Body cameras are coming --- The last straw for many

We do not and will never have the manpower to do everything by the letter of SOP omitting common sense decisions based on experience due to body cameras. Cops do not know how to verbally defend themselves when it comes to issues like this. Its not about not being able to do do bad or illegal things while on camera. Its the little things we do to streamline our jobs due to being so short handed that will screw us up. Speak up people! Verbalize! Can u imagine taking every single BS allegation all the way? Longer post coming....

So basically everytime we encounter someone who has a pot pipe or a tiny amount of weed, there will be no more sending them on their way. We will be recording the incident, so we will be forced to make an arrest and swing by the evidence section with the drugs and / or pipe.

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

Body cameras are coming here. Standby.

I'll tell you this, the day I am required to put on a body camera is the day I give my 2 week notice. CALL MY BLUFF! Many of my co-workers have already expressed the same. This will be the last nail in the coffin. This will be the the last straw. Actually, I guess it's wrong to say the body cameras issue is the "straw" that broke the camel's back. Because straws are light. But the issue of body cameras is the 2,000 pound anvil that will break the back of many deputies.

At least we have enough forrwarning to start preparing for that day. Plans are already being made for life away from this once great agency. This is a huge mistake, which will have a HUGE negative effect on this agency.

As much as I hate to say it, I am finally forced to admit that Doocobo knew what the f he was doing, with the body cameras issue. I really despise Docobo, but at least he said "NEVER!" This agency is going to lose a TON of deputies. And those who stay, standby for no privacy, suspensions, terminations, lawsuits, and even arrests based upon comments taken out of context, amongst other things.

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I’m calling your bluff pu$$y! We won’t miss a beat with one less turd in bowl stinking up the place.

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

So basically everytime we encounter someone who has a pot pipe or a tiny amount of weed, there will be no more sending them on their way. We will be recording the incident, so we will be forced to make an arrest and swing by the evidence section with the drugs and / or pipe.

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Exactly what I'm saying! Its the little things that will screw us and the public up. Cameras will result in us being much harder on people. The public that demand cameras HAVE NO idea the true negative effect. How about a call when a wife snatches the car keys from her husbands hand? A non spousal abuse situation. According to the letter of the law and SOP, that is a MANDATORY arrest or direct filed criminal charge at a minimum. A simple call that can be handled by just educating and talking with people now an arrest of a mom with no criminal record in front of her kids all because of a moronic outdated cookie cutter law. Cameras will TAKE AWAY OUR DISCRETION!!!!!. We get hemmed up on camera for being more forgiving. People just don't understand that. THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH BODY CAMS. Im sure even the KoolAid drinkers can relate. We need to speak up and verbalize this. Give specific examples. People read these forums more than you know. This is our only way to be somewhat heard. If cameras have to happen, then double our manpower because we wont be able to tell that gas station clerk what needs to be said when someone shoplifts one can of beer for 3 dollars. Prepare to work those like a full blown investigation with video evidence, alerts and so on. This agency needs to reconnect with its god damn troops and get its head out of it ass.

Do you really think the office is going to review every deputies recordings from every call? I think not.

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

Do you really think the office is going to review every deputies recordings from every call? I think not.

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Nope, but when "Dave" tells his buddy "Pete" that a deputy let him off for a minor crime, then "Pete" gets arrested for the same offense, "Pete" wants to know why his buddy got off and he didn't. So he marches into the Sheriffs Office and demands an investigation, and he gets one, Then deputy gets fukked. This is the world we live in. Wake up...

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

So basically everytime we encounter someone who has a pot pipe or a tiny amount of weed, there will be no more sending them on their way. We will be recording the incident, so we will be forced to make an arrest and swing by the evidence section with the drugs and / or pipe.

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Yup! Our discretion and common sense gone.

To the public:
That is correct, we get in trouble and held accountable for actually helping and coming up for reasonable solutions on calls. We put our jobs on the line when we help instead of make arrests. How about someone who has had a bit too much to drink sleeping it off in a parked car? Not a drunk driver. Obviously they go to jail. I mean someone parked and sleeping with keys in the ignition. According to the law, that is 100% a drunk driver still. Did you know we get in trouble if we give them a ride home? Yet we still do it. Say goodbye to that with body cams. Its not the very few bad apple “bad” things cops do that the cameras will capture. Its all the 99% of the time good things we wont be able to do so the agency can fatten up on all its arrests stats.

Why don’t you relax until we hear the facts about make/model and function. When TPD elected Castor as mayor it was a given TPD was going to get body cams. Once they did we were going to be soon to follow. Not surprised in the days and political climate we operate in if within the next fee years every agency in the US will be required to have them anyway.

Here's another senario: Romeo and Juliet (Both 16 and straight A sudents) start dating (And having sexual relations.) Romeo turn 18 (before Juliet does), and Juliet's mother gets mad at Romeo for whatever reason. Juiet's mother complains about Romeo banging her 17 year old daughter, and we respond. We end up arresting both for raping each other, just to cover ourselves. Of course the SAO drops the charges, but in the meantime, we wasted hours to investigate it, and now the two have a criminal history. Before the cameras, we would explain to mother that her daughter will be arrested also, so she might want to change her mind about what she wants done.

What’s needed, but won’t happen is the deputies should be able to turn the camera off and on at their own discretion and due to wether the situation really calls for it! For one thing the HCSO better expand it’s already feeble IT department for starters! All those cameras, hours and hours of footage to go through and weed out what’s worth saving! That’s a tall order to fill that the Sheriff is not probably really contemplating, but he will if he goes forward with this. I agree the cameras are a bad idea, period! They will only increase you guys & gals work loads to worse levels than they already are! But unfortunately HCSO is not comfortable with going against the “grain” so to speak! They have to clone themselves like the rest of the states and nations in current law enforcement trends and policy! A need to monitor every deputies actions for a whole shift is just a way to get rid of the old school cops and bring others into line! They should require all deputies to line up for their cup of kool-aid before they put their body cam on and head out the door!