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police department releases video of heroic actions by officer

onus

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
699
Location
idaho
You might be wondering why someone like myself, who is fairly anti-police is posting an article and video of a police officer doing something good and heroic. Well, here is why....

This video was provided by the El Segundo police department in California. It shows an officer rescuing a women from a burning car. The video was taken by the officers patrol car dashcam.

This department is currently being sued because in the last 2 years they have denied 36 out of 37 public records requests for copies of their patrol car dashcam video from various incidents. In addition to denying the videos, they also have an official agency policy to charge $155 per hour for their time to "compile records and make digitial copies" and that fee must be paid before the video is released. Almost every single police department charges a flat fee of $6 per CD of dashcam video.

Why do the police release videos showing positive actions by their officers and refuse public access to other videos ?

I have a feeling the judge in the current case is going to be asking that same question.


http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-...egundo-officer-pulling-woman-from-burning-car
 

Fallschirjmäger

Active member
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,823
Location
Cumming, Georgia, USA
Now, let me preface this by admitting I'm not in law enforcement and their attitudes may differ from that of us 'common folk' but, when I'm doing something I don't mind bragging about I want everyone and their cousin to see it. When I'm doing something shady, or something that might seem to be shady if anyone saw it, I tend to not want anyone to see me doing it and I like to keep it as quiet as possible.

As I said, professional law enforcement attitudes towards such things may be different... I dunno.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
Now, let me preface this by admitting I'm not in law enforcement and their attitudes may differ from that of us 'common folk' but, when I'm doing something I don't mind bragging about I want everyone and their cousin to see it. When I'm doing something shady, or something that might seem to be shady if anyone saw it, I tend to not want anyone to see me doing it and I like to keep it as quiet as possible.

As I said, professional law enforcement attitudes towards such things may be different... I dunno.

Attitudes are irrelevant. What cops do while on the job is PUBLIC domain. They can not hide it from us, good or bad. If they are uncomfortable with a public job, then they need to give up being a cop.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Todays (30 SEP 13) email I got (after I sent a followup email in regards a simple records request):
We have been extremely busy. Attorney Ainsworth is working on this request, and she is out for the rest of the afternoon. I will touch base with her tomorrow and have her provide you with a status. Your continued patience is appreciated. Thanks.

Christine P. Plourde, Esq.


One I got previously, on 18 SEP 13
You should expect to receive the spreadsheet soon. I will have that request moved to the top of the pile.

Christine P. Plourde, Esq.


Top O' da pile ... see what that gets ya .... for a single record asked for in August
 
Last edited:

HandyHamlet

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
2,772
Location
Terra, Sol
I was going to say:

"If showing up for work and then doing your job makes you a "hero" then I suspect there are quite a few heroes out there."

But know I realize no one was tazed, arrested, or beaten. No dogs were shot this one time. So... Hero!
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
You might be wondering why someone like myself, who is fairly anti-police is posting an article and video of a police officer doing something good and heroic. Well, here is why....

This video was provided by the El Segundo police department in California. It shows an officer rescuing a women from a burning car. The video was taken by the officers patrol car dashcam.

This department is currently being sued because in the last 2 years they have denied 36 out of 37 public records requests for copies of their patrol car dashcam video from various incidents. In addition to denying the videos, they also have an official agency policy to charge $155 per hour for their time to "compile records and make digitial copies" and that fee must be paid before the video is released. Almost every single police department charges a flat fee of $6 per CD of dashcam video.

Why do the police release videos showing positive actions by their officers and refuse public access to other videos ?

I have a feeling the judge in the current case is going to be asking that same question.


http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-...egundo-officer-pulling-woman-from-burning-car

I've pulled about a dozen folks from burning vehicles ... most while in the service .... you get used to it after a few ... crappy equipment we had ... and 2 regular POVs that overturned due to glug-glug-glug lol.
 

Fallschirjmäger

Active member
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,823
Location
Cumming, Georgia, USA
Where did the PD get authority to spend $155/hr on self-promotion?
Well, the video was done on 'police time' so it didn't really cost anything.

But for Open Records Act stuff they're paid by the hour and you need a clerk to do the work...
... and the clerk needs a supervisor
... and the supervisor needs a manager
... and the manager has to report to a police officer (Lt or Cpt) so after a while it gets into 'real money' since they do can't anything else while all that filing and clerking is being done by the clerk.
 
Last edited:

Superlite27

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
1,277
Location
God's Country, Missouri
I've been dropping snidely phrased questions all over the interwebz whenever I see this video about how a department that denies FOIA requests for dashcam footage after months of "processing" is able to release footage the following day when it is good PR.

Isn't it strange how all the beurocracy magically disappears when it's good PR?
 

Maverick9

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
1,404
Location
Mid-atlantic
We had a case locally where a LEO got a ladder and rescued a girl from a house fire, climbing up the too short ladder and getting her out since the FD was not on scene yet.

I consider this heroic because he found a ladder in back of the house and risked his safety since it was about 5 feet short. Those are the kind of cops I like to see and I will applaud them.

But this department needs to show a more reliable and frequent record to counteract any negative actions before this makes a difference, sad to say.
 
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