performance of their duties isn't going to make their jobs any harder. Unless, of course, they're doing things they shouldn't be doing.

WHich is exactly why 98% of the cops being recorded react this way, by arresting those who are recording them. They have committed unlawful acts and acts of misconduct so often, so many times the honestly cannot remember if what they just did was questionable or unlawful. So they arrest them and confiscate the video, destroying it...

Its not about officer safety. Its about protecting the activities of the Blue Mafia.

[rawhide]

From within the article:

Also Thursday, the Atlanta Citizen Review Board sustained allegations of excessive force against Kirkman, who took the phone out of Kautz's hand. The board recommended to Police Chief George Turner that Kirkman be suspended without pay for four days.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

"Just about anything the police are doing out in the public, they should be comfortable being videotaped because they’re simply performing their duties," Levine said. "If some aren’t comfortable with it, it makes you wonder why."

Needs repeating for the tone deaf cop worshipers among us.

[rawhide]

I agree with you, and this new policy. I, for one, have respect for the police, but as a citizen, I have no problem making sure that respect continues, even if it means videotaping them performing their job. If they have a problem with that, tough beans!

[rawhide]

That one incident in Atlanta was the shame of the entire APD. Never ever, should have happened, never!

Even today, thinking about poor little old lady, protecting her home with an old gun from people breaking into her home late at night, and then getting shot and killed by police officers, gets me angry!

And then the extensive cover-up that took place, makes me forever suspicious this is SOP among police officer, covering their butts.

Remember, the incident where the Atlanta cops pulled a lady out of her minivan at the airport waiting for her mother to come out of baggage, and bodily throwing her to the ground? Fortunately that was caught of the airport security camera, or we would have probably never heard about it.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Cops are supposed to follow the same laws we do. I don't know how many time I have seen a police car doing 70 or 80 down the highways without lights flashing.

By what reason should the police be exempt from being filmed? Is it only on TV shows like 'Cops' when they know they are being filmed and on their best behavior?

Police should set an example for people....and they are public servants, not overlords. Some police seem to forget this.

I recall an incident when my neighbor was exceedingly drunk and I had to call the police. They responded, and I offered them to come inside. Their response? No thanks, we wouldn't want you to simply come in our house. He was not being insulting. I said to myself, these policemen obviously value the Constitution.

...and no, I'm not a cop-hater. It's a frustrating, dangerous job and I respect good policemen for what they do.

[I see my hands]

"cops should have no problem with this"

They have no problem with the concept, witness their common appeal: "If you have nothing to hide then you must not object to my searching your car." It's the application about which cops are two faced evil.

[Crapgame]

Wow....ninety-eight percent of cops would react adversely to being videotaped while handling a call? What state or city do you live in? I’m a cop, been recorded as recently as last week. Couple months ago I was recorded by an (ahem) gentleman whose roomate was repeatedly trying to slip his handcuffs and who was loudly berating us and his ex-girlfriend. I had to bounce him off the patrol car a couple times when he slipped cuffs and swung at me. Never heard another thing about it. If you are doing your job correctly and professionally, videotape should only help you out. But then again it seems like the overwhelming majority of cops where you live don’t measure up to that standard. Either that or you pulled the 98% statistic from your posterior...

[Christian Engineer Mass]

I didn’t say they shouldn’t be filmed. I’m just saying I question the motives of this group.