Should all Police Officers Wear Cameras whilst on Duty?

reply to post by flammadraco

I don't understand your line of thought.

How is a LEO wearing a cam whilst on duty going to lead to everyone being chipped?

It would open the doors to for police and government to exclaim "so It's OK for us to be watched but not you?"
Notice that dashcams were originally implemented to be pointed in front of the squad car where traffic stops are made? Hrm. It was never about being "in our best interest." (captain obvious)

We already have a Big Brother state both in the US and UK. What's so wrong with cops being watched whilst on duty? They are public servants paid via the public taxes and as such

This is comedic.

we have the right to know if LEOs are acting in the public interest.

Do any higher-ups work for public interest anymore? This is corporate America. Were you born yesterday? You would assume we would have this right, but we do not. As stated above.

Your proposition will not lead to be in your favor. It's not how the system is set up.
If you are in favor of this, you are by default in favor of willing to give up your right to privacy as well.

reply to post by flammadraco


I think the point was that we are already living in a highly restrictive society which is monitored at all levels and through small steps increasing surveillance eventually privacy will be completely eradicated. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when the military announced today they where spying on the UK population using drones capable of recording our every move and they will be used for domestic surveillance. Not anything to do with crime prevention, simply to spy on our own people.

The influence and control of our government is already too much, seems we are willing to accept losing even more for the sake of our security. To suggest that camera's will eradicate bent coppers is a step too far for me and to be fair if you are a law abiding citizen you shouldn't really come into contact with the police anyway. I think brutality and abuse of power isn't a major issue and quite isolated while on duty, certainly not prevalent enough to justify a camera on every officer.

reply to post by Grenade


Have you seen all the threads on police brutality here on ATS? There are new ones each week and on most occasions have only been made public when someone has recorded the incident. I have no issues with cops here in the UK wearing cams, I've nothing to hide and I would want any dealing with the police documented. If I lived in the US i'd be starting a petition to get it done. All those innocent people in Prison on the word of a corrupt police officer.

reply to post by flammadraco

Have you seen all the threads on police brutality here on ATS? There are new ones each week and on most occasions have only been made public when someone has recorded the incident. I have no issues with cops here in the UK wearing cams, I've nothing to hide and I would want any dealing with the police documented. If I lived in the US i'd be starting a petition to get it done. All those innocent people in Prison on the word of a corrupt police officer.

You need to get out more and not rely on one website to tell you how to think and tell you what's happening in the world. Use your head. Think for yourself. Exercise critical thinking and common sense.

PS Oh, you live in the UK. This shines much light on your stance that I overlooked. Your argument with the matters of the US are invalid, due to your portion of the world already being under mass surveillance. I understand fully now why you sport the stance that you do. Unlike the UK I live in the US, and I personally would not appreciate a CCTV camera being placed strategically over my front porch. Thanks.

1 camera for every 11 people? www.telegraph.co.uk...

I have no issues with cops here in the UK wearing cams, I've nothing to hide and I would want any dealing with the police documented

Yikes. I'm sorry that you feel that way? Nothing to hide or not is not "the point."

reply to post by unb3k44n7


I had already mentioned where I was and included the fact that London is the second most surveyed city after Chicago.

You mention ATS as the only source of my views, perhaps you have not noticed but these threads always provide a link to the MSM source.

Despite your responses, I'm still not getting your point that an LEO wearing a cam means everyone gets chipped?

Finally, being in the UK I can tell you that if UK police were caught on cam doing the same as the US cops do to the public, we would be on the streets protesting.

reply to post by flammadraco

You mention ATS as the only source of my views, perhaps you have not noticed but these threads always provide a link to the MSM source.

MSM sources as well?! Well now that changes everything!!
This totally means using your own head and thinking for yourself.

Despite your responses, I'm still not getting your point that an LEO wearing a cam means everyone gets chipped?

Not immediately no. In the long haul this is what we're facing if the current trend of rights being taken from us continues.
I guess you will just have to remain oblivious and "not get it."

Finally, being in the UK I can tell you that if UK police were caught on cam doing the same as the US cops do to the public, we would be on the streets protesting.

Um, OK? I don't know what to say. Congrats?

reply to post by Grenade

I think the point was that we are already living in a highly restrictive society which is monitored at all levels and through small steps increasing surveillance eventually privacy will be completely eradicated.

Yup. 'Twas the point. I am pleased someone "gets it."

reply to post by flammadraco


I don't think it's my place to comment on American policing and surveillance, i will leave that up to their own people.

However, i see no reason in the UK for all officers to have camera's as i don't think corruption is as rife as you are suggesting. Purely from an economic perspective, would it really be worth it? I'm sure the installation, infrastructure and maintenance of the systems would be a huge outlay. Just spent £850m on surveillance drones that can see high resolution streaming and recorded images down to street level and very soon will have complete coverage of the whole country which eradicates the need for CCTV at ground level. As we speak the UK military has at it's disposal the means to simultaneously record and watch every inch of this country from 17000ft.

unb3k44n7
reply to post by flammadraco

PS Oh, you live in the UK. This shines much light on your stance that I overlooked. Your argument with the matters of the US are invalid, due to your portion of the world already being under mass surveillance. I understand fully now why you sport the stance that you do. Unlike the UK I live in the US, and I personally would not appreciate a CCTV camera being placed strategically over my front porch. Thanks.

We don't all live in a bubble in this country, i fully understand and agree with your sentiments regarding the right to privacy, something which we no longer have in the UK

Jefferton
Maybe we should ALL be forced to wear cameras. Then everyone would be 100% accountable for their actions.
Why stop with police?

That is my point, preferably a low cost hidden camera solution whose mere existence will act as a deterrent for non-camera wearers as well.

It is one of the few possible amendments which I have considered to be added to the constitution as an adjunct to the 2nd amendment.

reply to post by Grenade


Here in the UK I agree there is little corruption with our police force at the moment, and we are treated with a lot more civility than our US cousins.

Putting camera's will encourage the police to obey the rules and also enforce them absolutely as there will be no way for them to just ignore something minor, a part of a good police officer is to know what laws to enforce and when...society works best when things are a bit adjustable

reply to post by Maxatoria


I concur with your thoughts, seems though some folk believe this will lead to everyone being chipped.

reply to post by flammadraco


I'm not an American so....I can't do much. I do agree though that Americans need to do something about this growing problem. Considering all the abuses perpetrated by the police recently, and the total lack of response from the American people.....I hold out no hope whatsoever that anything will be done.


Nobody seems to care until it's them being abused by police....by then it's too late.

reply to post by Maxatoria


Even when police have been caught red-handed on video murdering, framing, beating someone....they get paid administrative leave, and eventually are found to have followed protocol. You are free to go.

Justice is dead in America.

deadcalm
reply to post by flammadraco

 

Nobody seems to care until it's them being abused by police....by then it's too late.

Yes I agree, reminds me of the following poem by pastor Martin Niemöller

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

reply to post by flammadraco


Exactly so....I had that very poem in mind when I typed that.

Americans have never been more divided. They can't seem to agree on anything. For real change to take place within Police depts it will take a large populist movement to force them to go back to the "protect and serve" motto that sadly has been lost on this generation of Police officers.

I blame this on the continuing militarization of police forces across the country.

unb3k44n7
reply to post by flammadraco

 

You mention ATS as the only source of my views, perhaps you have not noticed but these threads always provide a link to the MSM source.

MSM sources as well?! Well now that changes everything!!
This totally means using your own head and thinking for yourself.

Now that's what you call sarcasm, made me chuckle so you can have a star.

Seriously tho do people still believe the MSM are an objective, informative and reliable source of news?

Grenade

unb3k44n7
reply to post by flammadraco

 

You mention ATS as the only source of my views, perhaps you have not noticed but these threads always provide a link to the MSM source.

MSM sources as well?! Well now that changes everything!!
This totally means using your own head and thinking for yourself.

Now that's what you call sarcasm, made me chuckle so you can have a star.

Seriously tho do people still believe the MSM are an objective, informative and reliable source of news?

So we can't view MSM as a source and sites such as these means we're not using our own brains to form an opinion. Where exactly would be the best place for us to get our news from?

I'm able to get my news from several sources including ATS.

What about videos on YouTube and news sources showing the police brutality? Is that an acceptable source to be able to form an opinion on how corrupt the US police force has become?

reply to post by flammadraco

Here in the UK I agree there is little corruption with our police force at the moment, and we are treated with a lot more civility than our US cousins.

There's corruption in every country. There's also some good in every country.

Your comment (opinion) is relative. I have personally never encountered a legally unsound problem with police at any time living in the US. They have always treated me respectfully, civilly and justifiably. If you keep it real with them, and talk to them like a human being, they usually reciprocate accordingly.

Not to say corruption/abuse of power doesn't happen. It most certainly does - anywhere. And not only police. Police are people. There's "good" and "bad" people wherever you go.

flammadraco

So we can't view MSM as a source and sites such as these means we're not using our own brains to form an opinion. Where exactly would be the best place for us to get our news from?

I'm able to get my news from several sources including ATS.

What about videos on YouTube and news sources showing the police brutality? Is that an acceptable source to be able to form an opinion on how corrupt the US police force has become?

You can view MSM as a source, a hugely biased and edited source with an underlying agenda but be my guest. What i think you maybe need to appreciate is the ratio of these abuses. Although there may be officers abusing power i honestly think it will be the exception rather than the rule. Out of 320 million American's how many have filed complaints against officers or departments? My guess is a very low percentage.