Friday, October 15, 2010

Citizen Videos of Police

Though not directly related to DRE, this is certainly relevant to the work of police officers. I frequently teach in my courtroom testimony and report writing classes that officers should assume everything they do is being recorded. In the late 1980's and early 1990's, a former Hawthorne, CA sergeant, Don Jackson, video-taped officers during encounters. He was very good at inciting officers into conducting inappropriate searches and more. Today, Jackson, now known as Diop Kamau, runs the PoliceAbuse.com website that incorporates videos of encounters. Kamau's activities were highlighted in a USA Today front page feature story on October 15, 2010.

In about 1990 I encountered Jackson during an LAPD "Operation Hammer." I have not seen the video of this event until today. He knew the law, and nearly induced the officers into conducting an inappropriate, and possibly illegal, search. The officers fortunately came to me first asking for permission to demand ID of all the occupants of Jackson's vehicle. After conferring with the officers, it was clear to me that they did not have legal grounds to demand the ID.  I defused the situation, and we all went on our way. It was clear - based on subsequent "stings" by Jackson, that I possibly saved these officers' reputations and careers. Within a few weeks of this incident, Jackson was stopped by officers from a different Southern California police department. Jackson knew exactly what buttons to push, and the officers arrested Jackson. Unfortunately for the officers, their report did not match the video that Jackson had secretly recorded. Here's a direct link to the video of my encounter with Jackson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6KK2zpF8rc&feature=player_embedded

No comments:

Post a Comment