The Grumpy Geek

I have seen several worrying accounts of late that detail the harassment of citizens who tape police actions.  While I don’t always agree with Ed Brayton of “Dispatches from the Culture Wars” I found his recent post interesting.

It is absolutely critical that our public servants are subject to the scrutiny of the public they serve.  As the title alludes, their actions must be able to withstand the light.

Interestingly, in St. Louis the ACLU is giving cameras to citizens in order to monitor the police.  Project Vigilant hopes to equip up to 100 residents and train them to safely tape police contacts.  A spokesman for the police department officially says they don’t have “feelings about it one way or another.”  We’ll see about that.  They also plan workshops to teach people their consitutional rights when approached by the police.