Policing and social media sousveillance

In contrast to Surveillance, which means ‘looking from above’, Sousveillance is ‘looking from below’ implying common man keeping a watch on authority figures.
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Recently a WhatsApp video got a Tirunelveli police SI suspended. The video, probably shot by a concealed mobile, showed the SI harassing a couple for a Rs.1000 bribe. 


In Facebook there are many pages like the popular ‘Keep calm and film the police’  which the public post mobile videos of police intimidation, harassment and excess force. In the last month itself there were 3 videos of shooting fatalities, which got the involved police-men punished.

YouTube has thousands of videos on police bullying. One can also come across a few videos appreciating police, if one searches really hard! :)
Traffic cop - 25 years without a complaint against him

Social media is double edged weapon. 

Positive side of public vigilance
On the positive side, social media forces more accountability and transparency from the police - which is a good for the common man. Especially in gun-surplus USA, police have a tendency to shoot or tase, rather than risk close-quarter take-downs or compliance holds.

The video shows the infamous 1991 Rodney King beating. The acquittal of the 4 Los Angeles policemen sparked riots by blacks, which resulted in 58 killings and more than $1 Billion property damage.  Subsequently, an enquiry commission looked into LAPD’s recruitment and training practices, internal disciplinary procedure and citizen complaint system.

Numerous acts of racial profiling issues and petty Corruption,at the grass root level, have come under heavy public scrutiny. Everyday hundreds of anti-police videos are uploaded from all over the world. It looks like the YouTube has become an outlet for the anger, fear and frustration of the common man!

TN Woman Inspector has to be rescued by colleagues


This high visibility has put pressure on training police in soft-skills, anger management and stress control. Community policing initiatives which enhance image-perception of police as empathetic facilitators of social harmony is imperative at this juncture.

The importance of mindset in policing


The negative side of Sousveillance

 Higher cost of policing
Social media pours oil in the fire started by citizen Sousveillance . The recent #BlackLivesMatter campaign against blacks being targeted frequently by US police has prompted the 10000 strong LAPD to equip all the officers with body-cam. So, the already strained budgets of police departments are stretched even further.

 Probably soon we will also see police trolling flame-posts of public on Facebook, Twitter and WhatApp. 

 6 'invisible' signs that a subject is resisting a police officer


 More red tape and less morale
More time is spent by police on bureaucratic chores like recording, writing reports instead of doing actual law-enforcement on the field.

 The most critical blow is on the morale of the force. An isolated view of an incident, which does not show what preceded, presents a skewed view of policing.

 A police officer handling a situation is making split-second decisions in the heat of confrontation. He is under extreme physical, mental stress and probably even fearing for his own personal safety. But, unfortunately, the viewer with all his prejudices and ignorance of criminal mindset comes to easy conclusions, sitting in the comfort of his room.

 If the police are continuously criticized by the community, he will hesitate or even avoid confrontation when a crime is taking place. That would be a bad day as the community will be the mercy of anti-socials.
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 S.SREERAM
KravMaga TamilNadu
Mobile: 93400 06600
Email-  kravmaga.chennai@gmail.com
Chennai Site - www.kravmagatamilnadu.com
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"So that one may walk in peace" ... Imi Lichtenfeld, Founder of KravMaga
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Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

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