James was back in town a few days ago and showed how the SFPD continues to violate their own policies on recording them. I love it when citizens get involved to try to help the police knowing NOTHING about their own constitutional rights.

I also like his evaluation of the Mark Burgess situation;

15 Thoughts on “James Freeman having a hay day with the SFPD

  1. The distinguished Senator from Greenland on September 2, 2019 at 1:08 pm said:

    That cop in the first video reminds me of the character, Mr. Yunioshi, from the movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’

  2. One who savors the last known Walnut Crush candy bar on our planet on September 2, 2019 at 1:16 pm said:

    As far as the second video, well, a course the
    SFPD is not going to comment on this anymore than they have too, because they don’t want to further legitimize a potential lawsuit. And if they fired the cops, then they would only be feeding such a suit. The SFPD have bunkered down on this one….. perhaps our new ramp would help.

  3. glad to get a good look at aka James Freeman @ 3:58 on the first video

    great role-model for his young daughter

  4. I know the police have a tough job and I very much respect what they do in this city. A lot to put up with for sure.

    That being said, they have no right to hassle, push, discourage, intimidate or otherwise interfere with a citizen standing on public property videotaping. In that first video, the guy shows you in black and white the SFPD’s own directive saying as much.

    This will not end until someone sues and successfully collects on a large payout. Mr. Clemens, the police spokesmen should be quite embarrassed telling the citizens of SF that “we have completed an internal investigation [sic] and cannot talk about that investigation”.

    All they are doing by not just ignoring being taped is spurring on copy cat videoing by a legion of folks out there who know eventually a law$uit will be filed.

  5. Jon, I agree 100%. I don’t envy their job, and I don’t think they are paid enough, I also don’t think they are properly trained in diversity, conflict resolution, and especially criminal justice. But those arguments aside, by not being transparent with the public, they are digging a deep, deep, deep hole. The first thing a police chief, any police chief should embrace is complete transparency. Hiding things builds distrust in our officers. I am astonished they don’t realize they creating an this atmosphere. While I don’t agree with Mr. Freeman’s tactics (someone pissed in this guy’s Wheaties years ago) he does make a point about violence against officers, and he certainly doesn’t sugar coat it. You can be ‘respectful’ while demonstrating the pititful and unconstitutional actions, in fact, you may succeed in your message better.

  6. Conservative Here on September 2, 2019 at 9:48 pm said:

    I hate to admit this but, this @ssclown doing these videos is proving his point. I think he is a complete @sshole but, you would think the SFPD would have AT LEAST been briefed about the dude videotaping stuff and trying to cause problems and to AT LEAST leave that dude alone hahahaha. Unfortunately, we are going to have to pay out to some trashbag at some point in a lawsuit for this to hit home. The blue line was in effect when he tried to file a complaint and refused to give his name. This is where this James dude kind of fails if you want to file an assault charge, you would think they need some contact info to get a video or be a cooperating witness, something, No??? This is why this guy proves a point he just is trying to cause problems period.

  7. D@ily Spin on September 3, 2019 at 7:30 am said:

    Police will be dignified and justified for their actions given body and car video cameras. It’s time. Citizen recordings are made and edited for the wrong kind of attention. An intelligent cop can record ignorance by being polite and letting individuals make a fool of themselves. Recordings will be especially valuable as evidence be it for criminal or ethical reasons.

  8. CH, yes, the Ass-Cannery on both sides is pitiful.

  9. Blasphemo on September 3, 2019 at 12:16 pm said:

    IMHO, I think this is another issue you’d best serve locals by “not commenting on.” Freeman doesn’t deserve the attention. What’s the saying? Police (or maybe it’s court judges) deal with nice people on the worst day of their lives – or something like that. This Freeman clown shows up to minor car accidents – an unexpected, unsettling experience for all drivers involved – and inserts a video camera… PLUS THIS TIME A BIG DOG into the unpleasant situation with toddlers running around just to take things up a notch. I cry bullsh_t. That Mark Burgess incident would have NEVER happened if Freeman hadn’t been live streaming and attracted his fan Burgess to insert himself into the events. Humans are flawed, and so are some police in the discharge of their duties and in exercising their authority. Like any bureaucracy, the SFPD is not perfect. However, for the most part society is damn lucky there are people who want to be police. Degrading, insulting and baiting police to react is an abuse of a) the freedoms we enjoy, and b) abuse of the very people we call for help when we find ourselves in a world of sh*t. If Freeman is such a devoted freedom fighter, let him camp out in high crime major metro areas where racial profiling might be a big issue. If a person has trouble with the SFPD, I have a hunch they asked for it. I think it’s pretty clear why a jerk like David Z. had problems with the SFPD. He’s a ‘residude’ whack job who doesn’t know when to SHUT UP and be respectful. This guy Freeman is the personification of adolescent contrariness masquerading as a legal adult. He’s WAY out of line and deserves to be hog tied and thrown on a slow boat to Iran. Let him try purposefully intimidating citizens and irritating officials by shooting video everywhere in a fine sandbox like the Middle East.

  10. Conservative Here on September 3, 2019 at 1:04 pm said:

    I wonder what would happen if some citizen kicks this guys @ss for being a jerk. I bet this happens if he keeps these pranks up, then my question would be will the SFPD do anything about it. The bad thing about pissing off cops for NO reason is, they may let the @ss kicking happen for a bit before they intervene

  11. "'Extremely' Stable Genius" on September 3, 2019 at 2:00 pm said:

    “…they may let the @ss kicking happen for a bit before they intervene.”

    Oh, really? Then your indictment of the police is even worse than the verbal critics, huh?

  12. Conservative Here on September 4, 2019 at 8:58 am said:

    I would not say its a worse indictment but, maybe they are slow to react and to stop the @ss whopping. Look in the grand scheme of life no one deserves to be physically assaulted. I am simply saying, while wrong, I can understand someone kicking this guys @ss and if the SFPD are on the scene, they MAY not rush over to break it up. If you had a guy come to your work and constantly call you names and mess with you and someone physically intervened, you may not sprint to his defense, thats all I am saying. The cops are human too and yes they need to be smarter but, I know these kinds of things happen. I remember several times in my younger years when I was out at the bar and some drunk guy would get out of line and try to take swings at bouncers, he would get roughed up a bit on his way out the door. The cops show up and they do nothing to the bouncers for beating him up. While I thought at times it was unnecessary as the dude was drunk, I also thought…meeehhh…he kind of brought it on himself. I am not condoning it but, I am certainly not making a big deal out of it. Bottom line is I am a huge PD supporter but, I am shocked this tool got them again and they would have AT LEAST been briefed on this dude coming to town and to be on your best behavior but, I guess not. These dudes have tough jobs and they should know that I can say what I want in public without fear of repercussions yet they don’t and that is a little troubling. I think the larger problem is society has too many folks like this guy who are just flat out disrespectful and have no decorum

  13. "'Extremely' Stable Genius" on September 4, 2019 at 3:11 pm said:

    “I am shocked this tool got them…”

    That’s because they are not being trained probably and are in denial.

    In fact, if it came to light that they had training on this issue, since the 41st and Carolyn incident, then that would just be further usable discovery for a civil rights lawsuit against the city.

    On this one, the city is in a quandary, I am afraid.

  14. Anthony Renli on September 4, 2019 at 4:28 pm said:

    What blows my mind is this is such a totally unforced error on the SFPD.
    Yes, James Freeman IS an asshole. But do you know how to completely disarm him. IGNORE HIM. Until such a point as he actually BREAKS the law (in a clear cut, documentable fashion), just freaking ignore him.
    Don’t acknowledge his existence. Be doubly/triply professional and make sure that NOTHING you do is even on the same planet as questionable. Let him shout his profanity and his insults. Let him do his thing and just work.
    If you are forced, for some reason, to deal with him, put on your best ‘Andy Griffith’ impersonation and hit him with the height of kindness. “Aw, shucks Mr. Freeman, as a favor, why don’t you just tone down the profanity, there are kids here. Maybe just say F the Police as opposed to the whole word. We’ll know what you mean.” If you don’t give him anything to work with – if you don’t give him material to film that he can use…his videos won’t see the light of day. If he doesn’t get material, he’ll move on to the next city.

  15. An inspiring Republican "Taupester" on September 8, 2019 at 5:27 pm said:

    “….. if you don’t give him material to film that he can use…his videos won’t see the light of day. If he doesn’t get material, he’ll move on to the next city.”

    But isn’t it the fact that we do, that is troubling?
    Say what you want about Freeman, but he has exposed a weaknest, or a failing, with our current force, that needs to be dealt with. And merely having the force just ignore him means that we also ignoring what is inherently, and or apparently, wrong with our current police force in town.

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