Cop Watch Participants

[TackleTheWorld]

Have the stories of tyranical police actions like those of Russell and Kat in Manchester, The Browns of Plainfield, and Mr. Gannon in Nashua made you angry?

Heck yeah!

How angry?

Would you get in their face with a camera?

[FTL_Ian]

I think it's foolish to go alone.  3-5 people, 2 video cameras preferred, or 1 camera and 1 audio recorder acceptable.

Go alone if you want to get beaten by the police and have your camera stolen.  Copwatchers already risk being targeted for retribution by the cops when they AREN'T copwatching, so no need to roll the dice extra by going alone.

Besides, if you can't get people to help you with this, there's little chance that you'll make any headway alone.

2 people is risky, but doable, I think.

[KBCraig]

The key to CopWatch is that there must be multiple cameras, multiple particpants, and they must be separate. The police should not know that the multiple parties filming are in any way connected.

Document that cars/shirts/hats/whatever post sufficient legal notice that audio and video recording are in progress, stating that speaking to Person X constitutes consent to be recorded.

If there is any objection on the part of the police, ask them (and get their response on tape!) what law says you can't film them in public. Tell them you're a stringer for the Keene Free Press, or Free Talk Live. See if their attitude changes.

But throughout this, understand that it doesn't matter if you're from CNN, Channel 9, or Wayne's World: per RSA 570-A:2, you're technically violating the wiretapping statute unless you're a LEO acting in official capacity, or one of the other exempt classes (telecom operator, FCC, etc.), unless you obtain consent from all parties being audio recorded.

I believe the electronic media could be good allies in this fight. Anyone have good contacts at WMUR, NHPR, etc.?

Kevin

[FTL_Ian]

I know Gardner at WNTK.

The key to CopWatch is that there must be multiple cameras, multiple particpants, and they must be separate. The police should not know that the multiple parties filming are in any way connected.

When you say separate, you mean people arriving in separate cars?  What would be the optimum configuration, 2 cars with 2 people per car, one person with video camera one with audio recorder?

[FTL_Ian]

Also, wouldn't it be obvious that the two groups were together?  How often do 2 camera crews show up at one location simultaneously?

[KBCraig]

I know Gardner at WNTK.

The key to CopWatch is that there must be multiple cameras, multiple particpants, and they must be separate. The police should not know that the multiple parties filming are in any way connected.

When you say separate, you mean people arriving in separate cars?  What would be the optimum configuration, 2 cars with 2 people per car, one person with video camera one with audio recorder?

Also, wouldn't it be obvious that the two groups were together?  How often do 2 camera crews show up at one location simultaneously?

The Florida CopWatch folks seem to go trolling for bad cops. More power to them, but that does require some devotion and time.

When I speak of multiple cameras, I'm thinking of a stationary situation. A rolling scene would be harder to coordinate, but it could be done. With less reliable results, of course. But, every scenario is unique, with its own difficulties.

After all, who expected a Manchester PD bike officer, not wearing a name tag despite state law requiring him to do so, refusing to give his name, refusing to say where the pitchforks could be collected, and demanding that Roger Grant not film him? A second camera could have been very handy in that case.

Seemingly detached third parties are also an asset. "Hello, officer. I'm Billy Bob Stringer from the Keene Free Press. I saw that you're disbursing these protestors. Can you tell me what they're protesting, and why they're being disbursed?"

Und so weiter, und so weiter, usw. 

Kevin

[srqrebel]

I think it's foolish to go alone.  3-5 people, 2 video cameras preferred, or 1 camera and 1 audio recorder acceptable.

Go alone if you want to get beaten by the police and have your camera stolen.  Copwatchers already risk being targeted for retribution by the cops when they AREN'T copwatching, so no need to roll the dice extra by going alone.

Besides, if you can't get people to help you with this, there's little chance that you'll make any headway alone.

2 people is risky, but doable, I think.

Makes sense, only because that way it's not one person's word against the cops, if they destroy the video and fabricate trumped up charges.  Other than that, none of us are truly alone in NH - we have a large and fast growing support network that will show up with signs and pitchforks if one of us goes to jail.  It shouldn't take corrupt police long to realize that being constantly in the media spotlight is much worse than being recorded by a few harmless citizens!

[aries]

I carry an audio tape recorder in my glove compartment specifically to use in case of A) getting pulled over/harassed or B) getting in an accident, to record everything

[Recumbent ReCycler]

In some situations, I would be willing to go it alone, but I would much rather have a second person along.  Although because of the incident at the Manchester court house, I think 3 or more would be much better than 2, so that if someone gets nervous about videotaping hostile police officers, they can always pass the camera off to someone who's got the sisu to do it.  I think that it would be best to have more activists than officers on the scene.

[d_goddard]

understand that it doesn't matter if you're from CNN, Channel 9, or Wayne's World: per RSA 570-A:2, you're technically violating the wiretapping statute unless you're a LEO acting in official capacity, or one of the other exempt classes (telecom operator, FCC, etc.)

If my proposed change to the law goes thru, we'd only need to shout "CopWatch! You're being recorded!" as we rush the scene.

one person's word against the cops, if they destroy the video and fabricate trumped up charges.

If (as under my propsed law change) audio recording of police was legal, you'd just rig up an MP3 recorder to stream directly to the Internet, making "confiscation" technically impossible. Keep the recorder in someone's pocket, along with a wi-fi or bluetooth link -- to a laptop in the car loaded up with a kickass wifi antenna, if needed. I volunteer here and now to set that up, if -- with the help of you fine folks -- such becomes legal here in the Free State

[TackleTheWorld]

Keeping tabs on tyranny AND playing with cool wi-fi uplinks?
I may faint with happiness.

Remember when you didn't live in New Hampshire
and you couldn't get anyone to come with you to record the police?
Those days may be over.

[FTL_Ian]

and you couldn't get anyone to come with you to record the police?
Those days may be over.

Those days may be over.

Those days are over.

[Dave Ridley]

Having been alone in a couple incidents with multiple cops or soldiers targetting ME, I don't think going alone is that big a deal.  It's what most news photographers do.  Even assuming you are twice as vulnerable alone.....you're also twice as nimble, twice as  likely to be able to "be there."  And you can always call nanny state 911 if they give you grief.

[Dave Ridley]

another option for recording audio would be just making a call to someone's voicemail from the incident.

[d_goddard]

another option for recording audio would be just making a call to someone's voicemail from the incident.

Anyone have voicemail with a looooong max message length? It would suck to have the audio cut out just before the cop blatantly says, "I am going to teach you a lesson, boy!"