Just did my first citizen recording of cops in action.

Not a big cop watch person, but the bartender had just told me of a Fairborn cop that seems to be stalking her. In addition to telephone calls (from the station), he has surprised by coming up behind her behind the bar.

Anyway, not ten minutes later, in walk two cops. So I start the video recorder on my iPad and, quite obviously, start recording them. Nothing much happens. They are there for a few minutes and leave. The smaller of the two cops waves at me as he leaves with a third man in civilian clothing (later I learned he was a DEA agent).

After they leave, the bartender advises me that the bigger of the two cops was the one bothering her. I hope I have made him think twice about how he acts in the future. Someone may be recording him.

I asked the bartender if she'd (did not advise her to) get a recorder, turn it on the next time he comes behind the bar, and politely, but firmly, instruct him to get out from behind the bar. IANAL, but I'd be willing to bet that cops can go anywhere the public is invited without cause. However, the public is not invited behind the bar. It strikes me as inappropriate, unprofessional, and likely illegal for him to up and go behind the bar without good cause.

I'd love to hear one of our legal eagles weigh in on that one.


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If there is no sign telling patrons an area is off limits, you'll have to inform verbally.

As soon as she tells someone, including a LEO, that they cannot be behind the bar AND to get out from behind the bar, they have been advised they are trespassing.

THE PROBLEM IS, as a misdemeanor, the LEO needs to see the infraction for themselves. How do you prosecute when the violator is a LEO? Get video and audio evidence to Internal Affairs as part of an official complaint.

THE PROBLEM IS, what kind of troubles will you get from the LEO's friends in that agency after you do something like that? You'll get a 60-minute response times to the next few bar fights, most likely.

The complaint needs to come from a third party.

Of course, that sounds like an invitation to hang out in a bar for long periods of time...

The area behind the bar does have a sign saying "Do not enter."

I would say that a gate and common sense would also send the message that the public in general, which includes cops without cause, are not invited.


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Stalking? Isn't that a crime now? Yet she does not want to file a complaint? Not that she has to.

Suggest she start carrying if she does not know & to have a system that will go through a vest.

Where's the video?

Just to be clear, I don't get the going behind the bar and coming up behind her.

Is this cop a masher or is he stalking her to intimidate? (or unknown?).

Why hasn't she gone in and talked to his IA dept? She has a clear incident. She could say 'if it happens again...'. That way it's on record.

Maverick9 said:

Just to be clear, I don't get the going behind the bar and coming up behind her.

Is this cop a masher or is he stalking her to intimidate? (or unknown?).

Why hasn't she gone in and talked to his IA dept? She has a clear incident. She could say 'if it happens again...'. That way it's on record.

Click to expand...

She could tell him to keep the heck out of her bar .... maybe she like the treatment?

Maverick9 said:

Just to be clear, I don't get the going behind the bar and coming up behind her.

Is this cop a masher or is he stalking her to intimidate? (or unknown?).

Why hasn't she gone in and talked to his IA dept? She has a clear incident. She could say 'if it happens again...'. That way it's on record.

Click to expand...

She feels intimidated. She is afraid of retaliation. She believes that a large part of the department is dirty. I don't know if they are, however, based on some stops I have observed, I gotta wonder.

BTW, I am deliberately not paying attention to the troll in the thread.

Does the bar have security cameras... that she can get recordings of each incident?

Yes, but I was talking later that evening with someone who used to tend there. He said they are pretty crappy. However, an audio recording that could be mapped to a crappy video would go a long way in backing her up.