Policing the police

Knowing the proper way to act in an encounter with police can significantly reduce one's chance of being arrested. This includes knowing what kinds of information one is legally required to provide police with and how to avoid searches and seizures. It also includes knowing how to maintain the proper demeanor.

Watch this video to learn about why you should never talk to police.

Filming the police serves several purposes:

1. It serves as a deterrent to police misconduct. Police are much less likely to commit acts of brutality, make false arrests, lie on police reports, etc. if the incident in question is filmed.

2. In the event that a police officer does commit a crime or attempt to frame someone by filing a false police report, offering perjured testimony, etc., the video can be used as evidence.

3. Videos that document police breaking the law, enforcing oppressive laws, or engaging in wasteful/inefficient practices can de-legitimize the police in the eyes of the public or promote reform.

Radley Balko of Reason Magazine has written a useful technology guide for filming the police which can be read here.

• Injustice Everywhere - Home of The National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project
• Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America by Radley Balko - A book about the militarization of American police

• Flex Your Rights - Flex Your Rights is a non-profit whose “mission is to educate the public about how basic Bill of Rights protections apply during encounters with law enforcement.” FYR produced the films BUSTED and 10 Rules for Dealing with Police.
• Busted!: Drug War Survival Skills by M. Chris Fabricant and R. Crumb