Body Cams on Cops? A good idea?

I would have loved wearing a body cam back in the days when I worked the street! It would have mediated some angst I had with the administration. Especially when the bad guys declared I or one of my fellow deputies I was working with "abused" the bad guy and/or deprived them of their rights. But then again, that was back in the day when most folks who went to jail knew what they were doing would lead them to at least a night in jail, knew they were going to jail and fessed up to the fact that they deserved to go to jail. Back then most of those folks accepted their fate. For the most part they knew the rules and respected the rules well enough to know that if they violated those rules they were going to go to jail. Fights, they happened. Sometimes they evolved to "difficult arrests", "face plants", "leg sweeps", mace/pepper spray, nightsticks, hair holds, or worse... and if those tactics were used they were only employed when necessary. I've never had any of those folks file a lawsuit against me or any of my compadres for that matter, though I have had them threaten to sue me until they sobered up or otherwise realized their lawsuit wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell in court.

It's funny how this whole "body cam" thing that these folks wished for and got is backfiring in their faces . They've finally realized these body cams are providing very good evidence against them and they were instrumental in insisting that this very productive and accurate law enforcement tool was provided to the law enforcement community. I personally thank them for their contribution to ensure our law enforcement community is equipped with and trained in the use of equipment that will provide accurate, honest, timely and professionally collected law enforcement information that, in the past was rarely collected.We, the taxpayers are providing the video/audio recording equipment, the training associated with it, good, trained, experienced police officers and their protective gear to use and effectively apply it and now the good evidence that leads to acquittal or conviction to our law enforcement so we can ensure all of our constitutional rights are being fully represented, respected and protected.

If you ask me the use of these cams provide us, the taxpayers a great return on our investment!

It's a wonderful idea. Keep the cameras. Insist the officers review the footage and audio recordings of their respective "incidents" that were recorded and insist those officers use that information in any of their reports to provide a more accurate depiction of the event(s) that prompted their response and subsequently occurred during the officers response, including any arrest(s) made.

The lawyers and social activists like black lives matter, etc. want these body cams to ensure proper policing and public safety. As a citizen, I thank them for that. Many law enforcement officers wear them today as a result and as a former cop I wish I had the opportunity to wear one throughout my career as well. Let's continue to use these body cams to ensure the arrests made are necessary and proper arrests and the accuracy of the reporting process is enhanced, at least.

Let's err in favor of more accurate reporting and more effective law enforcement.


IMHO

Will Someone Please Define Their Version Of Police Brutality?!

Here's my take. I wrote this in response to a post to an article I read by a young lad who's totally oblivious to the real world.

DEFINE POLICE BRUTALITY, PLEASE!

A simple note, a request to "AD", an individual who commented re: a recent article I read on another publication's site.

"AD" Define "Police Brutality" please. 

Use a universal definition if you wish but define it. I'd prefer the universal definition. Just a little background here. I'm an Army veteran, served with the 82nd. Airborne and the 9th Infantry, 1972-75. I was a law enforcement officer from 1975-2015. I have two college degrees. I still "dabble" in law enforcement when necessary and when I'm called to "dabble" in it. Throughout my career I didn't get home every night like I thought I would but I did eventually get home. I did ensure that every bad guy I ever encountered got the opportunity to get the justice they deserved, they earned regardless of their crime. I always left the "justice" part up to a judge or jury or God himself . In the end, a few didn't ever go home again but I have to say they did get the justice they deserved. I can count on three fingers the times I was accused of police brutality. None of those charges ever passed muster. Not because the "job" was stacked against the accuser but because the accuser was lucky to be living. If anything my use of reasonable force was called into question more often than not because I chose the lesser of the many evils and still effected the arrest(s). Albeit with new aches and pains, scrapes and bruises and broken bones for all involved in the fracas'. In the end, I believe every cop... every true cop believes all involved needs to survive the fracas, the arrest. "Brutality" is nothing more than a hue and cry from the left, from those who wish to wrest us back into a totalitarian nightmare much like Europe experienced in the 30's and 40's. The left throws the term out like college kids throw condoms to the curb on prom night. The left uses it to distract, to serve as a magnet for those who might have some doubt, for those who are weak and impressionable, for those who are seeking attention, recognition. Once the left, the shat stirrers find they have an audience to their lunacy, their intended means they run with it. Nope... me going home and the puke I arrested going to jail isn't a product of police brutality, it's an example of, a product of effective training by our mentors and subsequently, proper policing. There are limits to the use of force... legal limits too. When the legal limits are exceeded then by all means make the charge, make the challenge. I may just join in with you because I don't want my noble profession tainted by bad behavior. And admittedly sometimes it was, sometimes it is and quit frankly it will be again. But to lay a blanket claim of universal "police brutality"!! To claim there's an overwhelming undercurrent of "police brutality" in the profession! Well, bub... you have absolutely no idea what law enforcement entails let alone what the world around you is all about. 

IMHO