Police Officer Makes a Truthful Movie, Finally
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Officer's New Video Stirs More Ire in San Francisco
By CAROLYN MARSHALL
But, at least it is a truthful account of police officers everywhere!
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 - The police officer whose amateur video raised concerns among city officials about racism, sexism and homophobia within the San Francisco Police Department is hoping his filmmaking skills can help undo the damage and refocus the debate. But critics suggest he is making matters worse.
The officer, Andrew Cohen, was temporarily suspended last month along with 23 other officers connected to the video, which depicted uniformed and plainclothes officers in skits that mocked the homeless, gay men and lesbians, African-Americans and others.
Though reinstated, the police officers remain under investigation in the making of the videotape, and Officer Cohen and some others have been reassigned.
Now Officer Cohen has embarked on a one-man public relations effort to promote a 28-minute video - which he started working on two years ago and calls a serious documentary - that shows the difficulties of police work in some of the city's most crime-ridden and violent neighborhoods.
"This will show you what I'm all about and what the department is about," Officer Cohen said at a screening of the video on Wednesday. "The officers that were suspended are nothing like the accusations."
Peter Ragone, a spokesman for Mayor Gavin Newsom, said that Officer Cohen was "acting unilaterally" in publicizing his new video and that the mayor and Police Chief Heather Fong had no part in the effort. Mr. Ragone said many people, including fellow officers, had asked Officer Cohen to "stop trying to promote himself."
"I honestly do not know, nor do I care to speculate, about what Mr. Cohen and his lawyer are up to," Mr. Ragone said.
Whatever the intent, Mr. Ragone added: "It doesn't change the fact that we have videos that make fun of Chief Fong's Asian heritage and segments that have a white officer running over a black homeless woman. There is simply nothing funny about it."
Before screening the new video at the 4-Star Theater, Officer Cohen urged members of the public in the overflow crowd to focus on his serious filmmaking efforts, which have included the production of at least eight educational videos for and about the Police Department.
"Forget about the comedy video," he said during the free screening, which was viewed by several hundred people. "It's got to go away."
Many in the audience, though, said afterward that the film's promotion had led them to expect that they were going to see the controversial video.
"Everybody feels lied to," said Damien Ross, 25. "We all came to see something, and it wasn't shown."
Jeff Simmons, 45, described the video that was shown as "a half-hour infomercial."
"I know it's tough to be a cop in the Bayview," Mr. Simmons said. "The question is: Were the clips a glimpse into what the cops really think about the people they serve?"
Mr. Simmons, echoing others, said he had wanted to see the skits to make up his own mind about the controversy they have generated.
"I know the mayor's spin; I know the police spin," he said. "Where can I actually see the video?"
Called "Inside the S.F.P.D.: The Bayview," the new video being promoted by Officer Cohen depicts officers from the city's Bayview station, where he worked when he shot it, in dicey confrontations, arresting suspects, rescuing bloodied victims and rounding up drug dealers in a troubled neighborhood. Woven through the scenes are interviews with the officers, who speak about the dangers of police work.
Parts of the movie were also used to produce the controversial "comedy video." That video spliced together tape, much of it shot while Officer Cohen and the other officers were on duty, that parodied the life of police officers. Sexually explicit skits spoofed the television series "Charlie's Angels," and some segments showed officers ignoring crime dispatches. Officer Cohen said the video was intended as a gag for the station's annual Christmas party.
Clips from the Christmas video first appeared on Officer Cohen's personal Web site but were more widely distributed at a news conference on Dec. 7 held by Mayor Newsom and Chief Fong, who said they were outraged about the contents. There was also a strong reaction among many Asian-American, African-American and gay and lesbian residents, resuscitating accusations of racism and sexism in the Police Department.
In an open letter to the San Francisco Police Commission, Asian community leaders called for disciplinary action against the 24 officers.
"This video vividly illustrates disrespect towards the disenfranchised communities of San Francisco and represents a fundamental breach in the promise of the city's police officers to protect and serve our communities," the letter said.
Mr. Ragone, the mayor's spokesman, said the Police Department's investigation could last several months. In cases of wrongdoing, he said, discipline could include a formal reprimand or dismissal.
Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company
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For more information go to:
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[Editor's Note: But, it is great to see a police officer be truthful about his true feelings for a change. What he shows in the movie is not good -- its the usual piss and shit all over 'prisoners' and 'scum' routine; the way police officers tend to deal with anyone they don't like, which is most of the world. One good attribute this man has is being honest about his feelings. The main reason most police feel their job is 'dangerous' is because of their own arrogance toward main stream society, and their expectation that they are something special and so much different. ]
Officer's New Video Stirs More Ire in San Francisco
By CAROLYN MARSHALL
But, at least it is a truthful account of police officers everywhere!
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 - The police officer whose amateur video raised concerns among city officials about racism, sexism and homophobia within the San Francisco Police Department is hoping his filmmaking skills can help undo the damage and refocus the debate. But critics suggest he is making matters worse.
The officer, Andrew Cohen, was temporarily suspended last month along with 23 other officers connected to the video, which depicted uniformed and plainclothes officers in skits that mocked the homeless, gay men and lesbians, African-Americans and others.
Though reinstated, the police officers remain under investigation in the making of the videotape, and Officer Cohen and some others have been reassigned.
Now Officer Cohen has embarked on a one-man public relations effort to promote a 28-minute video - which he started working on two years ago and calls a serious documentary - that shows the difficulties of police work in some of the city's most crime-ridden and violent neighborhoods.
"This will show you what I'm all about and what the department is about," Officer Cohen said at a screening of the video on Wednesday. "The officers that were suspended are nothing like the accusations."
Peter Ragone, a spokesman for Mayor Gavin Newsom, said that Officer Cohen was "acting unilaterally" in publicizing his new video and that the mayor and Police Chief Heather Fong had no part in the effort. Mr. Ragone said many people, including fellow officers, had asked Officer Cohen to "stop trying to promote himself."
"I honestly do not know, nor do I care to speculate, about what Mr. Cohen and his lawyer are up to," Mr. Ragone said.
Whatever the intent, Mr. Ragone added: "It doesn't change the fact that we have videos that make fun of Chief Fong's Asian heritage and segments that have a white officer running over a black homeless woman. There is simply nothing funny about it."
Before screening the new video at the 4-Star Theater, Officer Cohen urged members of the public in the overflow crowd to focus on his serious filmmaking efforts, which have included the production of at least eight educational videos for and about the Police Department.
"Forget about the comedy video," he said during the free screening, which was viewed by several hundred people. "It's got to go away."
Many in the audience, though, said afterward that the film's promotion had led them to expect that they were going to see the controversial video.
"Everybody feels lied to," said Damien Ross, 25. "We all came to see something, and it wasn't shown."
Jeff Simmons, 45, described the video that was shown as "a half-hour infomercial."
"I know it's tough to be a cop in the Bayview," Mr. Simmons said. "The question is: Were the clips a glimpse into what the cops really think about the people they serve?"
Mr. Simmons, echoing others, said he had wanted to see the skits to make up his own mind about the controversy they have generated.
"I know the mayor's spin; I know the police spin," he said. "Where can I actually see the video?"
Called "Inside the S.F.P.D.: The Bayview," the new video being promoted by Officer Cohen depicts officers from the city's Bayview station, where he worked when he shot it, in dicey confrontations, arresting suspects, rescuing bloodied victims and rounding up drug dealers in a troubled neighborhood. Woven through the scenes are interviews with the officers, who speak about the dangers of police work.
Parts of the movie were also used to produce the controversial "comedy video." That video spliced together tape, much of it shot while Officer Cohen and the other officers were on duty, that parodied the life of police officers. Sexually explicit skits spoofed the television series "Charlie's Angels," and some segments showed officers ignoring crime dispatches. Officer Cohen said the video was intended as a gag for the station's annual Christmas party.
Clips from the Christmas video first appeared on Officer Cohen's personal Web site but were more widely distributed at a news conference on Dec. 7 held by Mayor Newsom and Chief Fong, who said they were outraged about the contents. There was also a strong reaction among many Asian-American, African-American and gay and lesbian residents, resuscitating accusations of racism and sexism in the Police Department.
In an open letter to the San Francisco Police Commission, Asian community leaders called for disciplinary action against the 24 officers.
"This video vividly illustrates disrespect towards the disenfranchised communities of San Francisco and represents a fundamental breach in the promise of the city's police officers to protect and serve our communities," the letter said.
Mr. Ragone, the mayor's spokesman, said the Police Department's investigation could last several months. In cases of wrongdoing, he said, discipline could include a formal reprimand or dismissal.
Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company
*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without
profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the
understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic
issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I
believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish
to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner, in this instance, New York Times Company.
For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
[Editor's Note: But, it is great to see a police officer be truthful about his true feelings for a change. What he shows in the movie is not good -- its the usual piss and shit all over 'prisoners' and 'scum' routine; the way police officers tend to deal with anyone they don't like, which is most of the world. One good attribute this man has is being honest about his feelings. The main reason most police feel their job is 'dangerous' is because of their own arrogance toward main stream society, and their expectation that they are something special and so much different. ]
posted by Patrick Townson at 3:48 PM
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