Cameras capture bad, good behavior of cops

Some big-city mayors and even FBI head

James Comey theorize that there is a “Ferguson effect” — that videos taken by passers-by of cops behaving badly inhibit arrests and are spiking crime rates. The data are mixed; some big-city crime rates are up and some down, with no definitive connection between videos and crime rates. But if there is a Ferguson effect, it didn’t inhibit former deputy Ben Fields from being violent with a teen girl in a Columbia, S.C., high school. He flipped her upside-down before tossing her across the room.

The lesson here is that when bad cops go berserk, their rage makes them oblivious to the ubiquitous cell cameras recording their violent outbursts. The vast majority of cops who control their non-professional emotions or character flaws likely view the taping of their citizen interactions positively.

But seeing the frequent videos of brutal cops traumatizing, injuring and sometimes killing unarmed citizens makes one wonder how many others have been victimized without any means of redress before the video revolution.

Walt Zlotow Glen Ellyn, Ill.

USA TODAY’s editorial on

FBI Director James Comey’s comments couldn’t be more off-base (“FBI chief ’s explanation for crime rise lacks hard data,” Our view, Tuesday). It’s hard to compile data from conversa- tions with police officers all over the USA who feel a sense of abandonment by their political leaders. That feeling is real to the men and women who stand on guard for all of us. It’s trite to say it, but perception is reality. Way to go, Director Comey!

John W. Adams Indianapolis