Police union tries to block camera plan for Miami-Dade officers

www.miamiherald.com... tries-to-block-camera.html

Miami-Dade’s police union on Friday moved to thwart Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s plan to equip all county patrol officers with wearable surveillance cameras, saying the devices could place “the lives of the public and the officers in danger.” In a written grievance filed with the county’s police chief, a union lawyer wrote that wearing the cameras “will distract officers from their duties, and hamper their ability to act and react in dangerous situations …” The paperwork comes a day after Gimenez publicly touted his proposal to spend about $1 million on 500 cameras next year in an effort to cut down on allegations of police misconduct. Gimenez cited the outrage stemming from the fatal police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri — an incident that has led to nationwide calls for police agencies to buy cameras that can record every moment of an officer’s shift. Gimenez’s office dismissed the allegation that cameras could endanger officers, and lumped in the grievance to a growing rift between the mayor and union officials over contract talks.

I think the big shocker of the argument is "In its two-page grievance, the Miami-Dade police union cited the distraction caused by officers having to activate the camera before approaching a traffic stop or potential arrest. “As anyone with knowledge of police training and tactics knows, if an officer hesitates for even a second in a life threatening situation, it can cost that officer his or her life, and/or put the lives of others at risk,” the complaint reads. It also cites footage potentially revealing the identify of undercover officers." So making the types of salary they make turning the camera on is SOOOOOO Much work and SOOOOOO endangering their lives they can't be recorded? I call BS.

My personal opinion is that if they are grown enough to play with military grade weapons then they are grown enough to have cameras watch them play with said toys. The choice is theirs. PDs around the country have proved irresponsible in having absolute power and the reality that the cops authority does not supercede civil liberties needs to be put in place. Checks and Balances use to be the way of the US, and with this militarized gang, they need it enforced.

a reply to: ArchPlayer

will distract officers from their duties, and hamper their ability to act and react in dangerous situations

Sounds legit........


Who does this guy think he's fooling? There's nothing a cop should be doing on duty that would be a problem to have on film.

originally posted by: theantediluvian
a reply to: ArchPlayer

will distract officers from their duties, and hamper their ability to act and react in dangerous situations

Sounds legit...

If they have the cameras activated at ALL TIMES it wouldn't be a problem.

a reply to: ArchPlayer

If it wasn't clear, I was being sarcastic. There's already several police departments in this country who have put body cams in place and there's absolutely nothing that I've seen that lends any credence to any of the crap the union rep was saying.

I'm reminded of statements I saw made on a news show a couple weeks back, by a police union rep and an officer from a department that had begun using body cameras. The union rep came out with the same BS about them being a hindrance to the officers and then the cop who was, actually using one, said it made him feel less concerned during his interactions with the public because the camera protected HIM from being falsely accused of misconduct.

Basically, the cameras keep everyone honest.

You don't even want to know how curropt that lot is.

originally posted by: ArchPlayer

originally posted by: theantediluvian
a reply to: ArchPlayer

will distract officers from their duties, and hamper their ability to act and react in dangerous situations

Sounds legit...

If they have the cameras activated at ALL TIMES it wouldn't be a problem.

Indeed.

But the big tough police officers are allergic to accountability. At least that's what I've learned in my short time on this planet. I read somewhere that it's only 'bad cops' objecting to the idea of a camera, and I fully agree with that.

Connect the camera to a decent size battery and carry a back-up battery for when the main goes flat.

They can come up with as many arguments as they like, but none of them will make sense when logic is applied.

No doubt, they have a job that can be dangerous and can truly test their intestinal fortitude at a core level. The problem is that most of the men and women who we trust with our safety through badge and gun can not perform under the slightest pressure. Whether that pressure be from a known violent felon pointing a firearm in their direction or a mouthy motorist who thinks they know their rights, police have time and time again proven that they can not keep cool under pressure. Plain and simple.

a reply to: ArchPlayer

Hogwash, things like this is what makes me not support police unions. They should be banned.

Also am I the only one that noticed this: 1 million dollars for 500 cameras??? Seriously? Who is doing the shopping and where are they shopping? Fire them because they're idiots.

Ya thats funny, they can key a button on their radio but clicking a button on the cam is just too much to do and distracting. Do they think everybody is that stunned?

Criminals don't like to be photographed while committing crimes.

Their motivation is crystal clear.

However, I don't think it will do anyone (but the cops) much good if the camera has an off switch. There's no reason why they can't be on all the time, but it sure does provide a convenient excuse for when they want to hide something.

The cameras should be on at all times and the feeds streamed live on the internet. I bet they'd learn the nuances of 4th Amendment law real quick then, wouldn't they?

Nah. "Camera wasn't working for the six minutes the suspect was brought under detainment. I don't know what happened. Honest. He must've gotten those bruises earlier in the day."

originally posted by: vonclod
Ya thats funny, they can key a button on their radio but clicking a button on the cam is just too much to do and distracting. Do they think everybody is that stunned?

The camera should be activated by the Cop using his radio.

We surely have a camera that lasts 8 hours. Especially for that price.

originally posted by: XTexan
a reply to: ArchPlayer
Also am I the only one that noticed this: 1 million dollars for 500 cameras??? Seriously? Who is doing the shopping and where are they shopping? Fire them because they're idiots.

Nope, I caught it too!

A while back some friends and I had a discussion about how our government over pays for things.
Perfect example of the police over spending where I live: K9 camera to give Winnipeg police new eyes on crime
$20,000.00 for a friggin dog camera that records crap quality video!

Also, I can't find the article right now, but one of our Hospitals bought some new food cart that keeps some food trays warm and others cool for $40,000 each! It looked to be only about 2 feet wide by 4 feet long and about 2 feet high.

Anyway, not to go too far off topic, I think I'm in agreement with most everyone who's posted so far.
If the police are incapable of using a button to turn on the camera, then they really shouldn't have a gun.

With todays technology why can't they rig something up so as soon as their ass leaves the seat it turns on the camera?
If they can have riding lawn mowers with a kill switch in the seat, surely they can do something similar to turn on a camera.

originally posted by: XTexan
a reply to: ArchPlayer

Hogwash, things like this is what makes me not support police unions. They should be banned.

Also am I the only one that noticed this: 1 million dollars for 500 cameras??? Seriously? Who is doing the shopping and where are they shopping? Fire them because they're idiots.

If ya think that is bad, see how much Daley paid for the Blue Light Cameras in Chicago. 18 million a pop.

a reply to: ArchPlayer

they dont want the camera's because they know they cannot afford the lawsuits that will come rolling in if their actions are recorded

originally posted by: XTexan
a reply to: ArchPlayer

Hogwash, things like this is what makes me not support police unions. They should be banned.

Also am I the only one that noticed this: 1 million dollars for 500 cameras??? Seriously? Who is doing the shopping and where are they shopping? Fire them because they're idiots.

seriously they should be able to get something reliable and fairly high quality for a few hundred dollars (maybe a bit less if theyre ordering them in large numbers)
$2000 a piece is ridiculous

a reply to: ArchPlayer

The link isn't working for me....
....scrubbed?

a reply to: ArchPlayer

"You have exceeded the 4 hour limit to edit post"...

Spent a bit of time searching for links regarding this article....came up with nothing at all besides a link to the 404'd miamiherald article.
Found one that linked to "photography is not a crime".....a video was there (I won't share it). Attempting to use a video where the union head was discussing budget cuts, claiming it was him discussing these cameras.

Can anyone find the original article? Or is this bunk?
Sounds kind of ridiculous. Not that I would put it past them saying such a thing, just seems a VERY ridiculous excuse....they could/can/do do better.

*as a side note. I agree with the poster who asked how it would take a million dollars to get 500 cameras. It wouldn't....someone pockets the rest. End of story.