Law enforcement needs to be educated so that cameras are not used to harass registrants
Cameras are popping up everywhere and will probably be growing exponentially, if not already doing so.
Years ago, when I first heard of cameras being used to solve crimes, I felt it could be a good thing if used properly. It is a good thing when we hear of dangerous criminal types being caught as a result of these cameras; but my biggest concern is what many people are referring to as law enforcement overreach.
In Alabama, which is arguably one of the worst states to live in for a registrant, cities across Alabama are ramping up security by installing cameras as part of their crime-fighting strategy. Officials say that steps have been taken to safeguard privacy. All footage is deleted every 30 days. Does that make me feel comfortable that overreach will not be a concern? No!
My concern is Captain Ware’s comment to Channel 6WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama, “Stolen vehicle, wanted persons, Silver alerts, Amber Alerts, registered sex offenders…” Why is he interested in photographing law-abiding people who are forced to register? Or will LE only be using the cameras to find registrants with outstanding warrants for real crimes?
We have an FAC member who has been sending research to various individuals and groups – anyone he finds who needs to be educated. One person he is educating is a sheriff in Florida. The FAC member recently received a hand-written note from the sheriff thanking him for sending the information to him, which is being sent every two weeks for a period of six months. The sheriff also mentioned that he is passing on the research to the leadership in his department.
We have another member who, with some success, has spent time educating the sheriff in her county.
FAC members are educating the media and legislators. It is now time to start educating our Florida sheriffs. If Grady Judd can understand that we need to look to some of the IT geniuses in this country to start taking down CP from the internet, then any sheriff is capable of understanding and applying the research to prevent LE overreach in the use of these cameras.
Orlando Police is an agency that uses tag readers to scan for terrorists and sex offenders. I was followed for 30 minutes before I finally circling around the officer to get his car number and tag number. He never pulled me over because I didn’t commit any traffic violations. Later that afternoon, I contacted the Professional Standards Division (ie Internal Affiars). A sergeant told me about the tag readers and how they work, making an alarm sound when they come across someone on the terrorist watch list or RSO list. So, they group us with terrorists.
Concerned
And if you are not wanted for say warrants and have not committed any traffic violations, legally they cannot stop you. This is where my police experience comes in. They LIE and say you failed to signal or something else. Then when you go to court, who are they going to believe? A convicted sex offender or an officer who must be honest because, well, he / she is a cop. Go Figure.
With the pervasiveness of cameras, I think any traffic violations should be corroborated by video evidence or thrown out. Perhaps a law to this effect would keep LE overreach in check.
Kudos to the members who are working constructively with sheriffs on these issues. Thank you!!
Jacob
There are a couple of old sayings.
Hate the sin but love the sinner.
And Your past transgressions do not define who you are (Unless you allow or want them to be).
There are better ways that their IT cops could be used than that. How about real crimes, like financial fraud or something.
They have to explore BS to justify their salaries same reason we still have civil asset forfeiture.
If anyone can get Grady Judd to listen to anything that is not his own idea, the rapture will happen immediately. The trumpets will sound and Armageddon will begin. The oceans will open up and release its’ fury and the skies will reign down fire.
Yes, he is that stubborn.
You can’t teach someone anything who already knows everything.
It is great that people are working hard to try to control the criminal regimes. It will help.
But I guarantee the cameras will be abused and weaponized against PFR families. It has already happened. A good way to help combat that is for PFR families to never allow law enforcement to get near them and certainly never talk to them. Neutralize the harassment.
Infrared diodes, the same used in remote controls, can be used to defeat digital cameras.
I know this has nothing to do with what you topic is about but wanted to share something, 3 weeks ago I was at a boat ramp a boat ramp is not considered a park from what the lady that I have to go see twice a year Well anyway a sheriff driving a unmarked car pulls in and starts to cuss me out , I was violating one of the rules I had my dogs with me since I’m not allowed to go to a dog park anyway I was told to leave and if I get caught ever again I would be arrested for violating one of the guidelines that has been imposed on me. Now I called the lady and she te;;s me that I’m allowed to go to a boat ramp well like I said to the cop why are you addressing me when the sign say no pets ,swimming,or drugs well I witnessed people swimming there all the time ,anyway he focused on just me and he yelled out so every one could hear that I was a Sex offender,you know I’m sick of this I was put on the register by mistake and was told they would of fixed it. Well they did fix it all right Enough sorry for venting, anyway just want to say this
Donald
So sorry this happened to you. I told a story on here numerous times but won’t go completely into it. I use to work in law enforcement so I know all the laws (Except apparently the ones they make up).
I truly feel a day care of kids could be on fire and the officers detaining (Illegally) registered citizens would call in on their radio and say they are not available as they are conducting an important investigation on a dangerous felon.
I was held for 1.5 hours in a park before the FDLE told them to let me go. I was told to never go back to that park. Well there is a park right next to it that I go all the time. It is NOT the park I was told to leave. The guy is so stupid I wave to him all the time and he doesn’t even realize it is me. I Yell “Thank you for your service officer”.
I could make this into a race thing because the officer is a different race than me and of the 120 officers on that force, in 30 years, that ONE officer is the only one to ever bother me. But I am not going there as I am sure it was a registry thing.
What is funny is, the other officer was itching to go find some real bad guys and kept looking at me over the shoulder of “Chip on shoulder” cop like “Sorry I am not on board with this behavior”. I felt for that officer because I was once him, haven’t to keep silent while my supervisor was bashing someone’s brains in just for mouthing off.
Not all cops become cops to have power and control, but many of them do. Some of them were bullies as kids and some of them were bullied. Both are a bad reason to become a cop.
I have found though that mouthing off to them is going to make it worse. I never once raised my voice to the officer detaining me and held back saying things like “Why don’t you do your job and go solve a real crime”. I was nothing but professional until the very end when I had enough and asked for a Watch Commander.
He asked how I knew what that was and I stated I worked for many years in a major metro police department in the 1980s and also have a degree in Criminal justice. At that point he threw my license at me hitting me in the face with it, just missing my eye. And said something I cannot repeat on here.
I try and stay off the radar but now with the license plate readers on many patrol cars, I have been followed many times. When I see them, I change lanes. If they move over as well, I pull into a business and go inside until they leave.
Sheriff Judd is on my Phase Two Media Blitz list. He is receiving info every two weeks.
Thank You, Captain,
…..for Your Tireless Volunteerism to Educate the Many Deaf Ears Out There!
Just Always Remember, That ‘Some of them’ have County Jails to Keep Fully Populated 24/7!
It is a Business! ”
“Crime is Commerce”
Speaking of cameras, a Father after hearing someone touched his son at a bus stop, instead of calling police set up a hidden camera to catch the guy. It ended up being a young pastor.
Now if what happened twice was true, he needs to be locked up. But like I said, according to the story, instead the father nearly killed the person in question by cracking his skull, his eyes and nose.
Not sticking up for anything illegal by the pastor but street justice ?
No, that’s just another example of how the registry protected the public and made everyone safe.
The registry makes no one safe.
Our government proved that if you bombard them enough with a lie they will believe it no matter how preposterous. Remember “Y2K”? People believed that January 1, 2000 the shelves at Wal-Mart would be empty because computers would all think it was 1900. Y2K was a government program using social media to determine how stupid the American people are to believe the stupidest BS! Our government has prepared the terms “pedophile” and “domestic terrorist” to label people with inside information so that their voices will not be heard and so they can’t get a fair trial. If somehow they are out on the street they are threatened with prison time if they speak the truth. “Gag orders” are given to “RSO”s who know of actual domestic terrorism. RSOs are told they can’t use social media. But the reason the Navy communication officer planted CP on the computer in the first place is so that the RSO laws could prevent the person from revealing negative information about the US Navy. This is how the RSO laws are now being used. “Frame political rivals who know too much so they can’t speak.”
In case anyone was in the dark on this, all law enforcement agencies can easily gain access to DOT cams that are installed on top of traffic light arrays at intersections and interstate overpasses. These live cams are constantly being monitored by each local emergency management municipality. The feed is also being recorded for any future criminal inquiries.
The Flock cams are just a predicable extension of the DOT cams. Just remember, there’s no reasonable expectation of privacy anymore.
Facts
There is a huge difference between privacy and harassment. Being viewed in case a wanted felon gets picked up on the alert system is one thing. Pulling people over just because they are on the registry is, as they use to say on Mad Tv “That’s on a whole nutha level”.