[Morris]

The reality is that policing today is watched and recorded all over. We call it the age of YouTubing. If you step outside of your station, you can safely assume you are being recorded, either by the cameras on the side of the station or by any citizen out there.

In a society that now values the 15 minutes of fame or the most likes to a video, rather than the truth, nearly anything posted by other than an agency is suspect. I tell my rooks on FTO that they have to assume anything and every interaction is recorded. Act professional and you won't have the issue.

And that is where policing is today. Perception = reality. Therefore, what someone perceives to be real, regardless of the truth, is real. Those 100K views on Facebook is more important than a civil and safe society.

 

[ranger1968]

The reality is that policing today is watched and recorded all over. We call it the age of YouTubing. If you step outside of your station, you can safely assume you are being recorded, either by the cameras on the side of the station or by any citizen out there.

In a society that now values the 15 minutes of fame or the most likes to a video, rather than the truth, nearly anything posted by other than an agency is suspect. I tell my rooks on FTO that they have to assume anything and every interaction is recorded. Act professional and you won't have the issue.

And that is where policing is today. Perception = reality. Therefore, what someone perceives to be real, regardless of the truth, is real. Those 100K views on Facebook is more important than a civil and safe society.

I agree with you on everything except that last part; perception does NOT equal reality; the truth is still the truth, regardless of public perception based on incomplete information may be ; We are better than that, we MUST be better than that, or we are no better than the people who seek to destroy our society through their own narcissism and lust for self promotion.

 

[Morris]

I know, but what we see with folks is what they perceive to be reality is, for them, reality. We know the truth and in a way, they do too. However, they perceive a wrong so therefore, there is a wrong (Black Lives Matter, as an example). They perceive that all cops are racist and despite 10 contacts with police that are routine, they have a bad interaction with one and viola! All cops are racist.

People in these United States today are fed a steady diet of lies and half truths, altered videos and recordings and after that steady diet, they get fat on the lies, believing that they are the truth. It's the sad reality we have to work around.

 

[AZ Husker]

I tell my rooks on FTO that they have to assume anything and every interaction is recorded. Act professional and you won't have the issue.

Same advise I gave out 30 years ago. The truth hasn't changed.

 

[powernoodle]

There are also plenty of videos of cops being calm, cool and professional under adverse conditions. So this stuff can backfire on the cop haters. I think they only serve to bolster whatever view of the law enforcement one already has - whether good or ill.

 

[maxmanta]

There are PLENTY of professions where you are videotaped just doing your job,

The excuse is that, if you're doing your job right, then you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Morris]

There are also plenty of videos of cops being calm, cool and professional under adverse conditions. So this stuff can backfire on the cop haters. I think they only serve to bolster whatever view of the law enforcement one already has - whether good or ill.

Body worn cameras are a fantastic example of this. We have hundreds of hours of officers on video being professionals in the face of some abhorrent behavior. Those videos often deflate myths and perceptions (and bolster what we know to be the truth). When BWCs were proposed, agitator groups believed that the videos would show how awful cops would be (perception=their reality). Of course, when BWC video did the opposite, then you began to see these groups and lawyers begin to object to the use of BWCs. The truth ran counter to their perception and their reality.

 

[ranger1968]

I know, but what we see with folks is what they perceive to be reality is, for them, reality. We know the truth and in a way, they do too. However, they perceive a wrong so therefore, there is a wrong (Black Lives Matter, as an example). They perceive that all cops are racist and despite 10 contacts with police that are routine, they have a bad interaction with one and viola! All cops are racist.

But we , individually, as a profession, and as agencies do not have to buy into that fallacy by accepting it as the way things are, because it is a simply not the truth, and when cops and agencies do humor this nonsense, we , and the rest of society, loses, every time.

It's hype, nothing more , and we need to cast it aside, and deal in facts, because facts, and the truth, always win out when properly championed.

Sorry , that was speech, but it's a concept that I feel very strongly about, the truth, and being passionate about above the fray and the chaos and making things better by doing what needs to be done and taking the moral high ground through actions and conduct......

 

[maxmanta]

Body worn cameras are a fantastic example of this. We have hundreds of hours of officers on video being professionals in the face of some abhorrent behavior. Those videos often deflate myths and perceptions (and bolster what we know to be the truth). When BWCs were proposed, agitator groups believed that the videos would show how awful cops would be (perception=their reality). Of course, when BWC video did the opposite, then you began to see these groups and lawyers begin to object to the use of BWCs. The truth ran counter to their perception and their reality.

Maybe they won't solve the problem they were intended to solve, but there's no reason to abandon them. If they help clear up unfounded accusations, then I'm all for them. Of course, I don't have to wear one, but from my own "civilian" POV, they're a good thing.

There's an attitude that says that, if we can't solve all of our problems, then we won't solve ANY of our problems.

 

[Morris]

But we , individually, as a profession, and as agencies do not have to buy into that fallacy by accepting it as the way things are, because it is a simply not the truth, and when cops and agencies do humor this nonsense, we , and the rest of society, loses, every time.

Agreed.

Maybe they won't solve the problem they were intended to solve, but there's no reason to abandon them. If they help clear up unfounded accusations, then I'm all for them. Of course, I don't have to wear one, but from my own "civilian" POV, they're a good thing.

Quite the opposite. Agencies are adopting them even more. The Rialto PD study in regards to complaints was a big drive. Then you have the positive press that does get generated from agencies publishing the video. The only agencies that haven't adopted them either don't see the need or are wrestling with the cloud storage costs.

 

[AZ Husker]

Or are afraid of young bucks on video and department responsibility.

 

[collim1]

They can film away. I’m always recording. Every contact, traffic stop, victim interview etc....I even have a backup bodycam in the car in case my primary fills up or runs low in battery.

I can’t express enough how much my body camera has protected me from malicious false complaints in the ~4 years since I started wearing one. Complaints that used to take a week for IA to resolve now take mere minutes.

Typical complaint goes like this:
1) hand body camera video to Sgt.
2) wait three and a half minutes.
3) Told to get 10-8.

Not to mention the effect on my court cases. I haven’t tried a case in 6 months and I’ve made ~50 misdemeanor arrests in that period. Most of the local attorneys don’t even request discovery for my videos anymore. They just beg for a plea deal.

The body cameras didn’t have the effect the liberals and the attorneys though it would. It has increased accountability all right, just for the defendant instead of the officer.

With a little experience you can really set difficult people up for failure. You can easily make yourself appear calm and patient while making them seem childish, irresponsible, petty, and most of all guilty.

 

[Mayhem like Me]

There are PLENTY of professions where you are videotaped just doing your job,

The excuse is that, if you're doing your job right, then you have nothing to worry about.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMCO79R-4mM


yep especially article 4 free inhabitants

 

[steveksux]

wrestling with the cloud storage costs.

Yeah, retention policies are one thing, can mimick other types of evidence. But video takes a lot of storage. Loooots of storage, lots of officers, lots of wasted time if cameras are on all the time.

I think we're syncing with dash can video units, turning on only when lights go on to minimize junk video storage as they're not on all the time, don't have to remember to toggle it on manually.

Randy

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Morris]

The biggest municipal agency in the state spends millions on storage and PDR clearance every year. However, the trade off is the saving they get with a reduction in frivolous lawsuits. But it's a hefty cost.

 

[vista461]

It doesn’t bother me. I have a body cane and squad cam going whenever I have any interactions with people. I’ve had people camera phone me, and I just ignore them. Not sure if they realize I’m filming them too. Lol.

 

[collim1]

It doesn’t bother me. I have a body cane and squad cam going whenever I have any interactions with people. I’ve had people camera phone me, and I just ignore them. Not sure if they realize I’m filming them too. Lol.

The only reason they film you is to get you to react to it. Ignoring it and refusing to acknowledge it really takes the wind out of their sails.

 

[knoxvegasdaddy]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMCO79R-4mM


yep especially article 4 free inhabitants

OMG, bro, how do I love the article 4 free inhabitants...? Let me count the ways!

“I am an article 4 free inhabitant, and right now, you are raping me!”

Google it, prepare to cry with joy!


Honestly, the only thing that comes even close is Moors named “el bay” quoting law regarding adverse property seizure. I could watch several hours of that, just amazing!


Especially the part where Collim1 bends a steel baton on their car! Just awesome. I’m super serial.

 

[knoxvegasdaddy]

The biggest municipal agency in the state spends millions on storage and PDR clearance every year. However, the trade off is the saving they get with a reduction in frivolous lawsuits. But it's a hefty cost.

Data storage is getting cheaper by the second.

Lawsuits are not.

Glad to hear they are in on the ground floor of cost savings AND nonsense reduction policies.