7 Rules for Recording Police

[Feuer Frei!]

As you know, the net is full of "alleged" recordings of Police doing their job. Or not doing their job...
If you are in the position of trying your hand at recording something like this, you need to keep a few things in mind:

Last week the City of Boston agreed to pay Simon Glik $170,000 in damages and legal fees to settle a civil rights lawsuit stemming from his 2007 felony arrest for videotaping police roughing up a suspect. Prior to the settlement, the First Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Glik had a “constitutionally protected right to videotape police carrying out their duties in public.” The Boston Police Department now explicitly instructs its officers not to arrest citizens openly recording them in public.

I won't list the 7 'rules' here, check the link for those, and the source for the above quoted:

SOURCE

It's of course worth noting that all 7 rules, if not most, are common sense.

[WernherVonTrapp]

There's something else missing from those rules. The laws governing a material witness to a crime, which vary from state to state. Depending on the circumstances, be prepared to turn over your camera as evidence and, be prepared to be subpoenaed for one or more court appearances as a witness. In these cases, you probably won't be arrested unless, of course, you fail to hand over the camera. In which case, again depending on the circumstances, you could potentially be charged with interference with an investigation, or obstruction of justice.
In matters of confiscating evidence, you won't necessarily be charged and you'll get your camera back once the evidence is processed by investigators, and or the trial for which the evidence is needed comes to an end. This is not an absolute, but depends entirely on the circumstances.

[JU_88]

Meh, I tire of people with overly negative attitudes towards cops in general.
Yes, with great power comes great responsibility yadda yadda...
Problem is that cops are just human and they behave as humans collectively do.
So expecting them to be some force of saintly uncorruptable gaurdian angels who never abuse their power or make a bad judgement is actually a pretty unrealistic expectation - unless you replace them all with robots.
So yeah, filiming them against their consent, is going to p1ss them off, as it would p1ss anyone off. There are times when having a bit of consideration and common sense is more practical than excersing ones own Rights.

All things considered, the cops we have in the western hemisphere are really not that bad at all. Try filming cops in China and let see what happens :P I'd rather have some bad apples than no apples. If they all quit, have a geuss who and what would take their place
So overall I'm quite grateful to their existance, because:
A) I could never do their job
B) Without them, me and my family would quite possibly all be dead by now.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by JU_88

Meh, I tire of people with overly negative attitudes towards cops in general.
Yes, with great power comes great responsibility yadda yadda...
Problem is that cops are just human and they behave as humans collectively do.
So expecting them to be some force of saintly uncorruptable gaurdian angels who never abuse their power or make a bad judgement is actually a pretty unrealistic expectation - unless you replace them all with robots.
So yeah, filiming them against their consent, is going to p1ss them off, as it would p1ss anyone off. There are times when having a bit of consideration and common sense is more practical than excersing ones own Rights.

All things considered, the cops we have in the western hemisphere are really not that bad at all. Try filming cops in China and let see what happens :P I'd rather have some bad apples than no apples. If they all quit, have a geuss who and what would take their place
So overall I'm quite grateful to their existance, because:
A) I could never do their job
B) Without them, me and my family would quite possibly all be dead by now.

Good post.

[Platapus]

Just make sure you are not taking "private recreational, non-communicative photography" as that is not protected under the First Amendment. Make sure you are taking pictures as a photo journalist, which is.

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/...irst-amendment

Article is too long to paste here, but it is an interesting and well cited article on what exactly does the First Amendment protect and not protect?

Photography pun aside, it is not black and white.

[CaptainMattJ.]

Originally Posted by JU_88

Meh, I tire of people with overly negative attitudes towards cops in general.
Yes, with great power comes great responsibility yadda yadda...
Problem is that cops are just human and they behave as humans collectively do.
So expecting them to be some force of saintly uncorruptable gaurdian angels who never abuse their power or make a bad judgement is actually a pretty unrealistic expectation - unless you replace them all with robots.
So yeah, filiming them against their consent, is going to p1ss them off, as it would p1ss anyone off. There are times when having a bit of consideration and common sense is more practical than excersing ones own Rights.

All things considered, the cops we have in the western hemisphere are really not that bad at all. Try filming cops in China and let see what happens :P I'd rather have some bad apples than no apples. If they all quit, have a geuss who and what would take their place
So overall I'm quite grateful to their existance, because:
A) I could never do their job
B) Without them, me and my family would quite possibly all be dead by now.

"with great power comes great responisbility yadda yadda"
Dont try to play that argument off as a weak argument. They do hold great power. And they do abuse it. There are many, many trigger happy, arrogant cops who feel as though they are supreme. I should know, ive met plenty of them (and it wasnt because of anything ive done per say, but ive been around plenty who have this attitude). Ive seen cool-headed and logical cops as well, plenty of those. And ive met those inbetween.

Now if they are doing their job correctly they shouldn't be afraid of being recorded doing the correct thing to do. The truth can be twisted, and twisted in nasty ways. Cops usually get the benefit of the doubt when there is a lack of evidence, and in these cases of police brutality only video proof can provide unbiased insight to any one incident.

Im not saying all cops are bad, and i dont hate the cops in any respect, but i know all too well the number of cops who feel above the law in some respects and abuse their position. This is absolutely unacceptable coming from a person who has the ability to restrict someone's rights and detain people on suspicion.

[Takeda Shingen]

See, this is what I am talking about in regards to the tone of this forum. Law enforcement is now the enemy? Bull.

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Law enforcement is now the enemy? Bull.

Amen

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by CaptainMattJ.

There are many, many trigger happy, arrogant cops who feel as though they are supreme.

How many? As a percentage? I've heard stories, but in more than forty years as an adult I can only recall meeting one that I would describe that way.

per say

It's "per se".

[Takeda Shingen]

I mean, seriously, does anyone that knows Jim think that he walked up and down his street for a career thinking about who he could shoot and who he could give a hard time? Departments around the world are full of Jims. These are good men and women. I've been friends with them. I've had them as guests in my classroom when I was teaching K-12. Utter garbage.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by CaptainMattJ.

They do hold great power. And they do abuse it. There are many, many trigger happy, arrogant cops who feel as though they are supreme.

This is true, i've come across a few in my dealings with them.

I should know, ive met plenty of them (and it wasnt because of anything ive done per say, but ive been around plenty who have this attitude).

Agree, similar situation here.

Ive seen cool-headed and logical cops as well, plenty of those. And ive met those inbetween.

There are both sides of course, you are correct in pointing this out.

Now if they are doing their job correctly they shouldn't be afraid of being recorded doing the correct thing to do.

What have they got to hide is my line.

The truth can be twisted, and twisted in nasty ways.

And i guess that is where they, as in the good ones get the bad wrap, painted with the 'generalisation' brush. It's unfortunate.

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Law enforcement is now the enemy? Bull.

I certainly didn't post this article to bash cops, far from it. I respect and uphold their ways, just as much as any other law-abiding citizen, i would imagine.
However, they are human, just like us, and that means they make mistakes, and unfortunately, if you are a representative of the law, you are always in the spotlight. That's life. They chose that when joining the Police Force.
If they don't like to be in the spotlight then maybe they need to chose another profession.
In saying all that, i repeat, i have a lot of respect for the law and it's 'enforcers', but what i don't have respect for is the arrogant, corrupt, blatantly obvious cops who go out of their way to enforce the law in its various guises in a arrogant, conceited, demeaning and quiete frankly often laughable manner.
As i've said above, i've encountered those types, and it's those types that need the spotlight turned up on them to expose and jolt, if you will, a means to perhaps better them and their ways, like the types that do do their work, often dangerous, every day, in a polite, respectful manner.
There are arguments for and against, so long as this thread remains impartial and civil, i don't see a issue with this thread being opened.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

I certainly didn't post this article to bash cops, far from it. I respect and uphold their ways, just as much as any other law-abiding citizen, i would imagine.
However, they are human, just like us, and that means they make mistakes, and unfortunately, if you are a representative of the law, you are always in the spotlight. That's life. They chose that when joining the Police Force.
If they don't like to be in the spotlight then maybe they need to chose another profession.
In saying all that, i repeat, i have a lot of respect for the law and it's 'enforcers', but what i don't have respect for is the arrogant, corrupt, blatantly obvious cops who go out of their way to enforce the law in its various guises in a arrogant, conceited, demeaning and quiete frankly often laughable manner.
As i've said above, i've encountered those types, and it's those types that need the spotlight turned up on them to expose and jolt, if you will, a means to perhaps better them and their ways, like the types that do do their work, often dangerous, every day, in a polite, respectful manner.
There are arguments for and against, so long as this thread remains impartial and civil, i don't see a issue with this thread being opened.

So you did this for what, on this forum dedicated to video games? Look, I nominated you for a Best of Subsim, and I stand by that, but the hysteria has to stop. This forum, once a bounty of peace; an oasis in the midst of the internet, has degenerated into a haven of right-wing aggression and comspiracy theories of all ilk. You are respected here. Lead by example. The livelihood of this community will depend on leaders like you.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

So you did this for what, on this forum dedicated to video games? Look, I nominated you for a Best of Subsim, and I stand by that, but the hysteria has to stop. This forum, once a bounty of peace; an oasis in the midst of the internet, has degenerated into a haven of right-wing aggression and comspiracy theories of all ilk. You are respected here. Lead by example. The livelihood of this community will depend on leaders like you.

I will PM you.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

I will PM you.

I got your PM, but I will reply here so that no one thinks I was disparaging you.

Subsim is, and has always been what it is. That is to say that it is what the members make it. You are towards the top of the list of prominent members here. You post well. You think well. You are respected. All of this is deserved, but it comes with a price. When the newbie first comes to this forum, they look to people like you for the tone. There are no new submarine simulations coming anytime soon. Both you, I and anyone else with half a brain know how SHO will turn out.

General Topics is Subsim. It is the place that the members will congregate. As such, it becomes the responsibility of the senior and respected members to make the place a home for naval simulation entusiasts -- kind of an ark to sustain the community for the future. As such, it cannot be overtaken by ideology. This is a fight that I fought, and I lost. My time is over. Now it falls to you and those like you. Keep this place on the right footing. It is your cross to bear. And that fight means that there are certain things that you must do and must not do. Divisiveness is death, and people like you will lead this community to the future.

I know that this is overdramatic, but it is the truth. You are a good man, and will carry this community forward.

[Armistead]

I run into cops all the time metal detecting, they just got to check me out, mostly because I open carry, which is totally legal. I also wear a helmet cam, mostly to video my finds, but I do video my run ins with LE.
Obvious, I sometimes run into those that bully, demand ID, want to take my gun, some get almost scary. However, attitudes change instantly when I tell them I'm recording. The majority are professional and are very nice. Thankfully my state isn't a stop and ID state.

No, I don't do it to make a youtube as many do to prove points. We have one man that open carries an AK, totally legal, but he does it just to prove a point, loves to video cops that cross the line and put them on youtube.