Photographer arrested

[dbphotos]

I debated on putting this in the PJ forum, but I think it's a wider topic than that. Let me start by saying I am PRO POLICE and used to be one for 15 years, but this situation got out of hand.

What are your thoughts? Feel free to keep your anti-Police rants to yourself as most cops to an excellent job and would have handled this properly, but I thought it was worth discussion.

http://kob.com/article/stories/s460111.shtml?v=1

[Citex]

From your point of view with you being a police of 15 years and mentioning "most cops to an excellent job and would have handled this properly" would support my thoughts that this cop was wrong in grabbing gear like that. The only angle we see is after the photog is away from the scene and it appears more went on before this video. I have a feeling the photog was being a pest just by the way he was acting towards the cop at the beggining "see that wasn't so hard" etc.

[CaptainTom]

It's hard to say exactly what set the officer off, but it seems to me that there was no need for what occured. It appears that the cameraman was a good distance away from the crime scene and was filming the events. I'd hate to have a film crew follow me around and show the world what I did, but I wouldn't have the right to assault them because I didnt' like it.
It also seems that the camaraman had an idea that this officer was about to do something because he later stated that he didn't turn the camera off because he was afraid the officer was going to hit him. At least he didn't get tased, or maced, or shot.
I bet the newsroom will give this story a lot of air time.

Edit: We hold police officers to a higher standard, and this officer fell short.
I'd also like to know what exactly is the difference between a lawful order and restricting someones constitutional rights. Should you disregard the order, or comply and file a complaint later ?

[jeffkohn]

My initial impression: the cop was out of line, and the photog was an a-hole asking for trouble.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

My initial impression: the cop was out of line, and the photog was an a-hole asking for trouble.

Damn, that pretty much sums it up !!

[dbphotos]

I just saw it on the local news so it will be everywhere.

My take is tha it's not against the law to be a "pest" and clearly his location was not interfering with what they were doing. Actually they were leaving the scene (as evidenced by one car that left when the video started) so it appears the incident was over. Now I will give him (the officer) a bit of a break since the incident was a shoot out between police and the occupant of a car, maybe his adrenaline was really pumping (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt as we don't know if he was involved or just holding the perimeter) and when you're pumped up on adrenaline you don't always think straight.

From everything I can see and hear in the video there was no justification for the officer's reaction and retraining is warranted. This isn't a firing offense, but certainly needs to be addressed. If you listen closely the female officer initially said "no" to the question if he was going to be arrested and she appeared to try to calm the situation, but the officer in the video obviously saw it differently.

Just my .02 cents.

[dbphotos]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

My initial impression: the cop was out of line, and the photog was an a-hole asking for trouble.

I would agree with that summary.

[CaptainTom]

If being an A-hole was illegal,,, I'd spend most of my life in jail !!! ( a new signature tag?)

[dbphotos]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

If being an A-hole was illegal,,, I'd spend most of my life in jail !!! ( a new signature tag?)

Oh Tom! I can't imagine you being an a*&hole!

[ggeen]

OK, the LEO over reacted but the camera man also copped an attitude. This is often how things like this get out of hand. -G

[PhotosbyHollyWood]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

My initial impression: the cop was out of line, and the photog was an a-hole asking for trouble.

that was my thought... the photographer was asking for A little bit of trouble but I do feel that the officer dished out more than what was asked for... it appeared that he was getting the staging area and putting the camera away...

I do feel that the photographer was smart for leaving that taping, to capture the TRUTH


however with that being said I do HOPE that BOTH learn a vauleable lesson from this..


Photographer: dont TAUNT the police and do as they say (it is for your safety sometimes)
Ofiicer: have more patience this is their JOB, and the people want to know, and try to keep your cool!

[Gambit]

Ok, from the report, the "that wasn't so hard" was apparently because the officer told the photog to go to the media staging area, but wouldn't tell him where that was. Since he didn't have any direction, he moved back to the median and set up where he was. The footage kicks in shortly before the officer tells the photog the location. Photog was sarcastic, asked for name/badge number (didn't get a response) and then started putting up the equipment, and the officer was further upset when the photog didn't turn off the camera. Who knows whether the situation would have escalated sooner or fizzled out if he'd done so.

Looks to me like the officer was considerably out of line. The photog was certainly less respectful than he should have been, but a police officer should be able to take a great deal of mouth to be on the streets. If he runs into a serious bad guy, is he gonna shoot him on the spot? The photog was not being verbally abusive, and from his point of view the officer had already cost him setup time and effort by not telling him where he was supposed to be in the first place.

Probably late and night and both were tired/stressed, and of course it was a shooting incident.

Jeff summed it up much more concisely. :)

[JPalmer]

The p/j in me wants to let loose a rant.... but I'll keep it down to a low boil.

Chances are... there is plenty more raw tape that isn't being aired. And chances are... like the story suggested, the TV guy got too close and was told to go to the media staging area.

That is perfectly common and normal, happens all the time around here. But, if I'm at a scene and they tell me to back up and go to the staging area... but they don't tell me where that is what are you supposed to do.

It seemed the TV guy did back up a ways, and that wasn't good enough for the cops. That's fine... but the camera guy WAS out of line making the comment he did.

The cops have control of a scene... regardless of being on public property or not. If they want me 500-yards back, that is there prerogative and I have always understood that. Most of the time... I'll ask them as soon as I get there "Hey, how far back do you want me."

That being said, I make it a point to be nice and chatty with any cop I see any time in town. They all pretty much know me and usually don't get all "cop-y" on me. They know I know my job and I know theirs as well.

[Duffy Pratt]

Looks to me like the photographer went there looking for airworthy footage, but arrived too late for anything good on the actual event. So he took advantage of an opportunity the cop gave him, and got "better" footage than his competitors.

Duffy

[JPalmer]

The broadcast degree in me says he went there because he was told to go there to get B-roll of the scene for background video for the story.

Wide angle shot showing the cop cars and street scene and static for several seconds.

Then a closer shot showing the cops standing there with the unmistakable police cars around them... again a static shot for several seconds.

He wasn't there to get some kind of scoop... just doing the job his editors told him to do.