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AndrewKing ErinRogers WRTG2010B5 6/4/2013 EndingPoliceBrutality Policearegivenextrapowerstoprotectourrights,howeversometimesthepolice misusethesepowers(Robinson1).Topreventpolicemisconductitisnecessarytoallow citizenstorecordthepolice,haveexternalorganizationscheckingforabuseswithinpolice departments,andhaveofficerspolicetheirowncommunities. Thefirstincidentofpolicebrutalityrecordedanddistributedbyaprivatecitizenwas whenLosAngelesresidentGeorgeHolidayrecordedthebeatingofRodneyKingonhis SonyHandycamfromhisresidence.HolidaysubmittedhistapetoKTLA,alocaltelevision station.Eventuallytheofficersresponsiblewereprosecutedbythefederalgovernmentfor civilrightsviolationsandtwowereconvicted.ThetaperesultedinjusticebutHolidaycould havebeenconvictedofviolatingstatewiretappingstatutesifhehadrecordedthepoliceso today(Robinson2). Thefederalbaselineforprivacywhilerecordingisthatonepartyinvolvedinthe recordingmustconsenttobeingrecorded.Howeversomestateshavecreatedstricter privacylawswhereallpartiesintherecordingmustconsentifitcanbedeterminedthat therewasareasonableexpectationofprivacyatthetimeofrecording(Robinson3)(Potere 284)(Mishra1549).Therearetwostateswhichexcludethereasonableexpectationof privacyclause:IllinoisandMassachusetts(Robinson5and6).Inthosetwostatesitis illegaltorecordthepolicewithouttheirconsent. Policemisconductisdifficulttoprosecute.Therearemanydisputesaboutthe

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reputabilityoftheclaim,usuallyitcomesdowntoahesaidshesaidargument(Potere 301).Camerasprovideconcreteevidencewhichcanbeusedincourt.Poteresaidinhis essaythatcellphonesarebeneficialtoaccuratelyreportingpolicemisconduct. Itisbecomingeasierthaneverforcitizenstomonitorthepolicegiventheubiquity ofcellphonesabletorecord,edit,andinstantlypublishvideostotheInternet. Usingacellphonetorecordanddisseminatepoliceconductisfunctionallyidentical tothetraditionaldemocraticrighttoobserveandreportpoliceconduct.Theonly differenceisthatacameraisusedinsteadofeyewitnesstestimonyandhearsaya changethatactuallybenefitstheaccuracyofreportingmisconduct. Potere301 Moreaccuratereportingofpolicemisconductmeansthattherearelessfrivolouscharges broughtagainstofficersandthatmostchargesareforcrimesthatactuallyhappened. Whilethereareconcernsaboutthesafetyofcitizensthereareconcernsaboutthe privacyofofficers.Withsmartphones,anycitizenisabletorecordthepoliceandshare therecordingontheinternet(Potere301).Theprimaryconcernisthatoncethereisa videoontheinternet,themajorityofviewersmaybecomehostiletowardsoneofthe participantsinthevideo(Robinson12).Thisisproblematicbecausevideoisnotalwaysa reputablesource.Avideocanobscurethingsincludingthesurroundings,eventsbefore andafterthefootage,andcontext.Avideocanevenbedigitallyeditedtoinclude,or obscurecertaineventsorobjects.Howeveravideothathasbeentamperedwithiseasyto identifywithtrainingandtheeventsbeforeandafterthefootagecanbeunobscuredby eyewitnesstestimony.ItisrecommendedthatJuriesbetrainedtospottamperedfootage (Robinson9).Avideowhichisdishonestcoulddoseriousharmtoanofficer.Especially becausewithaslightlyadvancedknowledgeofusingtheinternet,itispossibletoidentify whoisinthevideo,gettheiraddress,andrecruitotherpeopletoharasstheintendedvictim ortheirfamilymembers(Robinson13and14). Courtshavedecidedthatdespiteprivacyinterests,recordingthepoliceis

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fundamentaltoprotectingtherightsofprivatecitizensandisconstitutionallyprotected. Howeverthisisarecentbreakthrough.Whenpeoplefirstsuedthegovernmentonthe groundsthattheirfirstamendmentrightswereviolated,thecourtssaidthatnorighthad beenestablishedandthrewmostcasesout(Potere287).Lateroncourtshavedecidedto doaconstitutionalanalysistodetermineifthe1stamendmentprotectstherighttorecord police(Potere289and290).Notonlydidthecourtsdecidethatrecordingthepoliceisa firstamendmentright.Theydeterminedthatconfiscationofcameraspresentsaprior restraintonspeech,aviolationofthe1stamendment(Potere302312).Somesaythat policeconfiscationoftherecordingdevicealsoviolatesthe4thamendmentbecauseitisan impropersearchandseizureasthereisnowarrant(Martin)(Healy). Whilerecordingthepoliceisnecessary,itisnotenoughtopreventpolicebrutality becausenoteveryoneisreadytorecordateverytimeandusuallythevictimisalone. Policeareequippedwithcamerasontheircarsandbodiesinmanystates.Intheorythis wouldwardofabuse,howevertherearecaseswherethepolicehavedeletedfootageand claimedthatthecamerasmalfunctioned(Balko). ThisisnotthefirsttimeapolicecamerainPrinceGeorge'sCountyhas malfunctionedatacriticaltime.In2007AndreaMcCarren,aninvestigativereporter fortheD.C.TVstationwJLA,waspulledoverbysevenPrinceGeorge'sCounty policecarsassheandacameramanfollowedacountyofficialinpursuitofastory aboutmisuseofpublicfunds.Inasubsequentlawsuit,McCarrenclaimedpolice roughedherupduringthestop,causingadislocatedshoulderandtornrotatorcuff. McCarrenwonasettlement,butshewasneverabletoobtainvideooftheincident. PrinceGeorge'sCountyofficialssayallsevendashboardcamerasinthepolice cruiserscoincidentallymalfunctioned. Balko Itisextremelyunlikelythatsevencameraswouldmalfunctionatthesametime.Most policemisconductcasesarehandledinternallybypoliceorganizations.Atthesametime policearerarelyheldresponsibleformisconduct.Thisisproblematicbecauseitprevents victimsfrombeingheardandisahinderancetoinvestigations.Policemisconductclaims

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shouldbehandledbyoutsideorganizations.Thepoliceshouldalsobeunderconstant surveillancebyaseparateboard.Thiswouldmakeitsothatthepoliceareheld accountablefortheiractions. Manypolicemenopposeoutsideinterventiononthebasisofprivacy(Citation needed).Howevermanyworkplacesalreadyhavecamerasinstalledwithconstant surveillanceandmanyotherpublicofficials,suchasmembersofcongress,aretelevised whenperformingpublicservice.Itisnotacceptableforpolicetorequestadouble standard.Thepoliceworkforthecitizens,itstheirtaxdollarswhichpaythepolices salary. Theotherproblemwiththepolicesystemisthatthereisnottrustbetweenthe officersandthecommunity.Manypolicemencommutefromotherneighborhoods, especiallythosewhopolicepoorneighborhoods.Theproblemisthatpolicemaysee peopleinthecommunitytheyworkinasinferior.Policelivingwithinthecommunitythey servemaypreventmisconduct.Thepolicewouldbeabletobuildrelationshipswiththe peopletheyserveandtheywouldbeheldaccountablebythecommunity.Forexample,if anofficerkilledamemberofthecommunitytheylivedin,therewouldbesocial consequencessuchasneighborsshunningthem.Buildingarelationshipbetweenthe policeandthecommunitiestheyserveisaneffectivewaytopreventabuse. Tocombatpolicebrutalitythereneedstobecitizenintervention,government intervention,andinteractionbetweenthepoliceandtheircommunities.Implementingthese policieswouldcreateanenvironmentwherecitizenstrustthepoliceandpolicetrustthe citizens.Transparencyisthesolutiontostateviolence.

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WorksCited Balko,Radley."TheWarOnCameras."Reason42.8(2011):22.MasterFILEPremier.Web. 16Apr.2013. Healy,Chris."WomanFaced15YearsForRecordingPolice."NewsMedia&TheLaw36.1 (2012):15.Communication&MassMediaComplete.Web.16Apr.2013. Martin,JohnP."ACLUsuesPhilapoliceoveriPhonerecordings."PhiladelphiaInquirer,The (PA)16Jan.2013:NewspaperSource.Web.16Apr.2013. Mishra,Dina."UnderminingExcessivePrivacyForPolice:CitizenTapeRecordingTo CheckPoliceOfficers'Power."YaleLawJournal117.7(2008):15491558.EconLit. Web.16Apr.2013. Potere,Michael."WhoWillWatchTheWatchmen?:CitizensRecordingPolice Conduct."NorthwesternUniversityLawReview106.1(2012):273316.Academic SearchPremier.Web.16Apr.2013. Robinson,DustinF."BadFootage:SurveillanceLaws,PoliceMisconduct,AndThe Internet."GeorgetownLawJournal100.4(2012):13991435.LegalCollection.Web. 16Apr.2013.