This abuse must end. I hope the thug loses his job and is charged.
I agree. Too bad it’s a leftist assclown that’s gonna win all that money. And her lawyer.
Follow Up of the Day: Judge Dismisses Case Against Emily Good
Rochester Police Harass Community Members Attending Meeting in Support of Emily Good
Good thing she wasn’t taping three black cops who stooped a WHITE motorist. She probably would have been SHOT!!
It's a shame she can't make her case without playing the race card.
More cops more crime.
More Dads less crime.
Support you local DADS.
Sure, there might be a paycheck coming out of this, but it makes her look venal.
She should have just taken a pass on the cash and done the right thing for it's own sake.
I have seen a bunch of videos where the cops are abusive and try to intimidate bystanders to prevent them from being videotaped. I have seen videos of cops going after people standing a block away to keep them from being videotaped. That was not the case here. I think if this woman had even moved back to her porch and continued taping, she would have not been arrested. But for her to be standing a few feet away, after apparently expressing her anti-cop sentiments, could reasonably give the cop a reasonable fear for his safety and the safety of others.
Nothing much is liable to happen to the cop, they'll keep him around to provide publicity to empower leftist politicians, it's good to have a sore spot bothering the citizens.
Unless, of course, the cop pulls a similar boneheaded stunt with someone connected to the Mayor, then his job and pension will be gone faster than the Mayor can say "It's him or you, Chief".
Why is it legal for the cops to tape me, but I cannot tape them. That is crap.
As long as I am not interfering with their duties I have every right to tape them.
With each point/counterpoint, this lady destroyed this thig cops arguments...
Cop: go inside...
Lady: This is my yard, I have a right to stand in my yard...
Cop: I don’t feel safe...
Lady: Look at me, how do I threaten you?
With Robocop’s arguments being ground down, he resorts to old cop standby: I told you to do something and you didn’t do what I told you to do.
And there is the rub.... Cops cannot think that just because they tell you to do something that you must therefore do it. They aren’t above the law, nor do they have the power to make up rules on the spot. If cops can’t prove their contentions (as in this case), and are acting arbitrarily then they should let it go and stand down.
Far too many cops are treating ordinary citizens like criminals, today. For this reason, many citizens, including those who believe in law and order, are beginning to distrust cops. It’s a cop like this one, which causes this distrust.
Taser abuse, SWAT abuse, traffic stop abuse, killing innocents, dressing like the military, claiming unreasonable fears as excuse to kill, are all contributing to this distrust.
Good luck Good!
Sometimes officers need to remember there is letter of the law and there is spirit of the law, and an arrest is not always necessary to gain compliance. Sometimes just talking it through will achieve the desired result. Acknowledging the rights of the citizens while expressing the needs and concerns of the government and coming to mutual understanding and agreement is beneficial to officer and citizen alike.
He might be able to articulate enough in his report that because of E. Good’s (et al) proximity, he felt there was a safety issue and in his determination, E. Goods unreasonable response (again, his determination)to his request to step away from the traffic stop, and despite repeated requests for her to go inside her home, these actions constituted grounds for arrest.
That might cover him enough for a good faith arrest. The prosecutors declined to charge for the whatever passes for failure to obey the orders or directions of a police officer, or interfering with the duties of a police officer in Rochester or the statutes of New York State. They disagreed that there were the elements necessary to support prosecution, they will not venture into whether there was legitimate concerns by the officer that precipitated the arrest. A review by the police board will determine if the officers actions were in line with what a reasonable and prudent officer with similiar levels of training and experience would do in a similiar circumstance.
For the record, I have been a police officer for over 15 years, and I would have handled this differently, (if the tactical situation allowed, as this one apparently did) politely explaining to her that I did not mind the filming, but suggesting that she do it from a place that would provide a degree of safety in case the situation devolved. I would also remind her that she had filmed the occupant of the vehicle and there is the possibility that he or others may not be appreciative of this and this had been done directly in front of her home. Just food for thought. I would also offer to have my supervisor contact her for further explanation and if she should so desire, she could get a complaint form from the same supervisor. I fear neither complaint nor camera.
Actions like what I would have done run counter to her expectations and indeed, would have befuddled her because she would not have gotten the desired response from me, an angry shouting fest that would have furthered her own personal agenda.
Officers need to be cognizant of the first amendment rights of citizens to film, as citizens should be cognizant that officers have a legitimate reason to be confrontational (there are polite, professional confrontations) when areas they must diligently control (for myriad reasons) are encroached upon. What is lacking many times is the officer’s desire to explain to an adult WHY they are asking for what they are asking. Officers train and work in environs where what may be self evident to them, may not be so for citizens.
Last post on this thread, as I usually don’t post past the 250th post.
People have free speech rights.
They cant restrict people away from both the public sphere (the sidewalk) and the private sphere (the yard), and into the house.
The officer did not ask her to stop. Watch the video.