The Power of Video

What would you say if I told you you were under arrest for DUI and that the entire encounter, from when your car was first seen by the police, until you were down at the station and in the breath test room, was on video? Most of you would probably be pretty nervous about what was on the video. But whenever I hear there is video in a case, I actually get excited.

In Washington State, very few police vehicles have video equipment in them. On the west side of the state, where I live, Seattle is the only city I know of that has audio and video in every single police vehicle. Why don't others have video in their cars? That's a great question.

Why I Love Video When Defending DUI Cases

Video is great for one reason - it doesn't have the tinted viewpoint that police officers do. Video cameras can't smell alcohol - they aren't congratulated on their number of DUI arrests. They don't have quotas for stops of vehicles and DUI investigations. They simply record what happens, as it happens.

Why Cops Hate Video Cameras Recording the Action

If you talk to the cops, what they'll tell you is "it doesn't catch the nuances" of what they see. They actually say that! Video, as clear as day, that shows someone not doing something (crossing a line, stumbling, slurring speech - this one in particular) is inaccurate because it doesn't show the "whole picture."

Video is supposed to make the work of the prosecutor easier. It's supposed to make the work of the Seattle DUI attorney harder. But it usually works in the opposite way. I love having video evidence - it shows me what the police reports never do - what actually happened.

If you are charged with DUI, don't wait to get help. Call us today. We are ready to serve as your Seattle DUI attorneys, and we'll do whatever we can to get the resolution you want.