Camera in Cops car.

[Kroze]

i'm just wondering how do those thing works? Do they run 24/7 and record everything or does the officer have the option of turning them on and off? I mean, what if he knows that he's about to illegally beat someone's ass and remembered to turn the camera's off? Is the tape on his car or is it at a station recording wirelessly?

 

[MikeMike]

no, they turn it on normally when they go to pull someone over. that is it, otherwise it is off.

i think it is mandatory that they turn it on when they are pulling someone over, or similar though.

MIKE

 

[Kroze]

then, why do you have idiot cops who pulled someone over, turn on the camera. And then walk up to the driver and beat the crap out of them while being recorded?

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Originally posted by: Kroze
then, why do you have idiot cops who pulled someone over, turn on the camera. And then walk up to the driver and beat the crap out of them while being recorded?

Those "idiot" cops nearly always have reason (at least perceived) to beat the crap outta somebody. Ultimately itt's probably better to have that video proof when everyone (including myself) cries "Brutality!". You try pulling people over, not knowing the response you get, and see how "docile" you stay when somebody takes a swing at ya

In other cases, the officer has a remote and turns the camera on/off remotely. Such was the case with the recent death of the 300+lb (iirc) guy dying from complications.

 

[ThaGrandCow]

Originally posted by: Kroze
then, why do you have idiot cops who pulled someone over, turn on the camera. And then walk up to the driver and beat the crap out of them while being recorded?

Most times it's because the driver was being threatening. Cops don't just walk up to someone and start swinging... they are provoked in some way

 

[beamme84]

I believe the camera is always recording. It records up to a certain time (3-4 days?) and then continues to overwrite the oldest time. There's also an option to save an "event" so that it wouldn't get overwritten after the time limit.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

At least in the county where my friend worked setting up the system, the cameras were set to record whenever the vehicle was on + x ammount of time after.

 

[Kroze]

well it seems like that everytime i see it on the news. The cops just stupidly walk up and then beat them up.

 

[EyeMWing]

it makes sense to me that they'd be wired to the lights. If the lights are on, the camera is on. They've got cameras on the school buses here that are set up to record whenever the ignition is on + 5 minutes after ignition off. That system would also make sense. Giving an officer control over the camera without compromising his/her safety (such as turning off the lights when they're on a traffic stop) just seems utterly stupid.

 

[mugs]

Usually it turns on automatically whenever the officer activates their overhead lights. It can also be activated manually from inside the car or by a remote.

Edit: The recorder is in a locked box in the trunk, so the officer can't get to it if he does beat someone without reason.

 

[79Blazer]

Originally posted by: beamme84
I believe the camera is always recording. It records up to a certain time (3-4 days?) and then continues to overwrite the oldest time. There's also an option to save an "event" so that it wouldn't get overwritten after the time limit.

WRONG! Cruiser cameras use regular VHS cassettes. The "VCR" is in the trunk, or sometimes underneather the drivers seat, space permitting. You can rewind the footage, fast-forward, and playback whatever is on the tape. The settings for when it starts/stops recording is programmable by the cop. (At least in S.C.) You can set it to come on when you engage your take-down lights, or not. Use the remote that slips onto your belt, or not. I got almost ALL cop friends. They still have footage from 2 years ago building up in organised boxes.

 

[ucdnam]

I saw the investigation show on MSNBC yesterday, discussing cops on tape, and they said that it varies from county to county. Some have it on all the time, others have a remote on the dash, while others still have a remote on the belt, and the last type turned on when the flashing lights were on.

They only said and showed that the tape was VHS and recorded via a VCR, locked up in a container, which the "supervisor could only open."

This is according to that show.

 

[79Blazer]

Originally posted by: ucdnam
I saw the investigation show on MSNBC yesterday, discussing cops on tape, and they said that it varies from county to county. Some have it on all the time, others have a remote on the dash, while others still have a remote on the belt, and the last type turned on when the flashing lights were on.

They only said and showed that the tape was VHS and recorded via a VCR, locked up in a container, which the "supervisor could only open."

This is according to that show.

Yeah, it varies from County to County as you stated. Like I said, in Rock Hill S.C. the officers deal with all the tapes themselves. In fact, i'm getting a copy of a really good night when I went on a ride-a-long with my friend.

 

[tcsenter]

well it seems like that everytime i see it on the news. The cops just stupidly walk up and then beat them up.

Man bites dog.