Smile! You're on ACLU Camera!

A special thanks and welcome to Dan Lacey and Faithmouse fans.

Make your self at home, read some other entries and I sincerely hope you like what you see and return for another visit.

VW

It’s one of those things that just don’t seem fair.  The American Criminal Liberation Union is so blatantly and brazenly hypocritical as to defy belief.  From STL Today:

St. Louis police officers often say they feel as if people are looking over their shoulders.

That feeling isn't likely to let up this year.

The local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, a frequent critic of the city police, says it plans to arm residents of the city's north side with video cameras to record officers' dealings with the public.

Let’s turn that around.  Suppose the St. Louis PD came out and announced that every officer and car would be equipped to record every contact with every citizen they come in contact with in order to protect their officers from false accusations of brutality.  Any idea how fast the ACLU would be filing a law suit from preventing the Police from doing that? 

Somehow, it’s alright for them, though. 

The police have to take it in stride and in the shorts.  Granted, there’s always a few cops that manage to act stupid.  However, on the surface, this appears to be an attempt by the ACLU to intimidate the police.  The idea is that if they know they might be taped, they may just leave some criminals alone.

What I hope is that after the ACLU spends thousands of dollars for thse cameras, they come up with nothing.

My sense is they will bring some “iffy” case to trial and some jury will reward the ACLU with enough taxpayer money to come out ahead. 

They’ll probably collect several hundred thousand for attorney fees.  Not a bad investment for a few thousand bucks for some lousy video camers, ya think?

VW

Comments

[Just another republican]

And what reason is there for cops to fear a citizens camera. Better a private citizen than the Government anyways.

As much as I respect cops, they are still public servents, they still get paid with tax dollars and if they got something to fear from being on camera I want to know about it.

I think the ACLU is a bunch of nitwits. If they think these cameras are going to be recording cops and not The Jones' summer vacation then they are going to get a surprise. But it's their money.

[OTTMANN]

I think this year will be the ultimate in the ever increasing display of liberal insanity as they throw good money that could help people, at nonsense.

[mojotek]

Well, then who is supposed to watch the cops? You can't tell me with a straight face that there are not police who abuse the power they are handed. Yes, there are many fine police men and women working our streets today... and they should have nothing to fear from being recorded.

And police do record their interactions with the public. Maybe not every single encounter, but I also doubt every citizen is going to press the record button every time they see a police cruiser.

[Violence Worker]

And if your employer put up a camera to watch you at work, would that bother you? I mean, yeah, you always have a few bad employess, but you would be fine with it, right? After all, what's good for them, should be good for you. Right?

VW

[Ronald Reagan]

Cops already have video cameras in most police cars.

It's perfectly legal to videotape anyone in a public place -- even the cops.

What's the difference between this and security cameras that the cops are putting up in major cities left and right?

[Andy Dabydeen]

I think the copys have nothing to fear from citizens carrying around cameras. Don't most already do? Once the cellphone makers are finished with us, every cellphone will be able to record video. It's inevitable.

I do think that the cops should have cameras in their cars however. Too many criminal types get away in court. When a cop becomes a criminal type, there should be no difference.