‘Copwatch’ Documentary to Premiere at 2017 Tribeca Film Festival

Community policing continues to be ongoing social problem in urban cities that hasn’t been properly addressed by law enforcement officials. A new documentary about an organization that watches over police activity and behavior will make its debut at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday (April 23).

The film, titled Copwatch, is an intriguing look at WeCopWatch, an organization whose sole purpose is to film police activity so it can deter any police misconduct by arresting officers. Directed by Camilla Hall, the documentary follows the group co-founders, documentarian Jacob Crawford and David Whitt of Ferguson, Mo., as well as members Kevin Moore (from Baltimore) and Ramsey Orta.

Ramsey Orta’s story is particularly interesting because he was the man who filmed Eric Garner’s death by police in Staten Island, N.Y. The cops involved in that incident was never charged with a crime, but Ramsey, is the only person from the scene that is currently serving time in jail.

“Copwatch is not about what happened in front of the cameras, but it’s about those who stood behind them. It’s about a sense brotherhood that developed through the shared trauma of standing up to police brutality,” said Hall.

Copwatch is currently being shown this week at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. For more information, head over to tribecafilm.com.