Photos & The Police - Detroit 'Burbs

[mlav]

Thanks for the replies.

[S2K.OGRAPHY]

thats ridiculous...its a shame that nothing will be done about it though...they (police) can do whatever they want >:(

[FlyingPhotog]

Subscribing out of morbid curiosity...

[mlav]

Subscribing out of morbid curiosity...


Thanks...how was the writing? Do I need more detail? :D

[S2K.OGRAPHY]

it was excellent...very well thought out...but they still arent going to do anything :(

[john-in-japan]

Jeeeze - Calling a cop a dip%$#@ retard was not the best way to start your and their evening. Not sure what part of intefering with an investigation you did not understand.
You can be dead right, but wear an attitude like that and you will always be wrong. Good deed on the drinking and driving call, but referring to the two women as 'chicks' tells me you might want to re-evaluate the way you come across to others. If your are out looking for trouble, it will be sure to find you. I think you need work on 'losing it". Just my two cents.
John

[john-in-japan]

And a P. S. -
Why don't you see if you can ride along some nights. Some police departments have programs like this. And if you are out seeking an apology from the cop you called a dip%$#@ retard, watch out for the nightstick.
John

[S2K.OGRAPHY]

what about free speech? if a cop shines his bright ass light in my face for no good reason, why cant i call him a dip^%$#? oh thats right, because free speech is bs

[john-in-japan]

Sure you can, but why intentionally use profanity? He stated a reason - interfering with an investigation. He said clear the area, you walk closer. Seems a bit dumb to me. If you have no respect for authority and decide to flaunt your free speech rights by calling a cop a dipsh*t retard, go for it and suffer the consequences. Go file your complaint and let us know how the apology goes.
John

[S2K.OGRAPHY]

:rolleyes:

[ANGUS]

Calling a cop a "dip**** retard" is not smart. Having read that some of it was deserved. If the cop believes you are interfering (And calling him a "dip**** retard" is interfering!!!!) he can ask you to leave, infact you could have been arrested and charged for that, plus secretly recording the conversation is illegal in Australia and i also think America too.

[Roy Mathers]

Jeeeze - Calling a cop a dip%$#@ retard was not the best way to start your and their evening. Not sure what part of intefering with an investigation you did not understand.
You can be dead right, but wear an attitude like that and you will always be wrong. Good deed on the drinking and driving call, but referring to the two women as 'chicks' tells me you might want to re-evaluate the way you come across to others. If your are out looking for trouble, it will be sure to find you. I think you need work on 'losing it". Just my two cents.
John

Sure you can, but why intentionally use profanity? He stated a reason - interfering with an investigation. He said clear the area, you walk closer. Seems a bit dumb to me. If you have no respect for authority and decide to flaunt your free speech rights by calling a cop a dipsh*t retard, go for it and suffer the consequences. Go file your complaint and let us know how the apology goes.
John


I agree with both these posts. I don't think that you were entirely blameless in this.

[wolfden]

I agree with john-in-japan 100%

Have some respect for the officers, have some respect for them doing their job. You can't possibly know the entire situation of what is happening. I would seriously find something else to photograph than narking on drunks and calling the cops.

[amckenzie4]

While he may or may not have been justified in asking you to leave in the first place, once you insulted him he had every reason to believe you were going to cause trouble.

Furthermore, you don't know that you WEREN'T in their way, inititally. They could have been looking for tire tracks. They could have been looking for footprints. They could have just been obnoxious and abusing their power. Regardless, being rude is never going to help you get along with the police.

[avbcon12]

I agree with the others, you don't know that you weren't interfering. Calling the cop a name didn't help at all.

I don't know if you're from Wetland originally or know about the area well at all but if you did you'd know that they are NOT cops to mess with. They are known to use their power as they please, and fully.

[BucketMan]

So lemme get this right....

You came upon an incident and have NO idea what is going on there, other than some cops are arresting some guy. You walk closer and an officer tells you to NOT come any closer, however you ignore that and continue towards them anyways, again with NO idea what is being investigated.

The officer again asks you to move to the other side of the road, so what if it is 5 lanes? Then you decide the best way to handle this situation is to swear and insult that police officer...are you serious?

I do not know what kind of job/career you have, however if you are doing your job and someone is or may being to interfere with your ability to do your job, what are you going to tell them? If that person ignores you and then swears and insults you, then what are you going to do?

In my opinion, you are lucky you didn't land in jail, and rightfully so.

I understand that the police have such a negative stereotype because of the actions of SOME officers, not ALL, just like any job. Yes, there are some really bad cops out there, however the MAJORITY are good at what they do and we should be glad they do what they do. Walking towards a potential crime scene may disturb evidence, there may be another suspect on the loose, or maybe someone fitting your description was involved. Would be a real shame if you compromised an investigation or disturbed evidence over a photo-op.

My advice to you is be glad you were not arrested, listen to an officer when they tell you to do something and buy a longer lens so you don't have to get so close. ;)

[obnoxiousmom]

I really think the cop was protecting his rear because you never know what weirdo might come up on them and cause problems. I think him shining the lights in your face was rude but its a common tactic and should have been a warning for you to back away and you didnt ya know? But you only made the situation worse by catching attitude. Free speech is great but not insulting another person

[RDHPhotography]

S#$**@ pictures along with a S#$**@ story

Fail thread

[caljimw]

I'm writing this from China. Suffice it to say that comparatively speaking, you were treated with kid gloves.
Your recounting of the incident is very clear, but I am not sure what intended audience you sought to reach. As a journalist, you were not objective. Frankly, reading your account, you come across as a rank amateur playing in a serious game. These officers have numerous responsibilities at a crime scene, one of which is to keep it under control. Your showing up with the "cheapest of your equipment" marked you as a person who understood neither the situation nor the rules of appropriate journalistic conduct.
Grow up, and recall that what goes around comes around. It applies to serious journalists and peace officers, too.

[bcaloia]

I don't write here often, but this one strikes me. I too, live in the Metro Detroit area, but on the other side of the city from you. I grew up in Detroit proper, spent about 24 years in that city, and I have seen my share of the police in the city and surrounding areas. I have also lived in other big cities (in and around Phoenix, AZ). With respect to police courtesy and public relations, things have gotten considerably worse over the last 8 years or so. Since the economy as faltered, I see them writing considerably more tickets and bullcrap traffic traps. I have personally been the victim of an obvious racket in Lake Orion. You are lucky they didn't find some reason to fine you.

On the other side of the spectrum, I have to agree that calling a policeman a vulgar name was a bit offensive. You should have the right to come and go as you please, and even take photographs of public activity, but those guys truly do risk life and limb to keep the relative peace we have in our society. Next time you want to document criminal activity and police interaction, I suggest... do it from a distance.

And recording audio discreetly isn't illegal. But probably wouldn't be admissible in any court proceeding (so limited protection value).

Just my two cents!

DrBC

[mlav]

I don't write here often, but this one strikes me. I too, live in the Metro Detroit area, but on the other side of the city from you. I grew up in Detroit proper, spent about 24 years in that city, and I have seen my share of the police in the city and surrounding areas. I have also lived in other big cities (in and around Phoenix, AZ). With respect to police courtesy and public relations, things have gotten considerably worse over the last 8 years or so. Since the economy as faltered, I see them writing considerably more tickets and bullcrap traffic traps. I have personally been the victim of an obvious racket in Lake Orion. You are lucky they didn't find some reason to fine you.

On the other side of the spectrum, I have to agree that calling a policeman a vulgar name was a bit offensive. You should have the right to come and go as you please, and even take photographs of public activity, but those guys truly do risk life and limb to keep the relative peace we have in our society. Next time you want to document criminal activity and police interaction, I suggest... do it from a distance.

And recording audio discreetly isn't illegal. But probably wouldn't be admissible in any court proceeding (so limited protection value).

Just my two cents!

DrBC


My description of the incident is very weak; it should be about ten times longer. They were well aware of the fact that they were being recorded. I only reacted the way I did after quite a bit of time.

Thanks for the replies!