# Question about police cameras **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136 "2024-01-15T20:43:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/1 "2024-01-15T20:43:50Z")
There have been numerous threads about police searches and your rights (one currently in Factual Questions), but do you continue to assert those rights not to to comply if you see the cop(s) turn their police cams and mics off? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/2 "2024-01-15T20:46:40Z")
I’ve declined to consent to a search of my car on several occasions. Never have I considered whether the cop’s camera was on. Never has the officer pushed any further. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/3 "2024-01-15T20:51:11Z")
I am not talking about considering whether the camera is on or not -I am saying if actively seeing them shut them off, which certainly implies to me that they intend to do or say something underhanded, causes you to change your plan of action? ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/4 "2024-01-15T20:56:16Z")
Why should it? As I’ve said in the other thread, if police are going to do something underhanded, they’ll do something underhanded. Playing along and making it easier for them is hardly likely to help your situation. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/5 "2024-01-15T21:51:57Z")
I’ve always assumed they are on the up and up and have never been wrong yet. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/6 "2024-01-15T21:53:08Z")
You have seen them shutting off camera and mic and thought nothing of it? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/7 "2024-01-15T21:54:53Z")
No, I’ve never paid any attention, busy getting my license, insurance, owner’s card ready. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/8 "2024-01-15T21:58:20Z")
Then the question remains: _IF_ you are paying attention and see them shut off their cameras and mics, does that make you reconsider your plan of action? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/9 "2024-01-15T22:00:11Z")
Then you start your own camera, and continue to assert your rights. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/10 "2024-01-15T22:00:26Z")
What advantage is there ever consenting to a search? ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/11 "2024-01-15T22:02:07Z")
Well, if you want to be on your way and they’re holding you to get drug-sniffing dogs, I guess you could save some time? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/12 "2024-01-15T22:04:13Z")
In the scenario I just described, it might save you pain (or worse). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/13 "2024-01-15T22:07:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _IF_ you are paying attention and see them shut off their cameras and mics, does that make you reconsider your plan of action? I’d assume they were fiddling with their equipment for legitimate reasons. Then again, I’m an old white dude. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/14 "2024-01-15T22:15:01Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’d assume they were fiddling with their equipment for legitimate reasons. Exactly. They sometimes mute their mics, and sometimes stop them. If a cop futzed with it, you wouldn’t know why they did so. Maybe they just turned it _on_ as they were approaching you. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/15 "2024-01-16T02:22:43Z")
How often does this scenario occur in your neck of the woods? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/16 "2024-01-16T03:25:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _IF_ you are paying attention and see them shut off their cameras and mics, does that make you reconsider your plan of action? I don’t know how I’d tell whether they were turning them off, or turning them on, or just adjusting something that needed adjusting. And, if they were turning them off because they’s already decided they were going to beat me up, how much difference would my course of action make? So I’d probably just keep doing whatever I would have done anyway. Disclaimer: I’m a little (in height, anyway) old white woman. I’ve never had police try to search either me or my car at a traffic stop. I once had them look really hard into the car from outside; but whatever or whoever they were looking for would apparently have been readily visible. They were stopping everybody and doing the same thing; I think they may have been looking for somebody specific, but if so whether a robber or a missing child I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/17 "2024-01-16T03:35:14Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I’m a little (in height, anyway) old white woman. Care for a walneto? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/18 "2024-01-16T03:46:37Z")
I have the vague impression that that might be a Laugh-In reference, but I can’t quite place it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/19 "2024-01-16T03:47:46Z")
Artie Johnson IIRC. Some sorta dirty old man schtick? ETA with Ruth Buzzi as the old lady? ---
**Author:** ![Cityyewtree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cityyewtree/32/15992_2.png) [@Cityyewtree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cityyewtree)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136/20 "2024-01-24T15:33:51Z")
I can’t quite put my finger on the exact reason as to why I think this, but I would hazard a guess at quite frequently if it’s somewhere like Detroit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-police-cameras/996136.md?page=2)