Hidden cameras catch police all over Dade and Broward turning into bullies when a citizen walks into a station and asks for a complaint form--the result is a rather disturbing video.
I've never had anything but courteous interaction with the police, but I've never tried to file a complaint either. Congrats to the three stations that just handed the guy a form and left it at that.
(Via FR.)
Posted by floridacracker at March 2, 2006 05:49 AM Given that police can, and will, make you out to be whatever they want you to be; why would anyone go to them to complain about their own kind. Yes, some are better than others, but they stick together. The proper way to complain is not with a form of their design, but rather a detailed description of ones account, in duplicate, triplicate or whatever and place one copy with a reputable attorney,(reputable attorney? oxymoron?), and then go to the proscecutor of that agencies jusrisdiction. Cops have no problem with lying. They say that they have to lie to do a good investigation- Don't agree with this? A for instance: "I pulled you over because your license plate light is out." That is a lie! He pulled you over because he wanted to look you over, the taglight is just his tool. And on, and on, and on. One thing that baffles me, is how they're so damned dumb as to misbehave in public, knowing that we have cameras all around. Cell phones, video cams, and such.
The results of the investigation by this reporter doesn't surprise me. The pompous, power happy, cops don't surprise me either.
nuf sed
first, Donnah, I am not sure that Florida City, Homestead, and the Miami-Dade office are what this
article purports them to be..the one time that I lived in Homestead, the vice-mayor's shrimp boat
got confiscated in Savannah..along with 10,0000 lbs of pot. So, the LAST place I would complain (especially written) would be there...Florida City
guys have a special handshake..lol, like Lk. Wales.
but Frankly, you can ask the 'man' to show you the
bad taglight...
unless he has a reason not to, he is supposed to show you.
The problem is to me, that we want someone to have benevolent authority over us..but on terms that NEVER offend. That isnt possible.
Officers should be more honest, it might not go down so well, but in the long run..it is the best approach.
tester:I am a legal-team backed, camera-covered, representative of the millions of potentially disenfranchised complainers in the world, do you have a complaint form ?
cop: since you put it that way, yes..third door on the right..theres a whole roll of it hanging in
the stall.
btw if I have a complaint..I email the mayor
Posted by: Owen Crosby at March 2, 2006 09:09 AMYes, Owen, they have to have *benevolent* authority over us. Otherwise, they're monsters.
Me and Mr. Cracker were talking about this. I work for the government, as does every cop. I have a pad of complaint forms sitting six inches away from me. When people want to complain, I show them the forms. I'll lend them a pencil if they need it. It's all just part of the job. They may be complaining about *me*- it doesn't matter. We're all public servants and people can complain about us if they feel like it.
Posted by: Donnah at March 3, 2006 12:12 AM