Local Man Video Recording & Confronting Local Police
SEE VIDEO SELECTIONS & TRANSCRIPTS BELOW - NOTE: LANGUAGE ADVISORY
On several occasions, a man has approached local on-duty police units & video recorded them in at least two publicly posted incidents online.
RFN contacted both RCPD & FCPD officials to confirm if the activity was of any concern for the officers' safety or if the man could be charged
with anything based on comments he said to some officers. Both agencies stated that from what was shown in the videos that citizens are free to
watch & record police activity while in public view & in a public space & that no law had been broken. As long as a citizen does not enter or
interfere with an active scene or make any kind of threats to the officers, they are free to watch & document the activity. However, all agreed
that something to consider is that officers are always on constant alert with heightened awareness of their surroundings at a scene & if you
approach them in an unusual way or they don't immediately recognize you or know why you are there, they certainly have the right to ask &
establish a safe distance from scene. Both agency officials strongly support the public's right to speak & move freely & document police
activity in a public space but they also cautiously hinted that if a person constantly follows police units with no apparent legitimate purpose
such as, but not limited to, harassment and/or provoking reactions from them, depending on the circumstances it is possible that a person could
be charged with stalking & other applicable charges. So if you attempt to tug on a tiger's tail by interrogating the police, you're free to do
it but choose your words carefully because even the suggestion of a threat could lead to charges.
The first video below is believed to be on Asbury Dr at the intersection of Asbury, Redmond Cir & Lavender Dr in West Rome. It shows several
RCPD officers out on foot on an active call as the man slowly drives by while video recording the officers. As seen in the video, an RCPD
officer slowly approached his vehicle & asked if he could be of any help to the man & then the officer backed away after contact was made.
NOTE: The following statement is an EXACT quote from the video's description posted online with all grammatical errors left intact to
preserve the statement's authenticity.
"Just driving around saw three pussy Cops interrogating one man Sorry for the quality"
The second video below is at a school located on Burton Rd in northeast Rome. It shows two FCPD officers inside a marked car as the man gets
out of his vehicle, approaches, questions & lectures them about various thoughts he had about them & the law in general before abruptly ending
the conversation & leaving.
NOTE: The following statement is an EXACT quote from the video's description posted online with all grammatical errors left intact to
preserve the statement's authenticity.
"Two Rome Ga police were sitting Where no one could see them So I pulled up to question the Punks the one cop says nothing he is probably a
rookie the fat white cop asks for a drivers license I say what's that matter he replies your asking me questions I'm not going to answer
because you're not answering mine that's when I say when the master speaks the servant answers then he shook his head no and got pissed because
I was right he was wrong they followed me for about a mile when I pulled over I gave them the finger x2 but I begged them to come back but no
more fun for me that day.by the way piss on captain reeps of the Rome pd for withholding evidence to protect his pussy officers now I can't
even get a case to sue the assholes in this town when I questioned him he got pissed very quickly quilty dog barks first"
SEE FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT BELOW - NOTE: police audio is not audible
"Gonna talk to the police ... video number 2.
Ya'll still believe that corruption & extortion exists in this town?
Huh?
I'm just asking a question.
Do ya'll believe corruption & extortion still exists?
Corruption & extortion still exists in this town? (question repeated)
Can I get ya'lls name & badge number?
If I ask, you have to give it, that's the policy.
Huh? Your policy. When you swore to the constitution, when a citizen asks for your name & badge number, you're required to give it.
Yeah, I used to want to be a cop & I couldn't do it. Huh? What's that mean? I'm asking for your name & badge number. I'm not trying to be a
dick, I'm just asking simple questions. I don't have to answer your questions, I'm a citizen, I live by the constitution, I didn't swear by it.
Huh?
'Cause I'm a citizen & I ask questions & ya'll are public servants so ya'll have to answer our questions. That's what the policy says brother,
I used to want to be a cop, I know.
Huh?
I don't know the exact statute or number, my constitutional right? Yeah, at any time. But you have to uphold the constitution, you don't have
to live by it no more, you uphold it. You swore to uphold it.
Huh?
You're on private property, is that okay for you to be here on private property? Wrong. That school?
Huh?
I can't hear you man, you got to speak up brother. No, I'm just asking some questions. I figured that, that's why I come over & asked 'em.
Ya'll been seeing them signs around that say honor the badge? I'd honor that badge if ya'll would honor your oath. I got more integrity in one finger
than you got in ya'lls. Damn right, bye."