They say a picture is worth a thousand words. And now, video can be priceless. Surveillance cameras capture video everyday all over the country. There are cameras on public streets that capture videos of accidents at intersections and speeding vehicles. Offices and business districts have security to record both inside and outside their buildings. Police cars are equipped with motor patrol video and officers have body worn cameras on vests. We now install home surveillance cameras at our homes. Home surveillance initially became popular to see who was outside your front door. However, home surveillance has evolved into capturing porch pirates who steal packages, and even serious crimes can be captured on home security surveillance video.
Police Body-Worn Cameras in New Jersey
New Jersey Governor Murphy signed a new law that requires all police officers in New Jersey to have body worn cameras. Body worn camera is paramount for both people charged with crimes and for police. The video can equally exonerate officers or show police misconduct. The video can also clear people wrongfully charged by police. The State hopes that requiring officers to wear body cameras will reduce the number of lawsuits for excessive force against police departments. At the same time, the State also hopes to reduce wrongful arrests and fabricated charged by police. The video captured on body cameras will be saved for 180 days. Video involving arrests and use of force should be saved for 3 years.
Home Surveillance Video on the Rise Everywhere
Home surveillance can help fight crime. It also can help innocent people wrongfully charged with crimes. A Florida man could have been sentenced to jail for years based upon the allegations in an officer’s report, was saved by home security camera. The surveillance video proved that he did not assault a police officer, as alleged by the cop.
The innocent man was driving to a convenience store for his child when he was pulled over. The man was asked to exit his car where he waited for the officer. Without any provocation, the officer punched the man in the face and broke his tooth. The arrest report said that the man charged at the officer. The police report after the arrest lied about the events. The officer said the man charged at the officer and was reaching for a weapon. Unknown to the officer, a home surveillance video captured the entire incident. After the video was provided to the police department, the criminal charges were dropped. The article published by ABC News in Tampa can be found here:
In New Jersey, 3 police officers in Paterson have come under scrutiny, after home surveillance recorded the officers beating a man. The police report filed by the officers never noted any force against the man they arrested and made no mention of the beating.
But the police officers’ lies were exposed when the home surveillance video went public. The video showed what really happened and brought the alleged misconduct by officers to light. The home video evidence confirmed that the officers punched the man repeatedly. As a result, the officers have all been relegated to desk duties.
Contact MyNJInjuryLawyer
If you have been wrongfully charged by police, contact my office immediately. I am a New Jersey criminal trial attorney board certified by the NJ Supreme Court. I appear in courts throughout New Jersey every week for the past 20 years.
If you or a loved were a victim of a wrongful arrest, excessive force, or police brutality in NJ, you should contact an attorney familiar with handling these claims. An experienced NJ Injury Lawyer will know how to handle claims against public entities. There are special laws and notice requirements that must be complied with in order to file a claim. The New Jersey Tort Claim Act is very complex and the Statute must be filed in order to purse a claim.
My NJ Injury Lawyer Howard P. Lesnik, Esq. offers complimentary strategy sessions to address any issue or questions you may have for your legal question in NJ.
Please contact NJ Injury Lawyer Howard Lesnik, Esq., immediately. Please contact me now by email, by phoning 908.264.7701, or by completing the form to the right to schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy session.
