Remember the bike the cop drew on?

[e30addict]

So a public servant operating in a public environment has an expectation of privacy??

So it's only a big deal if you're the asshole on the power trip and need to hide something. Act professionally and the camera becomes a non-issue.

[dipthat]

I do not consent to any searchers

[Mike Qube]

I do not consent to any searchers

I said "no" once when a cop asked to search my car. Car got search anyway, he said he had probably cause because he thought he smelled a strong odor of pot. Funny thing is, I haven't smoked pot in about 20 years.

[katana0215]

just playing devil's advocate hear.......but I read somewhere that the cop saw the camera and specifically asked the guy if he was being recorded. The guy panicked and said "no". Thus giving the cop a reasonable expectation of privacy.

[Doc]

just playing devil's advocate hear.......but I read somewhere that the cop saw the camera and specifically asked the guy if he was being recorded. The guy panicked and said "no". Thus giving the cop a reasonable expectation of privacy.

First I heard. And I heard the Audio to the video.

[RandyO]

Wow...I really feel for that guy. My fiance and I had an interesting run in with one of my town cops. Long story short we were driving at dusk and the officer cut out in front of me accross the road from a side street with no running lights, head lights or emergency lights on. Making me and the truck towing a large trailer comming towards me slam on our brakes. When I yelled at the officer out my window he turned around and started harrasing me at the next intersection. That's when I started recording the incident on my phone.

I had a very similar incident happen to me about 12 years ago here in my town. in my case, I encountered backed up traffic of an accident scene that they were just finishing cleaning up, traffic started moving , then suddenly one of the cops pulled in front of me with no warning causeing me to emergency brake, then 150 feet later, he stops with no warning or turn signal to make a left turn onto a side road

it was a very hot day ,my windows were rolled down and I yelled very vocally my displeasure then proceeded on my way, next thing I hear it the cop spinning his car around to chase me down the road, he stopped me and harrassed me and was very beligerant, I asked is name & badge #, he came back with "I'm the one asking the questions"

the next day, I happen to have a casual conversation with one of our town selectmen and told her about what happened, she suggested that I file a complaint with the chief of police and copy the selectmen with the complaint which I did. what the cop discovered about a week later was that I had more political clout in town hall than he did, I'm not sure where he is now, but he's not a cop on my town anymore, apparently there had already been a few complaints.

[jcbell1007]

I LOVE Vermont! I can carry a weapon AND Tape the Police!

You can record me all you want. I can't tell you how many times my various camera's have been beneficial and never have I ever regretted having one recording.

[Kham]

why would an audio be issue and not video? shouldn't it be other way around? would you rather listen to or watch sex tape?

[markbvt]

You can record me all you want. I can't tell you how many times my various camera's have been beneficial and never have I ever regretted having one recording.

Well, yes, Jason, but that's because you're not an asshole.

--mark

[jcbell1007]

There's also something that people may or may not realize about this case. It is highly unlikely that the police are acting upon their own accord. As I know most of the high profile things that happen in our state, there is a states attorney that is also invovled in the decision making process. If there is a prosecutor involved, this probably means that they are acting in accordance with the law. Like it or not, given the high profile of the case, it's doubtful that they would act in such a manner that would open up the state's attorney's office, or the state police in that matter, for a civil rights case. But I could be wrong.

More than likely, there is some case law that supports the state's attorney's and state police's actions. Meaning, there have been prior cases that set precedents or interpretations on what is enforceable/prosecutable under the law.

If you, or the peopel in MD don't like the law, technically, you have the power to change it. Write to the people that you elect to hold office, appeal to them. That's how the laws came to be to begin with, and thats how they get changed. I know because I helped do just that in my state after I had blood spit in my face and had to have disease testing for 6 months after.

[toocrazy2yoo]

Tough to say what the laws are in Md., DC., or Va.. It's a tri-State area with a VERY heavy Federal influence. Lots of sheriffs, town, county and city departments, lots of State police, plus every Secret Service/DEA/FBI/U.S. Marshall/Treasury/Capitol police officer with a gun, a badge and a Crown Vic with the heavy federal tint on the windows has jurisdiction EVERYWHERE. If a Fed pulls you over, you send your fine to the U.S. District court in Alexandria, Va., and you get no points. If a local cop, wherever you may be, DC. Md. or Va. pulls you over, you're subject to the local courts AND Va. DMV even if you're in Md. or DC because they're reciprocal in their reporting.

D.C. region is a very tough place to ride fast and even if you head out to the Blue Ridge, ya got Va. State Police on your ass and those guys are definitely hard core. They're quasi-military. And, they've scraped enough bikes off the roads out in the hills that they don't take kindly to doods bending the bike down to the footpegs on 211W through the Shenendoah Valley. They have authority to chase, they have helos and it's tough to get away. Doable, but tough. After a while, ya get tired of that shit. I know there's horror stories about the cops up here, but compared to cops down THERE, this place is a speeder's dream by comparison to the sheer numbers and types of cops in the D.C. area, every one of em with a Homeland Security mandate..

Besides, in New England, the countryside is prettier. And the seafood is better. And the broads are nicer..

[butcher bergs]

I said "no" once when a cop asked to search my car.

Me too, a loooooong time ago.

30 minutes, 4 cruisers and 7 officers later, there was my car being hauled away on a flatbed. When I got it back there was plenty of damage to the interior during their subsequent search. My lawyer had a field day with that little incident. Cost me a few bux but my point was made and that was the last time I was harrassed or even pulled over in that town. Gotta love small town America.

[Pittenger5]

I always find it funny that refusing a search can instantly become "probably cause" to search.

[Doc]

You can record me all you want. I can't tell you how many times my various camera's have been beneficial and never have I ever regretted having one recording.

Kinda my point... Without all the "liberties" of other states our cops are nice people.

[gadget]

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/21/28235.htm

This is just crazy. I wish the Supreme Court or someone with a high degree of visibility would just come out and state that anyone can photograph a police officer at anytime anywhere. These guys are public servants and should behave in an acceptable manner at all times.

Why should they fear being on camera unless they are acting in a manner that would be deemed unacceptable by the public?

[obsolete]

I always find it funny that refusing a search can instantly become "probably cause" to search.

????

[markbvt]

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/21/28235.htm

"Public intoxication" because there's a beer on the counter inside the guy's own house?

What the fuck is wrong with these people, and how were they allowed into positions of responsibility?

--mark

[Doc]

Why should they fear being on camera unless they are acting in a manner that would be deemed unacceptable by the public?

Why would you fight a ticket if you are guilty? Just playing Devils Advocate.

[Pittenger5]

Why should they fear being on camera unless they are acting in a manner that would be deemed unacceptable by the public?

Fun fact: When I was a state employee (lifeguard) during high school, we used to walk down the street on our lunch break to buy lunch. Apparently, people would get upset seeing a state employee (We wouldnt bother to change our lifeguard shirt for the 5 minute walk) not doing their job, and would call the MDC to complain. Word came down that if we were caught off the job area in our uniform there would be consequences.
So "unacceptable to the public" is a wide brush stroke. Especially the way police officers can be held to a higher standard especially in the media.

[gs500fast]

Why should they fear being on camera unless they are acting in a manner that would be deemed unacceptable by the public?

because sometimes you've got to rough up a perp. subduing someone who is resisting is never pretty. the public doesn't have much stomach for it. If they can't bring full force for fear of reprisal they are less safe.

[NobodySpecific]

because sometimes you've got to rough up a perp. subduing someone who is resisting is never pretty. the public doesn't have much stomach for it. If they can't bring full force for fear of reprisal they are less safe.

And if there is no balance for that power then we as a society are less safe. How many times have we seen cases where there is a grossly inappropriate use of force captured on tape where the cop swore nothing was done inappropriately?

http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0413/vid...ating-student/

[fjrrider RI]

Wow I didn't know that RI was a much better state to ride in than the DC/Virginia areas. That dude in the stop got really screwed, hope it gets reversed going to jail for years for that shit is rediculous.

[xrocket21]

because sometimes you've got to rough up a perp. subduing someone who is resisting is never pretty. the public doesn't have much stomach for it. If they can't bring full force for fear of reprisal they are less safe.

Yeah, I agree. We should just trust the people in power to make the right decisions without being questrioned at all. They are looking out for our best interests after all.....

[toocrazy2yoo]

I always find it funny that refusing a search can instantly become "probably cause" to search.

Well yeah! If ya got nothing to hide, if you ain't up to no good, what's the problem?

That said, I'm always for the cops doling out a little wood shampoo when it's called for. But I wish they'd get the recipient down to the basement, or somewhere outta sight so we wouldn't have these scandals. Face it, an "instructional interlude" with the police isn't really a beating, it's...a lesson!

[rbrais]

why would an audio be issue and not video? shouldn't it be other way around? would you rather listen to or watch sex tape?

The law was written before there was hand held video cameras. It was intended for phone conversations, but they are applying a very liberal interpretation now.