Arrested for Videotaping the Police

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2008566,00.html

Thoughts?

fascism

I know there’s a law somewhere that prohibits pissing off cops. You make them mad and they will arrest you…for something.

I had better luck taping Erin Andrews

I think it is bullshit. I was pulled over two weeks ago. The crime? Driving at night at 2am. This was apparently a “suspicious time of night” for me to be out…so the cop comes at me with his hand on his gun to pull me over.

Cops in general have abused any power they’ve been given to the point that I have little sympathy here. I am still against all of these cops driving around Houston in UNMARKED police cars that have no indication visible that they are even cops when they go to flash their lights at people. That should be against the law.

I keep a video camera on me and in some of these situations, video is the only thing keeping you from being screwed by some of those guys.

Also this:

[quote]In the Graber case, the trooper also apparently had reason to want to keep his actions off the Internet. He cut Graber off in an unmarked vehicle, approached Graber in plain clothes and yelled while brandishing a gun before identifying himself as a trooper.

[/quote]
Should no longer be tolerated. There is simply nothing keeping some guy off the street from buying a gun and a badge and pretending to be a cop today since so many of these guys want to drive like they are UNDER FUCKING COVER all day long.

I think this is the video that was posted here before (over in the PWI I believe):

I hope the guy finds a good team to put up a rigorous defense and blow a big hole in that prosecutors strategy.

American citizens can’t let actions like those of the prosecutor get on the books to be used against them again later.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Cops in general have abused any power they’ve been given to the point that I have little sympathy here. I am still against all of these cops driving around Houston in UNMARKED police cars that have no indication visible that they are even cops when they go to flash their lights at people. That should be against the law.
[/quote]
It is bullshit. They even have those new white Chargers that police ride in and the only way you can tell its a police car is when you look at the police decal a certain angle to see a reflective “Police” sticker. At night its impossible to find these guys.

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
I hope the guy finds a good team to put up a rigorous defense and blow a big hole in that prosecutors strategy.

American citizens can’t let actions like those of the prosecutor get on the books to be used against them again later.
[/quote]

We let it get that far. I am not sure who allowed them to start riding around without any labeling to identify themselves to start with…but as soon as we let that slide, we set ourselves up for shit like this.

I see at least two of these guys daily driving around in cars that you could only identify by their headlights or that cattle guard on the front…and some don’t even have that!

They have fucking cameras in their cars, why the fuck is this a big deal to cops? I say the more eyes on these situations the better, too many situations in the past have proven that not all cops play by the rules.

This post is in no way a slam on police officers, I respect the fact that they have a very tough job and most people treat them like shit, but only the bad apples will suffer from this. If a cop does everything he is supposed to, then there is nothing to fear.

[quote]Totenkopf wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Cops in general have abused any power they’ve been given to the point that I have little sympathy here. I am still against all of these cops driving around Houston in UNMARKED police cars that have no indication visible that they are even cops when they go to flash their lights at people. That should be against the law.
[/quote]
It is bullshit. They even have those new white Chargers that police ride in and the only way you can tell its a police car is when you look at the police decal a certain angle to see a reflective “Police” sticker. At night its impossible to find these guys.[/quote]

No, the new ones don’t even have that reflective decal. That is why I’m pissed because I had one ride behind me for three miles yesterday.

That shit isn’t safe FOR US!! Anyone can pretend to be a cop today and it is their own damn fault.

They are trying to hide in broad daylight and they lost any respect in the process.

Nothing pisses me off more than police officers on a power trip.

I used to get pulled over and searched all the time when I was living in the San Gabriel Valley, I used to have a shaved head. So a young mexican kid with a shaved head driving around in a nice car with rims, I was constantly a target for police.

I wish I had known at the time that they can’t just search you for no reason, it happened so often I thought it was standard procedure. I wish I would’ve video taped some of these encounters, there were times when they slammed me on the hood and handcuffed me for no reason, then searched my car and would unhandcuff me when they found nothing and leave.

Then I moved to Orange county (Irvine) and boy was I in for a rude awakening. I was driving around at 8pm but was going the wrong way, went to the light made a LEGAL U-Turn and got pulled over. When I asked the officer why he pulled me over he asked why I made a U-Turn. I said cuz I was going the wrong way. His response, “that doesnt make sense”. Uh, what?

I was going the wrong way so I made a U-Turn, what’s the problem, it was a legal U-turn. his response: It just doesn’t seem right, a bit to suspicious. Then he asks me, “what are you doing around here”. I was like wtf I LIVE HERE. He looked real surprised and repeated, “you live here”. Fkn asshole.

After that incident and a couple more similar to it I decided to stop shaving my head. Wasn’t worth the drama.

Any police officer that likes talking down to people or abusing their power needs to take a deep look inside themselves as a man/ woman. If they’re abusing this small amount of power they are given, imagine if they were given real power, like the leader of a nation.

Police officers seem to think they’re above everyone else and if you’re a minority driving at night then you must be scum, cuz minorities NEVER work doubleshifts and can’t just be driving home after a long days work.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also this:

[quote]In the Graber case, the trooper also apparently had reason to want to keep his actions off the Internet. He cut Graber off in an unmarked vehicle, approached Graber in plain clothes and yelled while brandishing a gun before identifying himself as a trooper.

[/quote]
Should no longer be tolerated. There is simply nothing keeping some guy off the street from buying a gun and a badge and pretending to be a cop today since so many of these guys want to drive like they are UNDER FUCKING COVER all day long.[/quote]

There is also the distinct possibility that someone would open fire on the (unidentified) cop, causing injury and death to either or both people involved. I know that everybody responds differently, but when a gun gets drawn, it’s life or death, and mine and my loved ones lives are infinitely more valuable to me than anybody else’s.

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Totenkopf wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Cops in general have abused any power they’ve been given to the point that I have little sympathy here. I am still against all of these cops driving around Houston in UNMARKED police cars that have no indication visible that they are even cops when they go to flash their lights at people. That should be against the law.
[/quote]
It is bullshit. They even have those new white Chargers that police ride in and the only way you can tell its a police car is when you look at the police decal a certain angle to see a reflective “Police” sticker. At night its impossible to find these guys.[/quote]

No, the new ones don’t even have that reflective decal. That is why I’m pissed because I had one ride behind me for three miles yesterday.

That shit isn’t safe FOR US!! Anyone can pretend to be a cop today and it is their own damn fault.

They are trying to hide in broad daylight and they lost any respect in the process.[/quote]

x2

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also this:

[quote]In the Graber case, the trooper also apparently had reason to want to keep his actions off the Internet. He cut Graber off in an unmarked vehicle, approached Graber in plain clothes and yelled while brandishing a gun before identifying himself as a trooper.

[/quote]
Should no longer be tolerated. There is simply nothing keeping some guy off the street from buying a gun and a badge and pretending to be a cop today since so many of these guys want to drive like they are UNDER FUCKING COVER all day long.[/quote]

There is also the distinct possibility that someone would open fire on the (unidentified) cop, causing injury and death to either or both people involved. I know that everybody responds differently, but when a gun gets drawn, it’s life or death, and mine and my loved ones lives are infinitely more valuable to me than anybody else’s.

[/quote]

I know people who simply would not have stopped for him…and should they go to jail for running from an UNMARKED OUT OF UNIFORM COP WITH A DRAWN GUN?

I think it’s bullshit. They have dash cams to protect themselves and we should be able to do the same. I’m pretty confident this guy will not get 16 years, or any time for that matter.

[quote]AndrewG909 wrote:
Nothing pisses me off more than police officers on a power trip.

I used to get pulled over and searched all the time when I was living in the San Gabriel Valley, I used to have a shaved head. So a young mexican kid with a shaved head driving around in a nice car with rims, I was constantly a target for police. I wish I had known at the time that they can’t just search you for no reason, it happened so often I thought it was standard procedure. I wish I would’ve video taped some of these encounters, there were times when they slammed me on the hood and handcuffed me for no reason, then searched my car and would unhandcuff me when they found nothing and leave.

Then I moved to Orange county (Irvine) and boy was I in for a rude awakening. I was driving around at 8pm but was going the wrong way, went to the light made a LEGAL U-Turn and got pulled over. When I asked the officer why he pulled me over he asked why I made a U-Turn. I said cuz I was going the wrong way. His response, “that doesnt make sense”. Uh, what? I was going the wrong way so I made a U-Turn, what’s the problem, it was a legal U-turn. his response: It just doesn’t seem right, a bit to suspicious. Then he asks me, “what are you doing around here”. I was like wtf I LIVE HERE. He looked real surprised and repeated, “you live here”. Fkn asshole.

After that incident and a couple more similar to it I decided to stop shaving my head. Wasn’t worth the drama.

Any police officer that likes talking down to people or abusing their power needs to take a deep look inside themselves as a man/ woman. If they’re abusing this small amount of power they are given, imagine if they were given real power, like the leader of a nation. Police officers seem to think they’re above everyone else and if you’re a minority driving at night then you must be scum, cuz minorities NEVER work doubleshifts and can’t just be driving home after a long days work.[/quote]

The guy who pulled me over was speaking to me like I was fucking 13 years old (with his hand on his gun)…and that pissed me off because not only did he look younger than me, but he was pulling me over for no reason and I’m a grown fucking man.

I just don’t see these valiant cops whose lives are on the line saving poor little old us. I just see guys abusing power on a regular basis.

I mean, I’m military and cops used to respect that a little…but not now.

And people scoff at libertarian minded people.

You get the Nanny you vote for.

In this case, your Nanny has a gun and is willing to use it on you. Some cities have blocks of ‘crime watch’ cameras-- waiting for you to illegally sneeze, but you can’t video tape Nanny giving you a traffic ticket.

Just remember this every time you vote “D” and “R”.

Go ahead, repeat the mantra— “Gov’t is here to protect me”.