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Detain CopWatch Member Observing Traffic Stop
Sept. 5, 2007
For immediate release:
Contact: National Latino Officers Association Orlando CopWatch and the Florida chapter of the National Latino Officers Association (NLOA) will hold a press conference on Thursday, Sept. 6, noon, in the Albertson Room, third floor of the downtown public library, 101 E. Central Blvd., Orlando.
CopWatch member Joshua Leclair, 29, will detail an incident that occurred around 1 a.m.,Sun., Sept. 2, in which an Orlando police officer ordered him to be handcuffed and detained while he was attempting to observing a traffic stop in the Vimi neighborhood. Leclair was standing at least 30 feet away on a public street videotaping while the police apprehended and arrested the driver and passenger of a pick-up truck. He was not in any way interfering with the police investigation.
However, the officer in charge at the time ordered Leclair to leave and when Leclair politely but firmly asserted his constitutional right to observe and videotape police on a public street, the officer ordered another officer to handcuff and detain Leclair. The second officer tackled Leclair, forcing him to the ground, prior to handcuffing him. As a result of the second officer's action, Leclair sustained abrasions and contusions. An Orlando police captain who subsequently arrived on scene ordered Leclair released after viewing video which corroborated Leclair's account of the incident. Despite the rough treatment he received from police, Leclair still willingly aided them in their investigation, signing an affidavit stating that the driver of the pick-up truck had behaved belligerently and had threatened police.
On Thursday morning, prior to the press conference, Leclair will formally request that the Orlando Police Department's Internal Affairs Section conduct an investigation of the incident to determine if any department policies or state laws were violated. Leclair also may pursue other civil and legal means of redress for an incident that he feels violated his constitutional rights including his right to non-obtrusively observe law enforcement officers as they carry out their duties.
Copies of video from Saturday night's incident will be available on DVD for members of the media, along with copies of other information including witness statements. Leclair and other members of Orlando CopWatch along with members of the NLOA will be available to answer questions.
Orlando CopWatch is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to monitoring and videotaping the activities of local law enforcement–the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff's Office and other agencies–and non-violently asserting the right of citizens to do so. Orlando CopWatch recognizes that police have an unpleasant and dangerous job to do. However, Orlando CopWatch believes that direct citizen oversight of law enforcement is necessary to ensure that citizens are protected without having their constitutional rights violated or being subjected to harassment, racial profiling or excessive force. Community activists founded Orlando CopWatch in April of 2007. Orlando CopWatch believes that watching the police is a crucial first step in the process of organizing the community to demand changes in how police act. Orlando CopWatch does not attempt to interfere in police activity or to resist police misconduct physically.
The mission of the NLOA is to promote tolerance toward and understanding of the Latino culture in all public and private agencies, especially in law enforcement communities. The mission of the individual chapters is to create strong bonds between the Latino community and other law enforcement agencies, and to ensure equal representation in hiring and promotional practices. The NLOA also strives to ensure that its members work in an environment that is in compliance with all equal employment opportunity rules and regulations; an environment free of discrimination, hostility, retaliation, and sexual harassment.
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