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We have all looked on with horror at the tragedy unfolding in Detroit: 7-year-old Aiyana Jones was shot and killed on Sunday by a Detroit police officer during a home raid. The police had information that the suspect in the murder of 17-year-old was inside. Police have said Aiyana was wounded inside the house when an officer was jostled by, or collided with, the girl's grandmother. An attorney for the family said the shot came from the porch.What many don't know is that the whole thing may have been caught on tape by popular reality show 'The First 48' on A&E, which follows Detroit detectives during the first two days of murder investigations. A spokesman for 'The First 48' would not say if the raid was recorded, but police confirmed that the crew was present and that they are reviewing footage from that night.
The popularity of shows like 'Cops,' 'First 48,' and 'Crime 360] and the highly rated 'Operation Repo' leads us to question the role reality television is increasingly playing in law enforcement. We watch these shows feeling vicarious excitement in the pursuit of the bad guys, but do we ultimately pay a price for our love affair with real-life cop-and-robbers shows? It depends on who you talk to.
For better or worse, critics have questioned whether police behave differently when cameras are watching. Experts and officers believe TV crews increase accountability. A number of big-city departments have used shows, such as Fox's 'Cops,' to attract recruits. "I don't see someone doing anything outlandish for the cameras, because it's more of a liability for us," Detroit officer Brandon Cole said.
Some say, though, that these types of shows contribute to a lack of respect for law enforcement and a devaluation of humanity.
Having a camera crew along on a police raid contributes to a culture that reduces everything to mere entertainment, said Hal Niedzviecki, author of 'The Peep Diaries: How We're Learning to Love Watching Ourselves and Our Neighbors.'
He said the show fits in to the "peep culture" described in his book. "Somebody's accidental death, somebody's drug problem, somebody wins the lottery -- it's all equally entertaining," he said.
But some big-city law enforcers disagree. "There's a public value in having media see what police do close-up, and it helps police be more accountable," said Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray. He adds, "There are a lot of reasons to think this is a beneficial practice as long as it isn't abused." The police get no compensation in the deal with A&E.
Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle said, "'The First 48' helped recruiting and portrayed police in a positive light."
Capt. Amelia Huffman of the Minneapolis Police Department, which was featured on '48' in 2007, said the department hoped the show would humanize officers and showcase their dedication.
"It created a connection where people felt like they knew these investigators," she said. "I think most peoples' ideas of police work are formed by fictional serialized television shows, which are largely inaccurate."
Others say that it's not television shows that make police look good or bad. Our perception of police is largely informed by the crime rate.
Jack Levin, a criminologist at Northeastern University in Boston, said Detroit's recent violence could create a "vicious circle" for law enforcement.
"When the crime rate rises, even over a short period of time, the police are blamed, so they are also asked to become more aggressive, make more arrests, make more raids. That inspires people to shoot back. You get more police shot, and the police do more shooting."
But criminal defense attorney Marvin Barnett said the cameras probably played a role in how the raid in Detroit was conducted, especially with the use of a flash-bang grenade designed to stun people inside a building.
Barnett said he could not recall the use of such devices on houses with children inside, implying that the Detroit police were showing off for the cameras.
"We are making the police actors in a reality drama, and it might make them decide to showboat," said former Detroit Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins, "Everybody wants to be John Wayne."
This is a cultural phenomenon that will be worthy of debate for the ages. On one hand, we love it when we are able to catch the bad guy because the incident was caught on tape. On the other hand, when keeping it real goes wrong, the video and its role in the tragedy is an easy scape goat.
As with other dangerous careers like soldiers and firefighters, it's hard to pass judgment when you weren't there and your life wasn't on the line. Our appetite for realer and realer television seems insatiable ,so maybe it isn't the cops or the cameras or the crime -- maybe it's us.
Comments: (9)
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By: Milton Biggham on 5/21/2010 12:05PM
Shame on you Jam Donaldson!I cannot believe that out of 18 paragraphs, you devoted only one to Aiyana. You're just as bad as Reality TV. Are you only concerned about how we rate your colume? What about justice for Aiyana and her family? what happened to the cop that pulled the trigger? WHAT ABOUT AIYANA?
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By: Clint Eastwood on 5/20/2010 6:25PM
I totally agree with last paragraph, especially the line, "it's hard to pass judgment when you werent there and your life wasn't on the line." That is so true. I feel bad for the poor kid but cops have dangerous jobs. People are blaming the police when it was the girl's dumbass family that is the ultimate reason why she is dead. The police are needed to keep scum like the murderer who killed someone in broad daylight out of neighborhoods. So instead of hating police you should be thanking them. Without them the world would be a much more dangerous place
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By: Deborah on 5/20/2010 10:07PM
I agree that it is hard to pass judgement in a tragedy such as this but as an African American woman I would like to know why this situation never happens in white households?? When law enforcement is instructed to arrest a member of that household, there guns never seem to "accidentally" go off and I have seen with my own eyes members of whites households fight and mouth off to the police on many occasions. I think is very difficult for whites to understand a situation that never happens to them. In New York we have had numerous situations like this, and we have had situations where an off duty police officer was shot and killed and one was seriously wounded when he was shot by a police officer who mistook him for a criminal. Something is not right about these situations for anyone not to blame racism and portrayls of blacks as criminally inclined is in complete denial.
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By: Tyrone on 6/19/2010 9:54PM
Shamefully black children or children period are NOT a reason for special precaution with cops. Over the years children have been burn alive """remember WACO"? 74 Americans where burn alive 24 children of those 24..... 10 where newborns! When it come to black children there is absolutely no precautions or concern of taken! Black children as young as 6 year old have been order to the ground at gun point and a foot put on their head or back or neck! Screaming scared out of their minds is of no care or concern of police officers. Especially white police officers! We have seen arrest evolve from "put your hands up "to get down on the ground " ! A 200 pound plus cop will either put his knee on the citizen neck,head or back! That same cop may then handcuff the citizen and many times hold a conversation with either the citizen or another cop while his knee is on the citizen neck,head or back! The reason this is done is to provoke a reaction from the citizen either trying to breath or adjusting his or her body. If you move for any reason the cop can justify in his mind beating or tasering or shooting the citizen..The court system will justify the murder! Today white racist cop have no fear of the court system! Police brutality is caught on video before the victim is out the hospital the abuse cops are back to work...When it comes to police shooting UNARMED innocent American citizen especially black American citizen..Before the body in the ground cops are back to work and the court system said...NOT GUILTY!
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By: Tyrone on 6/19/2010 10:01PM
I have waited now going on three weeks to hear that a Counselors or teacher or the Principal of the school made themselves available to children of the DEAD classmate or community! Aiyana Jones who was shot and killed by police executing a search warrant, according to officials. First she was burn by a police's flash bang" device, then shot in the neck DEAD! OH...while she was asleep! Anytime a white child is accidentally killed or even murder...Those children mainly in the victim classroom or school will have somebody to talk to! Special counselor would be assign to the DEAD child school or at the lease the DEAD child's classroom. But so far NOTHING! Just another N----er DEAD in the eyes Detroit police department and the American Government! They need to stop calling this a horrible accident is so OVER. Too many black children are accidentally murder by cops! Accidents are things that there is no preplan on doing the thing. Here the police did a calculate attack. Police should have known a child was present they should had known the proper location of the suspect! So, the police endangered the welfare of all the children there. However, according to Assistant Police Chief Ralph Godbee, preliminary information indicates that members of the Detroit Police Special Response Team approached the house and announced themselves as police. Godbee cited the officers involved and at least one independent witness. After finding out there is more then one tape the Chief has stop with that LIE!
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By: Tyrone on 9/08/2010 4:23PM
Glenn Beck spoke at the very same place that Martin luther King spoke when given his "I Have A Dream"Speech! But his speech will be about states right and and Martin Luther King promise! A promise that Beck does not believe in! Glenn Beck is sick stupid and I believe a racist and as of today I have to add a teacher of sick stupid and racism! He had on his program white children from age 13 to 19 and was teaching them stupid racist and sick belief about America! In other words LYING! Glenn Beck believe that under President Obama the country is worst condition then in the past! BULL"! He also called the first black president a racistand he stated that "President Obama! hated white people! The President is biracial and loved his white mother and grandparents! LIE LIE LIE! But no one has asked Glenn Beck why he made that statement or to give one example HOW! Just like his believe that President Obama is worst then past President! So that means that President Nixon who resign in disgrace as President was better then President Obama! He also believe that President Reagan that suffer from Alzheimer that last two and a half years in officer as President was better then President Obama! He must believe that former President G.W Bush who I believe and most of good level headed people believe was the worst President EVER! Was better then President Obama! Bush started a war in Iraq for NOTHING! Cause over 4,300 plus American troops to die for NOTHING! Took a surplus and turn it into American debt! To think any idiot would open their mouth and twist their words to suggest that President Obama is not a President for all the people! If Glenn Beck was a true American or Christian he would be teaching love and telling those white children to get behind the country and the President! He would have suggestion to Americans problem instead of criticism! He would TELL THE TRUTH about some of the white founding fathers! Like the fact that Thomas Jefferson was a child molester and father 6 children with a fifteen year old black child and carry on a un-marry relationship with her for over 37 years until his death! Or the fact that he practice some of the worst child labor law making 9 years olds black children work 10 and 12 hours a day in his nail factory!
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By: Tyrone on 9/08/2010 4:22PM
MAN PLUS AUTHORITY
Man plus authority equal disrespect AGAIN for the people that did not understand! Give a person authority over another person in America and abuse of authority will follow! Shamefully that is a fact in America! We see it when we turn on Judge Judy,Judge Brown, and Judge Mathis and the People Court! All the judges are over the top and disrespectful to litigant and the court system. Judge Judy refer to a litigant as "A Thing" or Fool or Your an IDIOT! Judge Brown is not only disrespectful but STUPID he talks over the litigant and has no control in the courtroom! He and Judge Mathis both have threaten litigant with bodily harm! Authority un-check or not monitor lead to abuse of authority! Just like white police officers that shoot unarmed non-combating black children and adults! Years ago white police officer that shot unarmed black Americans would plant gun in their hands to justify murder of unarmed black citizen! Today they just say " I thought he or she had a gun" or "I feared for my life" or he or she was reaching for something! Those statements along is enough to justify a murder of a black American! Now with the introduction of tasers cops have just went crazy. Tasering citizen for not sign tickets in common especially senior citizen and pregnant woman! Politician and Judges and Chief of Police are more concern in keeping incompetent and out and out STUPID police officers on the force. Then correcting or protecting American citizen especially black citizen! So disrespect of American citizen has evolve especially among black American citizen! Years ago cops would arrest you by saying " put your hands up' or turn around and put your hands behind your back. You where handcuffed and place in a patrol car! Today black people especially are order face down and a cop would place his knee on the neck head or back. Many time holding a conversation with you or other officers. If you move the officer would start shouting"stop resisting. This way he or she can justify beating or shooting you to death! When you are only moving to adjust your body from the pain his or her body is creating! So ones again authority un-check and not monitor or corrected leads to abuse of authority! Especially black people who have a history of being mistreated and disrespected by whites in authority! Just think there are politician that made it illegal to wear saggy pants and are charging violator a $200 fine! But a seven year old sleeping black female can be burn with a flash grenade then shot to death by a Detroit police officer and not a politician propose a bill to prevent or correct that from happening again! Or a 92 year old black senior citizen female can be murder in her home shot 39 time 6 bullets hitting their mark! Then handcuffed and allowing the human being to DIE! Then planting a gun and drug on the dying lady after finding out they where in the wrong home! No politician propose any new legislation to prevent correct stop this evil from ever happening again! BUT saggy pant ?????????
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By: Tyrone on 9/16/2010 2:36PM
The main problem with Obama's vision is simple he is in a racist and greedy America! AND.. White America's wants President Obama to fail they also want to blame him for everything wrong! The Republican politicians is prove of that! The White Buddy System that has destroy the country is responsible for the horrible condition of the country! The other problem President Obama has is the un-educated white Americans. That is un-caring and un-American and does not respect or believe in the Constitution that they wrote! The protest against the building of a American Muslim Mosque in New York!White Americans have been lied to and very neglected and misguided! The lack of white leadership among white community is horrible and lead to perpetuating hatred of non-whites! The white American that got rich and richer under white discriminatory rule of all 43 white Presidents! Got rich off of the back and sweat of the poor and the middle class! 43White Presidents never address or corrected white poverty in America which in the highest of all Americans at 61%! Whites in power keep hate and divide among the races and rob the country blind! We are all being played by lie and pure racist evil that continue to this day! Again you don't have to look far the white Republican Party have shown America that they will allow Americans to suffer and block the recovery of America. Just because they want the first black President to fail! They demonize the President and all his efforts and the white control media both conservative and liberal help!
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By: Tyrone on 10/11/2010 5:27PM
AMERICA WILL ONE DAY ANSWER
Today more then ever if a black person claim racism it is dismiss and not taken serious! Especially if the black person is making the claim to another white person! But when you see a pattern when you see that white cops over and over are shooting unarmed black people! Many time while face down! When you see only black children are stopped and frisk going and coming from school in New York! Some as young as ten. Made to take their shoes off and sometime drop their trouser in public view! When you hear over and over again that another black unarmed man has been murder by cops in a held of 41 to 50 and sometime as high as 100 bullets! When you hear a pregnant black woman has been taser and beaten in front of her child by another white cop! Then when you hear that a 92 year old black senior citizen( home alone) is gun down in a held of 39 bullets 6 hitting their mark in a wrong house raid. Then the gutless white officer handcuff a dying senior citizen and plant drug in her home and a gun in her hand! When you hear a sleeping 7 year old unarmed black child in first burn with a flash bomb and then shot dead in the neck! In another wrong house raid! When you see a black man beaten like a dog caught on camera in California (Mr. King)! Were upwards of 26 white cop just watch and never stop a crime being commit by four white cops! Then it happen again in Philly but this time it's four innocent black men caught on videotape being kick in the head and beat like there was so much hatred! Then when you see America justice system defend the action of racially motivate beating and pure murders over and over again! IT'S RACISM! Yet Katie Couric does a hour show from Afghanistan to report on the abusive treatment of women in that country! Nancy Grace show are devoted to showing America crimes against white people by white people (white on white crime). Bearly does she devote her program to black American crime victim! Aiyana Jone was just 7 years old and burn and shot dead by a white Detroit cop. The story was in the news all of two days maybe three. Katie Couric, Nancy Grace even Oprah didn't do a hour show on this black childs wrongful death!
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