Today's Topic: Watching the Watchers

Image courtesy of Keerati / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

Holden: So what’s pissing you off these days?

Nathan: Actually, for once, I heard a piece of really, really good news.

Holden: You don’t say. Enlighten me.

Nathan: So this community in Rialto, California recently instituted a measure in their police department that has dropped complaints against offices by 88% and use of force by police officers by 60%.

Holden: Sounds like everyone in Rialto is getting stoned together.

Nathan: That might explain the violence part… but not the lack of complaints.

Holden: So what’d they implement?

Nathan: Cameras. Little lapel cameras. Every police officer in the field in Rialto wears one, making sure that proper procedure and conduct occur when on patrol and during arrests.

Holden: Fascinating. What stands out to me in that article is how the awareness of surveillance doesn’t only improve the behavior of the police — making them hyper aware of the consequences of improper force and behavior — but also keeps the public in check. People can’t make bogus accusations when the camera’s rolling.

Nathan: Exactly. It’s a win-win, and apparently, the camera’s themselves are relatively cheap at $1,000 when you consider the amount of lawsuits and altercations that are avoided because of their implementation.

Holden: So the question begs…

Nathan: When are bigger cities with widespread reports of abuses of power by police officers, going to catch on to this trend?

Holden: Why stop at the New Yorks, Oaklands, and Seattles? Strap a camera to correction officers and prison guards. Anyone that we as a society grant the power to use force should be held accountable in this regard.

Nathan: People always worry about who will watch the watchers. Well…

Holden: I sense a live stream of an Obama GoPro in the near future. That late night stream would get massive amounts of traffic — I can’t be Michelle’s only admirer.

Nathan: Don’t see that happening anytime soon, but hopefully, wider implementation of those lapel cameras isn’t that far down the line.

Holden: That would be progress, but I won’t stop fighting till I’ve seen Michelle Obama naked.

Nathan: Oy.

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