veganerd wrote:
JSA wrote:
len wrote:
Watched it as well. I thought it was pretty compelling. The juxtaposition of the officers account and the sisters perceptions of things I don't know what to say really. There is obviously a big gulf between the two points of view. Police video from car cams and helicopter and it still isn't clear what happened.That is the most surprising aspect of the case and, IMO, why it is going to trial. The video absolutely can be seen both ways. If it provided a clearer picture, IMO, we would either have (1) no charges or (2) a plea deal. But, the lack of clarity is what will send this thing to a jury.
this is exactly why many cops fight against body cameras.
Not really, at least it's not a wide spread perception. IME (as a 17 year police detective who investigates homicides, sex crimes and officer involved shootings), the majority of cops welcome cameras and the small percentage who don't recognize the inevitability of their use. The only negative I see is logistical - the amount of video created on a daily basis at a mid to large size agency is staggering. My agency requires patrol cops to use Taser body cams, which are essentially free from Taser, who also supplies the cloud storage, which is where the real money lies.
I've not used a body cam as a patrol cop. They weren't widely used when I last wore a uniform to work. But, when I was a newish cop in the early 00s, we had dash cams and body mics. I remember very well a violent confrontation with three African American teenage males and their pit bull at a city park. The kids were waving around a (fake, but realistic gun) and were jerks when confronted by cops. The dog got pepper sprayed (high effective) and two of the three kids got taken down hard. The mom of two of the three rushed to the PD and demanded to file a use of force and racism complaint and threatened a civil right law suit. She was invited to watch the entire dash cam video. She declined and promptly left, with no complaints filed. So, my experience with cams is quite positive. And as an investigator, the evidence can be definitive.
My agency: http://kdvr.com/...ins-police-shooting/
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