St. Louis police wary of in-car cameras

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Police union grievances filed in St. Louis show that city officers believe in-car cameras are being used against them.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/Kb9TCT ) reports that many officers are seeking ways to avoid driving cars equipped with cameras. About half of the city’s 300 patrol division cars have cameras.

The Post-Dispatch obtained emails revealing officers’ concerns that cameras make them vulnerable to second-guessing.

Two probationary officers were fired earlier this year. Video from the cameras exonerated them against claims that they planted guns and drugs on a 16-year-old. But it also revealed that one officer struck the handcuffed teen.

The grievance asks that they be rehired and says the department should have taken into consideration that the teen pointed a gun at one of the officers.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

More like this story

Frankenstein27 12 months ago

Good employees in general don't mind working with the boss around, because it gives them the ability to demonstrate that they did a good job. Cops should be no exception. If I were on the police board, I'd be taking a look at any cop making this complaint. I'd fire any cop I cought actively seeking to avoid the cars with cameras. Cops in general need to improve their profesionalism. If that requires more pay, that's fine.

MO4LIFE 12 months ago

Just another shining example of the crooked cops!!!! The City's Finest my BUTT! "I dont want a camera in my car because i don't want anybody to see the crooked stuff i do in or out of my police car!" Make it a mandatory state law that every officer must have a camera in his car and a microphone on his uniform to stop all of these crooked cops!

gofish 12 months ago

In car cameras are good for everyone. They provide evidence of crimes committed. They can also provide crucial evidence when officers are attacked. And yes, they can be used as evidence against officers that aren't meeting professional standards when doing their job. I work at a place with cameras in place. I look at them as a means of keeping me safe.

Silverado_Phil 12 months ago

Maybe the cops are afraid, not of the camera showing some officer doing something wrong, but of where they have been. I can see this coversation occurring:
CopBoss1: Mr Tech, please check out Officer BigBelly's in-car camera. It seems to be not working correctly. It is showing the same picture for 6 hours. Must have gotten stuck or something.
Tech: Nothing wrong with the equipment, sir. What the camera is showing is the outside wall of Dunkin Donuts.
CopBoss1: DOH!!!!

dokeus6 12 months ago

I don't think the cameras come on until the flashing lights go round and round.

Silverado_Phil 12 months ago

Depends on the installation. I have seen videos from police cars that just happened to be at the right place at the right time to record an incident such as a traffic accident. I am sure some cameras are installed to only activate when the lights are flashing.

TraceyT 12 months ago

The officer that hit the kid should be run out of town. The fact that the suspect allegedly pointed a gun at them previously doesn't justify striking him while he was handcuffed. There is no excuse for striking someone while they are subdued.

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