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Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Officers

gdgyva

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The White House announced Monday that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order meant to improve training for local law enforcement agencies that receive equipment through federal grant programs. Among the proposed initiatives is a 3-year, $263 million investment package, of which $75 million would go toward covering half the cost of 50,000 officer-mounted cameras -- a technology that has been widely cited as a necessary police reform following the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson in August.

Monday's announcement was greeted by some as a victory for transparency in law enforcement. Yet with almost 630,000 police officers working nationwide, it's not clear how much of an effect even 50,000 cameras would have.

Body cameras have long been a popular proposal among police reform advocates, who say that documenting interactions between officers and civilians can help to eliminate bias and uncertainty regarding alleged misconduct by either party. One frequently cited pilot program in Rialto, California, found that between 2012 and 2013, in the first year of the city using police cameras, the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent and use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

Despite resistance from some police officials and union members who have called the cameras an unnecessary distraction for officers, departments in major cities like Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., as well as smaller cities like Ferguson, have started using cameras, or have at least announced plans to do so.

Obama's $75 million program, which still requires congressional approval, would seek to ease the financial burden of outfitting police officers with cameras by providing a 50 percent funding match to states and localities that decide to participate. (Individual cameras cost between $300 and $400, on top of which are the costs associated with storing and maintaining the data recorded by the devices.) But with no ability to compel local police departments to get behind this move, the administration must simply hope that enough law enforcement volunteers are willing to join the program

Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Officers


my question....especially for those who want this

What is the law regarding anything the officer tapes as to whether or not it can be used as evidence against the person being videoed?

Does the person have to be mirandized before anything they say or do can be used against them?

If not, i love the camera idea. It will stop a lot of criminals from getting away with stuff because of technicalities

And yes, they can be used against officers who probably shouldnt be on the force

seems like a win/win......no more cases thrown out
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

How much has been spent on Ferguson, alone? These things will pay for themselves.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

The cameras will be minimally effective if at all. It's another "feel good" idea.

The fact of the matter is that there will always be incidents where the emotional pull for one side or the other will outweigh whatever evidence is presented. There is nothing....absolutely nothing that will change the minds of some folks who believe that Trayvon Martin and/or Mike Brown were murdered. If there was video evidence that Brown punched Wilson, grabbed his gun, and ran back at him there would still be people out there blaming Wilson for stopping him in the first place.

This camera footage will be subpoenaed for everything and anything. Think about it, somebody gets their nose out of joint because they see a cop yelling at a jaywalker and next thing you know the request goes out for his or her camera footage of the incident. The cop didn't do anything wrong but the yelling will be cause for a civil action against the PD for "creating an uncomfortable environment".
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

The White House announced Monday that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order meant to improve training for local law enforcement agencies that receive equipment through federal grant programs. Among the proposed initiatives is a 3-year, $263 million investment package, of which $75 million would go toward covering half the cost of 50,000 officer-mounted cameras -- a technology that has been widely cited as a necessary police reform following the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson in August.

Monday's announcement was greeted by some as a victory for transparency in law enforcement. Yet with almost 630,000 police officers working nationwide, it's not clear how much of an effect even 50,000 cameras would have.

Body cameras have long been a popular proposal among police reform advocates, who say that documenting interactions between officers and civilians can help to eliminate bias and uncertainty regarding alleged misconduct by either party. One frequently cited pilot program in Rialto, California, found that between 2012 and 2013, in the first year of the city using police cameras, the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent and use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

Despite resistance from some police officials and union members who have called the cameras an unnecessary distraction for officers, departments in major cities like Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., as well as smaller cities like Ferguson, have started using cameras, or have at least announced plans to do so.

Obama's $75 million program, which still requires congressional approval, would seek to ease the financial burden of outfitting police officers with cameras by providing a 50 percent funding match to states and localities that decide to participate. (Individual cameras cost between $300 and $400, on top of which are the costs associated with storing and maintaining the data recorded by the devices.) But with no ability to compel local police departments to get behind this move, the administration must simply hope that enough law enforcement volunteers are willing to join the program

Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Officers


my question....especially for those who want this

What is the law regarding anything the officer tapes as to whether or not it can be used as evidence against the person being videoed?

Does the person have to be mirandized before anything they say or do can be used against them?

If not, i love the camera idea. It will stop a lot of criminals from getting away with stuff because of technicalities

And yes, they can be used against officers who probably shouldnt be on the force

seems like a win/win......no more cases thrown out

I'm good with the idea, although it will be interesting how it is used in courts to prosecute civilians as if they haven't heard their Miranda rights, then that means it shouldn't be used then right? Although I guess in that situation you can still use the cop's testimony, but then, he can just re-watch the video and just say what's on there.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

The cameras will be minimally effective if at all. It's another "feel good" idea.

The fact of the matter is that there will always be incidents where the emotional pull for one side or the other will outweigh whatever evidence is presented. There is nothing....absolutely nothing that will change the minds of some folks who believe that Trayvon Martin and/or Mike Brown were murdered. If there was video evidence that Brown punched Wilson, grabbed his gun, and ran back at him there would still be people out there blaming Wilson for stopping him in the first place.

This camera footage will be subpoenaed for everything and anything. Think about it, somebody gets their nose out of joint because they see a cop yelling at a jaywalker and next thing you know the request goes out for his or her camera footage of the incident. The cop didn't do anything wrong but the yelling will be cause for a civil action against the PD for "creating an uncomfortable environment".

Eh....

One frequently cited pilot program in Rialto, California, found that between 2012 and 2013, in the first year of the city using police cameras, the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent and use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

Come again?
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

The cameras will be minimally effective if at all. It's another "feel good" idea.

The fact of the matter is that there will always be incidents where the emotional pull for one side or the other will outweigh whatever evidence is presented. There is nothing....absolutely nothing that will change the minds of some folks who believe that Trayvon Martin and/or Mike Brown were murdered. If there was video evidence that Brown punched Wilson, grabbed his gun, and ran back at him there would still be people out there blaming Wilson for stopping him in the first place.

This camera footage will be subpoenaed for everything and anything. Think about it, somebody gets their nose out of joint because they see a cop yelling at a jaywalker and next thing you know the request goes out for his or her camera footage of the incident. The cop didn't do anything wrong but the yelling will be cause for a civil action against the PD for "creating an uncomfortable environment".

I would add this however; were it to make an impact on how blacks view police, and make them feel more comfortable that the police officer has a camera, then it could do some good. Regardless of the facts though, blacks in this country are mistrustful of the police. And while much of that mistrust stems from a bunch race baiters like Sharpton, it is, however, the sad truth of it. So the question becomes, do you think it will have an impact on how blacks view police? I doubt it. Because you'll still have blacks breaking the law because they come from subpar (compared to whites) economic conditions, and we have a drug law in this country that has been disproportionately looking up blacks.

Although, 263 million dollars is really a drop in the bucket when we're talking about a multi-trillion dollar budget. And if it helps in some civil liberties cases, then it can't hurt.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Eh....

Come again?

Since you see familiar with the pilot, let me ask you, how much access does the general public have to these videos? What must be done?
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Outside of whether the cameras are good or not - I am against it.

Let the states pay for the cameras. And failing that, let the individual constituencies pay for them. And if they cannot - tough.

I am sick of the feds meddling in everything they can. It is ridiculous, the money comes from taxpayers - not the tooth fairy. Why tax them at a federal level for these cameras when it should be done at the local level? If this was for the FBI, okay then. But it ain't.

Imo, this is little more then another example of federal politicians wanting people more dependent on them as politicians LOVE power...and the more, the better.
 
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Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

The White House announced Monday that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order meant to improve training for local law enforcement agencies that receive equipment through federal grant programs. Among the proposed initiatives is a 3-year, $263 million investment package, of which $75 million would go toward covering half the cost of 50,000 officer-mounted cameras -- a technology that has been widely cited as a necessary police reform following the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson in August.

Monday's announcement was greeted by some as a victory for transparency in law enforcement. Yet with almost 630,000 police officers working nationwide, it's not clear how much of an effect even 50,000 cameras would have.

Body cameras have long been a popular proposal among police reform advocates, who say that documenting interactions between officers and civilians can help to eliminate bias and uncertainty regarding alleged misconduct by either party. One frequently cited pilot program in Rialto, California, found that between 2012 and 2013, in the first year of the city using police cameras, the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent and use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

Despite resistance from some police officials and union members who have called the cameras an unnecessary distraction for officers, departments in major cities like Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., as well as smaller cities like Ferguson, have started using cameras, or have at least announced plans to do so.

Obama's $75 million program, which still requires congressional approval, would seek to ease the financial burden of outfitting police officers with cameras by providing a 50 percent funding match to states and localities that decide to participate. (Individual cameras cost between $300 and $400, on top of which are the costs associated with storing and maintaining the data recorded by the devices.) But with no ability to compel local police departments to get behind this move, the administration must simply hope that enough law enforcement volunteers are willing to join the program

Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Officers


my question....especially for those who want this

What is the law regarding anything the officer tapes as to whether or not it can be used as evidence against the person being videoed?

Does the person have to be mirandized before anything they say or do can be used against them?

If not, i love the camera idea. It will stop a lot of criminals from getting away with stuff because of technicalities

And yes, they can be used against officers who probably shouldnt be on the force

seems like a win/win......no more cases thrown out

Instead of getting to the root of the problem and fixing it what we are going to do is the time old adage of rich uncle sam and shower money and camera's at it.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Since you see familiar with the pilot, let me ask you, how much access does the general public have to these videos? What must be done?

There's always the internet:

How Do I Request Police in Car Video to Fight a Speeding Ticket? | eHow

Request the video in a politely worded letter. You will want to ask for a copy from the specific car, taken at the specific time that you were pulled over. If you don't know the license plate on the car, ask for the tape from the car being driven that day by the officer who ticketed you. Mention in your letter that you are making your request in accordance with your state's public access laws, and make sure you provide a method by which the police department can reach you.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Eh....



Come again?

A Study in Contrasts Between Rialto Police and Albuquerque Police in Regards to Body-Mounted Cameras - PINAC

Look, the goal is to reduce crime not to find more ways to point more fingers at cops. As an example, we put speed cameras at a bunch of intersections around town because it was going to make the intersections safer and people wouldn't be able to contest the photographic evidence. Well, the intersections where the cameras are definitely have slower traffic but I haven't seen any evidence that they're safer or that the streets in general are safer. Cop cameras are going to be just the same way. People ALREADY tend to chill out when the cops arrive and those that don't aren't likely to be deterred by a camera. Have you ever seen COPS? People damned near seem to WANT to get on that show!

The best way - and probably the only way - to make sure that we don't have too many renegade cops is to find them and punish them. Frankly, that's already happening and always has been happening. These incidents of "abuse" you see are few and far between but they get LOTS of air time because anti-cop folks pimp the videos.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

This is a step in the right direction, however, I'm anticipating the same excuses used with the dashcams, "Officer So-and-So's body camera was not functioning."
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

I would add this however; were it to make an impact on how blacks view police, and make them feel more comfortable that the police officer has a camera, then it could do some good. Regardless of the facts though, blacks in this country are mistrustful of the police. And while much of that mistrust stems from a bunch race baiters like Sharpton, it is, however, the sad truth of it. So the question becomes, do you think it will have an impact on how blacks view police? I doubt it. Because you'll still have blacks breaking the law because they come from subpar (compared to whites) economic conditions, and we have a drug law in this country that has been disproportionately looking up blacks.

Although, 263 million dollars is really a drop in the bucket when we're talking about a multi-trillion dollar budget. And if it helps in some civil liberties cases, then it can't hurt.

It comes from more than Sharpton. It comes from neighborhoods that are infested with various red and blue clad cockroaches. It comes from good people that don't want to get lumped up because they "snitched". It comes from people who are the eyes and ears of drug dealers that have been taught to scream RACISM whenever they're confronted because that usually gets the cops to back off. It comes from an environment where success in legitimate endeavors is considered "selling out".
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

A Study in Contrasts Between Rialto Police and Albuquerque Police in Regards to Body-Mounted Cameras - PINAC

Look, the goal is to reduce crime not to find more ways to point more fingers at cops. As an example, we put speed cameras at a bunch of intersections around town because it was going to make the intersections safer and people wouldn't be able to contest the photographic evidence. Well, the intersections where the cameras are definitely have slower traffic but I haven't seen any evidence that they're safer or that the streets in general are safer. Cop cameras are going to be just the same way. People ALREADY tend to chill out when the cops arrive and those that don't aren't likely to be deterred by a camera. Have you ever seen COPS? People damned near seem to WANT to get on that show!

The best way - and probably the only way - to make sure that we don't have too many renegade cops is to find them and punish them. Frankly, that's already happening and always has been happening. These incidents of "abuse" you see are few and far between but they get LOTS of air time because anti-cop folks pimp the videos.

On the other hand, how much legs do you think this Michael Brown thing would of had were they to of been leaked, or just put to the press, the chest mounted camera footage of the exchange between Michael Brown and Officer Wilson. For one thing, I doubt we'd have as many protests as we do/did. I mean, he had to resign from doing police work because of this mess. All because of a lie. This would be in place as much to protect the officers from wrongful charges being brought up than anything else.

It comes from more than Sharpton. It comes from neighborhoods that are infested with various red and blue clad cockroaches. It comes from good people that don't want to get lumped up because they "snitched". It comes from people who are the eyes and ears of drug dealers that have been taught to scream RACISM whenever they're confronted because that usually gets the cops to back off. It comes from an environment where success in legitimate endeavors is considered "selling out".

Look I agree with you, but don't you think the cops will have more protection for themselves when all they have to say to that punk who's screaming racism is, "You see the camera? If you really think that's the case, please, write a letter to the department and you can get your video. Otherwise, I have a job to do."
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Lets just flush as much tax dollars down the drain as possible.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

This is a step in the right direction, however, I'm anticipating the same excuses used with the dashcams, "Officer So-and-So's body camera was not functioning."

How often does that really happened Jango? I'll answer it, about as often as the cameras actually don't work. I've seen plenty of videos that show cops doing bad ****, so at this point I don't worry about it. Most cops are good guys, and they aren't going to want to protect a couple of bad apples.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Lets just flush as much tax dollars down the drain as possible.

How is it being flushed down the drain? Just consider that coming from the savings from that alternate F35 engine we axed. Program is paid for now.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

How often does that really happened Jango? I'll answer it, about as often as the cameras actually don't work. I've seen plenty of videos that show cops doing bad ****, so at this point I don't worry about it. Most cops are good guys, and they aren't going to want to protect a couple of bad apples.

You're right, most cops are good, I haven't and won't lose sight of that, however, the prevalence of immoral and illegal behavior coming from them are and has been on the rise.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

On the other hand, how much legs do you think this Michael Brown thing would of had were they to of been leaked, or just put to the press, the chest mounted camera footage of the exchange between Michael Brown and Officer Wilson. For one thing, I doubt we'd have as many protests as we do/did. I mean, he had to resign from doing police work because of this mess. All because of a lie. This would be in place as much to protect the officers from wrongful charges being brought up than anything else.

Maybe it would have helped. Then again, maybe it would have showed nothing because it got knocked off in the scuffle or was pointed forward when the actions was on the left. Maybe even if it showed the whole deal in 1080p people would still complain that it was "doctored" by the cops.

Let's think about one other thing. Let's say that the camera worked just fine and caught everything just exactly the way that Wilson said it happened. What would that solve? Yeah, maybe there wouldn't have been riots but would it have eased the tensions between cops and the community? Would Al Sharpton and Malik Shabazz then suddenly stand in the street and start hollering "We need to clean our act up!" No, that damned sure wouldn't happen. Wilson would be cleared but the problem of cop hate and criminal behavior would still be there. The camera wouldn't have fixed a damned thing.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

How much has been spent on Ferguson, alone? These things will pay for themselves.

I'm not opposed to the cameras, but they won't prevent riots like we've seen in Ferguson.

No matter what the video evidence proves, if the verdict isn't the race hustlers want, there will still be riots.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Let's say that the camera worked just fine and caught everything just exactly the way that Wilson said it happened. What would that solve? Yeah, maybe there wouldn't have been riots but would it have eased the tensions between cops and the community?

Wouldn't the control of a potential major riot be a huge success?

I agree that the deeper root of the problem is tension between the cops and the community. Thinking of proactive ways to help even the playing field, ie requiring cops to wear cameras, would be a step in the right direction.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Officers

yep, this needs to happen. it protects the police as much as it protects suspects.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

Wouldn't the control of a potential major riot be a huge success?

I agree that the deeper root of the problem is tension between the cops and the community. Thinking of proactive ways to help even the playing field, ie requiring cops to wear cameras, would be a step in the right direction.

I'm not going to speculate about cameras mitigating the risk of riots. These things happen on a case by case basis and any of a number of factors can make a difference. Keep in mind that the latest riots happened well after the majority of the evidence was known and didn't stop after all the evidence was released so whether a camera would have helped things or not....I'm not convinced. As others have noted, sometimes the facts just don't seem to matter.
 
Re: Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Offic

The White House announced Monday that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order meant to improve training for local law enforcement agencies that receive equipment through federal grant programs. Among the proposed initiatives is a 3-year, $263 million investment package, of which $75 million would go toward covering half the cost of 50,000 officer-mounted cameras -- a technology that has been widely cited as a necessary police reform following the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager shot and killed by Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson in August.

Monday's announcement was greeted by some as a victory for transparency in law enforcement. Yet with almost 630,000 police officers working nationwide, it's not clear how much of an effect even 50,000 cameras would have.

Body cameras have long been a popular proposal among police reform advocates, who say that documenting interactions between officers and civilians can help to eliminate bias and uncertainty regarding alleged misconduct by either party. One frequently cited pilot program in Rialto, California, found that between 2012 and 2013, in the first year of the city using police cameras, the number of complaints filed against officers fell by 88 percent and use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent.

Despite resistance from some police officials and union members who have called the cameras an unnecessary distraction for officers, departments in major cities like Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., as well as smaller cities like Ferguson, have started using cameras, or have at least announced plans to do so.

Obama's $75 million program, which still requires congressional approval, would seek to ease the financial burden of outfitting police officers with cameras by providing a 50 percent funding match to states and localities that decide to participate. (Individual cameras cost between $300 and $400, on top of which are the costs associated with storing and maintaining the data recorded by the devices.) But with no ability to compel local police departments to get behind this move, the administration must simply hope that enough law enforcement volunteers are willing to join the program

Obama Wants To Help Buy 50,000 Body Cameras For The Nation's 630,000 Police Officers


my question....especially for those who want this

What is the law regarding anything the officer tapes as to whether or not it can be used as evidence against the person being videoed?

Does the person have to be mirandized before anything they say or do can be used against them?

If not, i love the camera idea. It will stop a lot of criminals from getting away with stuff because of technicalities

And yes, they can be used against officers who probably shouldnt be on the force

seems like a win/win......no more cases thrown out

Well, no miranda, and everything videoed could be used. Its not unlike surveillance. Right to be, right to see. Thats the rule.

Its a fine idea, however i dont think the fed should be giving money away for it. Tells me my taxes are too high if potus can just give away 75 million.

Wait, nm. The debt just hit 18 trillion, he doesnt have the money either, but still spending it
 
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