Rochester, NY Police Sgt. Nickolas Isler
A couple of years ago, I captured something on video I had never captured before.
A police officer expressing his support of citizens' first amendment protected right to record.
That cop, was Brighton, NY Police officer Richard Kosakowski.
In the video, Kosakowski also spoke about his support of police officers wearing body cams.
Before joining the Brighton Police Department, Kosakowski worked for the Utica, NY Police Department, which had implemented body cams for their officers.
Brighton, NY Police officer Richard Kosakowski
With more and more police departments throughout the country outfitting their officers with body cams, including the Brighton and Rochester, NY Police Departments, which will soon implement cameras for their officers, it's refreshing to see cops in support of wearing body cams.
But it's especially refreshing to find a professional police officer who not only supports the use body cams, but more importantly, who supports citizens' first amendment right to record police!
You don't see that a lot.
And rarely if ever, will a police officer openly express their support, especially on video, of citizens' right to record, like officer Kosakowski did.
And when it comes to the Rochester, NY Police Department, a police force with a long and disturbing history of violating citizens' constitutionally protected right to record, you're lucky if you can ever get them to tell you they actually support the Constitution, let alone give you their name and badge number.
In 2011, the Rochester, NY Police Department made international headlines when an RPD cop named Mario "Cowboy" Masic violated Emily Good's first amendment right to record, when he arrested her for video recording him racially profiling a black motorist.
Which is why it's nice to see there are some Rochester, NY cops who support the right to record.
And it's nice to see that unlike Rochester, NY Police officer Mario "Cowboy" Masic, there are cops, albeit a few, who actually believe in the United States Constitution they swore an oath to uphold.
Rochester, NY Police officer Mario "Cowboy" Masic
Enter Rochester, NY Police Sergeant Nickolas Isler.
I recently came across Sgt. Isler while I was doing some random cop watching on Rochester's east side.
And I'm glad I did.
Check out the video below and you'll see why.
Watch not only how professional and courteous Rochester Police Sgt. Nickolas Isler was, but also what he thinks of the right to record, and his thoughts on body cams.
Thank you Sgt. Isler.
Your professional behavior and down to earth personality stands in stark contrast to the unprofessional, above the law, zero accountability behavior of your fellow brother, and sister in blue, who refused to give me their names and badge numbers just minutes before your short video interview.
It's sad Sgt. Isler, that it's cops like them who give cops like you a bad name.
We need more cops like you on the streets.
Cops who not only respect the Constitution, but who also respect citizens.
As someone who was brought up to respect authority and taught that police officers were "the good guys", and that every officer was "Officer Friendly", that respect and trust for police officers was forever shattered in 1986, when Rochester, NY Police officers Randall "Rambo" Benjamin and Mark Mariano illegally broke into our home without a warrant, by kicking in our front door, terrorized me and my family at gunpoint, and threatened to shoot my dog.
But for a few short seconds as we talked, you reminded me of that kid.
That kid who used to trust the police.
That kid who once believed "Officer Friendly" really existed.
Thank you Sgt. Isler.
Rochester, NY Police Sgt. Nickolas Isler
CLICK LINK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO OF ROCHESTER, NY POLICE SGT. ISLER
CLICK LINK BELOW TO READ MY STORY AND WATCH VIDEO OF ROCHESTER, NY COPS WHO REFUSED TO GIVE ME THEIR NAMES AND BADGE NUMBERS
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