What is your opinion of cop watching?

I think this can be dangerous if not handled properly. Sure, the police aren't perfect, but they have the internal investigators and I think holding them accountable is essential to good governance.

Having a civilian watchdog organization is good in my book too, but once you start escalating it then, I have issues with that. Back in 2005 when Hummers were popular, lots of environmentalists watchdog groups would burn or destroy dealerships and the vehicles. They rationalized their actions.

I am worried that someones' life is at risk when those watchdog's not sanctioned by a government entity (hence no training, standards, etc) may think themselves above the law.

I find nothing wrong with filming cops though, and actually believe that each cop should have a recorded and a mini video camera on at all times. It monitors their actions, keeps them accountable, and if something unfortunate like Michael Brown comes up, the truth will be seen.

Unfortunate that this has become a trust issue.  

Heck in California, the number of UAVs that are watching Police is out of control.  

I would say that they have to the right to do that but they are going a bit overboard. If I were a cop I would just go and talk to them and see what's going on. I didn't have an issue with anyone watching as long as they didn't get in the way. There are some questionable cops outhere. The issue is that they get a lot of the attention.

It's your right to cop watch. That said, when people instigate and act badly to test the cops reactions and try to catch them messing up, things can go horribly bad. NOBODY wins.

The public wants to feel safe, but then the police are getting afraid to do their jobs for fear of losing them. So the public is less safe now thanks to their own actions. You wouldn't see near as many incidents of alleged police brutality if the public didn't constantly make their job as difficult as possible.

Consider the Michael Brown incident where thug Michael, who just robbed a convenience store, is approached by Officer Darren Wilson, because Brown fits the description of the robber. Wilson calls him over and Brown attacks Officer Darren Wilson. I don't remember if Wilson has just stepped out of his car, or if Brown reached through the open window, but Brown may have pushed Wilson back into the squad car. Regardless, Brown and Wilson were struggling with each other in the car and Brown was reaching trying to take Officer Darren Wilson's gun from him. Shots fire. Brown then runs away, turns and charges Officer Wilson. Wilson, RIGHTLY, defended himself. Excessive use of force? The thug just tried to grab his gun and it went off in the car! Brown is much bigger and is coming at him again?!! I would have done the same thing. If any of you think that that punk's life is worth more than your own, you're a self-loathing moron.

To the black community's utmost SHAME, Wilson lost his career and had threats on his life FROM IDIOTS who were mad at him... and for what? For doing his job?!! RACEBAITING LOSERS from around the country went to Ferguson and burned the town down. WTF Al Sharpton? As with so many things, the truth was irrelevant. Witnesses came forward and gave false testimony trying to blame Wilson for stalking Brown, and intentionally murdering him. An entire meme, "Hands up Don't Shoot" was spread and we saw rioting go down in other cities. Were those who gave false testimony charged and held responsible? Call it "black privilege" if you will. The press never really followed up to see if those who gave false testimony were held accountable.

In the end, the truth exonerated Officer Wilson, but the damage was done. Wilson will never have a career in law enforcement and he was punished for doing his job. Blue lives matter just as much as black lives!

It's necessary, not because of the recent police shootings, but because it's our responsibility as citizens of a Democracy to police those in power.

Police officers are human, they have a stressful job... a CALLING... I often say. I believe 99% of them are doing it for the right reasons, but even my friend a retired Fort Worth Police officer admits that he became a "not so nice guy" when he put on the uniform.

I'm all in favor of putting cameras on and around police, a local Chief of police recently said "Every chief should WANT as much video as possible, so they can see what happened, if nothing else for training feedback."

I know a guy who participates in the cop watching down in Arlington, Texas. His group all open carry rifles while doing it. He told me it is to "raise awareness." The problem is, is that what I see is a group of people who are just scaring the crap out of the everyday citizen. How does carrying a gun automatically raise awareness? That's like dumping ice water on your head, and claiming it raised awareness (without information being displayed, there is no potential for learning, thus no awareness is raised).

Also, they video tape police officers while doing this. To me, walking up to a cop while you have a gun seems like an excellent way to get shot. Having the gun seems to only make the officer more nervous while dealing with the situation at hand.

The Arlington police sop is to call for back up anytime this group shows up. And I don't blame them.

Also, these people are not overly well versed in gun safety. The guy I know keeps his AR-15 red and on semi all the time. He also puts it in the trunk of his car, while loaded on semi, and when he showed me, it was pointed at his daughters car seat.

Nothing about this raises awareness, nor is conducive to public order (in terms of showing up to traffic stops with a gun).

Senseless, white cop shoots black man, riots, black man kills two white cops, let's just try to move on. As a former officer I know some calls are split second and maybe not always correct, but what about the wrong call that costs others. Not all cops are good guys and we all know that, but not all are bad either. Murder is wrong and needs full punishment, but why push it to the point of cop against cop, or black against white. No one wants to lose a friend or family member for any reason, but we are human and we do make mistakes. Let us not make our whole society pay for the mistakes of a few.

Situational based. One problem we have in our society is putting a broad stroke on "all" Americans based off very specific situations. I love our police officers. I also realize that the days of watching them put dogs on civil rights protestors are mostly over. What then? Am I supposed to hate all because of a few? That is not fair or very respectful for the millions who do the right thing or have a good heart. Unfortunately, political groups like the NRA takes the issue and makes it something it is not to get their agenda across, (in my opinion) as well as many minority groups.

My Point:

Our nation is governed by laws and not emotions on the basis that we are all created equal. This has not always been the case. Who will disagree with me that we are better off as a whole than we were in 1785?

They are idiots