Comments on: Who Watches The Watchmen?

By: The Agitator » Blog Archive » NAACP Sets Up Site for Cell Videos of Police Misconduct

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:58:07 +0000

[...] tip: Popehat) Digg it | reddit | del.icio.us | [...]

By: Windypundit

Windypundit — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:12:48 +0000

It doesn't work with my phone. I can fill in the text fields, but I can't attach an image (probably because of the phone's security against browswer-based attacks). Hmm…I suppose I could post it to my Facebook page…

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:07:47 +0000

It's in testing, but I believe that the url linked above will lead directly to a phone-accessible web upload form.

By: Windypundit

Windypundit — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:06:08 +0000

When cell phone cameras became popular, nailing lying cops was one of the first things I thought of. Many years before, one of the cops patrolling a nearby business district had the habit of starting to write parkers about 20 minutes before the time the no-parking zones went into effect. He'd just write a later time on the tickets. There was no real way to fight this. He was a scumbag, and he didn't care how many people knew it.

Nowadays, I'd photograph the citation, proving it existed tens of minutes before the time it was supposed to. Since the timestamp on a photo can be faked, it would be better to email it to a third party to record the time it was received, but I could never figure out who to send it to. My lawyer? The county court clerk's office? (which doesn't publicize its email address) The police review authority? (also no public email) A big accounting firm that saves all correspondence?

This NAACP page is a step in the right direction, but it needs to be something you can do from your phone. It also needs to be something you can do quickly, because misbehaving cops have been known to confiscate cameras.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:51:25 +0000

I'm ashamed to admit it never occurred to me to look for a "donate" button at Injustice Everywhere.

Corrected.

By: shg

shg — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:43:42 +0000

Forgive me for using this comment to make an aside, but it's important to note that Radley has a well-deserved position with Reason to feed the puppies while he engages the forces of evil in battle.

Packratt, on the other hand, does so without any expectation of remuneration, and indeed suffers the consequences of the time, effort and expense of providing us with a wealth of information about police abuse and misconduct. This is added to the fact that PR began following his personal suffering at the hands of police, then exacerbated by his inability to find a lawyer willing to take on his case. Yet he persists, and hopefully will find a way to continue.

Perhaps someone will emerge who will fund Packratt's efforts? I believe that he will prove to be well worth the cost.