A 1 minute, 40 second long police dashcam video shot during a traffic stop in the city of Utica in New York on February 11, 2011, which purportedly shows an officer planting a bag of drugs in the suspect’s car, is making headlines today after the footage was posted online by the Utica Phoenix newspaper.
However, Utica police authorities were quick to respond by releasing the full 25 minutes of the police car’s dashcam video, in which the officer is seen searching the suspect and discovering a white bag in his pocket, give or take 6 minutes and 45 seconds into the clip.
Speaking to WKTV Utica, which obtained the original dashcam footage, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams denied the claims that the officers planted the bag in the car and said that the incident was thoroughly investigated.
“He’s going into the car with it and that’s what he’s doing, it’s cold out and he’s basically separating the drugs from both defendants,” Chief Williams told the local TV station.
“It’s his car. He’s the one that’s turned that camera on. He should be fully aware that the camera is likely going to catch anything that’s going on in front of him. Obviously it’s a personal opinion someone has, maybe an agenda. All I can tell you is this; if I have an officer that I feel is planting drugs, he’s not going to have a job with the Utica Police Department. It’s not in my bests interests to keep someone like that around,” Williams added.
Utica Police told the new station that they met with the FBI about the case earlier today and that they were asked to keep them updated “on the investigation and the outcome”.
You can check out both the short clip posted by the Utica Phoenix newspaper as well as the full 25 minute-long video for yourself right after the break.
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