Photographers Gone Wild!

[bmattock]

What is bothering me about this whole thing is that apparently the police were called numerous times, by both sides, and couldn't be bothered to show up. Aren't harassment and intimidation crimes anymore?

Low-priority, limited resources. Risks to the public safety get first priority, followed by high-dollar property crimes, and working down the ladder. Something like would fall after 'suspicious person loitering' and before 'came home and found house burglarized, no suspect on scene', is my guess.

 

[marke]

As I understand it, the security guards never called the police, despite their threats to do so. When the one photographer called the police, it was to help clarify the law with the misinformed security guards. Even though the photographers WERE being harassed, I don't think that was the issue with then as much as them standining their ground, knowing that they were obeying the law, along with trying to educate the security guards on what the law really is. The photographers weren't trying to cause trouble. The security guards were.

 

[marke]

Low-priority, limited resources. Risks to the public safety get first priority, followed by high-dollar property crimes, and working down the ladder. Something like would fall after 'suspicious person loitering' and before 'came home and found house burglarized, no suspect on scene', is my guess.

All that, along the police most likely realized that there was a discussion/disagreement going on between two civilized parties, and no one was getting hurt.

 

[bmattock]

All that, along the police most likely realized that there was a discussion/disagreement going on between two civilized parties, and no one was getting hurt.

Agreed. However, in general, the rules are pretty simple for police engagement.

If you ask them to show up, or if the caller indicates that there is a risk to public safety, they respond. The priority might not be what you want, but they show up.

For all we know, the police did respond - hours after everyone had left. That happens.

In the US, at least in every jurisdiction I ever worked, the police are not permitted to ignore calls or to decide if they will respond or not. If a citizen requests police response, they respond. It just might take a long time - that's how it goes.

 

[marke]

In the US, at least in every jurisdiction I ever worked, the police are not permitted to ignore calls or to decide if they will respond or not. If a citizen requests police response, they respond. It just might take a long time - that's how it goes.

Unless I missed something, no one ever actually called in with even a complaint. The way I interpreted the video, is that the photographer only called to get valid information from the police. The SG threatened to call the police, but apparently never did.

 

[bmattock]

Unless I missed something, no one ever actually called in with even a complaint. The way I interpreted the video, is that the photographer only called to get valid information from the police. The SG threatened to call the police, but apparently never did.

I agree. I was only responding to the comment that someone found it curious that 'the police never showed up', not addressing this particular situation.

 

[FallisPhoto]

As I understand it, the security guards never called the police, despite their threats to do so. When the one photographer called the police, it was to help clarify the law with the misinformed security guards. Even though the photographers WERE being harassed, I don't think that was the issue with then as much as them standining their ground, knowing that they were obeying the law, along with trying to educate the security guards on what the law really is. The photographers weren't trying to cause trouble. The security guards were.

I don't think the security guards were misinformed. As I understand it, this continued for some time after they were informed of the law and then they refused to talk to the police when given the chance to do so.