It's that way in every town. The Supreme Court and the local govts have given them too much power.

If you put a gun and a badge on somebody and tell them they have absolute power over people...human nature will cause you to start abusing that power.

Yes, if they beat the shit out of you (or even kill you) and it goes to court they will be found to be in the wrong. But it doesn't help you if you are in the hospital or the morgue in the meantime.

And then...even if they DO kill you or hurt you badly...majority of the time they get a slap on the wrist. Suspended with pay. Or maybe even...~gasp~...lose their job!

If any of us pulled a person over, told them to shut up when they asked a question, ordered them about like children, detained them on the scene for several minutes, demanded they answer any question we asked, and then killed them...
We would be on death row.

Cops know that ain't gonna happen to them. The cops, the DA, and the Judges are all friends and work together every day on legitimate cases. When a cop beats the shit out of somebody (not on video) or shoots somebody...they close ranks to protect their own.

That's why they do NOT want citizens videotaping them. At that point it gets on the news and then the court is forced to take action against them.

Interesting
http://www.pixiq.com/contributors/248
stuff

In many cases you can video with no sound legally.

One day dashboard cams will be required on all vehicles. I would assume insurance companies will push this point. Who knows, maybe a black box that records details.

Some states the secret recording of inhumane treatment of animals in order to expose abuse is illegal.

their public servants. yes you can film them on duty. dont follow them home.

Oh I think black boxes have been standard for quite some time. For instance used in cases where you hit a pedestrian and claim the brakes didnt work.. they'll simply pull the data and see if you ever hit the brakes, and at what time, and for what duration.

Insurance companies can install things too right? I see those commercials on tv for progressive's little black box dealie that shows your driving habits to get you a discount (and sold to advertisers?)

That's a huge part of the problem. They're no longer accountable for their own actions, they get more power and hightech toys and are trained to see anyone who doesn't behave like a docile sheep as a threat.

The weight of authority is shifting in the direction of a "YES" answer, but the dust hasn't finished settling. It's still risky.

A poster above said it's a "NO" in Illlinois - but a downstate judge ruled the other way not long ago - and just before the arrival of the NATO Summit this month, the matter was briefly litigated in federal court in Chicago, and the outcome was an announcement that the state statute prohibiting the recording of cops in public places would not be enforced during the Summit. The result was an ocean of cameras recording everything, and it seems to me that this had a profound effect on keeping both sides in line.

As another poster said, the US Justice Department now takes the official position that recording the cops doing their jobs in public places is now constitutionally protected. I think that this position will ultimately prevail. But it's not a sure thing yet. So there is some risk. The cops know it's up in the air, and that the smartest move for them is not to resist taping. There is risk to them too, of liability, they know it, and the smarter cops will act accordingly. This may prove to have a very profound affect on how justice gets administered in the US down the road. No longer the cop's word against a defendant, but objective proof of what was said. Another example of technology transforming the foundations of life and society. When you wear that mobile device, you are wearing the future.

I'm waiting for some cop to object to the use of a video showing him in the midst of extreme police brutality or copdom verbal abuse - because it's non-compliant with Section 2257. Sadistic and Masochistic abuse is included in the reach of the statute. 18 USC 2256 (2)(a)(iv). :-)

Cops like to say things like you must be guilty of something if you are on a certain block at night.

I think they are guilty of something if they don't want a video of them working.

One thing I do not understand is how the NYPD can pat down anybody they want for no reason. Isn't that an illegal search and seizure? Maybe Joe will weigh in on that.

The other day I read an article about a college photojournalism major who was documenting the OWS movement in NYC.

The college student felt that the media was only showing when the cops were bad, so he decided to show the side of cops just doing the job they had to do and how they were mostly peaceful and even sympathetic. Lots of shots of standing around, simple observation and peaceful interactions with the public.

He got arrested for no reason. He was one of the first arrestees to get his day in court and he won.

"Ohhh from Russia, lets issue you some tickets" :1orglaugh:1orglaugh
They will probably hold on to him until they are 100% sure he used his last cash to pay tickets :1orglaugh

It's a Terry Stop - a brief detention without probable cause based on a reasonable suspicion of crime based on articulable facts. If the cop has articulable facts, and a reasonable fear of danger to himself from weapons, he can do a pat-down of outer garments. This has lead to other cases based on an analogy to the "plain view" doctrine, when the contours of illegal contraband rather than weapons are felt during the pat-down. Read all about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_stop.

In practice, a Terry Stop is understood to end and an arrest requiring probable cause begins in the eyes of many courts, after some one is held for an hour or moved to another location. The general inspection of a car for weapons within reach of a motorist is not the same as a search of the vehicle, and without probable cause, a cop can't legally remove the rear seat, open the trunk, etc.

I'd HATE to be pulled over by Detroit PD. I'd probably shit my drawls. Seriously, I heard Detroit PD is not only outnumbered, but act as if they are backed into a corner - even if it's a routine traffic stop. I have a relative from motown who was blasted in the stomach by Detroit officers, several years ago. :warning

Don't know about the USA, but in Russia there is a law which allows to you videotape police. It's the official thing.

It amazes me how many American's are ignorant of the constitution and are willing to give up their liberties.(which means freedoms for you dopes)

Of course it is legal to film cops. If they say you can't they are lieing and playing on your fear.

Whatever you can see with your eyes you are able to film.

Doesn't have as much to do with "ignorance" as it does with FEAR.

Cops in America will beat you down if you try to stand up to them. They will TAKE your camera, beat your ass, and claim that you "resisted arrest".

That's why the most scary thing I can think of is a cop pulling me over. They truly are unpredictable. I've seen them do crazy shit in Florida (where I'm from) and all the places I've lived since then: Georgia, South Carolina, and Vegas.

This year in Vegas...they are setting a record for cops shooting and killing unarmed civilians.
Matter of fact, some civil groups here begged the U.S. DOJ to come in and investigate the Vegas cops...but Harry Reid and a few other cronies made sure that didn't happen. The local papers couldn't believe that the Feds won't investigate it. :(

in the us most police cars are videotaping you.