We live in very strange times. There were once times that if you were in trouble, you called your local police department and hoped that they would catch whomever may have violated you, your property or one of your loved ones.
Unfortunately today, many policemen and policewomen have stepped across the blue line and are as much a part of the criminal element as the basic thug is. The only difference is, the police personnel is a legalized gangster. And we all know, that that is one sinister element, sure to erode public trust, which is already as weak as a baby doe taking it’s very first steps.
Anyway, here are four things that you need to know if you feel that you are experiencing and/or witnessing a case of police brutality. Remember, stay safe so that you yourself don’t become a victim of a bad situation.
- Stand at a safe distance and, if possible, use your phone to record video of what is happening. As long as you do not interfere with what the officers are doing
- Do not try to hide the fact that you are recording. Police officers do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy when performing their jobs, but the people they are interacting with may have privacy rights that would require you to notify them of the recording. In many states (see here) you must affirmatively make people aware that you are recording them.
- Police officers may not confiscate or demand to view your photographs or video without a warrant, and they may not delete your photographs or video under any circumstances. If an officer orders you to stop recording or orders you to hand over your phone, you should politely but firmly tell the officer that you do not consent to doing so, and remind the officer that taking photographs or video is your right under the First Amendment. Be aware that some officers may arrest you for refusing to comply even though their orders are illegal. The arrest would be unlawful, but you will need to weigh the personal risks of arrest (including the risk that the officer may search you upon arrest) against the value of continuing to record.
- Whether or not you are able to record everything, make sure to write down everything you remember, including officers’ badge and patrol car numbers, which agency the officers were from, how many officers were present and what their names were, any use of weapons (including less-lethal weapons such as Tasers or batons), and any injuries suffered by the person stopped. If you are able to speak to the person stopped by police after the police leave, they may find your contact information helpful in case they decide to file a complaint or pursue a lawsuit against the officers.