1. Selective filming
2. Editing and timing.
It is quite possible that the filming witness comes upon the arrest scene after the arrestee's violence has been damped down, but resistance continues. E.G., Rodney King. In effect, this edits out the cops' side of the story. Had Rodney's impromptu cinematographer filmed the first few minutes of the encounter, or had the MSM published Rodney's rap sheet, perhaps he would not have become a black folk hero.
At the same time, citizens have the right to record whatever the hell they want to record of public officials performing public duties. The coppers running the street filmers down, and destroying their property just ain't right ... or legal.
Solution: the cops are just going to have to do a better job of recording their work. Perfect assignment for one of the female Affirmative Action nincompoops now infesting every department in the land.
Perspective. Also remember, that given the present court system and political correctness, that beating that a perp however wrongly receives is very apt to be the ONLY punishment the SOB is ever going to get. Feel sorry for them, just not THAT sorry.
Tough situation all around. Perhaps after a particularly rough bust, the cops ought to call for civilian volunteers to give nasty perps the flogging they so richly deserve. Film that.
Why is a passive observer, who uses his cell phone to film 5+ cops subduing a perp - a SOB? How can any rational person justify that the observer be attacked by a gang (if the gang happens to work for a police department - is that somehow ok?).
If the cops want to act like a unruly gang - treat them like an unruly gang. Felony assault for everyone involved, and let them serve time like anyone else.
The 'what-if' scenerio holds no water at all. "What if" you get a gun? "What if" you go on a shooting rampage? Why, let's prevent you from ever getting close to owning a gun. What if you record a cop raping a woman, what if you edit that film? What if you decide to sell dope? What if ....
Bottom line - the Police work for US, they answer to US - we don't answer to them. If they are operating within the realms of the law, within the professional realm in which they are trained - any filming of them will only go to re-inforce their actions.
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What?
There are courts to punish lawbreakers, that is not the cops job. The cops are trained to handle violent arrest resistance without hurting the suspect. They know how to do it. Did Rodney King deserve what he got? Yeah he probably did but that is not the job of the cops. What the cops did to him was wrong. There is never a time when it is right for you hit someone who is held down. If the cops filmed every minute of what they did then there would be no worry about selective editing. I would hope that all states pass laws that dismiss a case if there are minutes of an encounter missing. I have seen too much of harassment by our men in blue, I'm tired of it. Those guys have a job that is occasionally hard to do, occasionally. They don't need to fly off the handle and get revenge, a court can do that.
Perspective. Also remember, that given the present court system and political correctness, that beating that a perp however wrongly receives is very apt to be the ONLY punishment the SOB is ever going to get. Feel sorry for them, just not THAT sorry.
Cops are not the judge and jury. Dishing out punishment is not their place and it is criminal. I despise criminals and traitors.