St Louis Police Turn Off Dashcam While They Beat Up Suspect

[Rainman]

While police brutality no longer is news, turning off a dashcam so police can beat up someone they are arresting certainly is news. This happened in St Louis. The cops out there must really love using excessive force when making arrests and apparently that's not about to change. The article is linked to below:

St. Louis officer under fire for turning off dashcam video during arrest - CNN.com

A St. Louis man has filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force in a case that involves an officer turning off a dashcam that was recording the man's arrest.

At one point in the video from the dashcam, a female officer can be heard saying: "Hold up, everybody, hold up. We're red right now so if you guys are worried about cameras just wait."

She turned the camera off at that time so those assaulting the suspect wouldn't have to worry about cameras anymore. Impressive.

 

[Kamarsun1]

I'm not surprised this form of brutality goes all the way back to Slavery, and is alive a well in the present. We need a complete change, the government really uses law enforcement to protect the corporation, and the rich. The only way we will get justice is to take our communities back and police ourselves.

 

[OMGnoWAY]

I'm no surprised at all. At least the dashcam was on long enough to catch this snipit. I hope the officers get punished, or even better, fired. It's obvious why they turned off the camera and I think it should count towards evidence of their guilt.

 

[mrsbright]

I would argue this isn't news, not really. Maybe it is because my SO has a fascination with police brutality videos from Germany and the States -- it's like a car crash, you look at one and you're creeped out and disgusted but YouTube brings you to more and more of them. He showed me so many videos of cops confiscating the camera of people under threat, and showed me many cases where there is footage --- oh but there is a part of the footage missing... and then the cops say that (conveniently), in the missing part of the video, the suspect/bystander/victim said or did something threatening or provokative that completely justified the severe beating that can later on be seen happening. It's just so unfortunate that this is the only part that is not available anymore...

Basically, this kind of suspicious behaviour is not news. It exists already a while. It's weird. Probably the dashcam part is new, but I don't believe that it is new for a simple cam or camphone. Hope it becomes more mainstream, so that the bad cops get more severely judged and so that the good cops can do their jobs without the population being suspicious or scared of them.

 

[pandabear1991]

It was excessive for sure! Perhaps the guy was known for drugs (which why he had a loaded gun) and the officers were profiling him (looking for any reason to pull him over). Either way, he had every right to stay in the car. Unless they had a K-9 who detected drugs, or a judge's signature, they had no search warrant. Just because they are cops and he had a loaded gun, did not justify their attack.

 

[Gabe]

While there is no evidence to show them assaulting someone, the question asked is then,"Why was the dashcam off?" That throws more suspicion on the officers and if the suspect had injuries then it's his/her word against theirs. If they used reasonable force, then that is 'acceptable' but to switch off the camera when the suspect was already apprehended indicates behavior that wasn't necessary and thus, the officers should be punished.

 

[donnalynn47]

I don't think a police should have the to ability to touch the dashcam. It should be a device used to protect not only the officer, but the public as well.

 

[missbishi]

At one point in the video from the dashcam, a female officer can be heard saying: "Hold up, everybody, hold up. We're red right now so if you guys are worried about cameras just wait."

This sounds terrible! She's basically asking the other cops to hold off for a moment so she can switch the dash off. For what reason? Why do they even have the ability to switch it off in the first place?

 

[mrsbright]

This sounds terrible! She's basically asking the other cops to hold off for a moment so she can switch the dash off. For what reason? Why do they even have the ability to switch it off in the first place?

I'm pretty sure that since it is people's right to film official interaction with officers, that it is on the opposite side not allowed for them to just shut it off -- probably illegal and could be made an official complaint about, if anything. But maybe the trouble you get for this sort of thing is not as bad as the trouble you'd get for beating someone up on camera?

 

[stevesxs9]

I know the Police try to do everything they can do to stay safe and protect themselves but there is a thin line between staying safe and brutality. This is something that's plagued Law Enforcement for years now.

 

[jeremy2]

Cases of excessive force being used when arresting suspects have become the norm rather than the exception. That incident captures perfectly the current state of affairs where we have suspects who don't pose real threat being subjected to police brutality for no good reason at all.

 

[JoanMcWench]

This could not be less surprising to me. I couldn't even count how many times I've seen police in my area point their cars a certain way to avoid being recorded because of their behaviour. I personally had an experience that was quite similar. Long story short the police took drugs from the trunk of another car & let everyone in said car go while charging me & others with me for acting 'disorderly' which we were doing nothing of the sort. We were questioning why they were releasing the clear & apparent drug dealers.

 

[OGRICHBOI]

This type of brutality is a bit frightening, knowing that someone with lots of authority could so such a thing. This was obviously an act of brutality, and hopefully the officer receives proper punishment. Im just glad that the camera recorded her turning the dashcam off.

 

[Gelsemium]

Either cases the cam did it's job, it's a proof that he turned it off intentionally so now he really needs to face charges on his actions.

 

[Onionman]

If they did turn the dashcam off then this is very premeditated. These type of stories really turn people against the police. It's disgraceful behavior and I hope the right people are brought to justice.

 

[marcamm]

I used to have very high regard for law enforcers such as the police. I just find it hard to believe that policemen, much more a policewoman would do such a thing. But now, with reports of police brutality, criminal acts and being able to witness myself - police taking bribes just to let go of someone who has violated the law, I just shrug and say, "No wonder chaos and disorder continues to increase each day." Some of the enforcers themselves are the ones who break the law themselves.

But still, I respect officers with high honor and integrity.