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Utica detective suspended, investigation opened after altercation with two men goes viral
WDIV Detroit ClickonDetroit.com ^ | February, 11, 2022 | Jason Colthorp

Posted on 02/11/2022 6:33:49 AM PST by David Chase

UTICA, Mich. – A video that shows an altercation between a Utica detective and two men has gone viral since it was posted Wednesday (Feb. 9) night. These guys call themselves auditors, who have filmed videos in public places all over Michigan, and they say they aren’t after confrontations with police, but in this case, they got a big one.

It all began with another driver upset about two men filming with their cameras, so he called Utica police. Those two men are with Fricn Media, a group of self-proclaimed auditors of police behavior that makes no secret about being controversial.

When Utica Police Detective Sgt. Greg Morabito arrived on the scene, things immediately escalated. (Video at Link)

(Excerpt) Read more at clickondetroit.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Miscellaneous; Society
KEYWORDS: altercation; donutwatch; jbt; pinac; police; suburbs; suspension; utica; uticamichigan
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Utica, Michigan is a suburb of Detroit, its approx 12 miles north of Detroit.

The Detective Sgt. had no self control what so ever. If he behaves like this knowing cameras are on him, what’s his behavior like when he knows there’s no cameras around?

Video at Link.

1 posted on 02/11/2022 6:33:49 AM PST by David Chase
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To: David Chase

They always escalate.


2 posted on 02/11/2022 6:40:52 AM PST by wastedyears (The left would kill every single one of us and our families if they knew they could get away with it)
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To: wastedyears

The guy taking the video did make an excellent point, why isn’t the cop talking to the person that called?

It was like gravity was pulling the cop towards the cameraman.


3 posted on 02/11/2022 6:45:15 AM PST by David Chase
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To: David Chase

These first amendment “auditors” are a big craze these days. They are educated know where the lines are and will step right up to them to test law enforcement responses. I have seen videos of them recording outside of banks, nursing homes, etc. and wait for someone to complain and for the police to respond. In one case the “auditor” himself called the police (which did not end well for him). Their goal is to get YouTube views and maybe file a lawsuit.


4 posted on 02/11/2022 6:47:42 AM PST by throwthebumsout
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To: David Chase

I am familiar with these “1A auditors”. Some of them do good work, as they simply film the police. Someone must watch the watchers!

But 90% of them are just out trolling for victims. They (legally) film private citizens, post offices, etc. for the sole purpose of getting angry reactions. Then they put the video up on YouTube.

None of this excuses the horrible and unprofessional behavior of that police officer. He lost his cool, and took the bait. If he can be pushed over the edge this easily, he has no business being a police officer.


5 posted on 02/11/2022 6:49:19 AM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: throwthebumsout

This incident is the first I’ve heard of the “Auditors”…………


6 posted on 02/11/2022 6:52:09 AM PST by David Chase
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To: David Chase

Some cops don’t like having their photo taken. There was a time when cops were considered part of the community they served. That was a long time ago. Now cops are looked at with suspicion, they are outsiders, working as Pretorian Guards against the civilian population.

The detective should’ve just gotten into his car and leave the “auditors” to themselves. The next time the auditors call for help, do nothing.


7 posted on 02/11/2022 6:52:38 AM PST by Flavious_Maximus (Fauci is a murderer)
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To: David Chase

The auditors were loud mouth punks going around every day
looking for confrontations. Well they got one, and I’m with
the Detective on this one.

You cuss and threaten you can and should get your ass beat.


8 posted on 02/11/2022 6:55:52 AM PST by VicVanleeuwenhoek
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To: Flavious_Maximus

Yep. Nowadays if you video a cop, they don’t seem to let ya down.
Always YouTube ready.


9 posted on 02/11/2022 6:58:29 AM PST by David Chase
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To: VicVanleeuwenhoek

We have a system of Justice.

Getting ones a$$ beat isn’t part of it.

I don’t like what some people say, so can I beat their a$$ and call it a “Citizens A$$ Beating”?

Also, the cop whacked their camera and it hit the ground.

Damaging property is ok if people say things we don’t like?

I was a professional too for my career.
I was shot at, attacked, spit on, held at gun point, threaten all the time.

I wouldn’t be saying the word “career” if I behaved like the cop in the video.


10 posted on 02/11/2022 7:04:42 AM PST by David Chase
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To: Flavious_Maximus
Because of over-enforcement of "crimes" that are actually sins.

Sins fall under the purview of your religious leaders, not the constabulary.

If we acknowledged this, we would have less friction with "We the People".

Of course, we would have to allow the sinners to suffer the consequences on their own.

11 posted on 02/11/2022 7:12:36 AM PST by Aevery_Freeman (Who is Ray Epps?)
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To: David Chase

How dumb do these cops have to be to not know:

1. These guys, while annoying, are not breaking the law

2. The police are not as powerful as they think they are, especially when up against folks that know the law

3. THEY’RE BEING SET UP…..this is exactly what these guys want. A confrontation. Now they’re about to get paid. They usually sue for a rather small amount, $5-10k. If they get paid they go away. If not, they amend and go for more. And the taxpayer pays because of the idiot bullies with a badge. Happening with my sheriff and a few of his buddies not too long ago.


12 posted on 02/11/2022 7:15:25 AM PST by qaz123
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To: qaz123

Wasn’t there some law that you just can’t go filming someone and distributing it publicly without the person’s permission? At what point could it be considered stalking?

Haven’t watched the video yet, but pretty sure the phrase “play stupid games, win stupid prizes” applies somewhere here. Along with the usual overall plan of “do everything you can to make everybody mad at everybody”…


13 posted on 02/11/2022 7:58:10 AM PST by Uber-Eng (Northern Texan at heart...Help US save Michigan!!!)
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To: VicVanleeuwenhoek

So if a cop is a loud mouthed punk who goes around looking for confrontations you’re okay when someone punches his ticket, right?


14 posted on 02/11/2022 8:01:29 AM PST by MercyFlush (DANGER: You are being conditioned to view your freedom as selfish)
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To: Uber-Eng

Not that I know of. But if you obscure the other people there’s nothing they can do.

Either way, these guys travel the country doing this. Trying to elicit that exact response they got from this detective. They will now get paid.

It’s no different than the guys that walk around with rifles strapped to their backs and chests. They’ve studied these laws inside and out and know exactly what they can get away with

Are they idiots, jerks, morons, and dunbasses? YUP. 100%.

But the law is on their side. Nothing you can do about it.


15 posted on 02/11/2022 8:06:39 AM PST by qaz123
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To: Flavious_Maximus

[[Some cops don’t like having their photo taken]]

The answer to,that is “Well too bad... learn to like it because it’s legal”

Whenever someone steps outside, they are no longer in a private setting and can be photographed or filmed. Heck in California, they disgustingly ruled that a photographer can take photos of people in their own homes if the curtains are open. Don’t know if that law still stands, but it,was a ruling awhile,back when some scumbag pushed the issue and got the courts to,rule,that he could,photograph from outside the home folks in their own homes


16 posted on 02/11/2022 8:11:10 AM PST by Bob434
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To: Uber-Eng

If you’re in public no permission is needed to video or take still shots of you.

I forgot the estimated number but when you leave home, you are photographed and or videoed almost every step of the way through a town or city.

The outside of your home can be photographed and or videoed, from the street or public access, or sidewalk.

Pull your curtains, close your blinds and you’ll have some privacy…….but then your T.V., internet, cell phone can get ya too.


17 posted on 02/11/2022 8:11:19 AM PST by David Chase
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To: Uber-Eng

“Wasn’t there some law that you just can’t go filming someone and distributing it publicly without the person’s permission?”

Massachusetts and a few other repressive Democrat states were using wiretapping laws from the 1930’s to prohibit public photography and particularly public videography of police in public areas. Numerous Federal and state court decisions have since made clear that public photography and videography are 1st Amendment protected activities.

Law enforcement officers and agencies that think otherwise will correctly be made to pay penalties for violations of civil rights and in some cases they will also face criminal charges. As they should.

“At what point could it be considered stalking?”

If I go to a sidewalk near a police station or even a residential neighborhood and spend an hour video recording whatever I see that is not stalking.

If I follow you around all day and video record you from public that still isn’t stalking but a case could be made for harassment. Unless you’re newsworthy.

Stalking requires a few more elements than just public photography. There’s usually an element of threat involved and not just to your career but to your person.


18 posted on 02/11/2022 8:22:36 AM PST by MercyFlush (DANGER: You are being conditioned to view your freedom as selfish)
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To: qaz123

“Are they idiots, jerks, morons, and dunbasses? YUP. 100%.”

I disagree. They’re exercising a fundamental right just as you and I exercise a fundamental right on Free Republic. And the same cops who would arrest them for photography are these days also arresting people for what they post on forums like FR.

The guys who walk around with rifles on their backs are acting to secure a right that we should have never given up. God bless them for doing this because they’re getting our rights back without needing to go to war.

And a pox on every last cop who harasses people who open carry even when it’s perfectly legal to do so.

https://philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/open-carry-experiment-shows-cops-dont-know-their-own-gun-laws-121989564.html


19 posted on 02/11/2022 8:28:33 AM PST by MercyFlush (DANGER: You are being conditioned to view your freedom as selfish)
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To: MercyFlush

I agree and disagree with your comment. I understand and support the exercising of ones rights. I guess I’m just more subtle and low key.

Who’s the jerk? The guy that walks into the bar to pick a fight or the guy that is minding his own business and ends the fight?

RE: The Open Carry Guys.....I see folks open carry all the time. And they’re doing just that, open carrry. What they’re not doing, in a time where folks are scared sh*tless of active shooter events and the like, are standing on a corner or walking into Walmart a couple of days after a mass casualty event with a rifle across their chest.

These cops do it right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1G1IscWi58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N30TagPCNE4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDH0BDCdu4k

I get the whole.....Deez are muh rights....How about a little common courtesy to your fellow man/woman and not scare the living shit out of them for no reason other than to film cops for youtube.

Delta Force Sgt. Major Kyle Lamb (Ret.): Is open carry responsible? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6HpUi_oc9U

My point is, these guys are looking for a proverbial fight. And, because the cops are morons, more times than not, they end up in one. Because the cops are not used to being challenged nor know the actual law. One would think that this would be in roll-call training. It happened to a friend of mine who’s still in law enforcement. One of the civilians saw the guy with the camera and notified him. He walked out, talked to the guy and politely requested that if he plans on putting the video on social media that he have the courtesy to block any license plates, obscure the faces of any people he films and to be mindful of cars so he doesn’t get hit and move out of the way if someone is walking down the sidewalk. Turned around and walked away. Guy left a few minutes later.


20 posted on 02/11/2022 8:50:22 AM PST by qaz123
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