Opinion
The camera doesn't lie, but can it tell too much?
Saturday, November 29, 2014
It was alarming and disturbing to see all the violence that broke out all over the country Monday night after the grand jury announcement in Ferguson. Any channel you turned to was showing people from all around the country giving their opinion and discussing the facts that were released that night.
One of the things I started wondering as I watched the crowd's burn buildings and break into businesses in front of national TV is what changes will this produce for law enforcement? There has been a lot of talk about passing laws that would require law enforcement to wear body cameras at all times during their shift. I like to try and look at both sides of any idea and weigh the pros and cons. As a law enforcement officer I see things one way, but as a citizen I look at things knowing that I must live by the same laws that I enforce, and my children will have to grow up following the laws that are set now. What follows is my opinion on cameras.
When asked if I think cameras are a good thing to have, I say yes. This is my cop side thinking in terms of evidence and documentation. When someone calls and reports a crime and then tells us they have it all recorded on camera, it's like Christmas to a cop. You just eliminated half of the work if the crime is on tape. I always like to say "the camera does not lie." When an officer gets in a pursuit, or is assaulted, or when an interview is being conducted, having a digital video is one of the best pieces of evidence you can ask for.
Another benefit of a camera is you can keep an eye on the officers and see what they are doing and how they are interacting with the public. A video taken during a call can be an excellent training tool! I have heard a lot of comments from people saying that the cops should wear body cameras so the public can see what they are doing all the time. Here is my concern with where that could lead. I believe our country was built to run as a much smaller government than we have now and I believe the government is always trying to gain more and more power over us, the citizens. Although there are a lot of good things that could come from cops having cameras all the time, we must also remember what the cops are doing all the time. They are watching the public.
What would your thoughts be if the government wanted to start installing cameras on every street, every parking lot, every park, and every place you may ever go? And then release the video of you and your kids to the public? People discussing the issue said, "If the cops aren't hiding anything, they shouldn't be afraid to be recorded." The problem is they aren't just recording cops, they are also recording you. So my next question is do YOU want to be recorded all the time?
Cameras in public places would be the least of your worries then. What about the calls where the cops come into your home, deal with your family member, get you recorded when you are having a bad day and must under some circumstances deal with the police? And these videos would be logged and kept on file because it would be illegal to destroy them.
I am all for cameras, but I also think there should be some discretion or guidelines as to when they are used. This is not to protect law enforcement from "getting away" with anything, but to protect our own privacy. Our job as law enforcement officers is to protect the citizens, not spy on them, and I fear this is what it could ultimately turn into if these laws are passed.