Photographer Hassled by Police

Seems to me , he was within his rights. I think the police overreacted .

http://www.newson6.com​/global/story.asp?s=86​21838

There's also a video clip about it, on that page.

Rediculous...good for that guy for standing his ground....or trying to anyway.

Perfectly within his rights if he was on public ground and the Police have no rights at all to make him delete the images, unless they get approval from the high court or something. I think that Officer is going to be in hot water today.

It's unfortunate there are officers like this. As a Policeman (Air Force) myself it irks me there are guys like that out there screwing it up for the 99% of Officers who are out there doing right. One bad apple kinda thing... As a photog myself I guess I am a lot more forgiving. Unless they are taking pictures inside a restricted area, then they get pistol whipped! KIDDING!!! But yes, if they determine civil rights were violated that officer is going to be FUBAR big time!

Not quite Rodney King, but what's up with the screaming and knocking the guy's helmet off and cuffing him? All for trying to take a picture in a public area of a crime that's being committed? I hate to think what they did to the actual criminal.

It's a tough job being a cop, but that kind of behavior only belongs in third-world fascist state.

I would have liked to be there taking pic's of what happened to him what BS.

I am sure the Police Office was in a happy go lucky mood after chasing a crazy dude in a SUV going 120 mph, as was stated in the article.

Just what he needed...some "Professional" photog and school teacher educated on his rights to refuse to listen to his requests.

I am not sure how I feel about this. While I agree that the officer in question went over the line, he did ask the photog to delete the photos, right or wrong. He was probably overreacting, sure, but he was just done with a 120mph chase and perhaps he has no patience dealing with some pain in the arse photog.

nicksan wrote in post #5858564
I am sure the Police Office was in a happy go lucky mood after chasing a crazy dude in a SUV going 120 mph, as was stated in the article.

Just what he needed...some "Professional" photog and school teacher educated on his rights to refuse to listen to his requests.

I am not sure how I feel about this. While I agree that the officer in question went over the line, he did ask the photog to delete the photos, right or wrong. He was probably overreacting, sure, but he was just done with a 120mph chase and perhaps he has no patience dealing with some pain in the arse photog.

I get no quarter from the police and the deserve none in return. I don't care if they just got through arguing with their girlfriend/wife. Like me getting a ticket for laying drags after an argument I had with my girlfriend once many years ago. The law has no sympathy for your emotional state, if that were the case jealous spouses who kill their other halves would get off every time.
Sure police work can be taxing on your mental state but they are supposed to be professional in all instances and are held to higher standard, as they should be, since guns are part of their uniforms. Mental stability and mental rigidness is all part of their training for a good reason.

Sling the "officer" inside and throw away the key. They are there only by the sufferance of the community, but sadly they seem to have forgotten that fact.

Apparently there was a recent TV interview with a JFK airport PR man, where he was apologising "on air" for some previous mindless behavior by uniforms and the same uniformed thugs made them stop! Probably made good TV.

While the US is one of the worst, here in the UK we are catching the same disease, with some of the Olympics development sites being policed by "private security" and "toy policemen" who seem to ignore the law. It has also been reported in shopping areas in central London recently. Again with "toy police" rather than the real thing.

Richard

I agree that cops needs to excercise emotional indifference but at the same time I think we would all agree that a lot of photog feel entitled or the right to be anywhere, anytime and if they don't get their way, they act like cry babies.

It's easy to say stuff like that. It's like those people who oppose the death penalty. I ask those people, what if you were the victim...perhaps the criminal raped/tortured/murdere​d your entire family. Let's see how rational you are then...

The fact is, being a police officer IS different than an office job or a photography job. They put their lives on the line. Sure they are bad seeds everywhere, but man, give them a break. I have cop friends who always complain that because of all this crap, they can't even do their jobs without worrying about getting sued, etc.

Hey, I love photography just as much, but when a cop asks me to put my camera away or to not take pictures, my rights or not, I choose to put my stuff away.

Then again, maybe next time I can refuse, and hopefully the cop will violate my rights so I can then complain to the local paper and maybe sue the city and live on someone else's dime. Yes..the American Way.

Nicksan,

No, I refuse to "cut them some slack". They expect to be treated differently to the rest of Society. So be it, but it works both ways, if they want my respect, then it has to be earned. And behaving like this is NOT why I'm helping pay their salarys.

Richard

I agree that a cop on a power trip is the worse thing.

However, I feel we should actually treat them differently simply because most of us don't put our lives on the line to do ours jobs. I know I don't Not even close.

They do.

I understand what you are saying. The qualification to get into the force is not what you call stringent...and frankly I know a few guys I am surprised that they became cops. Totally not trust worthy individuals. That's reality. They are cops who don't give a crap about the what they do. There are also cops who abuse their supposid power. That is indeed dangerous.

Do I want my tax money to pay for cops dealing with nosy photogs? Hell no. I want them to protect people, prevent crimes, catch criminals...not spend that time arguing with press rights with a photog.

Was what he did wrong? Perhaps. But it takes two to Tango. The photog "Pro" could have let things go. But he continued to "stand his ground" (Wow...give the guy a Medal)...."waaaa....I have the right to photograph this. Waaaa...I am a school teacher...waaaa". Now it's in the papers.

And if he sues, guess who's footing the bill for that?

Lowner wrote in post #5858993
Nicksan,

No, I refuse to "cut them some slack". They expect to be treated differently to the rest of Society. So be it, but it works both ways, if they want my respect, then it has to be earned. And behaving like this is NOT why I'm helping pay their salarys.

Richard

nicksan wrote in post #5858564
I am sure the Police Office was in a happy go lucky mood after chasing a crazy dude in a SUV going 120 mph, as was stated in the article.

Just what he needed...some "Professional" photog and school teacher educated on his rights to refuse to listen to his requests.

I am not sure how I feel about this. While I agree that the officer in question went over the line, he did ask the photog to delete the photos, right or wrong. He was probably overreacting, sure, but he was just done with a 120mph chase and perhaps he has no patience dealing with some pain in the arse photog.

I would assume by watching the video and seeing his photos, that the trooper who "gave hin the business" was NOT one of the officers directly involved with the chase. I'm fairly certain it was another officer who responded to the scene after the fact. C'mon, the yellow tape was already up......

Those who join the police do so by choice. They are not being drafted for the post. If an individual can't handle being a police officer, then they can always look for a different line of work. It will save us taxpayers from having to pay for their ill-advised behavior.

I also don't understand how one can describe an individual's exercise of their Constitutional rights as "whining". If we start to give-in every time someone feels that the exercise of such rights is "frivolous", where do we draw the line? Must it rise to the level of a life-or-death situation before we start objecting to constraints on our individual rights? The founders of this country would be appalled to hear of that kind of talk.

Officer you can delete my LEGALLY optained photos from my camera after you pry it from my DEAD COLD FINGERS . If I have done nothing wrong the officer has NO RIGHT to threaten me with jail. I post this after speaking to my Brother the police officer with over ten years of service. I retired from the US Army I put my life on the line to protect the right of EVERYONE read that EVERYONE and it IS NOT Whinning when you let someone know your rights have or may have been abused.

Sorry for the rant but it burns me when someone wants to protect abuse as a right to power.