Stopped by police....ended positively

ryant35 wrote in post #5398224
I was stopped in Long Beach Harbor a few years ago. After standing with my hands on the hood of a police car for 2 hours, and telling 5 different officers what I was doing, and what I had done that day, they let me go.

The next day a couple of detectives showed up at my house while I was at work. They asked to see some of my pictures, and when my wife directed them to a folder with a picture of an American flag, and a few of some toothbrushes I took for a dental company, they realized that I was not a threat and the left.

I wanna hear more about this! Just what were you shooting and what were they doing for 2 hours while you safeguarded their ride?

I don't have hard evidence of this but I'm sure terrorists use guns more effectively than cameras so how would people in the U.S. feel if the police questioned and harassed every gun owner?

EDIT: I should have said "people in the U.S. that are genuinely scared about this kind of thing feel...."

jseivert wrote in post #5400799
I wanna hear more about this! Just what were you shooting and what were they doing for 2 hours while you safeguarded their ride?

I had my old Minolta 35mm SLR on my tripod a bridge shooting a ship while it's being off loaded. Just as I was getting ready to leave a Long Beach Harbor patrol officer drove by and turned around and pulled up behind me.

He asked me what I was doing, I told him I was photographing the ships. He asked why, 'no reason, just for myself'.

Another officer pulled up and then they started to search my car, which was a rental paid for with cash, which made it look even worse.

After a while there was 6 patrol cars and a couple of detectives. Each of them asked what I was doing there and what I did before I got there, and what else was on the roll of film. When my story was the same every time were ready to let me go, when my driver's license came back as suspended due to a failure to appear on a ticket I didn't even know I had. Since I still had my physical license they didn't arrest me, but they took it and towed the rental car. I was offered a ride back to the police station and they offered to call me a cab. I didn't even get searched until I was going to get in the back of a police car to get a ride.

So I called my wife to come pick me up, but the 30 minute drive took 2 hours due to a huge accident on the freeway. So I sat on a curb in downtown Long Beach holding my camera bag & tripod freezing until she got there.

What a night. I think I didn't go to jail or have my film confiscated because I cooperated and didn't try to tell them my rights, even if any charges won't stick, I still don't want to spend the rest of the weekend in jail.

PeteJaffa wrote in post #5401445
I don't have hard evidence of this but I'm sure terrorists use guns more effectively than cameras so how would people in the U.S. feel if the police questioned and harassed every gun owner?

But understand that terrorist do survailence of their targets before they strike. Things like taking pictures, testing security, etc. I have been in the Air Force as a cop for 12 years (and one day ) So a person taking pictures of something, while 99% of the time are just us photogs snapping away at things we like, there is always the chance you might roll up on someone trying to gather information on a potential target. Trust me, I have sat through enough Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection classes to write a freakin' book. So think about that one a little. Oh yeah, glad to see the poster of this thread met a nice cop and not a total dillhole of a cop. They are the 1% that wreck it for the rest of us.

ryant35 wrote in post #5401780
I had my old Minolta 35mm SLR on my tripod a bridge shooting a ship while it's being off loaded. Just as I was getting ready to leave a Long Beach Harbor patrol officer drove by and turned around and pulled up behind me.

He asked me what I was doing, I told him I was photographing the ships. He asked why, 'no reason, just for myself'.

Another officer pulled up and then they started to search my car, which was a rental paid for with cash, which made it look even worse.

After a while there was 6 patrol cars and a couple of detectives. Each of them asked what I was doing there and what I did before I got there, and what else was on the roll of film. When my story was the same every time were ready to let me go, when my driver's license came back as suspended due to a failure to appear on a ticket I didn't even know I had. Since I still had my physical license they didn't arrest me, but they took it and towed the rental car. I was offered a ride back to the police station and they offered to call me a cab. I didn't even get searched until I was going to get in the back of a police car to get a ride.

So I called my wife to come pick me up, but the 30 minute drive took 2 hours due to a huge accident on the freeway. So I sat on a curb in downtown Long Beach holding my camera bag & tripod freezing until she got there.

What a night. I think I didn't go to jail or have my film confiscated because I cooperated and didn't try to tell them my rights, even if any charges won't stick, I still don't want to spend the rest of the weekend in jail.

Thanks for the elaboration. Sounds like there's more to it than meets the eye. Glad it all worked out.

Berlotti Photography wrote in post #5401852
... while 99% of the time are just us photogs snapping away at things we like, there is always the chance you might roll up on someone trying to gather information on a potential target.

Wait, is that 1% of all SLR owners that are terrorists or 1% of all camera owners?

PeteJaffa wrote in post #5401445
I don't have hard evidence of this but I'm sure terrorists use guns more effectively than cameras so how would people in the U.S. feel if the police questioned and harassed every gun owner?

EDIT: I should have said "people in the U.S. that are genuinely scared about this kind of thing feel...."

Terrorists can't shoot for ****. FYI They are probably better to shoot us Americans with p&s than an ak-47. IED's are their weapon of choice now days.

And as what the other guy said, surveillance is what they do and they probably do use p&s than slr, but then again, it's probably easier to use an slr and act like an ignorant tourist... tourist terrorist... hehe

Berlotti Photography wrote in post #5401852
But understand that terrorist do survailence of their targets before they strike. Things like taking pictures, testing security, etc. I have been in the Air Force as a cop for 12 years (and one day ) So a person taking pictures of something, while 99% of the time are just us photogs snapping away at things we like, there is always the chance you might roll up on someone trying to gather information on a potential target. Trust me, I have sat through enough Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection classes to write a freakin' book. So think about that one a little. Oh yeah, glad to see the poster of this thread met a nice cop and not a total dillhole of a cop. They are the 1% that wreck it for the rest of us.

Of course they use surveillance, it would be stupid of them not to but they have been forever, not just in the last few years. You say 99% of people are just everyday photographers I would it's more like 99.99999999%. That tiny chance is just far too small in my opinion to create a sense of fear and guilt amongst the public.

The Twin Towers, as bad an attack as it was, was not the first or last terror attack but dammit it has given police & Governemnt around the world another great excuse to mess with our lives.

WMS wrote in post #5399975
I have about a 60 second tolerance for this type of harassment, Either they have a probably cause, or they get to meet my attorney, something they would rather not do. The last time I was stopped in a DWI checkpoint as soon as the officer approached I asked them "What the h*** is your probably cause for stopping me?" The department loss a very large civil suit over the way this checkpoint was run, and No I was not part of it, as I was told to drive carefully.

Personally, I have no problem whatsoever with getting delayed for a minute or two at checkpoints looking for idiots driving whilst under the influence. They get drunks off the road and are a big factor in persuading people leave their cars at home when going to the pub.

I can live with a couple of minutes delay, if it means that some kid doesn't get killed by someone driving home after drinking one too many. Just think, the easier YOU make it for people to get away with such behaviour the more chance of someone dear to you getting killed by a drunk. Something to consider when slapping lawsuits on those attempting to keep the death rate down.

I was near the St. Louis Lambert Airport a week or so back taking pictures. There's a hill on the far side of Lindberg Rd on the WNW side of the airport, that nearly perfectly lines up with runway 12L-30R. Here's the intersection - I think it's Lindberg and St. Charles Rock Rd if I remember right, but I'm new to the area, so can't be 100% sure.

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WMS wrote in post #5399975
I have about a 60 second tolerance for this type of harassment, Either they have a probably cause, or they get to meet my attorney, something they would rather not do. The last time I was stopped in a DWI checkpoint as soon as the officer approached I asked them "What the h*** is your probably cause for stopping me?" The department loss a very large civil suit over the way this checkpoint was run, and No I was not part of it, as I was told to drive carefully.

Wayne

Wayne

There is no such thing as "probably cause" and as my hero Dirty Harry would probably say. This type of an individual just makes my day......

PeteJaffa wrote in post #5402526
Of course they use surveillance, it would be stupid of them not to but they have been forever, not just in the last few years. You say 99% of people are just everyday photographers I would it's more like 99.99999999%. That tiny chance is just far too small in my opinion to create a sense of fear and guilt amongst the public.

The "99%" wasn't to be taken as a literal number. It's a statement to give the general idea that something like this to occur is very low. It's not meant to give guilt or fear in the public, they call it public safety. This is what first responders do, they provide public security, safety and assistance.

Future Stasi member:

"Just be glad that we have people checking up on these sort of 'suspicious activities'."

"...it's better for someone to ask questions on what you are doing, than nothing being done, especially in our day of age."

"I always welcome police encounters with open arms..."

"And trust me, get on their good side..."

"you get to meet them over and over again..."

JBaz wrote in post #5403112
The "99%" wasn't to be taken as a literal number. It's a statement to give the general idea that something like this to occur is very low. It's not meant to give guilt or fear in the public, they call it public safety. This is what first responders do, they provide public security, safety and assistance.

I know it wasn't to be taken literally, I was just pointing out how low a chance there is of this occurring.

It is fear, I can't remember any safety measures like these being taken when the U.K. was under threat from the I.R.A. Most people went about their day and got on with life, now every other day we hear of some imaginary terror threat looming over us like we're all gonna die by the hand of the bad men.

There's many things that are more immediate threats to the public safety and security than some inept terrorist trying to blow himself up (in my country anyway) yet I worry very little about these things so imagine how little I worry about the terrorist (non) threat.

lederK wrote in post #5402121
Wait, is that 1% of all SLR owners that are terrorists or 1% of all camera owners?

Not sure if you are serious or not but I was saying that most people with "any camera" are just someone trying to take a nice pic. But there is always the chance that the one time someone is shooting, they are up to no good. I am just speaking from experience.