Cop: "You're Recording Me? I Will Pull My Gun On You."

[PickelledEggs]

Shir. You know, if you want, you could post this on Tumblr. I'm sure there are loads of tumblr-ites that will be easily emotionally swayed to ignore rational thought and analysis of this video.

[Shiranu]

Cops have every right to stop and approach anyone anytime they fucking want.

As a private citizen, yes. As a representative of their organization, no.

If a cop feels a reason for caution (eg. guy approaching his vehicle with his hand in his pocket)...

Even with the cut video, after he sits there for a good while playing along with the guy.

It's baffling that so many of you are so irrational with this situation.

I agree. I'm not sure how someone can be so irrational as to say a cop escalated a situation is the fault of the person he escalated it with, but here we are at nearly page 4 of people repeating that mantra that cops can do whatever they want if the person doesn't fit their criteria of how you should behave.

[Shiranu]

Shir. You know, if you want, you could post this on Tumblr. I'm sure there are loads of tumblr-ites that will be easily emotionally swayed to ignore rational thought and analysis of this video.

10/10, the passive aggressive is real. Would listen to someone who say's "keep it civil" throw insults again.

[The Skeletal Atheist]

The suspicious activities of attaching a boat to a trailer, being on your property, having your hand in your pocket and having a camera. Wow, we are fucked if that is the criteria of "suspicious activity".

1. How would the cop know it's his boat or his property?
2. For what reason would a citizen film a cop going around a cul de sac?
3. How was he holding his hand in his pocket? Oh wait, we can't fucking tell from the video.

You assume some sort of omniscience on the part of the cop. To you, the cop should have automatically known that the boat was his, and that the cop should have known he didn't have a weapon in his pocket.

As per whether it was suspicious or not, legally that's up for the cop to decide.  Maybe something seemed sketchy, maybe the guy was acting in an unusual manner. Point is, you don't fucking know, and you have only one side of the story.

[Shiranu]

Okay, let's play rational then.

0:00 - 0:20+: Cop has been circling neighbourhood, slowly pulls infront of the cameraman. So far, the cop is the only one who has engaged in any sort of confrontation between the two parties.

0:20 to 1:25 (so far): Sitting there calling in the guy, reporting his license plate number, for having the audacity to record him. Once again, the only person who is actively escalating the situation is the cop.

1:50 - Cop pulls out camera and proceeds to record the cameraman. Again, the cop is the only one escalating the situation. Cameraman steps to the front of his car, cop comes out and confronts him.

It takes two minutes for the cop to be in the right, but I guess let's ignore the 2 minutes of escalation before hand because that doesn't fit your narrative of, "Omg cops are probably good we cant assume anything bad the guy must have been asking for it!"

The guy then empties his pockets, taking out a phone and key. If he was hiding a gun in there then he had some seriously fucking deep pockets. But please, tell me more about how it was the cameraman who escalated the situation. Tell me how he logically is the one to blame for a cop getting offended by someone recording him. I'll wait.

[aitm]

maybe the guy was acting in an unusual manner.

What could possibly be unusual? Hell, everybody I know runs out to the street anytime a cop car comes  and starts to video it, cause…..well…..it could be fun.

[Shiranu]

What could possibly be unusual? Hell, everybody I know runs out to the street anytime a cop car comes  and starts to video it, cause…..well…..it could be fun.

Alot of people do that because you cant trust them any further than you can throw them, or if nothing else are the equivalent of rubbernecking what they think might be a sting or something. A camera =/= justifiable cause to confront someone.

[aitm]

Alot of people do that

well, you got one so far…..a bit of a stretch to a lot…but hey..if it makes you feel more comfortable with your position.

[Shiranu]

well, you got one so far…..a bit of a stretch to a lot…but hey..if it makes you feel more comfortable with your position.

I guess the videos of cop brutality, funny cop bloopers, cop car zooms by at 150 mph in pursuit wow!, etc. all just magically record themselves.

[The Skeletal Atheist]

Okay, let's play rational then.

0:00 - 0:20+: Cop has been circling neighbourhood, slowly pulls infront of the cameraman. So far, the cop is the only one who has engaged in any sort of confrontation between the two parties.

0:20 to 1:25 (so far): Sitting there calling in the guy, reporting his license plate number, for having the audacity to record him. Once again, the only person who is actively escalating the situation is the cop.

1:50 - Cop pulls out camera and proceeds to record the cameraman. Again, the cop is the only one escalating the situation. Cameraman steps to the front of his car, cop comes out and confronts him.

It takes two minutes for the cop to be in the right, but I guess let's ignore the 2 minutes of escalation before hand because that doesn't fit your narrative of, "Omg cops are probably good we cant assume anything bad the guy must have been asking for it!"

The guy then empties his pockets, taking out a phone and key. If he was hiding a gun in there then he had some seriously fucking deep pockets. But please, tell me more about how it was the cameraman who escalated the situation. Tell me how he logically is the one to blame for a cop getting offended by someone recording him. I'll wait.

While you're waiting maybe you should also watch the video.

2:16 - cop asks man to take his hand out of his pocket, man refuses.

Despite what happened before, whether or not he was justified in his stop, that was a lawful and reasonable order. Not because the cop was automatically in the right, but because the cop has no idea what the man has in his pocket. I'm sorry, but when a cop tells you to take your hand out of your pocket, you fucking take your hand out of your pocket. At that point it's a safety issue for both you and the cop.

[aitm]

Sorry…..I guess I should have clarified that I was responding to your pointed remark to my pointed remark that most people don't run into the street when a cop patrols the neighborhood just so they can video him. And judging by the looks of that neighborhood that jack-ass had no reason other than to be an internet hero. Congrats…..you are making him one.

[Shiranu]

While you're waiting maybe you should also watch the video.

2:16 - cop asks man to take his hand out of his pocket, man refuses.

Just watched it again; cop repeatedly smart asses back. Cop escalated situation. Cop admits he has no reason. Guy empties his pocket. Cop continues to carry his pistol out in an intimidating manner until he leaves realizing he has nothing on the guy.

Woooow that proved the cop was a good guy. I'm changing my position, you guys are right the cop is a saint and this guy was an asshole!

[Shiranu]

Btw: The city also agrees the cop could have handled the situation much better. But I guess you know more than the people who did the internal investigation.


I'm not calling for the cop's head, I'm not calling for his job... I'm just calling for people to call a spade a spade; if you pull a gun on someone you escalated conflict with, you are the intimidator. You are the one at fault. And doing it because you have a badge and can get away with it is morally reprehensible and a blight upon American culture that makes us look like a developing country to the rest of the world.

The guy is now in the fire division, where shit like this won't happen again; I am 110% okay with this. The guy wasn't fit for police work and was reassigned, no one got injured, no harm no foul. But it's this attitude of him being some kinda saint because "omg we gotta defend the cops" that is really fucking pathetic to watch.

Edit: Sorry, I forgot I am just irationally appealing to emotion and hate him because "hur dur u h888 cops!"... THIS COP SHOULD FUCKING HAVE HIS HEAD ROLL FUCKING PIGS BRING BACK GUILLOTINE AND HANGS THEM!

[Hijiri Byakuren]

To the people continuing to state that filming the officer was "suspicious" behavior:

American courts have consistently upheld the right to record police officers. States with laws against recording do have provisions to the effect that a reasonable expectation of privacy is required in order for recording people to be a crime; and police officers doing field work have no expectation of privacy. Therefore, recording a police officer for any reason is perfectly legal, and officers cannot stop you from doing it. If a police officer does confront you over any legal activity, they are at fault for anything that follows. That is the law.

- - -

Also my Google-fu is failing me right now, but I do remember a court case in... I wanna say it was either Michigan or Illinois, where the judge ruled that you are allowed to retaliate against police if they initiate a false action. If I can manage to find it and any follow-up, I'll post it here. (It may have been overturned, so I'm not 100% sure on this.)

[aitm]

Btw: The city also agrees the cop could have handled the situation much better. But I guess you know more than the people who did the internal investigation.

No one here disagrees with that it could have been handled better. You went from bad decision to out right "abusive of authority"..meh

I'm just calling for people to call a spade a spade;

but ignore the fact that this guys actions screamed he had every intention of fucking with this cop. I know it, you know it, we all know it, but because you gotta hate cops, its pathetic.

no harm no foul.

yep, opens the window for all kinds of ass-holes to start fucking with the po-po

But it's this attitude of

of what? knowing the jack ass wanted a conflict and initiated it and then you made him a hero…yeah pathetic is the correct word