tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post767429017382479065..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Police head-set cams a great idea with few downsidesGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-71660508776027348642010-03-15T13:21:51.327-05:002010-03-15T13:21:51.327-05:009:51 - BTW, Houston and Dallas were the only two c...9:51 - BTW, Houston and Dallas were the only two cities where most cars weren't outfitted with cameras. A state bond issue passed in 2001 made money available for cameras but it wasn't enough for all departments. The state doled it out starting with the smaller agencies (among the approximately 1,100 performing traffic stops) - as I recall, both Dallas and Houston got cameras for just a fraction of their cars, as you correctly point out.<br /><br />In my experience, cops fear the cameras until they're forced on them, then once they're in use their attitudes change. IMO that would likely be the case in Houston, too.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-19062187243647852732010-03-15T09:51:10.465-05:002010-03-15T09:51:10.465-05:00I'm with the last few posters - I remember com...I'm with the last few posters - I remember commenting to an HPD friend of mine once that I was glad their cars had video cameras. He started laughing very hard, so I asked what he was laughing about. "You thought all of our cars had camera?! Haha!" turns out only a small percentage of Houston PD patrol cars have them. That number is probably higher with DPS.<br /><br />Anyhow, when I mentioned that cameras in all cars should be mandatory, he said "Hell no! We don't want cameras in our cars". It would be MUCH too difficult to cover up all of their misdeeds.<br /><br />Don't kid yourself Grits...the majority of cops DO NOT want to be held accountable by video/audio that they cannot control.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-11137054113928938572010-03-13T14:48:51.675-06:002010-03-13T14:48:51.675-06:00These comments just highlight the lack of accounta...These comments just highlight the lack of accountability in the entire justice system. From Police to the Appeals Courts, it is virtually never the system that fails.<br /><br />Even when innocense is proven without a reasonable doubt, nothing is done punish the folks that are responsible for the errors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-89520879991531429512010-03-13T12:41:35.381-06:002010-03-13T12:41:35.381-06:00Cops are the very last ones who will embrace this ...Cops are the very last ones who will embrace this idea. <br /><br />Think about it: The "Code of Silence" is the rule by which most cops live instead of the "Code Of Honor".<br /><br />Police routinely confiscate and destroy citizens equipment if they are being filmed. Often they falsely arrest people for filming them.<br /><br />Cops don't want their screw ups, their demonstrations of "anger non-management", or outright criminality documented. <br /><br />And you'll never, ever see this idea implemented by para-military units such as SWAT. <br /><br />No SWAT member would ever want the public to see them literally committing assault on innocent until proven guilty suspects and the terrible destruction of their personal property which is apparently mandatory in these raids.<br /><br />Virtually all SWAT raids are performed to serve warrants not "hostage or terrorist" situations.<br /><br />And Old Cop is exactly right. If such laws were ever passed - mysterious EMP's would surely simultaneously occur causing all of the equipment to "malfunction" .<br /><br />The problem with Police today is they have forgotten "Protect and Serve" and embraced "Officer Safety Uber Alles" - them v us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-21059262588452149612010-03-13T11:03:43.865-06:002010-03-13T11:03:43.865-06:00Grits, years ago when I was a cop, and later as a ...Grits, years ago when I was a cop, and later as a career prosecutor, I advocated for tape recorders, and then, video for documenting citizen contacts, consent searches, interrogation/confessions,witness statements, etc. <br /><br />Later when the legislature mandated videotaping in counties with less than 25k population, the outfit who cried the loudest (and in many instances just refused to comply), was DPS. <br /><br />I always thought that law enforcement would welcome DOCUMENTATION of investigative efforts, reasonableness of stops, probable cause for arrests, consent for searches, and so on. Boy was I stupid (and naive). <br /><br />It's amazing how many officers modern dash-cams "malfunction" when the facts surrounding the contact are in question and may not be favorable to the agency or the case at hand. <br /><br />Sad commentary on the level and integrity of many of today's investigations.Old Copnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-60026388730985600342010-03-13T10:51:49.588-06:002010-03-13T10:51:49.588-06:00Yes, i think that this is also a great idea. NO th...Yes, i think that this is also a great idea. NO that's not true what roy has said.policyhttp://www.mzcap.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-63705603333312494972010-03-13T09:03:29.092-06:002010-03-13T09:03:29.092-06:00Roy, you might actually see less of that if cops k...Roy, you might actually see less of that if cops knew their own cameras are running.<br /><br />7:41, good luck with that. And btw, the tin-foil hat looks nice on you. :)Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35498288525227064062010-03-13T07:41:00.877-06:002010-03-13T07:41:00.877-06:00"Habitual Criminals With Microchips A Better ..."Habitual Criminals With Microchips A Better Idea With No Downsides"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-49059284851216584902010-03-13T07:24:45.568-06:002010-03-13T07:24:45.568-06:00The police will still 'confiscate' cameras...The police will still 'confiscate' cameras from citizens so the recordings cannot be used as evidence of crimes committed by the police.<br /><br />So, no, cops are still camera-averse, but if there have to be cameras, the cops want all of them.Roynoreply@blogger.com