Danville, Virginia: Police opening car hoods to block their own dash cams.

a reply to: ColdWisdom
Even if body cams are required by some new federal law, they'll be disabled whenever convenient. Until body cams are set up to live stream to an objective 3rd party abuse will still occur. Where there's a will to get themselves and other boys in blue off the hook, there will always be a way.

originally posted by: hounddoghowlie
a reply to: MisterSpock

Sorry, modern cars can sit and idle without overheating. This isn't the 1970's.

spoken like someone that has no clue as to how cars work, they will overheat. just ask any mechanic. the electric fans can not keep up with the heat gain.

come down to fl and go by road construction , i guarantee you you will see it.

Virginia isn't Florida.

And I don't see any other vehicles with their hoods up to vent the hot air. Do you?

"If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide."

That's what LEO's and their apologists tell us "free citizens," yes? Well, what are they hiding? If they've done nothing wrong they have nothing to hide, yes?

As for body cameras? They're great and all but they just so happen to "coincidentally," fall of (turned off) during encounters.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Do you own cars that have to run a computer and printer, emergency lights, and a radio along with all the standard electronics that your vehicle has?

Do you frequently leave your vehicle running on the side of the road for extended periods of time?

a reply to: gladtobehere

Where is the dashcam placed in a police car? Is it actually on the dash?

I ask because, in the second picture, there seems to be a clear gap between the bonnet (hood) and the dash that would allow the cam to see.

This is the original Facebook post this stems from:

I don't like wasting breath but I will say this-PUSH THE ISSUE AS TO WHY THE DANVILLE VA POLICE DEPT. HAS PERMISSION TO LIFT THEIR HOODS, WHICH COVERS UP THE CAMERA VIEW, DURING A STOP OR WHATEVER(This picture is from a previous situation that the police responded to a few weeks back)!!! The response given by their representative is that this helps the car to not overheat. I was over by the police precinct yesterday in Green Street park and a police car was on for over 30 minutes with no one in it. Seemed like overheating was definitely not an issue then. Raise this issue over and over. Injustices has been happening in this city for so many years, but given what we are seeing nationwide- WE NEED THOSE CAMERAS TO BE ON AND HAVE CLEAR VIEW AT ALL TIMES!!!ESPECIALLY IN DANVILLE VA!

Source

Considering that modern cars are fitted with thermostats that prevent a car from overheating while idle this certainly raises a few eyebrows.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: MisterSpock

Most modern cars don't have to sit and idle for hours on end. Popping the hood open is pretty common when the vehicle is going to be parked and running for an extended time.

I know everybody hates Snopes, but Snopes has provided a bit of story the article in the OP doesn't.

www.snopes.com...

Of note is that Danville PD has bodycams, not just dashcams.

"hours on end"

What is the typical length of a traffic stop?
Was the police car moving prior to the stop? If it was that would negate the necessity to vent the buildup of heat.
If it was moving and needed to stop for 15, 20, or even 30 minutes would it be necessary to pop the hood?

I really don't see how this is even being discussed. People sit in stop and go rush hour traffic for hours, in the summer, with pavement temps in excess of 120 degrees, surrounded by cars and they don't all overheat.

a reply to: RomeByFire

as Shamrock a police officer has said it is to help keep it cool, because of all the equipment running.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Well at least one of the pictures is from a shooting investigation and not a traffic stop. So why is a question pertaining to traffic stops relevant in any way, shape, or form?

A shooting investigation, on the other hand, lasts however long it needs to.

www.godanriver.com... html

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: MisterSpock

Do you own cars that have to run a computer and printer, emergency lights, and a radio along with all the standard electronics that your vehicle has?

Do you frequently leave your vehicle running on the side of the road for extended periods of time?

No, I don't have a printer and emergency lights to run on my vehicles.

I don't sit on the side of the road, but I have sat in traffic for hours, on a warm(95 degree) summer day with the a/c running, like millions of other people.

Never had to jump out and pop my hood, never seen anyone else do that either.

No it is not common here in Florida. It is not common in any climate. It actually decreases the cooling of the engine to open the hood. You loose the vacuum your fan creates. You pull less draft at idle through the radiator.

I'm willing to concede to the possibility that this isn't done for obscuring body cams, but may actually just be unnecessary "venting" of vehicle heat due to being poorly informed or as some sort of "urban legend" surrounding cars overheating.

Frankly, I'd almost rather it be a more intentional attempt at deception regarding the body camera's than just a comical misunderstanding of vehicles.

"All right guys, briefings over, stay safe out there and don't forget to pop your hoods to let the heat out."

a reply to: MisterSpock

I have, so anecdotal evidence meet anecdotal evidence.

I also used to routinely pop my hood when working a road work zone when I drove a marked unit. I've also turned my heat on.

We can argue about whether popping one's hood to disperse heat is common practice all day long, but I've known to do it, and the heater trick, since I was a teenager.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: MisterSpock

I have, so anecdotal evidence meet anecdotal evidence.

I also used to routinely pop my hood when working a road work zone when I drove a marked unit. I've also turned my heat on.

We can argue about whether popping one's hood to disperse heat is common practice all day long, but I've known to do it, and the heater trick, since I was a teenager.

And I've done it too(the heater trick), usually on a older car that had some sort of cooling issue. However that was NOT a car that was functioning properly.

I'd certainly entertain it, if I ever saw it done legitimately. The only time I've heard to do it was from some old guy that lived through the old garbage cars of the 70's, he would only do it after he parked the car though.

Otherwise, I've never done it, never seen it done(while idling), work in the automotive related industry, never heard ANYONE suggest doing it, never heard any of the mechanics I know say to do it, never heard of any of my fleet customers doing it and never heard of ANY of the dozens of people i know that run equipment on jobsites(1 ton trucks,dump trucks that idle all day long in a dirt pit) do anything like that.

It's ridiculous.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Sounds like you guys need to mod your cruisers with aluminium radiators and drop in a low temp 160 degree thermostat. I don't think the stock ones are meant for the alternator and ac loads they take.

But the trunk thing is bunk. It sounds good. Like it's natural to open as the heat rises anyway. But then the fans vac flow is lost to the radiator, so it overheats the engine from the inside out. When closed, all radiant exhaust heat is blown out the bottom of the engine bay, instead of the exhaust being allowed to rise up the engine then out.

So, just another guess/opinion stated as fact. Fear does sell. Sold American.

a reply to: Mandroid7

All of that is pretty much Greek to me lol. I don't know a ton about cars to be honest. The advice I got was from a buddy that did a lot of work on his own car when we were in high school and were both driving beaters.

a reply to: MisterSpock

So because you haven't seen it, it must be not be true?

I've seen it, and done it, so then it must be true, no?

I dunno what to tell ya, guy. Ridiculous or not I've been doing it since I got my first car, and never been told not to until Mandroid posted his comment.

Take it as you will but...

When I worked for the local PD, way back in the 90s/00s, some did use the hood to block the dash cams...on purpose...
It's not a new thing.

a reply to: gladtobehere

Neather of those pictures show police officers pulling anyone over.

For all we know the Officers in the first picture are having a normal watercooler conversation with each other and they don't want to be film goofing off.

The second picture doesn't show anyone so it could be anything.

It would be hard to explain the hood going up on video prior to an incident. So that can't be the logical explanation... it just wouldn't make sense.

More logical is that these officers feel the natural human urge not to be filmed all day and are obstructing the cameras when doing so won't get them in truble... when they are on brake for example.

originally posted by: MisterSpock
Sorry, modern cars can sit and idle without overheating. This isn't the 1970's.

I'd tend to assume the obvious, criminals don't like to be watched.

That must be why so many BLM "protestors" cover their faces.