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Man faces jail for recording cop

Man faces jail for recording cop

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utherpendragon

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Any comments on this?
Should anyone be able to film cops at any time?
Making it a felony to do so ,a good thing or absurd?

bbarr
Chief Justice

Center of Contention

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Originally posted by utherpendragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNcDGqzAB30

Any comments on this?
Should anyone be able to film cops at any time?
Making it a felony to do so ,a good thing or absurd?
Absurd. Cops are public employees, with no reasonable expectation of privacy while on duty. As long as videotaping doesn't interfere with their job (e.g., somebody is right up in a cop's face shouting questions), there is no problem with videotaping.

utherpendragon

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Originally posted by bbarr
Absurd. Cops are public employees, with no reasonable expectation of privacy while on duty. As long as videotaping doesn't interfere with their job (e.g., somebody is right up in a cop's face shouting questions), there is no problem with videotaping.
I agree. If you did not see the link I posted you should. The kid had the camera attached to his helmet.
The thing that really bothers me is,where are the checks and balances if citizens cannot film cops?
We are supposed to take their word for it that they self regulate?
(Rodney King comes to mind.)

sh76
Civis Americanus Sum

New York

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Originally posted by utherpendragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNcDGqzAB30

Any comments on this?
Should anyone be able to film cops at any time?
Making it a felony to do so ,a good thing or absurd?
This wasn't about filming cops per se, but a general MD law that prohibits taping someone without his or her consent. The law came up during the whole Monica Lewinsky- Linda Tripp mess.

I can't see how he's guilty of anything though, since there was obviously no intent. He didn't set out to tape anyone; he just put the camera in the helmet, presumably to catch the sites as he drove down the highway. He doesn't appear to have put it on just to tape the cop.

This charge should be dismissed.

BSU

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bizarre , agree with the above point - he had a an obvious camera on his helmet.. bit like police storming a film set then pressing charges for being filmed...

B

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Originally posted by utherpendragon
I agree. If you did not see the link I posted you should. The kid had the camera attached to his helmet.
The thing that really bothers me is,where are the checks and balances if citizens cannot film cops?
We are supposed to take their word for it that they self regulate?
(Rodney King comes to mind.)
I'm in total agreement with this post. If a cop is working for the community, then the community should be able to scrutinize him, as long as this does not hinder the police officer's work of course.

utherpendragon

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Here is another example,

"Police once again used felony wiretapping charges to arrest a pair of men who were videotaping them in public.

This time, the incident occurred in Massachusetts, a state that makes it illegal to secretly audio record a public official in public.

However, in this case, it was no secret that the officers were being videotaped because one law enforcement officer even allowed them to continue filming before a cop from another agency stepped in to make the arrests."

http://carlosmiller.com/2010/07/06/cop-block-bloggers-arrested-on-felony-wiretapping-charges-for-filming-cops/

utherpendragon

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"Some police departments have acknowledged reality and instructed officers to assume they'll be recorded and act accordingly. Other departments learn the hard way. Beaverton, Ore., was ordered last month to pay a $19,000 settlement to a man arrested after he videotaped his friend's arrest."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2010-07-15-editorial15_ST_N.htm

F

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Towards the end of the month here in Indonesia, police - in an income generating exercise - sometimes set up road blocks and fine people on the spot for relatively minor infractions. Sometimes they try to levy these fines even without the premise of any minor infractions. If you take out your mobile phone and appear to start videoing in these situations, the police officers either become really shirty or they just wave you on your way.

shavixmir
Lord

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Originally posted by utherpendragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNcDGqzAB30

Any comments on this?
Should anyone be able to film cops at any time?
Making it a felony to do so ,a good thing or absurd?
Absurd.
Why should they have the right to record me, but not the other way around?

sh76
Civis Americanus Sum

New York

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What was interesting about that Seattle police video that generated a thousand post thread a few months back is that the police obviously knew they were being videotaped and kept saying things like "take as many pictures as you like but please step back and give up a little room, etc."

I guess this thing varies from state to state.

Z

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Originally posted by utherpendragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNcDGqzAB30

Any comments on this?
Should anyone be able to film cops at any time?
Making it a felony to do so ,a good thing or absurd?
absurd.

it is a public place, i have the right to do anything legal. if it is legal to record a parade then it should be legal to record a cop. by making the latter illegal but the former they are basically saying that being a cop exempts you from being recorded.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18620_6-completely-legal-ways-cops-can-screw-you_p2.html

"In Illinois, Massachusetts and Maryland, they require both parties to consent to any recording for it to be legal. So, that cop whom you just filmed spouting profanities that reinvent the very idea of racism? Unless he always dreamt of being an Internet sensation, he can easily bust your ass and confiscate your camera.

There are 12 states in total that enforce an all-party-consent law, but only three interpret it to include public places of gathering with absolutely no expectation of privacy. So on one hand, that kind of sucks for people trying to record police misconduct, but on the other, hey, apparently security cameras are now illegal in parts of the Northeast! Looting party next week!"

also read http://www.cracked.com/article_18620_6-completely-legal-ways-cops-can-screw-you.html
for more ways a cop can screw with you

D
incipit parodia

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Update...

"Those of us who are public officials and are entrusted with the power of the state are ultimately accountable to the public. When we exercise that power in public fora, we should not expect our actions to be shielded from public observation. 'Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes'?" writes Judge Emory A. Pitt Jr. in dismissing the case.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/maryland/charges-dropped-in-cyclist-tro.html

w

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Originally posted by utherpendragon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNcDGqzAB30

Any comments on this?
Should anyone be able to film cops at any time?
Making it a felony to do so ,a good thing or absurd?
Don't you guys get it? Big Brother wants to tape us 24/7 whether we are at work or driving in our cars or even at home taking a dump. However, they simply don't like being given the same treatment. After all, what would be next? Perhaps cameras for our legislatures 24/7? I know Obama promised them when they discussed Obamacare, but without secrecy and cabals their little conspiracies would all turn to poo.

D
incipit parodia

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Originally posted by whodey
Don't you guys get it? Big Brother wants to tape us 24/7 whether we are at work or driving in our cars or even at home taking a dump. However, they simply don't like being given the same treatment. After all, what would be next? Perhaps cameras for our legislatures 24/7? I know Obama promised them when they discussed Obamacare, but without secrecy and cabals their little conspiracies would all turn to poo.
How does one make the yawning emoticon?

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