Philadelphia student arrested for taking pictures of cops

mfunnell said:
Apparently there was a violation of the world-wide, universal, statute about "annoying a policeman".

...Mike
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You said it. I am going to assume the young man in question was not very intimidating - that is why the cop took the opportunity to blow off some steam and brutalize him.

Randy
 
This is one thing I'll never understand about cops: Why so many of those who enforce the law think they're above the law, and think they have the right to act like Gestapo, just because they can (I've been subjected to this myself while photoging--and I wasn't even taking pictures of cops). Too many clowns let the fact of having a gun and a badge go to their heads.

This is why I'll support the ACLU and anyone who defends Constitutional rights--and thank God we have a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.
 
Here's how you do this...
When photographing a police officer performing any of his duties stay across the street (if you can) and use a telephoto lens...do nothing that the office can interpret as Interfering with his duties...
If he approaches you asking you to stop or anything else...place you camera somewhere safe, lay on the ground and put your hands behind your back or straight out
If you hear the words "Stop Resisting" being shouted by the officer be prepared to get a whooping...it's a way for them to justify extreme force just in case someone is filming the event...
Now, I'm not anti-cop...just don't give them a reason to use excessive force on you...
Later, you can plead your case and in most cases you will prevail...
"Interfering with the Duties of an Officer" can mean sooooo many things when the policeman is justifying his actions.
Just like being told you can't photograph at your local shopping mall...they can't actually enforce that law but they can site you for Trespassing...they'll find a loop hole somewhere...
 
nikon_sam said:
Just like being told you can't photograph at your local shopping mall...they can't actually enforce that law but they can site you for Trespassing...they'll find a loop hole somewhere...
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I thought they CAN actually stop you at the shopping center, since it is private property.
 
Paul Luscher said:
This is one thing I'll never understand about cops: Why so many of those who enforce the law think they're above the law.
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Let's face it: being a plod is a bloody awful job. I have a cousin who is one, and another friend who is very senior in our state police force. They haven't seen the worst of what their jobs can dish out - which they know full well - yet what they've seen is bad enough. The job doesn't pay exceptionally well (rather the opposite). And yet we need rather a lot of 'em. That's a recipe for recruits who - in a perfect world - you'd perhaps rather not have, sometimes from motivations people don't want to inquire into too closely. Because there's a real need to fill the slots...

That, you might think, should encourage excellent leadership and management, to make up for the possible and probable shortfall in the ranks. Yet somehow...

...Mike
 
jsrockit said:
I thought they CAN actually stop you at the shopping center, since it is private property.
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... question is how do they stop you? ... here if they were to touch you at all it would be a common assault, if they try to confiscate anything aggravated assault, I'm not sure "they" have as much power as they think they do
 
For Christ's sake! You are literally telling us, that he was asking for it🙄.

nikon_sam said:
Here's how you do this...
When photographing a police officer performing any of his duties stay across the street (if you can) and use a telephoto lens...do nothing that the office can interpret as Interfering with his duties...
If he approaches you asking you to stop or anything else...place you camera somewhere safe, lay on the ground and put your hands behind your back or straight out
If you hear the words "Stop Resisting" being shouted by the officer be prepared to get a whooping...it's a way for them to justify extreme force just in case someone is filming the event...
Now, I'm not anti-cop...just don't give them a reason to use excessive force on you...
Later, you can plead your case and in most cases you will prevail...
"Interfering with the Duties of an Officer" can mean sooooo many things when the policeman is justifying his actions.
Just like being told you can't photograph at your local shopping mall...they can't actually enforce that law but they can site you for Trespassing...they'll find a loop hole somewhere...
Click to expand...
 
@ mfunnell - In my state, a state trooper starts at about $50k per year, before overtime. They can retire on a full pension with like 30 years service, meaning that if you join out of college, you're retiring at 51. Thats pretty good.
 
anu L ogy said:
@ mfunnell - In my state, a state trooper starts at about $50k per year, before overtime. They can retire on a full pension with like 30 years service, meaning that if you join out of college, you're retiring at 51. Thats pretty good.
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Not so much here in New South Wales. It isn't a job that pays badly, mind you, but nobody's going to get rich out of it either - at least not legally and we've clamped down pretty hard on the other stuff recently.

Our plods don't start at $50K either, at least not last time I looked, and they have to pay fees to go through the academy just like anyone else going through any other tertiary study. Then wear the loan repayments afterwards. There are, however, very sound reasons to make sure your police are not under personal financial stress.

...Mike
 
In Illinois the police can arrest and prosecute you if you video or record them sound is the key here and of course without their permission, under the Illinois Eavesdropping Law. You can go to jail for a Class 1 Felony for up to 15 years. If you are just shooting photos and they suspect you of recording them etc.. that gives them grounds to confront you so you can see the potential for the use or misuse of that statue. In fact you don't even need to be photographing them but if they suspect they are in the frame of whatever you are shooting they can at the very least confront you. DSLR's to cell phones now can video. I can understand if what you are doing is impeding their ability to perform their jobs and I can even understand if as individuals they just don't want to have their portraits taken, but.. the law wasn't meant to be a catchall for the innocent acts that the majority of us participate in. Illinois Law Under Fire. They are working to better define that law.

ADDED:

mawilliams said:
I think it's important to remember that cops are people first and foremost, and the majority are doing the best they can to do things that most of us would fear to do. That said, I also feel it is a journalist and artist's calling to continue to ask questions, cross lines, and go the places the sworn to duty aren't allowed to go.
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Very well stated. The police aren't the enemy though if two careers conflict of course there will be tension. As a hobbyist I have no need nor desire to push anyone's buttons.
 
Sparrow said:
... question is how do they stop you? ... here if they were to touch you at all it would be a common assault, if they try to confiscate anything aggravated assault, I'm not sure "they" have as much power as they think they do
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They (meaning mall security) simply ask you to leave and if you don't they call the cops. Private property is private property right (if it is even private property)?
 
camperbc said:
Salaries are substantially higher here in Canada. A third year RCMP constable makes $75,000+, and most members are over $100,000 by year five. There are no fees for the academy; in fact recruits make a good salary while there.
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A real question (because I don't know the answer) are the RCMP the police everywhere, or are they an overarching Federal police force? Here in Oz we have our state police forces and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) who are considered "more elite" (in their own minds, at any rate: our state coppers tend to disagree).

That's a very different arrangement from the US (between all the various town/city, county, state and federal forces even my US friends sometimes find it hard to keep up) - and I'm not sure at all how Canada organises this.

...Mike
 
jsrockit said:
They (meaning mall security) simply ask you to leave and if you don't they call the cops. Private property is private property right (if it is even private property)?
Click to expand...

I don't know over there, but here owning the place doesn't stop the law being applicable to all concerned. The owners must seek redress via the civil courts ... they can't simply ring the police to enforce their particular rules for them ...
 
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