Taser-cam has to be secret?
Police refuse to release NZ Taser footage
Arming New Zealand police with tasers has been hailed as a success, but there is a secret attached to the gun that police aren't happy to share. Unbeknown to many people, each taser has a camera underneath the handgrip that films the gun being used on offenders. Steve Tuttle, Vice President of Communications at Taser International, says the footage "helps communities understand what police officers face in the field." However, New Zealand is unlikely to ever see the footage shot here as police bosses won't release it, suggesting to ONE News that the Taser use should be given positive coverage instead.
While Police are hopping up and down about harsher sentences for assaulting Police (just on that, IF the rise in assaults is P fueled then rising penalties won't make meth raged nutters think twice but if it's because the public don't respect cops post Clint Rickards, then other tactics are necessary), Police are hiding Taser footage - why?
The whole point of the Taser-Cam was to make sure NZers knew that the Police were not abusing the Tasers and the Police argument that they can't because it breaches privacy is bullshit when you consider all those police shows on the telly where people are shown breaking the law.
The reason the Police are hiding the footage and only want 'positive' news stories (can you believe they told the media only to do positive news stories?) is because there may well be footage that makes people wonder why the person in question has been tasered. Currently guidelines state that Police can only use a taser if the person has a weapon and is advancing, Police CAN NOT use a taser for just compliance - ie, the Police can't use tasers to threaten a person to comply with Police commands, it's only supposed to be used in specific cases. Watching the footage may cause real questions over their use.
The Police should be forced to release the footage so we all know how it's being used, they can not hide behind privacy laws.
posted by Bomber @ 7:49 am
15 comments
15 Comments:
Bomber it is very rare for me to agree with you on anything at all, but in this case I most certainly do.
Accountability is all here, if the police wish to raise their standing in the communtiy, they need to be transparent in their dealings with the public.
Cheers
Lofty
This footage should in no way be held form the public - freedom to view police enforcement is very important to stopping police shanagings.
Christ people, its because we would all see police screaming get out of the car to 90 year old ladies and then tasering them happily while pack raping women. Are you all that carzy as to think that theyed EVER release these tapes!!!? As if they give a FUCK about privacy when they want to put cameras in your home! Fuck people, the police ARE NOT YOR FRIENDS! THEY HAVE ONE JOB- TO PUT YOU IN JAIL! If your safer because they put OTHER people in jail, thats just a byproduct of what they do! Stop thinking theyr your mates!
What privacy laws! A publically funded law enforcement officer apprehending a member of the public, usually in public shouldn't have a "privacy law" to cower behind!
Weren't the cameras and their aid to ensuring accountability a major selling point?
If taser usage in NZ follows the same scenarios here as it has overseas, it is likely that a significant proportion of those who get tasered will be people with chronic psychiatric illness.
The police are the first and only 'line of defense' when someone is ill and behaves 'inappropriately'
ie in a way that Joe Citizen can't comprehend/feels uncomfortable about/wants to have stopped.
Coppers are probably not the first type of people that come to mind when one thinks of calm, empathy 'keeping things cool'.
Even those police who don't get a buzz outta intentionally escalating a situation, when they have the numbers,don't usually create a feeling of quiet chilling out.
In other words if a nutter is cranked (no not on 'p' - has the voices; or whatever) a handfull of the old bill fronting up frequently worsens the situation.
Many coppers are as ill educated about the crazies as anyone else, that is they are secretly scared - not realising that loons are more of a danger to themselves than anyone else.
So police taser mad people during psychotic episodes and prolly don't feel proud afterwards, certainly won't want the rest of us seeing their cruelty.
Maybe its an improvement. I lived with a psych nurse in another country, one nite she got called out to a patient acting out full on at the family home.
The bloke was pacing up and down the back yard shouting back at his voices whilst clutching a kitchen knife.
The nurses couldn't get close enough to medicate him and after a bit the police got sick of what the deemed to be 'his non-compliance'.
So after about half an hour of this, one of the coppers pulled out his handgun and shot him.
It seemed like the cop might be in trouble for a while, guess why? Cause he shot the bloke in the leg rather than his torso where he was meant to, and which prolly woulda killed the bloke.
The footage was withheld nto protect the privacy of the individuals in the footage.
So if they person being tasered consents to the release then why not?
Fuck people, the police ARE NOT YOR FRIENDS! THEY HAVE ONE JOB- TO PUT YOU IN JAIL!
I feel very sorry for you anon, having being brought up in an enviroment where the police were viewed with such contempt.
Maybe you should stop breaking the law then. Just a suggestion.
Its believing their your mates that gets you fucked over! Stop sucking up cause your scared of them, we understand your afraid, possibly because they have tasers and if their your friend they hopefully wont zap you! if all the people are breaking the law then surley the police wont mind pasting the videos?... Such strange behaviour from people who have nothing to hide...
"Btw; anon, if the police are your enemy, who are your friends?"
MMM
The Police are my mortal enimies and I've never had a serious conviction or even deserved one.
So your friends are the Mongrel Mob?
Say no more anon.
We are aware that the police are our sisters/brothers/mothers/fathers/uncles/aunt's...
...just other members of our community.
Yes, members of our community who work within an ultra alpha male environment where they have to constantly lie to cover each other or else with a complaints process that is only funded to be 30% independent.
Cute putting some rubbish about them being my 'mortal enemies' and posting as an anon user to make me look like some crazy.
I loved how you hide by avoiding answering a single question!
... Such strange behaviour from people who have nothing to hide...
So you are a supporter of the new surveillance bill then anon.
I mean, you have nothing to hide either, do you?
A perfect example! Best way to hide and try and force the issue through, just cover your ears and shout 'if you dont agree, your a criminal!' Wait till its a kid of yours who gets zapped just because a cop takes a personal dislike to them. Theyll be using them to start cars once we get used to them and by that stage youll be so afraid to leave your house you be stuck on this site crying 'whyyyyyyy!'
Post a Comment
<< Home