Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
It was the end of March if I remember correctly, and I was helping a friend out with a sidewalk sale on Clovis Ave. I had a camera ready, as Clovis Ave usually has a constant flow of traffic. It was the middle of the afternoon, when I noticed a Clovis cop pull over an SUV in the Lowe’s parking lot on Clovis, and Shaw. I responded camera in hand to begin filming the police officer, and provide an objective record of the interaction. The driver was alone, and without someone there it would’ve been his word against the officers if the situation had escalated.
The officer made a call on is radio after he noticed I was there. A second officer showed up a short time later. When the second officer arrived the first officer walked up to me, pulled out his iPhone, and began to take photos of me. He said something along the lines of “You don’t mind if I take photos of you, do you?” and I responded with something along the lines of “We are all in public”.
They proceeded to start asking the driver some questions, and he admitted to having a pipe under his seat. He didn’t know his rights, and was to afraid to assert himself against the arbitrary authority of the “Gun & Badge” in front of him. They searched his vehicle, and found a small amount of cannabis. The officer then held the jar above his head, and said to the driver “I would love to let you go, but Im on camera so I have to do everything by the books” I said something along the lines of “Weed is a victimless crime” the cop said something back, that I can’t recall, and I responded with something along the lines of “I just want to see him go free”
It was at this time that cop approached me and asked me for my ID. I respond with “Am I being detained, or am I free to go” He said I was under arrest for obstructing his investigation. He let me film throughout the arrest, until my second hand was needed to be placed in cuffs. They put me in the back of one of the cars while they finished the traffic stop, and got a supervisor. When the supervisor arrived on scene I recognized him. It took me a little while to place his face, but it came to me. I had filmed him harassing some kid for riding his bike on the sidewalk. During the drive to police station, I was spouting off about how what this cop was doing was illegal, and using stateless arguments for reasons we don’t need police. He laughed when I said “We don’t need more cops with cameras, we need more people with cameras watching the cops” He also laughed when I referred to the state as “Fictitious” he said “Thats a new one for me” and proceeded to joke about it with some of the other cops at the jail.
When we arrived at the jail, I was placed in the small room where most of the interaction with the cop took place. He even pulled out his book of laws, and showed me the section about 148a or misdemeanor Obstruction of Justice. He than admitted that he was pushing this law to its fullest extent by arresting me. We did all of the processing that they do when you get arrested, and I went around this half circle carousel as I completed the procedure. When it was pretty much over they asked me if I was hungry, and if I wanted anything. I asked for a water. They returned with a burger and a small sprite from Fosters Freeze. They stated that “I did not have to eat it, but I had to take it or they would get in trouble for not feeding me” I then walked back to the shop I was helping at out, and told them of my adventure.
The one thing I noticed about all of the cops I had to encounter while dealing with this situation. They were all pretty decent people. They were using their employment as an excuse to violate my rights. They are either to dense to understand their role in criminalizing freedom, or continue to do it based on the fact that they need a decent paycheck to support their families. Just as much as police perpetuate the system, they are victims of it at exactly the same time.
The mental stress that is placed on police is insurmountable, and many of them act irrationally because of it. Domestic violence rates are much higher in the police demographic. According to the Purple Beret’s domestic abuse is 2 to 4 times higher than in the general population. In 2 separate studies 40% of police officers have self reported using violence on their domestic partners within the past year.
Click here for Police Domestic Violence Stats
Cops are people to, and as such should have the chances afforded to them to live in a society free of violence. I understand that cops are often times the aggressors. They are revenue collectors for the state, they are used to shut down and silence protests, and they even kill people without any reason. Cops should be held personally accountable for their actions, but we as members of the population should also take a more proactive stance in the training and equipment of our local police forces. Recently Davis, Ca gave their city 60 days to dispose of the MRAP vehicle that they had received.
Davis, Ca 60 days to dispose of MRAP
If every city was as proactive in their police force the way that Davis is, we would not be plagued with police forces looking like an occupying army in our own back yards, while disguising it as protection. I challenge each and everyone of you who read this to record your next encounter with the police. Get involved, you live here. Wether you recognize it or not their decisions do affect you as well.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
