Body Cameras.. when will we start putting a policy together?

[Stephanie Gibson]

So I was promised nearly a year a go that we would start "looking into" equipping all of our officers with the protections of Body Cameras.. sure haven't heard or seen much. While Chief Vespia danced me on the subject and would not provide a written response on his position.. I do have a written promise from a couple of elected officials.

This article points to some of the existing holes in local policy regulating the use and limitations of the body cams.. Parker Colorado seems to have a well reasoned and thought out policy according to several. So this posting is a not so subtle reminder of promises made and a direction of a good policy to start working out our policy with.


http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/11/many-of-the-nations-largest-police-departments-have-dismal-body-camera-laws/414945/

[Stephanie Gibson]

Nine pages.. that is all it took.

https://www.aclu.org/other/parker-po...cedures-manual

[Unregistered]

There is yet to be any clear legislation regarding police body cameras in Florida. Chiefs and sheriffs are smart not rushing into buying them. Once the small details are worked out, I am sure you will see more agencies outfitted.

Body cameras are a plus. They can capture people acting like the assholes they are and help police when they and their mommies try to complain.

[Stephanie Gibson]

There is yet to be any clear legislation regarding police body cameras in Florida. Chiefs and sheriffs are smart not rushing into buying them. Once the small details are worked out, I am sure you will see more agencies outfitted.

Body cameras are a plus. They can capture people acting like the assholes they are and help police when they and their mommies try to complain.

Yes I am sure waiting is an option.. I do not know how comforting waiting will be for the good officer and his family when he is railroaded out of town or to prison because someone falsely accuses them of a bad shoot. Tell the family that waiting was the best option, when they are drug through the court system.. end up fired .. or in prison. We had a recent scare with Sgt Laden having to exercise deadly force.. had we had cameras, there would be less questions and more evidence. We could also discipline those officers that took detrimental actions that put the Sgt at risk. Perhaps the laughing comedians could be disciplined or replaced with professional officers because next time.. the bad guy may not announce himself and simply get his rounds off before the officers even knew he was there.. in this case we could have lost Laden and Cooper.. while all the jokesters run around looking for where they were because they were laughing and allowed him past the perimeter they were protecting.

Waiting for Politicians..!? They are more about sticking the wet finger in the sky aka Poll watching to see what is the safest path for themselves. How about COPS take a look at the work that other COPS and Cities have done.. and craft the right policy for our force.. as for the Sunshine problems that come along with the cameras. Is that really such a terrible problem to have.. more transparency, more concrete evidence for prosecutors and defense council to seek truth and justice with? Where was our great concern for legislation when we knowingly bypassed Laws and employed Stingray and trampled all over the Constitution?

Leading is often about risks and rewards of decision making. Those that cant or wont lead, will cower and wait for others directions so they can be safe and say, well that is what "they" told me.. its not my fault. Leaders will do the analysis, prepare for what is most certainly needed, spend the time and effort to work out a policy that fits this City's need, to protect our officers, our citizenry.. and take a stand.

So what is the downside to not waiting for the Florida politicians to determine the legal parameters around it? Lawsuits? Now isn't that funny.. we have the lawsuits already. Settlements will cost we mommie and daddie taxpayers $$$$$$$$ anyways.. the cycle will continue until we do what needs to be done here.

I vote we take a stand here, protect our Officers, Citizenry NOW.

Easy for the Admin to sit and let others figure things out.. after all, they aren't on the streets dealing with the "assholes"... Sir, "assholes" come in all varieties, some wear uniforms, some are wronged mommies trying to make a difference, some sit in offices without the same risks our officers and citizens are up against....

As for the mommie crack.. well if those officers had cams on in my house, we would have NOT had the abuse or we would have justice served in the aftermath. Instead, we have zero change, so it is only time before the same happens again and again..

[Unregistered]

Body cameras are a plus. They can capture people acting like the assholes they are and help police when they and their mommies try to complain.

Apparently you are one of the "assholes" the SA wanted to throttle for causing the incident to escalate in the first place.

I will say this though, thanks to your street thug tactics and the free reign of the K9 div, the SA takes a real hard look at every charge we file with them.

[Unregistered]

Apparently you are one of the "assholes" the SA wanted to throttle for causing the incident to escalate in the first place.

I will say this though, thanks to your street thug tactics and the free reign of the K9 div, the SA takes a real hard look at every charge we file with them.


YOU ARE WELCOME!

[Unregistered]

I will say this though, thanks to your street thug tactics and the free reign of the K9 div, the SA takes a real hard look at every charge we file with them.

It also got the attention of the public and media and showed just how badly some here treat people.

[Stephanie Gibson]

So after Mayor Rahm Emanuel drug his feet on investigation of the officer and the alleged bad shooting delaying the report to come out AFTER the Mayor was reelected. The delayed release of the video, dragging out the inevitable at the expense of the cop that made the bad decision and his family, the family of the dead man who seeks justice all so the Mayor could serve his own needs.

Well today, rightly or wrongly, Emanuel fired the Police Chief in hopes that would be enough to appease the angry citizens, the media and even the Feds. oh but no go, the feeding frenzy has only begun. Many are now calling for the demise of the Obama buddy Mayor. He should absolutely go for the political gaming.. hiding, delaying, blowing glittery rainbows up the citizens backsides can only go so far.. eventually, the proverbial shtuff will hit the fan.

How different the story might have been should the Chief and Mayor have taken swift action, come clean to the public and allowed justice to be served. He would have been heralded for being a strong leader, intolerant of the BS and the cameras the city invested in, would have provided the necessary evidence to clear or indict the officer. Instead, they think the folks are stupid, distracted... and perhaps many are, but way more are stepping up to say enough is enough.

We better learn our lessons now, learn from the mistakes of others, else we find karma heading our way.

[Unregistered]

So after Mayor Rahm Emanuel drug his feet on investigation of the officer and the alleged bad shooting delaying the report to come out AFTER the Mayor was reelected. The delayed release of the video, dragging out the inevitable at the expense of the cop that made the bad decision and his family, the family of the dead man who seeks justice all so the Mayor could serve his own needs.

Well today, rightly or wrongly, Emanuel fired the Police Chief in hopes that would be enough to appease the angry citizens, the media and even the Feds. oh but no go, the feeding frenzy has only begun. Many are now calling for the demise of the Obama buddy Mayor. He should absolutely go for the political gaming.. hiding, delaying, blowing glittery rainbows up the citizens backsides can only go so far.. eventually, the proverbial shtuff will hit the fan.

How different the story might have been should the Chief and Mayor have taken swift action, come clean to the public and allowed justice to be served. He would have been heralded for being a strong leader, intolerant of the BS and the cameras the city invested in, would have provided the necessary evidence to clear or indict the officer. Instead, they think the folks are stupid, distracted... and perhaps many are, but way more are stepping up to say enough is enough.

We better learn our lessons now, learn from the mistakes of others, else we find karma heading our way.

Sorry to say it Stephanie, it is already here and has gotten worse in the last four years.

[Stephanie Gibson]

Sorry to say it Stephanie, it is already here and has gotten worse in the last four years.

I don't doubt the 'cover it up game' is already being played here.. but must we wait until a good officer is hung out to dry before we start changing our direction? Vespia and Lewis have the power to do so. So far, they choose not too. Like Emanuel, they have demonstrated they are self serving. If not, they would be looking at taking steps to protect our officers by disciplining and/or eliminating those that do not honor the LE profession. They would begin the policy development and invest in body cameras to protect our officers, the citizenry and the taxpayer dollars.