Copcams: Lyons weighs in on Tom Knight & Bernadette DiPino

[News]

Sarasota's [city] police chief and the [county] sheriff have different opinions on whether Florida law-enforcement is ready for body cams.

Sheriff Tom Knight is saying no to them because he wants the state legislature to pass a law to keep cop-cam videos from becoming public records.

Chief Bernadette DiPino is erring on the side of caution because the good results for justice and public safety outweigh rare bad results. So the city chief is initiating a “test pilot program."

The new SPD policies were carefully crafted, said spokeswoman Genevieve Judge. The policies spell out when officers can and can't turn cameras off – and the reason must be reported to supervisors. That's to prevent officers from self-editing.

I'm glad cameras are going into service in the city limits of Sarasota.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article...-body-cameras-

[DOJ & PERF]

It is not an issue of what Knight wants (or Knight's nutty personal issues), but it's an issue of addressing concerns that people have raised, regarding when and what is recorded.

It looks like SPD read the DOJ body cam "recommendations and lessons learned". They, along with the Police Executive Research Forum and with a nod from the ACLU, looked at experiences of law enforcement agencies that already have cameras. They evaluated what works and what doesn't and have come up with recommendations for the implementation of body cams. SPD policy incorporated recommendations from the DOJ/PERF report:

http://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/resou...4715246869.pdf

[Unregistered]

It’s all about recording the facts. Is that a good or a bad thing for integrity?

TK took his initial advice about bodycams from SB. However, if bodycams had recorded SB’s actions (from when deputies arrived to investigate SB’s battery against his girlfriend’s father), then SB’s would have been fired. So that left a bad taste against body cams in SB’s mouth because the camera doesn’t lie and becomes a permanent record.

Now TK is taking his advice from KH. If bodycams had recorded KH’s theft of CCSO gas (for use in his personal car – twice!), then KH would have been decertified. So that obviously left a bad taste against bodycams in KH’s mouth because the camera doesn’t lie and becomes a permanent record.

TK also has his own skelatons. When VPD arrived to arrest TK for disorderly conduct, bodycams would have recorded his bad behavior. So that has also left a bad taste against body cams in TK’s mouth because the camera doesn’t lie and becomes a permanent record.

It would all be public record. Bodycams are good for integrity in law enforcement.

[Unregistered]

Knight wants the state legislature to pass a law to keep cop-cam videos from becoming public records.

The best thing Knight can do for his own public image is to shut up because every time he makes grandiose public statements, he creates public controversy – and he always comes out looking weird. First, Knight said he did not want cameras because he wanted to protect citizens from being filmed in their homes. Then when a reporter confronted Knight about dashboard cameras in patrol cars (which are not inside homes), Knight said, “I don’t think cameras are of much value” (or words to that effect). Well, which is it? In this case, contradiction is spelled with a K, just like kook. .

[Unregistered]

It’s all about recording the facts. Is that a good or a bad thing for integrity?

TK took his initial advice about bodycams from SB. However, if bodycams had recorded SB’s actions (from when deputies arrived to investigate SB’s battery against his girlfriend’s father), then SB’s would have been fired. So that left a bad taste against body cams in SB’s mouth because the camera doesn’t lie and becomes a permanent record.

Now TK is taking his advice from KH. If bodycams had recorded KH’s theft of CCSO gas (for use in his personal car – twice!), then KH would have been decertified. So that obviously left a bad taste against bodycams in KH’s mouth because the camera doesn’t lie and becomes a permanent record.

TK also has his own skelatons. When VPD arrived to arrest TK for disorderly conduct, bodycams would have recorded his bad behavior. So that has also left a bad taste against body cams in TK’s mouth because the camera doesn’t lie and becomes a permanent record.

It would all be public record. Bodycams are good for integrity in law enforcement.

Remember the Hitler statement where he said he likes Adolf Hitler’s leadership style? Oh a bodycam would have totally wrecked Knight’s public credibility if that had been recorded. People who don’t like body cameras are afraid of being exposed. I would LOVE to be equipped with a body cam.

[lay low]

There was some discussion about releasing a secret recording of Knight saying that he loves Hitler’s leadership style, but it’s a felony to secretly record someone without their permission, so Knight could have the employee arrested for it. Lay low.

[3 BAGS FULL SIR]

All of this crap points to only one issue: Controversial things are constantly and unexpectedly being blabbed from knight’s mouth. His mouth is a lightening rod that needs grounding. What’s really weird is that he appears to believe that he’s a genius – and being surrounded by 2nd floor yes men isn’t helping him.

[citizens comments]

The citizens comments at the bottom of the article are hilarious:

I am wondering if there are people who wouldn't call the police knowing they may be on camera.

If that thought would stop them from calling, they probably don't have a problem that rises to the level of needing the police to intervene.

I had read previously that body-cams have reduced the incidence of use of force. Accepting that as true, I would venture that a handful of avoided use of force lawsuits could pay for the acquisition of these devices. The police chief gets it - the Sheriff does not.

In reference to: "...domestic scenes where cops are forced to 'barge into' homes..."

Given our local press and the "if it bleeds, it leads" approach to journalism, nude domestic scenes involving cops and domestic partners may be something Sheriff Knight dreams of, but it's something I can't recall reading about in Sarasota.

Tom Knight is generally against accountability to anyone but himself.

Interesting comment. I didn't see any reference to accountability to anyone other than protecting the privacy of those he is elected to protect?

Mark Davy, I think Ed Martin is saying that Knight does not like deputies being judged by cameras or by anyone but himself.

Yes, they should have cameras.

[News]

31 body camera pictures from SPD chief's news release:

https://storify.com/public/templates...emonstration#1

[Unregistered]

In reference to: "...domestic scenes where cops are forced to 'barge into' homes..."

Given our local press and the "if it bleeds, it leads" approach to journalism, nude domestic scenes involving cops and domestic partners may be something Sheriff Knight dreams of, but it's something I can't recall reading about in Sarasota.

That’s because nudity is a non-issue. Any real cop who has been on the job for 10 or 20 years knows that. However, it’s more interesting how Knight dreams up these non-issues. The question is: Why?