Watching the Defectives
One of the more-promising techniques to curb civil rights infractions by police is the taping of all arrests, interrogations, etc. Because encounters can be impartially observed, the only people who lose are actual criminals and rogue cops.
It's a good idea but this Cincinnati Enquirer reports shows that it's hardly problem-free. A snippet:
Board members of the seven-member citizen watchdog panel say they're seeing too many complaints that pit the word of an officer against the word of a suspect. Too often, board members said, there's no videotape to corroborate either version, leading them to find insufficient evidence of police misconduct.
Some of the video cameras, called "mobile video recorders" or MVRs, are 7 years old. With cruisers driven around the clock, it's not uncommon for the cameras to fail during critical incidents, police said.
Whole thing here.
Headline apology to Elvis Costello (who himself has a lot of apologizing to do).
Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.
Please
to post comments
One of the more-promising techniques to curb civil rights infractions by police is the taping of all arrests, interrogations, etc. Because encounters can be impartially observed, the only people who lose are actual criminals and rogue cops.
Well hell, let’s just put video cameras on every street corner and in every house; the only people who lose then are actual criminals and rogue cops. After all, none of us mind being “impartially observed” by government employees, right?
Dan,
I’m observing you right now.
Elvis occasionally sang “defectives” instead of “detectives”.
His roadies beat up our esteemed University Concert Board members after a show I saw in Albany in ’78.
I’ve always respected him for that.
Libertarians entertain a myth of “systemic” police mis-conduct similar to Feminist myths about domestic violence. The left version has the cops to be racist, as well.
Police mis-conduct and domestic violence are like drunk driving. Drunk driving is (of course) deplorable…but it doesn’t merit a totalitarian re-structuring of our lives.
Andrew,
When a cop mis-conducts him/herself that isn’t systemic. When their higher-ups and/or partners cover for them, it’s systemic. If you think that’s a myth, you should visit these sites:
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/DEBATE/mcn/mcntoc.htm
http://www.policeabuse.org/
Dan-
There’s a huge difference between taping the bahavior of police officers interacting with the public, versus taping the public en masse.
I like this trend, technological problems or no. Officers need to have it in their heads that they are watched more than those they want to tap, and that they are accountable to a public record – that there is more than the testimony of their partners to worry about.
As a friend of mine put it, police officers need to be reminded that they are just people, and we need to remove the shine from the badge. They need to be reminded that a shiny cruiser makes you MORE indebted to the people who bought it for you, it doesn’t give you greater privilidge to intimidate and harrass.
I couldn’t agree more, Jason.
But on to the important issues. Nick, what does Elvis Costello have to apologize for?
“Spike” did indeed suck. Does Cincinnati also hate the Queen, Reagan, Thatcher and capitalism?
In many protests, the cops single out people with video cameras for “special treatment.” It’s pretty obvious they don’t like being held accountable for Gestapo behavior.
Kevin,
Too true. Yet every police officer I’ve ever know has the attitude of “If you don’t do anything wrong, who cares if you’re watched.” Strange don’t you think.
Of course, taping cops doing their jobs and taping me at home are two different situations. I’m not being paid by the government to sit at home, while police officers are being paid by me and everyone else.
Critic,
“Spike” is sublime, a timeless collection of beautiful songs. Who cares what his political positions are?
Oh, uh, er, and cops should be nicer.