In this video the Mayor introduces a draft piece of legislation dealing with police body cameras. As much information as is given or discussed is available right here in the video. This is a major moment for many reasons, one of which is that it takes our little town from the way it always has been to a world that has changed, for good or ill. It begs many questions and concerns, those which I claim the majority of the citizens representatives are ill-equipped to consider or ask. Before I get to that, let me offer a bit of historical reference.

In 2015 and 2017, I, like most candidates running, sought various endorsements. One that is sought after is that of the Fraternal Order of Police. When you go, you sit at the head of a table in front of about ten or so members and answer questions. It can be very intimidating but is part of the process. In that Q & A they addressed body cameras; what my feelings on them were, etc. As a Union representing the police, they had concerns about their use. For whatever reasons they decide such things, I never got their endorsement, but, neither did Mayor Kim Maggard. The only two running in 2015 that did get it were Leslie LaCorte and Wes Kantor. (In 2017 it was again Leslie LaCorte and Councilman Lee Stahley) Sadly, Wes won in 2015 and Leslie did not. Its interesting to note that the F.O.P.’s pick in 2015, Councilman Wes Kantor, says in this video, “I think this is a good idea, I really do.” I don’t know how ‘on board’ the FOP is to these body cams today but in 2015, they seemed fairly reticent and resistant during my interview.

So, back to this meeting, Tuesday March 27th. During these Council Committee meetings, there is great opportunity to investigate and understand legislation through vigorous questions and answers, for the sake of the citizens of the city of Whitehall whom these pieces of legislation will ultimately effect. Dull minds which lack curiosity don’t ask questions (neither do ‘team players’ who don’t want to get on the bad side of the ‘team captain’). I maintain, being that these representatives number one obligation is to the citizens, that they owe the fullest measure of their effort in service to the welfare of the people. Sadly, that is not what the citizens get for them having gotten voted in. During this important moment, they had so few questions, most sat tight-lipped. The exception to this was Councilwoman Lori Elmore. God knows the relationship between the black community and the police has been rightly strained in the last several years and so body cameras and such can be a very sensitive topic within the black community. Sadly, it was the black councilperson only who seemed concerned enough to try and get some questions answered, even bringing up the incident in Sacramento recently. For this I commend her. She seems the only one, really, on council who is proactively engaged and asks questions and seems sincerely interested in doing a good and thorough job.*

So, here are concerns that no one brought up (except for this ‘failed’ council candidate here);

Whenever you speak with the police and the body camera is on, your conversation will be recorded, whether you’re a part of an incident or just the one calling the police. We already have issue with people afraid to get involved, I fear that more calls will be made anonymously because they don’t want to be recorded on video saying what they want to. I probably speak differently to the officer when its just me and him/her than I would if I were being recorded. It has the possibility of sending a chilling effect on citizens speaking/reporting things. No one brought up this concern.

When the police stand at your door and talk with you or you invite them in, it will be video recorded, which means (and this is something the FOP brought up) the interior of your home will also be recorded. All these recordings are public record, as the mayor herself pointed out in the video, so… anyone, using Sunshine laws, will be able to obtain copies of these recordings. Any and all that the videos record, which, outside of breaks or bathroom visits, will be recorded. Isn’t there then a concern that all of this will significantly change the way people report crimes and/or will interact with police officers? Do you want the interior of your home to be available for anyone to see? What of the privacy issues for the residents? Do we have to sacrifice those for body cams? No one brought up these concerns or questions. While I am a proponent of them in light of the Black Lives Matter movement, I have concerns and reservations. Why aren’t our representatives on council addressing these? Do they specifically have to be told concerns in order to address them or do they have a modicum of critical thinking skills themselves, for the citizens they’re supposed to be representing, to ask these on their own? Who is representing you? It really should concern you (When so little information is given during election time by candidates (those miniscule nuggets the citizens accept and then vote them in), is it any wonder then that you don’t know who is representing you. I direct you to this blog post from October of last year. https://votedixon.com/2017/10/27/the-responsibility-of-candidates-to-inform-voters/).

As well, what in Whitehall’s actions have forced this change? Is it just jumping on bandwagons, forcing something that may not need to be, adding things unnecessarily? So too, in the video the mayor says, “I’d like it passed on first reading” to which Council President Jim Graham responds, “I see no reason why it shouldn’t be”. Here’s a good reason Mr. Graham: allowing the public to see it, debate it, respond to it and give them the time to let you know how they feel about it. What is the mayor’s rush?! After all, this is being done in the citizen’s names, shouldn’t they have an opportunity to see what is being done that will effect their lives? But, no, not by these people’s standards, your government representatives. She wants it, they’re her lapdogs, no need to consider the citizenry in this movement. Bypass the people, they’ll just “bitch”** about it anyway and what the mayor wants, she gets. It is a gross misrepresentation of our true democratic processes, those you allow them to get away with.

* With all due respect, it must not be forgotten that Ms. Elmore was Mayor Maggard’s pick (the mayor even holding a conflict-laden, press-covered city event in the candidates front yard!) and so I believe Ms. Elmore has some degree of recompense with the Mayor, that which I believe the mayor likes to collect on. That ‘debt’ is evidenced when Ms. Elmore speaks, sometimes doing so hesitatingly as she looks at the Mayor as if to get confirmation or approval for what she’s saying. Wanting to say what she needs to say without stepping on her benefactor’s toes. As a student of human psychology and behavior, its merely what I’ve observed. You can see it in the video.

**A Councilman Bob Bailey quote regarding his dislike of Town Hall meetings. ‘They always just turn into bitch sessions’.