The police officer has no excuse for such behavior.  If he had been a rookie, ok, but he said he had 30 years experience.  Such people have no business being in uniform.

There is no protection of image under the Fourth Amendment. If you’re in public, you can be photographed. That includes the police, and they should know that.

If you’re not doing anything wrong at a scene, then that footage (from a third party) is your best friend when a complaint about your behavior comes in. Nothing to hide? Then don’t sweat being taped.

We don’t need police operating under the radar. The very thought should scare the hell out of anyone.

Typical Nazi bastard taking away innocent people’s liberty. He should be kicked off the force for abuse of power, If they let him get away with this crime, they are sanctioning this abuse.

Glad that so many of us have agreed over the years that the constitution is a living document…  Get used to this and much more, as civil unrest in this country grows and it will, the precedents have long been set for the suspension of our liberties in favor of police powers… I hope that we will be happy with the ramifications of the Patriot Act and the subsequent errosions of our liberties. 

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety – Benjamin Franklin

Every now and then, an event like this exposes the real reason some angry, “frustrated sergeant” types become policemen. Of course we would like to think of our police as a America’s finest citizens; but some of them are really in it for the sense power and control the feel they don’t have without a uniform and a gun.

I have had the dubious distinction of having two Sheriffs Deputies in my home, uninvited, sans warrant.  While they were there looking, poking, prodding everywhere they could, there wasn’t a thing I could do or say.  In fact, I had to reasonably conclude they were looking for an excuse.

Two dolts! That I wouldn’t let cut my lawn were temporarily in control of my life and its terrifying.  They used the pretext of ‘in plain sight” to look through very private locations.  They found no contraband, but, they did seize my gun collection, ostensibly, to ascertain the legality?

All told, that disruption of my life cost approximately $3000.00, (including legal fees) to get my Gun Collection back.  IF, the police don’t get you legitimately, they know they can bend the rules and it will cost the citizen monetarily.  I wasn’t charged or convicted, but I paid!

This is exactly what is going on in the video.  The Cop knows that his Chief won’t effectively discipline him and a jury won’t convict him.  Sooo…  This goes on all the time right, from the simple traffic stop to felony arrests.  Even the ubiquitous video camera doesn’t help much.

As citizens, we put enormous trust and faith in the Police.  There is very little stopping a Cop from going bad, except, his or her character.  I cannot offer a solution for these instances.  However, I can warn you: Don’t think, for a minute, that it can’t happen to you!

Purveyor

Great name…

Meet George Jetson, Jane wife, Daughter Judy, his Boy Elroy… LOL

Trivia:  George Jetson worked for “Spacely Sprockets.”What was the name of Spacely’s arch rival across the way and what was his business?

Purveyor

Comrades, what did you expect in such a free country? We have gestapo everyplace today.. Embrace our American dream.. drink Vodka, be happy..no telling how long it may last. Giggle, get perverted with your neighbor, relax.. no faults here to watch.. Police always right.. embrace Amerika.. You created it.. Thank you for vote of leadership.

http://oathkeepers.org/oath/

Though it’s a little different in that the Suffolk cop keeps coming back for another bite at the apple and the New York videographer is a freelance stringer, the above reminded me of a similar incident that occurred between an Albuquerque Police officer and a news photographer, a few years ago.

Unfortunately, the video link that I have on file no longer works and a search using the station’s internal engine and a targeted Google doesn’t find the tape in a new location, but luckily the Albuquerque Journal keeps better archives and though there’s no video, the text is available to anyone willing to sit through an ad for a daypass.

Long story short, a producer for KOB-TV was filming a police standoff from what memory says was more than a block away, when an Albuquerque Police officer ordered him to move, then paced a bit before lunging at him, forcibly placing him under arrest and doing an “inventory search” of the fellow’s marked news van.

After the incident found its way onto a future newscast with the extended video made available via the web, along with the local paper and at least one other station asking questions, the officer was placed on administrative leave pending a disciplinary hearing, a judge dismissed the charges against the photographer and the officer was fired. Though a few months later, he was given a job on another area police force.

Most police are on the job to protect and serve the public. There are a few, however, who are bullies, masochists, and tough guys. Most likely they are trying to compensate for their small penises.

I would hope so. That was entirely gratuitous.

There are two sides to every story:)

Yes, this officer Acted Stupidly.

another fine example of an a-hole in a cop uniform believing that the law is whatever he wants it to be and abusing his position just because he can.

Their media refresher training could easily consist of having the phrase “It’s a free country” tattooed on their chests.

Damn right there is.  Even with dash board cameras and security video plainly showing a Cop’s actions as warranted, the Cop, frequently, get scrutinized unnecessarily.

Especially when a segment of the population is against you, (the Police) no matter what!

Purveyor

Damn right there is.  Even with dash board cameras and security video plainly showing a Cop’s actions as warranted, the Cop, frequently, get scrutinized unnecessarily.

Especially when a segment of the population is against you, (the Police) no matter what!

Purveyor

Hey,

Turns out that my former Colorado Home,( which I built and lived in for 15 years) the new owner rented out while he was building a new Garage and re-doing the basement.

Apparently, the Cops were doing sweeps with helicopters looking for “heat signatures.”  LOL
Sure enough. The Renter had a “heat signature” of a Pot growing operation.  Ouch!

I still get gossip from the mountain as a good friend still lives up there…  LOL

Its 30 years on the job too long. Its time for retirement. What other damage has this individual done to civil liberty in those 30 yrs one has to ask. This is behavior expected and seeen on Moscow streets not the USA. 

Its 30 years on the job too long. Its time for retirement. What other damage has this individual done to civil liberty in those 30 yrs one has to ask. This is behavior expected and seeen on Moscow streets not the USA. 

This cop is the perfect reason why good cops get killed. He should be fired and not given a damn pension. Because I cops like him, I have no sympathy when a cop gets killed, because I now go by the thought, the cop asked for it. 

I think most cops should be labeled as domestic terrorists, and treated accordingly. 

If I was the one filming and he started in on me that why, I would have used my SF training from the Army, and made him regret the day he was conceived. 

Jonathon The Impaler Sharkey

 I am not going to justify this guys action nor am I going to condemn it. Because I and none of you have enough information to do so. I really wish you could see what these guys go through on a daily basis. From my experience and just looking at the tape this is a fairly large and serious crime scene. Have any of you been in a high speed pursuit? Do you know the stress level that this Sgt has just had to deal with. I would say most of you do not. The liability alone,and the decisions that are made have to be split second and could either cost a life or save one. The last thing these guys want or need is some “citizen” poking a camera around looking to see if they can catch some action out of context and post it on Utube. Once again I don’t know the whole story here but have been in similar incidents like this many many times. Most of you would forgive a soldier for acting out in a stressful situation in similar circumstances and may even give that soldier more lee way. I just ask you to think about judging this by  a 2 minute tape, and try and look at the whole picture. You would expect no less of me if I was at your house investigating something you may have been involved in.