When Cameras Collide: How Cop‑Watch Videos and Body‑Cam Footage Shape Public Perception of Justice

When Cameras Collide: How Cop‑Watch Videos and Body‑Cam Footage Shape Public Perception of Justice

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The battle between Cop Watch videos and official body-cam footage has taken a heavy toll on social media, with videos of arrests and competing narratives surfacing. This has given people a different perspective on cops and whether they are really serving justice.

Social media platforms like TikTok, X, and YouTube are flooded with cop videos of people’s arrests. These videos go viral and tend to have a bunch of comments with people pointing out how cops use excessive force or how cops treat the criminals. For example, there was a case between Brandon Police and a woman named Cassity Delvenne (Brandon Police vs. Cassity Delvenne). This case is about a woman who was arrested on charges for impaired driving and resisting arrest. In the video, it shows that the officer is punching her, which has led to a false narrative in the story. The false narrative that is being created in this story is that the police used excessive force on the woman, which could have led to her death. Her death is claimed to be unrelated. Police claim that Cassity was not cooperative. Cassity’s family is still demanding answers. This case shows how false narratives can shape perceptions of police officers and their use of force.

YouTube has many body-camera videos that go viral. They explain the person's story and what crime they committed. However, they cause controversy, with people wondering whether police are trying to serve justice or expose who they truly are. Police have raised concerns and are trying to limit filming to avoid false narratives. According to The Washington Post, "Cop-watchers are now YouTube celebrities. They’ve changed how police work. Several states have passed laws to limit opportunities to record police interactions because it can cause misinformation among citizens. When cop-watch videos are posted online, the full story may not be out there. That is another reason why citizens start accusations and problems. Some even harass the police department and threaten them.

In the courtroom, certain factors can create different narratives when submitting video evidence. In the article, "Policing the Admissibility of Body Camera Evidence," it states, “Yet a statement captured on a body camera that describes some relevant occurrence—for example, 'he is reaching for his pocket' or 'your breath smells like alcohol'—should draw a hearsay objection because it is an out-of-court statement introduced (presumably) to prove the asserted fact—that is, to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” This statement shows that different perspectives can be formed based on what is heard or said in the video. Follow rules like Rule 401 when submitting video evidence. Rule 401 states that evidence is relevant only if it meets two conditions: it must be a fact of consequence and have probative value. The video must also be proven not to be AI-generated, deepfaked, or edited to shift the narrative.

In conclusion, the battle between cop watch videos vs. official body cam footage has taken a toll on social media by creating false narratives of law enforcement and whether they are serving justice for the people. These false perspectives have damaged the image of officers who are trying to do their job.

Work Citations:

• Brandon Police vs Cassity Delvenne ( https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/cassity delvenne-death-police-arrest-9.7340445 )

• Cop Watchers are Now Youtube Celebrities ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/07/cop-watchers auditors-you-tube-police/ )

• Policing the Admissibilty of Body Cam Footage

  ( https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2943&context=facpubs )