20. Vindicated and Validated
After the recording of the incident was released, Jesse Bright become an internet celebrity over night. His argument that he was aware of the law showed that people can exercise their rights when pulled over by a police officer. Once the tape reached the offices of Becker’s bosses, they confirmed that the police can, indeed, be recorded. This whole situation spiraled out of control due to one police officer acting in an unprofessional and threatening manner. Maybe he was a good Sergeant and sorely missed by his peers, but in a position of power, no matter how bad of a day one may have, it is the duty of the officer to stay calm and collected. The failure to do so ended up highlighting one of the issues that citizens face when interacting with officers. Jesse Bright showed that knowing your rights is all you need to ensure that you are as safe as possible and able to protect yourself if things get out of hand.