Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire In-car police cameras

So let me understand,

Cops using video to catch speeders, bad.
Cops using video to catch cops, good.

Minengr said
I have to disagree. Those tapes aren�t used to bust bad cops, or lazy ones, or even the �boot lickin todies�. It usually used to bust good cops. Like the trooper that writes you a warning for only 9 over when you were really going 12 over. He tries to cut you a break because you have a clean record.

Yep, they�ll use that vid to hang him out to dry. I�ve heard too many stories to think otherwise. However, I do live in Illinois where we seem to have trickle down corruption.

But, that�s just my opinion and I could be wrong.

I agree. If you hire me and can't trust me to do a good job, then why did you hire me? Too many egos who want to micro manage. Let the officer control the video. kwg

edit;
I thought it was already decided, there is no such thing as the right to privacy in the back seat of a patrol car or in the presence of a police officer. What you say or do becomes public information, especially if it's on video or voice recorded. All I can say is I'm glad I'm retiring. kwg

Can't argue that, but they're mandated by the State of Texas and you just go with the flow.

One BIG reason is LE administration is always looking for ways to control or even eliminate officer discretion.

The reason?

Officer discretion is blamed for a lot of the problems between the public and the police. I think that's a valid theory. The vast amount of discretion is concentrated on patrol. The cameras are an attempt to at least control discretion.

Initially, cameras were for DUI stops. It just makes sense that someone would expand the use of the technology.

we have cameras in our patrol cars and they help out alot. i'm old school honest cop and don't really care for them, but i roll with the flow.

First learn to read. Then we will move to understanding what you have read.

I would welcome an in car camera for several reasons. There have been many instances of people making false allegations towards officers that were disproven by the tape. I recall a recent show where a women claimed to have been sexually assaulted while the officer was conducting an OWI investigation. If it were not for the camera, He would have been on the defensive.

Believe I said I had nothing against in car cameras or even out of car cameras. I take issue with,"The officers can't turn them off nor can they cut the audio signal and supervisors can see exactly what the troops are doing--all shift long"
My take, which may be wrong, is that headquarters will be able to hear as well as see what is being said/going on every minute.
I only said that I would likely choose not to work under those circumstances and am not questioning if employers have a right to do so.
I imagine whatever is being sent back to headquarters is being recorded as well and conversation available for scrutiny by perhaps more than just the employer.
Basically I feel when you can't be free to converse without it being recorded things have gone too far.

I agree. I have a friend that works for an agency where every aspect of his job is recorded and more or less reviewed. It's more of an issue of their admin not trusting them. Many proactive officers now do what is required, nothing more.

Who is going to watch the supervisors? In car video is a good thing when your on patrol. But I survived over nine years without one. Some "supers" I knew were usually hiding in the office, playing monday morning quarterback, pretending to be busy doing paperwork, ie, screwing up a shedule. Hey I think they need to be watched also, even more closely then patrol. Anybody ever have a ticket get "lost"? It happens. Like the old saying goes its not what you know but who you know.

Come to think of it if you have worked for a crooked outfit like I have that camera system would be the best thing you could ever have.

Got that right. I'm not in favor is camareas in the city like they do in Britain. but have no issues with them in squad cars.

ML

Nah...there are computers in the cars also.

The cameras in the city scoping out the population and ATM cameras will always be a double-edged debate. There's some potential criminal defendant's who have been alibi saved with those camera recordings. Those cameras have also solved murder cases.

Plus....they keep folks from picking and scratching in public!
I mean, let's face it.... Within 10 years, Google Earth could be live and 24/7!

Prolly heard a cop say it to a citizen who declined to answer questions, or who declined to consent to a search.

and reiterated here about a thousand times..

I certainly wouldn't work under those conditions, but it's not my police agency.

I'm a dinosaur. I was an LEO long before there was such a thing as a camera in a car. Even before personal body armour. You lived and died by your reputation. If you were thought of as fair and equal and the public seemed to like you as one of their city employees you could survive a $%!% storm by some ticked off member of the public.

But, part of getting that reputaion meant you were good and decent and fair to the public and you probably gave more warnings that you were supposed to and didn't arrest every person who had a beer or two before going home and gave people the benefit of the doubt on small and simple issues.

Some people, especially supervisors and cops with grudges don't like it when you give people a break. Some cops think every person, even people who have a reputaion of being good citizens themselvs should be written a ticket or arrested for minor infractions. Giving breaks to good people is THE RIGHT THING TO DO in my opinion. Of course, some people are going to complain because they did not get a break when they thought they deserved it.

If you are a rotten bastid and have no breaks coming you won't get them from me. But, if you are a good hard working and decent person you will probably get one, at least from me. The camera's are going to take this discretion away because now you are going to be second guessed by everyone. there fore, no one gets a break. Everyone will get charged and scrutinized because the cops don't want to be second guessed and possibly disciplined for being a nice guy. I'm glad I'm retiring. kwg

There it is, BTDT most of my career.

In two cases I was able to blow a metaphorical raspberry at citizens who complained about me when they were just flat out lying (Imagine that Barak). I knew the contact in each case was recorded, they didn't. My parting words to both was to hand them my business card and tell them, "If you complain, be sure and complain on the right guy."

They did. The Sheriff and I reviewed each contact on tape, then the Sheriff set up a meeting between these paragons of virtue, himself and me. We let them lie, then turned on the VCR. I really wish I had a recording of their faces when they first realized we knew they were liars, then as they tried to get out of us filing charges on them for filing a false complaint to a peace officer (Both tried to file an assault complaint on me).

Priceless.

Those cameras can be invaluable much of the time.

Been in the video age for about nine years now...If you don't do stupid things, you don't have to worry about it....