North Richland Hills Police and Kids

[MC Images]

Where should I start?

Well I had Tuesday, Jan. 2nd off due to a dentist appointment, and found my self extremely bored. My dogs just wouldn't cooperate, they run when I have a camera, and I had read every post on TPF. I didn't have any pictures to PP, and I have taken just about every picture I can stand of things around my house. I adventured outside to go and check the mail, to see if any magazines have come in the mail, but the post didn't run due to the funeral. As I am walking back up to my door, my next door neighbors kid and his 8 friends we all out playing in the street with there skateboard, bikes, and RC truck. I started thinking, I just got my new 70-200 4L and a 50 1.8 and figured lets see if you are any good at action......I took about 10 pictures of the RC Truck, and a few of a couple kids on there bikes trying to be BMX stunt riders. Well there wasn't enough light outside to get a fast enough exsposure, so my images all are 1600 grain from my 20D, and unsharp. Not dissapointed, I already knew they would come out that way when I went inside to grab my camera gear, but I had fun.

On Wednesday, Jan. 3rd I get the three (3) hard knocks on my front door, and a NRH Police officer and his partner are there to greet me when I open the door. They said "Are you the residence of 7013" I said yes. He asked "Do you have a Camera?" I said yes. He asked if he could step inside, and I welcomed them in to my home. The police office said were you outside taking pictures of a boy's remote control car yesterday? Sure was! Police Office: "We have a concerned parent about you taking pictures of there boy. I said I took pictures of his race car, and I also took some of his friends riding there BMX bikes. He said please don't take pictures of kids that you don't know, cause people get the wrong impression about cameras. I said I got L Glass for Christmas, and was taking some action pics testing the lens out. Then his eye's were beaming all over my living room and he said "so your a photographer?" I said it is my hobby, and soon will be my full time buisness. He asked do you have a buisness card, and I replyed no. He seen a picture of my fiance and my self, and said is that your work. I said yes......even though I think he was trying to discredit me? He left, and I felt kinda offended.

Here these parents are letting there kids run the streets, and play at my next door neighboors house with out his mom home, and they are all 9yrs old or younger, and she is worried about a guy that took a picture of a race car. She/he should be worried about the guy that is going to sweep there little kids up and stuff them in there trunks? I get the point and I can respect that! I understand that it is 2007, and not 1940.

Has anyone else had something simular happen to them? I think I will call CPS/Police the next time her kids are home alone all day......that will be tomorrow, and the next and the next. This way since they are so concerned about there well being I will make sure they are truly safe!

Ahhhh I vented, thanks if you made it all the way through this one.

[Daniel Bates]

I made it all the way through, and the only thing I can really say is that some people are a bit touchy about this sort of thing... I can't really fault them for it, though I think they may be overreacting.

[MC Images]

A little sensitive about me taking a picture of the Remote Control Truck? That is the mom that complained. Here sone wasn't even on the frame? I understand, just wish I lived in the country again and not the overly sensitive city.

[Wes]

Originally Posted by MC Images

A little sensitive about me taking a picture of the Remote Control Truck? That is the mom that complained. Here sone wasn't even on the frame? I understand, just wish I lived in the country again and not the overly sensitive city.

How would she know that you're taking a pic of a remote control truck? She doesn't see what you see through the viewfinder.

As for calling CPS, I'm not saying you should or shouldn't, but there IS a law in Texas against leaving a kid alone all day. The think that the age cutoff is something like 10.

[LadyShutterBug]

were these people you knew?

in a residential setting, i would be a little alarmed by some random guy with a larger lens and professional looking camera taking pics of my kids. as a parent, these kinds of things rub you the wrong way. you truly never know who is out there-- we allow our 6 and 9 year olds to play along our street without eagle-eye supervision (we go out and check on them every now and again) and if a stranger with a big camera was taking pictures of them, i can assure you it would make them feel wierd and they'd let me know (i'd confront the person directly but know PLENTY of my neighbors who would call the cops).

it doesn't matter that you were only taking pics of a remote control truck.

a parent looking out the window can't see what you're seeing through the viewfinder-- they can just see you pointing the camera in the general direction of the children.

no, parents should not be so easily alarmed.. but we are. and we have every right to want to protect our kids and question anyone who seems questionable. better safe than sorry.

[LadyShutterBug]

p.s. if she is a mom who does have to leave her younger children home alone (9 is certainly an okay age, depending on the kid, to leave them home for periods of time without an adult present)... then i am sure she is double-paranoid about someone taking their pics.

[kenw]

The police just have to check these things out, please don't take offense where none was intended (at least by the police officer based on your story, the mother may be a different story).

Sometimes you can turn these things into a plus. You may get some work from him and/or his work friends.......

Look what an encounter with a RR cop (a Texas Ranger equivalent) turned into (read down a bit in this page):
http://www.mccutcheonbooks.com/

Or I could tell you about the crackhead mom who gave me "what-for" one afternoon trackside after her kid (a good kid considering the environment) expressed an interest in why I took pictures of trains.

She finished up by yelling: "I see you around here anymore I'll call the cops!! Taking pictures of trains is illegal!" (I love legal advice from people familiar with the system.)

"Go ahead. I'll ask them why your kid was playing on the railroad tracks."

She left. I stayed until dark-thirty.

I've felt sad for that kid for years.

[Shane]

When you become a parent, you will probably change your tune . . . the first time some stranger, with professional camera gear, starts shooting (what you think are) pictures of your young child, you will either call the police or go ask the guy a LOT of questions. Being as it was a "Mom" that called the police, she might have been scared of approaching you.

And I would approach the CPS thing VERY CAREFULLY. You could ruin a family, that you admittedly know little about, with a call to CPS. If you get an overeager agent, you might set off consequences that you might not be ready to face if something happened to that family. For all you know, "dad" might be serving in Iraq (or prison) and mom is working 2 jobs to feed/clothe/house the kids and they could make your life unbearable if you screw with their kids.

[SaundraU]

Why not go over with your wife, introduce yourself and try to make friends, could go along way and could lead to future business down the line. She's doing what a mother should do, worring about her kids. Rather have one react this way then how alot of parents "seem" to act as in disinterested.

[PeteQ]

Interesting thread. Everyone is talking about how Chris should be careful about what he does, etc. but no one mentions that the PARENT should have walked outside if they were concerned. I'm sure all they would have had to do is walk outside and this would have been a non-issue. Maybe even just call out for the kids to come inside. End of story.

Let's see, kids alone, playing in the street, and everyone is concerned about the photographer, who by the way is well within his rights to photograph just about anything he wants in a public setting.

Isn't there some responsibility on the part of the parent?

Shane as, for the CPS ruining a family, remember in Southlake a year ago when an innocent photographer had HIS reputation ruined while taking photos in a public park? It made CNN and his pictures was splashed nationwide. It goes both ways.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by PeteQ

Shane as, for the CPS ruining a family, remember in Southlake a year ago when an innocent photographer had HIS reputation ruined while taking photos in a public park? It made CNN and his pictures was splashed nationwide. It goes both ways.

I don't think that's a fair comparison. The photog can gain back his good reputation in time if he works at it, but a family broken up because of some overly zealous CPS agent is a different story. That can end up being real messy.

[SaundraU]

Hmmmm Well yes should could have and maybe should have called her kids in but obviously they weren't totally unsupervised for she saw him taking the photos and while yes it may be in his rights to photograph anything in public that isn't always the smartest either. It's like the motorcyclist who says "Well I had the right of way" as he's laying in the hospital broken to pieces because he didn't drive defensively.

I agree John T.

[Huck]

If you call CPS, it might be a while before they look into the case seeings how they are short handed..LOL

Kidding aside, being in a law enforcement job, we get calls all the time about strange people looking funny at kids. Its just part of society now a days. With all the sex offenders out there, people dont feel like they can trust anyone.

I wouldnt call CPS, cause then you might start a feud with your neighbors and then you will have to live next door to them. Instead, next time maybe ask before shooting. I sense that with the delay of the police showing up, the kid prob. told his mother after she got home from work. An introduction goes a long way....

[PeteQ]

Originally Posted by JohnT

I don't think that's a fair comparison. The photog can gain back his good reputation in time if he works at it, but a family broken up because of some overly zealous CPS agent is a different story. That can end up being real messy.

Why would the family be broken up if there is nothing wrong? Not really all that different except that I am betting that the CPS interview wouldn't make CNN, WFAA, etc.

I'll bet it would be a lot harder for you to get your good name back if I splashed it on all the local channels with accusations of child porn than if CPS stopped by your house to do an inquiry. Maybe, your neighbors at best might see and wonder....

And why should the photog have to work to get his good name back in the first place? HE DID NOTHNG WRONG!!!!

PHOTOGRAPHY IN PUBLIC IS NOT ILLEGAL PEOPLE.....

[markperez]

I think I am reading this that is WASN'T the neighbor that called the cops it was a parent of a kid that was playing with the neighbors kid that called the cop. I'll keep my views about public photography to myself.

BTW Chris I don't think you did anything wrong in this case.