Example research essay topic: Police Department Video Tape - 1,419 words

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... of so many people who live in the community. Now, there would be no jobs, no places to buy anything, no hope, no future. All because of these fires of April, 1992.

For years to come, sociologist will be trying to find out why this happened. What were the deep roots that ignited this tragedy, this rebellion? There will be many questions and many answers. However, there was really only one direct, immediate cause that was the flash point; when the jury in the televised trial of the four officers accused in the beating of Rodney King announced they had found the officers innocent. A pick-up truck with its motor running was in my parking place when I arrived on the KTLA lot that afternoon in March of 1991. A free-lance cameraman had temporarily borrowed my space while he ran a video tape of a late news story to the newsroom.

I waited for about thirty seconds, he came racing out the door and waved an apology. Sorry, Stan, I think Rosalva will like the house fire I just brought her. Fire through the roof, good action. No problem, I waved back as he got into his car. There are several of these cameramen who make a living shooting news stories and selling them for $ 125. 00 each to the different television stations. They drive their own camera cars, listen to police scanners and chase after important breaking news stories.

He slammed his truck door shut, backed out much too fast, then raced out of the parking lot to go to another television news room with a copy of his latest news story. I had no idea that another one of those unexpected moments that reporters encounter frequently was about to hit me. They say we should always expect the unexpected, but I have never been able to take those moments in stride. The newsroom was busy when I entered.

I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out my press pass. I keep it on a chain so I can put it around my neck when I am on stories where they must be worn. I also keep a few keys on the chain, one for the newsman, others for my desk and mail box. I opened the narrow, book-like, metallic door of the mail box and took out a weekly paper from Taiwan, a letter from the German Consulate, three inter-office memos and my pay check.

I closed the door, always hard to rock, and went across the lobby to the glass encased bulletin board. Yesterdays program ratings are posted there each morning. There arent many businesses where you get a daily report card on how well you did the day before. It is another computer tracking of our daily lives.

It is a rather humbling experience, an instant gauge on how the television viewers accept you. It is best not to lose too many days in a row. News At Ten had a six rating, the other three newscasts against us had between a one and a three. Thats good news, but how long could we keep it up. My three to eleven oclock shift is always full of surprises. Most of the scheduled stories have already been covered, so we turn our attention to what has just happened.

I never know what my assignments are going to be when I am driving to work listening to the news radio stations. I dont know if those at the all-news stations, KFWB or KNX, have any idea how important their newscasts are to those of us who are field reporters. Their local news stories set the tone of the day and give us a feeling of what has happened and what might happen that night. Our assignment editor, Rosalva Skidmore, looked up from her phone call, smiled and waved a greeting.

I scanned the news wire copy on her desk while she finished the call. Rosalva is a pretty brunette with a wonderful smile and great enthusiasm. She is great to work with, very pleasant and professional. She handles stress well and refuses to let deadlines get her down. Stan, when you get a chance, will you take a look at this free lance video that we got today and see what you think we can do with it.

It is an amateur home video, but it is really quite powerful. Take a look at it. It was an unusual request so I put it in a play-back video unit right away. I looked at the pictures and felt a flow of adrenaline surge through my body. I had never viewed anything like this before.

Although shot the night before in the San Fernando Valley Foothill Police Division, it looked like something that might have happened in Tienenamn Square in Beijing, China or in a poor colored town in South Africa, not in Los Angeles. The first part of the video was blurred and it was difficult to tell what was happening, but when the photographer found his focus, I saw an incredible scene of police officers hitting a man with batons, over and over again. The beating didnt stop. It continued at a frenzy. The person was on the ground reeling around, he seemed submissive, but the blows continued.

I put the VCR in reverse and watched the blows bounce away from the victim, then I put it on play and looked in disbelief as they pounded him again and again. What do you want me to do with this? I asked. Some guy with a new home video camera shot this from his patio and he wants to sell it to us as a freelance news story, Rosalva answered. I kept running the tape back and forth. More than a dozen officers had surrounded the person and three of them were hitting him with batons or kicking him.

The others just seemed to stand around. Are we the only ones to have it? Whats the background? I asked. There was a pursuit on the Foothill Freeway.

The guy tried to get away. When he finally stopped, he got out of the car and tried to take on the whole force, she answered. Several others in the newsroom came over, clustered around the monitor and watched the video tape playback over and over again. Everyone had a painful expression. Better show this to the police first.

Weve got to get their reaction. Bibliography: The tape had been left off at the main gate by a viewer by the name of George Holliday. He had taken the video when he heard shouting and yelling on the street in front of his apartment. He started video taping the action and the violent beating sequence unfolded in front of him. Our News Director, Warren Cereghino, had watched it many times before I saw it. He agreed that we had to show it to the Police Department brass before we put it on the air.

I called Lt. Fred Nixon in the Press Relations Department and told him what we had. Bring it down Stan, Ill have some of the staff take a look at it with me. Commander Bill Booth, who had been head of Press Relations for years had just been promoted to Deputy Chief and this was the first day on the job for his replacement, Commander Robert Gil. Viewing this explosive package would be his baptism by fire.

The officers were waiting for me when I arrived with a copy of the tape at their sixth floor office of Parker Center about six oclock that evening. They watched silently as the tape was played and replayed. You could tell, they could not believe what they were seeing, but their official reaction was calm and noncommittal. Lt.

Nixon did an on-camera interview with me and said that they would have to investigate the circumstances and try to determine what did happen. He said there was no way he could comment on the tape, until he knew more about the circumstances. It wasnt very much, but it was a reaction from the Police Department that we could use on the air when we ran the tape that night. Several other high ranking officers saw the tape before I left that evening. These screenings gave the Department a chance to get ready for the storm that was about to engulf them.

I left a copy of the tape and was assured that the investigation would start immediately.

Research essay sample on Police Department Video Tape