York, PA - Three York County police officials said Thursday that, now that nearly every cell phone is equipped with a video camera, they expect their every move will be recorded by members of the public.
Southwestern Regional Police Chief Greg Bean compared the situation to "being on stage."
"We expect it when we walk out the back door," he said. "We have to know that and expect that."
On Monday, a video alleging police brutality by York City Police that had been posted to Youtube was forwarded to that department. Chief Wes Kahley said his department is examining the video to determine what happened.
"We really don't know what happened at this point," he said. "We're investigating the allegation and interviewing the people we need to interview."
Kahley said that, long before cell phones and handheld video cameras, "police work has always been a job that's been done in a fishbowl." Technology has just made it easier to watch officers, he said.
Rod Varner, a sergeant with York Area Regional Police, agreed, saying, "Our officers should definitely be prepared for that. . . . We're in that type of world now."
All three said they expect their officers to act in a professional manner at all times.
"Police officers are aware that they're (video cameras) out there and, hopefully, our officers are doing things at all times in a professional manner," Varner said.
Kahley added, "We don't change what we do, because we feel our officers are doing the right thing."
In fact, police departments use videos camera quite a bit too, they said.
"We have literally thousands of files of video where officers conducted themselves appropriately," Bean said. But "those aren't the ones that are interesting" to the public.
Bean said the only exception he has to videotaping is in situations when an individual chooses to continue taping while a police officer scuffles with someone he is trying to arrest.
"That seems very inappropriate on that person's part," Bean said.
Kahley said a downside to videotaping incidents -- especially when inexperienced people take videos from poor angles or with insufficient lighting -- is that "the camera doesn't capture everything that takes place. . . . It's not always as it seems."
Bean said video footage serves two main purposes for police. First, it is often used as evidence in criminal cases, and it can be used to critique an officer's actions, to look for ways to improve.
"The videotape has been a very positive (thing) to our profession," he said.
Varner said that, instead of shunning residents using cameras and cell phones, York Area Regional accepts them as a way to hone their professionalism.
"If somebody comes up with a video that shows something we should be concerned with . . . that's going to make us a better department. Certainly, we'd like it brought to our attention," he said.
Watch the video and read the original story about what York City Police are doing to investigate.
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