There’s about a five minute gap on the video from the body cam of the primary officer. Apparently the camera got knocked off his shoulder and didn’t function again until after the incident was over.
What you can see is that (i) the officer went to the apartment twice over very loud music playing at 3:40 a.m., (ii) the main kid does open the door voluntarily but only about two feet wide, (iii) the cop asks the kid to step outside, (iv) the kid says clearly he will not come out, (v) the cop grabs the kid’s arm after the kid extends his arm outside the apartment through the partial open door and then the kid pulls back and stays inside, (vi) the cop clearly calls for back up assistance. The video ends there.
My two cents based on what we can see:
- The kid is clearly a jerk and he should be glad I'm not his father.
- The kid is more responsible for the escalation than the cop.
- But the cop is also partly responsible for the escalation.
- The cop had zero interest in entering the apartment and doing a search. Everything he does is aimed at getting the kid to come outside to discuss the noise complaint.
- I'm not sure what the cops are allowed to do in that situation. There's a valid complaint about noise but the kids in the apartment refuse to interact with the cops or quiet down. Does the officer call for an arrest warrant? Does he write a ticket, slide it under the door and walk away with the music still blaring? The kids did open the door voluntarily. This is where I fault the kids for being the escalators and/or not playing the game correctly.
- If the kid is going to play "I know my rights" then he needs to play that game correctly. Opening the door part way is not the right way to do it. Talk through an unopened door. Or a door with a chain on it. Or through a window. You don't stand in a partially open doorway. You don't extend your arm outside the apartment in an attempt to push the cop away. The legal status of an open doorway is ambiguous.
- You are smart to discuss the noise complaint with the cop. Especially if you (like me) don't know what the answer to number 5 is. Step outside to do that or do that while completely inside.
- You need to fold your "I know my rights" cards once you see the guy calling for back up. You can always press charges of illegal search/entry later. Inciting a confrontation is dangerous and stupid in all cases.
- The cop should have done #5 instead. But I don't know what that is.