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AndrewKing ErinRogers WRTG2010B5 6/4/2013 EndingPoliceBrutality Policearegivenextrapowerstoprotectourrights,howeversometimesthepolice misusethesepowers(Robinson1).Topreventpolicemisconductitisnecessarytoallow citizenstorecordthepolice,haveexternalorganizationscheckingforabuseswithinpolice departments,andhaveofficerspolicetheirowncommunities. Thefirstincidentofpolicebrutalityrecordedanddistributedbyaprivatecitizenwaswhen LosAngelesresidentGeorgeHolidayrecordedthebeatingofRodneyKingonhisSony Handycamfromhisresidence.HolidaysubmittedhistapetoKTLA,alocaltelevisionstation. Eventuallytheofficersresponsiblewereprosecutedbythefederalgovernmentforcivilrights violationsandtwowereconvicted.ThetaperesultedinjusticebutHolidaycouldhavebeen convictedofviolatingstatewiretappingstatutesifhehadrecordedthepolicesotoday(Robinson 2). Thefederalbaselineforprivacywhilerecordingisthatonepartyinvolvedintherecording mustconsenttobeingrecorded.Howeversomestateshavecreatedstricterprivacylaws whereallpartiesintherecordingmustconsentifitcanbedeterminedthattherewasa reasonableexpectationofprivacyatthetimeofrecording(Robinson3)(Potere284)(Mishra 1549).Therearetwostateswhichexcludethereasonableexpectationofprivacyclause:Illinois andMassachusetts(Robinson5and6).Inthosetwostatesitisillegaltorecordthepolice withouttheirconsent. Policemisconductisdifficulttoprosecute.Therearemanydisputesaboutthe

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reputabilityoftheclaim,usuallyitcomesdowntoahesaidshesaidargument(Potere301). Camerasprovideconcreteevidencewhichcanbeusedincourt.Poteresaidinhisessaythat cellphonesarebeneficialtoaccuratelyreportingpolicemisconduct. Itisbecomingeasierthaneverforcitizenstomonitorthepolicegiventheubiquityofcell phonesabletorecord,edit,andinstantlypublishvideostotheInternet.Usingacell phonetorecordanddisseminatepoliceconductisfunctionallyidenticaltothetraditional democraticrighttoobserveandreportpoliceconduct.Theonlydifferenceisthata cameraisusedinsteadofeyewitnesstestimonyandhearsayachangethatactually benefitstheaccuracyofreportingmisconduct. Potere301 Moreaccuratereportingofpolicemisconductmeansthattherearelessfrivolouscharges broughtagainstofficersandthatmostchargesareforcrimesthatactuallyhappened. Whilethereareconcernsaboutthesafetyofcitizensthereareconcernsaboutthe privacyofofficers.Withsmartphones,anycitizenisabletorecordthepoliceandsharethe recordingontheinternet(Potere301).Theprimaryconcernisthatoncethereisavideoonthe internet,themajorityofviewersmaybecomehostiletowardsoneoftheparticipantsinthevideo (Robinson12).Thisisproblematicbecausevideoisnotalwaysareputablesource.Avideo canobscurethingsincludingthesurroundings,eventsbeforeandafterthefootage,andcontext. Avideocanevenbedigitallyeditedtoinclude,orobscurecertaineventsorobjects.Howevera videothathasbeentamperedwithiseasytoidentifywithtrainingandtheeventsbeforeandafter thefootagecanbeunobscuredbyeyewitnesstestimony.ItisrecommendedthatJuriesbe trainedtospottamperedfootage(Robinson9).Avideowhichisdishonestcoulddoserious harmtoanofficer.Especiallybecausewithaslightlyadvancedknowledgeofusingtheinternet, itispossibletoidentifywhoisinthevideo,gettheiraddress,andrecruitotherpeopletoharass theintendedvictimortheirfamilymembers(Robinson13and14). Courtshavedecidedthatdespiteprivacyinterests,recordingthepoliceisfundamentalto protectingtherightsofprivatecitizensandisconstitutionallyprotected.Howeverthisisarecent

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breakthrough.Whenpeoplefirstsuedthegovernmentonthegroundsthattheirfirstamendment rightswereviolated,thecourtssaidthatnorighthadbeenestablishedandthrewmostcasesout (Potere287).Lateroncourtshavedecidedtodoaconstitutionalanalysistodetermineifthe1st amendmentprotectstherighttorecordpolice(Potere289and290).Notonlydidthecourts decidethatrecordingthepoliceisafirstamendmentright.Theydeterminedthatconfiscationof cameraspresentsapriorrestraintonspeech,aviolationofthe1stamendment(Potere 302312).Somesaythatpoliceconfiscationoftherecordingdevicealsoviolatesthe4th amendmentbecauseitisanimpropersearchandseizureasthereisnowarrant(Martin)(Healy). Whilerecordingthepoliceisnecessary,itisnotenoughtopreventpolicebrutality becausenoteveryoneisreadytorecordateverytimeandusuallythevictimisalone.Policeare equippedwithcamerasontheircarsandbodiesinmanystates.Intheorythiswouldwardof abuse,howevertherearecaseswherethepolicehavedeletedfootageandclaimedthatthe camerasmalfunctioned(Balko). ThisisnotthefirsttimeapolicecamerainPrinceGeorge'sCountyhasmalfunctioned atacriticaltime.In2007AndreaMcCarren,aninvestigativereporterfortheD.C.TV stationwJLA,waspulledoverbysevenPrinceGeorge'sCountypolicecarsassheand acameramanfollowedacountyofficialinpursuitofastoryaboutmisuseofpublic funds.Inasubsequentlawsuit,McCarrenclaimedpoliceroughedherupduringthe stop,causingadislocatedshoulderandtornrotatorcuff.McCarrenwonasettlement, butshewasneverabletoobtainvideooftheincident.PrinceGeorge'sCountyofficials sayallsevendashboardcamerasinthepolicecruiserscoincidentallymalfunctioned. Balko Itisextremelyunlikelythatsevencameraswouldmalfunctionatthesametime.Mostpolice misconductcasesarehandledinternallybypoliceorganizations.Atthesametimepoliceare rarelyheldresponsibleformisconduct.Thisisproblematicbecauseitpreventsvictimsfrom beingheardandisahinderancetoinvestigations.Policemisconductclaimsshouldbehandled byoutsideorganizations.Thepoliceshouldalsobeunderconstantsurveillancebyaseparate board.Thiswouldmakeitsothatthepoliceareheldaccountablefortheiractions.

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Manypolicemenopposeoutsideinterventiononthebasisofprivacy(Citationneeded). Howevermanyworkplacesalreadyhavecamerasinstalledwithconstantsurveillanceandmany otherpublicofficials,suchasmembersofcongress,aretelevisedwhenperformingpublic service.Itisnotacceptableforpolicetorequestadoublestandard.Thepoliceworkforthe citizens,itstheirtaxdollarswhichpaythepolicessalary. Theotherproblemwiththepolicesystemisthatthereisnottrustbetweentheofficers andthecommunity.Manypolicemencommutefromotherneighborhoods,especiallythosewho policepoorneighborhoods.Theproblemisthatpolicemayseepeopleinthecommunitythey workinasinferior.Policelivingwithinthecommunitytheyservemaypreventmisconduct.The policewouldbeabletobuildrelationshipswiththepeopletheyserveandtheywouldbeheld accountablebythecommunity.Forexample,ifanofficerkilledamemberofthecommunitythey livedin,therewouldbesocialconsequencessuchasneighborsshunningthem.Buildinga relationshipbetweenthepoliceandthecommunitiestheyserveisaneffectivewaytoprevent abuse. Tocombatpolicebrutalitythereneedstobecitizenintervention,governmentintervention, andinteractionbetweenthepoliceandtheircommunities.Implementingthesepolicieswould createanenvironmentwherecitizenstrustthepoliceandpolicetrustthecitizens. Transparencyisthesolutiontostateviolence.

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WorksCited Balko,Radley."TheWarOnCameras."Reason42.8(2011):22.MasterFILEPremier.Web.16 Apr.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:CitizenTapeRecordingToCheck PoliceOfficers'Power."YaleLawJournal117.7(2008):15491558.EconLit.Web.16 Apr.2013. Potere,Michael."WhoWillWatchTheWatchmen?:CitizensRecordingPolice Conduct."NorthwesternUniversityLawReview106.1(2012):273316.AcademicSearch Premier.Web.16Apr.2013. Robinson,DustinF."BadFootage:SurveillanceLaws,PoliceMisconduct,AndThe Internet."GeorgetownLawJournal100.4(2012):13991435.LegalCollection.Web.16 Apr.2013.