The latest police shooting to attract national attention is that of Justine Damond.
While we have limited information on the event, that has not stopped the so called experts from saying everything that the officer should be arrested immediately to questioning why body cameras are not turned on.
We won’t even dignify a response to the silliness of arresting a police officer before any investigation is complete but one thing consistently making headlines is questioning the lack of use of a body camera.
One labeled expert is Teresa Nelson, the interim executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota. She says that it is “astounding” that cameras were not used.
Really? We are “astounded” that she has somehow being labeled a police expert.
Can we stop expecting police officers to have the power of prediction, slow motion and travel in time, because that is exactly what an expert would expect if they believe that a body camera will be turned on every single time a police shooting occurs.
A body camera is going to be turned on in routine contacts with the public. Why?
Because those are low stress events where officers aren’t typically trying to keep from being killed and in that routine contact, when it turns deadly, a camera will be on. Period!
If you don’t like it ACLU, then advocate for a 24 hour recording and then pay for it and then do it yourself. How would you like to be recorded every single minute of your work day….in the bathroom…talking to your spouse, you name it.
Body cameras are a tool and we need to stop expecting them to solve every single question on the planet. And even if they were on every single minute and captured every single event, we can’t even agree in this country what a “catch” is on Sunday and that is with several angles and multiple analysts.
As far as we can tell, two Minneapolis police officers were driving through an alley late Saturday night when a woman appeared at their car. Something happened that we do not yet have specifics on and tragically a woman is now dead.
There would be no reason to have a camera on driving in your car so please spare us with your shock and use your common sense.
Trust us, there will be no cover up. The facts will come out and that does not take a precious video.
