When I last taught news writing, I asked the class to read about a bust in a drug-plagued San Francisco hotel. In their police report, officers wrote that they had knocked and announced their presence before entering. But a videotape showed they had just barged in. For beginning journalists, it was a lesson in skepticism. When two versions of a story conflict, sometimes the uniformed, clean-cut cop is the one who is lying, and the flophouse resident with drugs in his room is the one telling the truth.
If we hadn’t had the Rodney King footage, would we ever have known that five officers surrounded him, some beating him as he lay on the ground? If we hadn’t had a tourist’s video, we probably would have believed that a bicyclist steered into a New York City police officer back in 2008 — instead of the officer nonchalantly walking over and shoving the cyclist down. (Google “officer pushes man off bicycle video,” and it should pop right up.)
Sometimes, people lie. Not all people, not even most people, but enough that Russians have been protecting themselves from fraud and corruption lately with dashboard cameras — the same ones that captured all that great meteor footage. Enough that some journalists have been drummed out of the profession for making shit up. Cops can be just as flawed as the rest of us. And that’s why the best of them should love cameras.
The camera is a good cop’s friend. It will show him or her acting appropriately. It will show heroism, restraint, countless wise decisions in a tough job. The camera is a bad cop’s enemy. It will show him or her abusing power or breaking the law.
Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman gets it. In disciplinary records that became public last month, he chided Officer Kevin Stonebarger, who had told a candy store owner that he’d be arrested if he didn’t stop recording a dispute over a parking space in Eureka. An internal investigation concluded the officer had exceeded his lawful police powers. The chief wrote in part, “Asserting your authority as a sworn police officer to order people to stop engaging in perfectly legal conduct was inappropriate.”
About that perfectly legal conduct, the photographing of a cop in public, the U.S. Justice Department wrote this in May 2012: “Officers should be advised not to threaten, intimidate, or otherwise discourage an individual from recording police officer enforcement activities or intentionally block or obstruct cameras or recording devices.”
The advice recognizes something fundamental to our freedom: Today, with so many of us packing cameras, the best defense against tyranny may well be the smart phone.
That’s why I was stunned by what happened last week in Eureka, not far from the Journal offices.
Now, you have to picture this. I’m short and plump, and closer to 60 than 50. I’ve got graying hair, and all my teeth. I do not look like trouble. I look pretty much exactly like what I was last Friday — a library patron, about to return three books and check out one more. A curious passerby, just watching her tax dollars at work. A journalist maybe snagging a blog item there in the library parking lot.
There is one more thing about me: Even after nearly two years, I’m still an import to Humboldt. Still new enough to think, “Wow, I’ve never seen that up close” when I spot a couple of freezer bags, pillow-fluffy full of big green buds. They were propped up on a rear fender of an old red car when I drove into the parking lot of the Eureka main library. Three cops were there doing cop things — going through black plastic bags, poking in the trunk, looking utterly ordinary. But those bags, well, they called to the rube in me.
After I parked I pulled out my phone for a couple of shots. I walked closer, and in my best friendly voice asked something like boy, is that what I think it is? One of the cops barked no pictures, grabbed the two bags and tossed them in the trunk, out of view. Hey, I’m with the North Coast Journal, I said, just wondering what’s going on. I offered the officers a business card, still trying at friendly. It was a colossal fail.
The officers declined my card. OK. They didn’t want to be interviewed. OK. They told me if I didn’t stop taking pictures I was going to be arrested. No, no, no, no, no. That is not OK.
I’ll be arrested, a suddenly much taller and more menacing looking officer declared, for interfering with their investigation. This even though I’m standing well away from their red car black bag green bag business. Even though it’s a public parking lot. I asked for the tall guy’s name, and he refused to tell me. He threatened me with arrest again. The not OKness of this was mounting by the second. But there were three of them, with guns. And one of me, with a library card.
I allowed myself to be bullied out of taking more shots. I stepped back toward my car and phoned my husband. He’s a retired public defender, and great moral support. Soon he was at the parking lot. With reinforcements nearby, I walked a wide line around the officers and photographed each of their license plates, in case they continued to refuse to give me their names.
Then I grabbed a notebook from the back of my car and cautiously approached another tall scary cop. I’m going to be making a formal complaint, I told him, and I needed his name. I’m going to walk close enough to read his name tag, I told him. I edged nearer, moving very slowly, very carefully. His name tag said Chapman. I asked for his first name and rank and he refused. I announced to the next cop, the one who threatened me with arrest, that I was going to walk close enough to see his name. It was Goodale. I again announced my next move, and Goodale said he’d tell me the name of the third cop. It’s a name you could spell a few different ways, so I ask him to spell it. “O-f-f-i-c-e-r,” he began. Mr. Goodale was clearly having more fun with this little episode than I was. “M-c-E-l-r-o-y,” he finished.
Now, I’m not saying, based on one episode alone, that Mr. Goodale is a bad cop. Maybe he’s a fine cop who was having a really, really bad day and couldn’t resist barking at someone. Maybe he’s a fine cop who has forgotten, or never was given, a basic primer on where crime stops and where civil rights begin. If this was an uncharacteristic slipup, he’ll apologize, a note will go in his file, and that will be the end of it. But even as a relative newcomer here, I’ve heard about the troubled history of the Eureka Police Department. If the department’s top brass believe that threatening a middle-aged lady with arrest for taking a few iPhone snapshots is acceptable, then what else is going on out there? If this wasn’t an aberration, then the City Council needs to ask some stern questions, both of current Chief Murl Harpham and of whomever it hires to be the next police chief. Just what are Eureka police afraid of? What are they doing that they don’t want on camera?
This article appears in Ferndale Gothic.
Well done. Nicely written. An honest and moral police officer should have nothing to hide from, and should not fear, the camera!
I’d say 1 out of every 3 cops chooses the profession because they want the power the position beholds
If the behavior you describe occurred, the police officers should lose their jobs. Period. “Not OK” doesn’t begin to cover it.
Outta sight! Sounds like you are a perfect mix of unbiased outsider (or newbie) and objective reporter. You’ve kept track of all those pesky facts, in an orderly and measured manner. You know, cops like to present a confident image, and with the increasing militarization of police and fire units in the post 911 Homeland Security arena, the people often find themselves policed by overbearing thugs. I laud your real reporting here, and welcome more of it.
Sad to say, the question that came to my mind on reading this was not “I wonder if this really happened.”
The questiont that came to my mind was, “will Murl promote Goodale immediately, or wait a bit?”
I know your relatively new to Humboldt but, anyone who has lived in Arcata for any amount of time knows the name Drake Goodale
Firing this officer is not enough. He should do time. An example must be made. Remove Murl Harpham IMMEDIATELY.
He used to be such a nice guy and a good cop and then about 10 years ago its like a switch was flipped. Im not sure he should be working with the public any longer. The good news is that he is not driscrimatory in his dislike for everyone, he seems to truly just be rude and nasty to everyone equally.
The cynical self that I am has known for years that the good, law abiding citizen usually gets the bad end of the stick. We are usually too polite to retort in a disrespectful, or forceful manner, to maybe even intimidate a cop now and then. Instead we take the abuse thinking that maybe we did something wrong, kicking ourselves repeatedly in our behind for days after, because deep down we know we should have reacted differently. So, yes, well written and kudos to the way you behaved.
Welcome to reality. Controlling situations, protecting their fellow officers, humiliating civilians, profiling by race are just a few of the excesses the pop up. You obviously posed a significant risk to the situation: and they wanted to shut you down because it was about to get ugly? Just thinking.
I understand that threatening with arresst was a little harsh, but doesn’t everyone have the right to say they don’t want their pictures taken? Isn’t it a personal right to refuse that? And they were obviously in the middle of an investigation and were being distracted by this woman, I can understand how that would be a little frustrating and irritating. There are better ways they could have asked her to stand back, but she should also respect their wishes.
And now you know how the rest of us feel. I am a little sorry to say that many of us have had similar experiences. In Eureka, there was an accident on F Street. My friend had asked me if I saw the accident, which she had just heard about and she knew that I was traveling down that road to come to her home. I said that I had seen it. That in fact, I had just passed it when I pulled over to take her call. I was on Hodgson & F so I got out of my car and walked toward the accident, camera in hand. I was going to get a picture to post on “Real News of the Northcoast” A facebook group which had grown up around Channel 3 News’ lack of real reporting. As I walked toward the accident, still at least 100 yards from even being able to see anything because there were so many emergency vehicle, police officers stared at me. Knowing what I do about police officers and their hesitancy to have their pictures taken I made a point of pointing my camera at the accident and not at them. That didn’t seem assuage them. Now, I felt intimidated and stopped. They did nothing, but I got a clear feeling that had I continued, there was going to be trouble. You had the good fortune of a training and a husband that you could call for backup and I am thankful that at least this happened to someone that has the established credibility to actually stand up. The rest of us do not and the courts are complicit in this as they trust the police over the public 99(% of the time. Good on you for standing up! It is through this type of malevolent act that we see the police for who they can be. Perhaps, given time, something can be done to weed out the bad ones and improve the situation for everyone.
Murl’s been chief for a long time now, is the Eureka City Council any closer to hiring a new chief to replace him?
This is the same officer who came to my home in response to a burglary, and was completely indifferent to the crime I was reporting. To my requests for more police presence in my neighborhood, which had endured about 6 burglaries in recent days, he mumbled some bull-shit no-response. I pay your salary jackass!
So far, I’ve never been asked to stop photographing accident or arrest scenes; for the most part, I take the photos from a good distance, to make sure I’m not in anyone’s way. After the arrest has been made or the victims of a crash/vandal have been taken to the hospital or given the ok to go home, I will ask one of the cops further away from the scene, what went on.
I’ve grown up around the police department, as my father is a probation officer in central California, and I’ve always been told, that you can’t be told not to take photos in a public space. The police officers shouldn’t ask you to stop, but always keep clear from the scene, until all is over and done, otherwise you run the risk of becoming part of the incident, be it attacked/being held hostage by the person under search, given mistaken identity of possible involvement, or quite literally, just plain in the way.
I wouldn’t claim, per say, that Carrie was in the way here, but I definitely utilize the zoom function of a camera most when near a police/fire/ambulance scene.
Has it taken you this long to catch on? I’ve been threatened by the local cops when photographing them before — even by the PCS rent-a-cops they used to have running around Old Town a few years back.
The EPD even closed off the spigot and stopped sending the Humboldt Sentinel their press releases for a few weeks last year just because they didn’t like our coverage of their (arguably unconstitutional) DUI checkpoints which catch fewer drunk drivers than patrols do (but they sure do bring in that federal grant money). Another law enforcement agency got into some serious hot water for playing games like that recently.
It was that exact ‘public servant’ Drake Goodale who gave me my only non-traffic violation conviction in my life — jaywalking in Arcata when he was on the force there. Admittedly, this was in 1999, and my hair may have been too long at the time. He’s now the Old Town patrol, and he sure does behave like he owns the place.
These are the sorts of issues a police review committee would be able to assess…but politicians across the spectrum, despite their previous expressions of openness or even support, have quietly dropped any actual effort to make this a reality.
Charles,
Carrie Peyton Dahlberg has just done what no other journalist with real status has been willing to do in the twenty years I’ve lived here.
Say thank you, and don’t whine.
9:09 wrote: “… but doesn’t everyone have the right to say they don’t want their pictures taken? Isn’t it a personal right to refuse that?”.
To some extent, yes, and I’ve seen videos of police encounters of late where the person with the camera- as far as I was concerned- was being a jerk and trying to provoke an incident. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.
But police officers are different. They are government officials with a great deal of power and authority. They are legally able to inflict serious bodily harm or death to citizens under some circumstances. It is important that their actions be transparent and observable to all in order to keep their power in check and both them and us safe.
Sometimes lookie-loos are part of the team of those being arrested. Sometimes the sweet lady is carrying a gun. Sometimes the guy being searched and arrested is capable of hurting the lookie-loo,and/or the officers. Saying you are a reporter could not protect you if this scene went bad. The cops are not always the good guys, He should have given you his name and asked you nicely to stay back. Agreed. But did it occur to you that the person involved could have been far more dangerous than the cops, and that the situation was more dangerous than you realized?
Drake was the feature of a NCJ story a few months back. I can only assume he has a two inch penis.
Growleymom,
The story describes a couple of freezer bags stuffed with pot, with the officers doing “standard cop things.” The story makes no mention of a person on the loose, or even in the police car.
Did it occur to you that when cops begin ignoring our Constitutional rights, that is more dangerous than a bag of pot?
I completely disagree with the comment by anonymous, no the police do not have the right, while they are on the clock, to not have their pictures taken. They are public servants, and subject to the accountability that is provided when a taxpayer, such as the person talking the picture, want to photograph them as they do their job. Indeed, the supervisor needs to ask the officer why it is they have a problem with that, for the record and their jacket, so they can approach those things in performance reviews and promotion considerations…
Drake is a good cop and anyone who has lived here a long time like myself (20yrs) knows him and he used to be an Arcata cop for 15 years..sometimes they cant have people around getting in the way when they are trying to solve a case, apprehend a suspect, etc…why do you care about a few bags of pot anyways? Sorry you feel dissed, but I have always felt it better to stay away from police work, its none of your business..If you are so interested maybe you should become one yourself. Damn reporters…its all smut mag these days with LoCO now!!!!! Don’t be trying to run his name into the mud, not very cool.
I was with you until the part about calling the former public defender who showed up as “backup”. Maybe you should have stuck with the friendly library patron and not tried to insert yourself even after being told to stop. Step back, call 9-1-1 and have a supervisor respond. Causing one of the officers to refocus his/her attention on a pushy person with a camera while they are still actively working on something tends to get the grunts a little edgy. Wait for the sergeant, give him/her your card and you’ll get all the photos and quotes you want. It’s not about denying rights, it’s about everybody and their brother with a cell phone getting in the way to post on youtube. You can probably thank Charles Douglas and Kim Star for ruining media relations.
Well, either I have “no real status,” or I’m responsible for ruining all media relations (in league with Kim Verbena Starr, who has viciously opposed my First Amendment rights more pointedly than any cop).
Can’t have it both ways, Bill/Anonymous.
Or both.
Please come support 1st Amendment rights, right to watch and film police, right to be free from police intimidation, unlawful restraint, arrest, property theft and harassment!
Crtrm #8, Friday morning, March 1st!
Beat the bums and dopers, not hard working folks.
“Causing one of the officers to refocus his/her attention on a pushy person”
That’s baloney. A person has a legal right to take photographs in a public place while standing on public property. No permission required.
If a cop is refocusing his attention on a law abiding citizen, then the cop needs a refresher in the laws he’s sworn to uphold.
Bill has it right. There are two sides to every story, and your side sure is riddled with blatant anti-cop rhetoric. Seems to me this whole situation was completely avoidable and was provoked by the civilian who felt it her duty to oversee the police. Being a taxpayer does not give you the right to insert yourself into an ongoing police investigation which you know nothing of. Mind blowing.
Most of email I sent Ms. Peyton Dahlberg last night:
Well Done. I have many experiences filming EPD and other officers & with refusals by officers to provide their names. EPD Sgt. Rodrigo Reyna-Sanchez shines large police lights in one’s face whenever filming, or if no lights available, threatens to arrest a filmer if they do not go very far away (which is not required by law). Often Sanchez stands right up in the camera-holders face, blocking view, wasting disc space, ignoring whatever else is going on.
Sgt O’Neill and Sgt. Guy (Guy HATES being filmed) arrested me 2X in Nov 2011 for filming. I was jailed both times. One of those times, no charges were filed. While I was in handcuffs Guy slammed my camera on the back of the police car, the innards popped out & he put my camera in his trunk. When I got the camera back from the EPD station after 7+ hours of jail, no video. The next time, Guy got out of his car, walked right up to me, grabbed at my camera, put me in jail for 8 days. I represented myself in jury trial Dec 2011 with charges brought against me, and won.
I’m bringing those officers and the City to trial in small claims court for various civil rights violations. The cases stem from those jailed-for-filming incidents & from another incident wherein I was arbitrarily jailed for 6 days.This was during Occupy protests; while in solidarity with Occupy & a participant in many demonstrations, my role was primarily copwatching. On 2/28, one of those small claims trials begins. Perhaps you want to come check it out-Crtrm #8, 8:30am.
I have somewhat entertaining transcripts from my jury trial with Guy; he lies through his teeth about what happened, gives absurd but typical testimony speaking as if I was very dangerous. (I met & spoke with one juror since trial; it wasn’t only obvious to me how incredulous Guy’s testimony was.) Humorous, if it didn’t cost me my liberty, my video & a trip (attempted 3X) to visit family. EPD’s behavior seriously discouraged/es people from exercising 1st amendment & other rights.
Being unlawfully arrested, detained, stolen from, intimidated is worse for many people who have no support or experience to fight against charges & cannot type about it from a safe place.
[continued from 2/27 email to Carrie Peyton Dahlberg]
Imagine if EPD had not threatened people who tried to film them beating Martin Cotton? Cameras really can deter horrible things from happening.
I welcome opportunity to speak with you about my experiences active with Redwood Curtain CopWatch, about documenting police activity & responses, protections, and retaliations that come as a result. I’ve been disappointed the Journal hasn’t covered some extremely egregious police incidents, trials, etc in the past. I guess when it gets personal, as it did the other day for you, doors open, opportunity to get the truth out. I really appreciate how you wrote about the right to film & get the officer’s name etc. As you probably know, the courts have recently confirmed, in strong terms, the right to film & audio record police/gov agents.
We all have the right, journalists & lay persons alike, to collect & disseminate info about what officers are doing.
Interesting, the part in your article about lying & telling the truth. One thing I would add: There’s a stark difference in repercussions when police lie from when anyone else does; 99% of the time police lie with absolute impunity regardless of how their actions or lies affect others.
Funny, the cop was filming YOU as he told you to stop taking pictures. (He has a video camera clipped to his shirt)
Funny, the cop was filming YOU as he told you to stop taking pictures. (He has a video camera clipped to his shirt)
About this Guide
Confrontations that impair the con-
stitutional right to make images are
becoming more common. To fight the
abuse of your right to free expression,
you need to know your rights to take
photographs and the remedies avail-
able if your rights are infringed.
The General Rule
The general rule in the United States
is that anyone may take photographs
of whatever they want when they are
in a public place or places where they
have permission to take photographs.
Absent a specific legal prohibition
such as a statute or ordinance, you are
legally entitled to take photographs.
Examples of places that are tradition-
ally considered public are streets,
sidewalks, and public parks.
Property owners may legally pro-
hibit photography on their premises
but have no right to prohibit others
from photographing their property
from other locations. Whether you
need permission from property own-
ers to take photographs while on their
premises depends on the circum-
stances. In most places, you may rea-
sonably assume that taking photo-
graphs is allowed and that you do not
need explicit permission. However,
this is a judgment call and you should
request permission when the circum-
stances suggest that the owner is like-
ly to object. In any case, when a prop-
erty owner tells you not to take photo-
graphs while on the premises, you are
legally obligated to honor the request.
Some Exceptions to the Rule
There are some exceptions to the
general rule. A significant one is that
commanders of military installations
can prohibit photographs of specific
areas when they deem it necessary to
protect national security. The U.S.
Department of Energy can also pro-
hibit photography of designated
nuclear facilities although the publicly
visible areas of nuclear facilities are
usually not designated as such.
Members of the public have a very
limited scope of privacy rights when
they are in public places. Basically,
anyone can be photographed without
their consent except when they have
secluded themselves in places where
they have a reasonable expectation of
privacy such as dressing rooms, rest-
rooms, medical facilities, and inside
their homes.
Permissible Subjects
Despite misconceptions to the con-
trary, the following subjects can
almost always be photographed law-
fully from public places:
accident and fire scenes
children
celebrities
bridges and other infrastructure
residential and commercial buildings
industrial facilities and public utilities
transportation facilities (
e.g.
, airports)
Superfund sites
criminal activities
law enforcement officers
Who Is Likely to Violate Your Rights
Most confrontations are started by
security guards and employees of
organizations who fear photography.
The most common reason given is
security but often such persons have
no articulated reason. Security is
rarely a legitimate reason for restrict-
ing photography. Taking a photo-
graph is not a terrorist act nor can a
business legitimately assert that tak-
ing a photograph of a subject in public
view infringes on its trade secrets.
On occasion, law enforcement offi-
cers may object to photography but
most understand that people have the
right to take photographs and do not
interfere with photographers. They do
have the right to keep you away from
areas where you may impede their
activities or endanger safety. How-
ever, they do not have the legal right
to prohibit you from taking photo-
graphs from other locations.
They Have Limited Rights to Bother,
Question, or Detain You
Although anyone has the right to
approach a person in a public place
and ask questions, persistent and
unwanted conduct done without a
legitimate purpose is a crime in many
states if it causes serious annoyance.
You are under no obligation to explain
the purpose of your photography nor
do you have to disclose your identity
except in states that require it upon
request by a law enforcement officer.
If the conduct goes beyond mere
questioning, all states have laws that
make coercion and harassment crimi-
nal offenses. The specific elements
vary among the states but in general it
is unlawful for anyone to instill a fear
that they may injure you, damage or
take your property, or falsely accuse
you of a crime just because you are
taking photographs.
Private parties have very limited
rights to detain you against your will
and may be subject to criminal and
civil charges should they attempt to
do so. Although the laws in most
states authorize citizen’s arrests, such
authority is very narrow. In general,
citizen’s arrests can be made only for
felonies or crimes committed in the
person’s presence. Failure to abide by
these requirements usually means
that the person is liable for a tort such
as false imprisonment.
They Have No Right to Confiscate
Your Film
Sometimes agents acting for entities
such as owners of industrial plants
and shopping malls may ask you to
hand over your film. Absent a court
order, private parties have no right to
confiscate your film. Taking your film
directly or indirectly by threatening to
use force or call a law enforcement
agency can constitute criminal offens-
es such as theft and coercion. It can
likewise constitute a civil tort such as
conversion. Law enforcement officers
may have the authority to seize film
when making an arrest but otherwise
must obtain a court order.
Your Legal Remedies If Harassed
If someone has threatened, intimidat-
ed, or detained you because you were
taking photographs, they may be
liable for crimes such as kidnapping,
coercion, and theft. In such cases, you
should report them to the police.
You may also have civil remedies
against such persons and their
employers. The torts for which you
may be entitled to compensation
include assault, conversion, false
imprisonment, and violation of your
constitutional rights.
Other Remedies If Harassed
If you are disinclined to take legal
action, there are still things you can do
that contribute to protecting the right
to take photographs.
(1) Call the local newspaper and see if
they are interested in running a story.
Many newspapers feel that civil liber-
ties are worthy of serious coverage.
(2) Write to or call the supervisor of
the person involved, or the legal or
public relations department of the
entity, and complain about the event.
(3) Make the event publicly known on
an Internet forum that deals with pho-
tography or civil rights issues.
How to Handle Confrontations
Most confrontations can be defused
by being courteous and respectful. If
the party becomes pushy, combative,
or unreasonably hostile, consider call-
ing the police. Above all, use good
judgment and don’t allow an event to
escalate into violence.
In the event you are threatened with
detention or asked to surrender your
film, asking the following questions
can help ensure that you will have the
evidence to enforce your legal rights:
1. What is the person’s name?
2. Who is their employer?
3. Are you free to leave? If not, how do
they intend to stop you if you decide
to leave? What legal basis do they
assert for the detention?
4. Likewise, if they demand your film,
what legal basis do they assert for the
confiscation?
Really “Rex Everything” ? I’ve never seen such cameras clipped on their shirts, or video from it. Even when the cops were in court UNSUCCESSFULLY trying to get me convicted, no video. I don’t care if they take video, more evidence of their unlawful behavior.
OH OH! (Comment / By Verbena / Today, 2 p.m.) I had a feeling you’d ride in on your broom.
If good cops aren’t afraid of the cameras, then EPD must get a chill running down their collective asses when they see one. You have a right to film them in PUBLIC. It matters not what they think or believe. We all know how cops lie anyway. Video or audio is often the best evidence we have, if not the only evidence to counter corrupt cops.
Any cops that asks you to refrain from filming is just announcing he is corrupt and not worthy of the uniform. A motor mouth cop is worthy of keeping a camera aimed at. Even a dead camera will help keep a bad cop in check. More bad cops than bad phones though. It’s an uphill battle.
I’ll fight with cops before I voluntarily surrender my camera or phone. I will resist with any force available to me, including lethal if it comes to that, unless the aforementioned has a warrant in their hands, they best stay away from me with that BS.
When cops talk down to me they usually leave disappointed as I don’t intimidate too easily. Abuse the uniform and I am willing to abuse you. That’s pretty simple. Step into my life officer and you might wake up finding me in yours. Names, addresses, etc., are only a keyboard away. A friendly knock on your door while you’re working. Yes, I’ve gone there before. Yes, I’ll do it again. Law enforcement, especially EPD, are not the demigods they think they are.
Never been to prison. Never convicted of a felony. Violate my rights and I could turn this upside down.
This man, officer or not does not appear to be a very nice person at all. He threatened a friend of mine that he was going to slam his head into the sidewalk just for consuming a beer (open container). Okay, so drinking in the great outdoors (which a LOT of people do at a certain disc golf park) might be against the law. But did he have to make such a threat? Also accused another aquaintance of digging up plants outside of local businesses, which was a faulty accusation. Who hires these monsters?
I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
As a member of the Armed Forces, I swore to defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Bad cops are DOMESTIC terrorists and should be handled accordingly IMO.
Another reason for no pictures is EPD isn’t known for their honesty, but rather the lack of it. Taking pictures of the amount actually confiscated and comparing it with what makes it downtown has the potential to vary.
Just this morning Drake Goodale harassed a young homeless man for announcing that a cop was nearby. He’s nothing more than a BULLY with a uniform and a badge.
This is Drake Goodale’s typical behavior.
He fouls the uniform in my opinion and doesn’t represent me in any way, shape or form as a citizen of Eureka.
Neither does the man he calls Chief, Murl Harpham.
I’m not a religious man, but if I were, I’d pray for the Good Lord to smite someone. Do you really need to ask who? It’s not a short list.
Bad cops are a worse terrorist threat to the USA than anything Muslim terrorists may be plotting. Bad cops walk among us. They are already here needing no fake passport. The infrastructure to cover up is also already here.
Another reason to never surrender your weapons. Do you really want an incident with a bad cop w/o the ability to shoot back? I don’t.
And if it comes to that, I for sure hope it’s on camera, especially if it’s me smiting a bad cop.
The comments by Verbena and James Decker illustrate why it’s so important that the observer this time was a sane person with a good reputation.
The video by James Decker seems to me to paint Officer Goodale in a rather good light. He moves the observer back behind his police car so that there is no danger of interference as the officers move the handcuffed arrestee to the car. He does not otherwise attempt to interfere with the camera.
Watch the video again, brave Anonymous 4:02pm. Not only does Goodale tell James, who is merely walking on the sidewalk filming (from pretty far away), that he is interfering, but another person a moment or two later walks right past the police (who are hurting that woman), and nothing is said or done to that passer-by.
By LAW, if one person can pass, then another person,even one holding a camera, can pass the same.
How is it the person who walked right next to the police scene was not a threat of interference but the person with a camera was? Here’s the answer: That is typical baloney from cops who don’t want to be filmed. And you go right along with that crap… until it is you who gets hurt by an officer who pushes away someone who is filming.
See that baton Goodale twisted up behind the unarmed woman’s handcuffed wrists? Goodale is shown in a good light? Watch the video again, dude.
Verbena and Decker, are just hijacking this article to further their worn out fight with the “oppressor”….There were some valid points brought up in this story…..Cops should be nicer……. and not assume that wearing that uniform, give’s them any magical powers.
This is prior restraint. Govt says, “You can’t collect news about us and you can’t publish it.”
This is the most egregious violation of the !st Amendment. The SCOTUS has never upheld a prior restraint in the history of the US, even for national security issues and gag orders. The SCOTUS even ruled in Larry Flynt’s favor after he called them 8 aholes and a token c word.
Bring a prior restraint argument up in a court room and you’ll see eyes from the judge and prosecutor like a deer in the headlight.
Drake is a good guy. He was in Arcata for years and did a great job there. Maybe Eureka is more of a scary place- instead of cool hippie pot smoking dudes now he has meth people desperate for their next dollar or fix. it’s a scary world out there. I wouldn’t be a cop for anything. Drake needs our support.I am sure whatever happened here was unusual or trumped up. I have seen the other side of Drake and he is a great cop and person.
Leos should stick with time, place and manner arguments to stop the newsgatherers, but if they say “turn off the camera or you’ll be arrested if you keep recording” now the TPM arguments are history and all they are left with is a violation of the free press.
TPM arguments would be “you are too close (most courts say about 20 ft)” or you are not on public property (tough when it’s a library parking lot) or we have a danger zone here (journalists have the right to choose their own level of risk), but don’t say turn off the camera. Leo will lose every time.
Carrie. . . I’m glad you stood up to those guys! Nice going.
Thank you Mark Sailors! Even though your post was HUGE, I appreciate the info. Unfortunately, most commentators won’t bother to inform themselves of this useful knowledge, it gets in the way of their rant against “the Man”. Having been a public servant, there are times when the last thing you need is someone with a grudge against your uniform, making themselves a pain in the ass, for some whipped up cause. Fine take your damn pics, but, should you get knocked down, stabbed, shot, etc, then you scream that the cop failed to protect you. Either way, I got the sense from this article the cop was going to come out of this exchange as the bastard, and our poor intrepid reporter was in no way an obstacle, or a distraction.
Walk up to a pig and say “Officer Anus” keep saying that “Officer Anus”
Dear Verbena,
Good luck with your court appearance.
If you weren’t as convinced of yourself, you might realize that a person with a camera wanting to get real close to police dealing with a handcuffed person is not the same thing as a person just walking down the sidewalk past the scene.
The person with the camera, especially if they are well-known to want to cause the police trouble, can make a situation like moving a handcuffed person into a police car far more challenging and dangerous for the handcuffed person and the cops.
The NCJ has pointed out a situation where — if the NCJ described it honestly, which I think they did — the police are clearly in the wrong.
You and your fellow crazies, on the other hand, do nothing but hurt the cause of those who want police to treat people in legal ways. You destroyed the local Occupy movement, you turn people off from your positions, and you are so convinced you will lead next week’s revolution that you don’t even notice you do more damage to your causes than good. I’d think you were paid by the Koch Brothers, but I’m sure you do it for free.
What a bunch of crap this article is and many of the responses here. You start by trying to portrait yourself as this little helpless, library going person. Then you step into the middle of an ongoing police action which you have no knowledge of what is going on, any danger which may be present to you or other civilians then you get close enough to converse and try and read names on badges. It is no wonder they asked you step back from the scene.
Yes it is a public parking lot but that does not give you the right to do what you did. Journalist or not. The officers were well within their right to ask you to step back to a safe distance for the circumstances and not interfere. Then, feel free to photo or video until your hearts content.
You cite that your Civil Rights were violated. Perhaps you should study what civil rights are. No where that I am familiar with do civil rights include a citizen disobeying a lawful order and being in the middle of a crime scene. Civil Rights pertain to race, age, sex, equal treatment, right to vote etc.
Then you stoop so low as to call the officers names and say the bad cops were carrying guns…well no kidding. They also carry PR-24’s, tasers, mace and handcuffs and some even carry an extra firearm on their person and at least one long gun in their vehicle.
Then you call for backup. Your public defender husband. Who cares. What is he going to do?
Maybe you should learn to be a real journalist. It does not mean you have the right to be anywhere, anytime to do anything you choose.
Cudos to our local law enforcement agencies and the people who serve and protect us.
Why was she asking the officers questions? They were in the middle of an investigation. She should NOT have interrupted them with small talk. Stand back and take your pictures, by all means, but stay out of the situation. How could you have known that it wasn’t dangerous at that moment?
How interesting that I have NEVER been harrassed by cops. Perhaps, if you’re one of the apparently many who are being harrassed, you should check your self and your true intentions.
Exactly, 12:38. And when you’re done checking yourself and your true intentions, you should check your color, ethnicity, and fashion in clothes.
Did you REALLY want to drive while black? Or were you just trying to harass the police?
Did you REALLY want to find out what was going on in the library parking lot, or did you and your public defender husband just want to get threatened with arrest and then called names by people who don’t know you?
And when you put on that hoodie, did you think it would keep you warm, or were you making a statement that you wanted the men in blue to arrest you?
Hello up-tight, un-informed peoples of the NCJ.
I have known Officer Goodale for many, many years. Being an Arcata resident for many years, I had the distince priveledge of meeting Officer Goodale when he was first hired on as an Arcata Police Officer, fresh from the Academy.
I have NEVER seen Officer Goodale treat ANYONE unfairly. My head used to be half shaved and the rest of my hair was mostly pink. I would run into Officer Goodale, mostly on the plaza, and he was ALWAYS kind, friendly and awesome to me and everyone else I ever saw him interact with.
I’m certain that Officer Goodale had a justified reason for WHATEVER he wanted WHOMEVER to do!!!
How about you all jump off his back and support him instead. He’s a stellar cop and individual!
SIncerely,
SammyYoMammy!!!
What’s with all you losers too afraid to post you names!??!!???
I meant… too afraid to post YOUR names.
There is no privacy in public. And drake does have a small Willie.
I spent some time at Occupy Eureka. First there to join with others to raise awareness of the growing income gap that is threatening to destroy us.
Then I tried to assist those trying to meet and work with the County to protect our First Amendment rights. Part of that involved taking some late night and early morning shifts.
I wish I had had a camera the morning Officer Goodale walked by. At first I was glad to see him, because pacing about, looking and sounding agitated, was a frequent neighbor in front of the courthouse.
Officer Goodale appeared just as I heard a crash over by the newspaper boxes. Instead of dealing with this obvious destruction of property by a man taller and stronger than I, he points a finger at me, says “great protester you have there” and walks on down the street.
I wish I had though quick enough to get a picture the night he came, cut my “Dear Peace Officer” sign off the fence,then scurried away, too busy to stop and explain his actions. He had been there all day keeping an eye on a special gathering. When they ventured off the landing to take signs he put his knife away when he noticed the other officer untying a sign. During the day he and the other officer returned the signs, leaving them at the table. His demeanor that night was much different.
I wish I had not been on the other side of the plaza sweeping the morning Officer Goodale came and took a large banner off the fence then walked over and threw some homeless person’s possessions off the bench by the stairs. As he left he yelled “that is for sitting.” Jack was already getting the stuff out of the walkway when I arrived to help.
I admired the spunk and tenacity of Verbena but she and I disagree on one thing, I saw some EPD Officers who seemed uncomfortable, almost apologetic, when they came to take the signs or shoo the homeless from the cover of the landing in the middle of a rainy night. But sad to say, some almost seemed to enjoy it.
I never filed a complaint against Officer Goodale. The one I filed against his superior received a quick and dismissive response.
Filming police is not trying to cause them trouble; it is trying to deter it.
Most people who regularly carry a camera and who film police know better than to talk a bunch while things are going on or to get ‘too close.’
Looking forward to days when there is a culture of copwatch: when ALL of us stop, watch, and listen (record if possible) when an officer is encountering someone. Call it public safety.
I have met Officer Goodale in his capacity as an officer of the law. I work in a local non profit which often has to deal with people who suffer from one form or another of mental illness. One day Officer Goodale turned up to introduce himself as a local officer working in the area and offer our office his card, he told us that should we ever have an issue to call him on his cell phone and he would come immediately. It was a nice gesture and made me feel good to know we had someone who knew about us and the kind of issues our clients dealt with.
A few weeks later a man came into our office raving and threatening, not an uncommon occurrence but still not fun, we called Officer Goodale and arrived literally at a run, he met the man outside of our office and spoke to him for several minutes about the incident. From my vantage point inside his body language and demeanor were appropriate and non threatening.
My every interaction with Officer Goodale showed him to be a good man and a fine officer. The incident described in this article does not fit with the character of the man I met. I do not doubt the author of this blog; however, there are two sides to every story. The people and culture of Humboldt county have a history of viewing all actions of police in the worst possible light. I would ask that anyone reading this article just take a moment to imagine a situation where an officer might, for good reason, not want someone walking up to an active search scene.
Thank you.
Dear Cory,
Thank you so much for pointing out that Officer Goodale has been helpful to you and your work, and for not creating a setup where either the author of the NCJ story is lying or Officer Goodale is a bad cop.
I’m sure Officer Goodale has better days and worse days, just like the rest of us. And I’m sure he has his own opinions and snap-judgments about different members of the public, just like the rest of us.
It sounds entirely believable to me that Officer Goodale can be a good cop to a non-profit working with the mentally ill, can be abrasive to people who clearly hate all police, and can incorrectly try to prevent a person from video-ing him in public, probably because of terrible past experiences with the Cop Watch people.
But he still has no right to threaten a woman with arrest for engaging in legal activity.
First off- Why were the officers investigating something with a car. Were the bad people contained? Did they have weapons? Was the vehicle safe? who was the lady with the camera? was she one of the people with a gun, hate for cops, was that her pot? Did the officers know she was a reporter for a paper used to line bird cages with? did they need to stop their investigation because she is the most important thing in Eureka? Did she have the facts prior to wanting photos? I have never heard a cop say don’t take pictures. But- I was watching one time when some big goon was trying to ‘film’ them while they were dealing with a woman who was screaming she wanted to kill herself and also saying “I don’t want them taking my picture.” The goon didn’t respect her request or privacy. Apparently NO one is safe or has any privacy rights. I know if I was in a car wreck and the EMT’s were taking my clothes apart in an attempt to save my life- I would not want some idiot working for ANY paper taking my picture. If my body or blood or tears are exposed, the only ones I give permission to see me are the EMT’s Cops or firemen. The rest of you stay away. As for Vermin, how is it you manage to get into anything that might get you in the paper? Is that your goal? Do you think once most people see your name that they read what you wrote? No- most people know you as the ranter you are. Get a job. How many of the people that you think you represent ask you for your help? Trust me- I would never call you for help. I would however call a cop. And by the way- they DO have camera’s on their body and in their cars. Congrats to the officers who stood up to you. They are protecting all our rights to live in this world safely. And guess what- if you call them to help you, even though you wrote all this crap about them…. they will still come put their life on the line to protect you. Bird cage liner!
FUCK THE POLICE
I find it deplorable that you are placing your career above an officer’s that is only out to protect your fat, old, aging, and oh so ignorant ass. If the call for service could have put you in danger, maybe the quickest way of getting you out of harms way was to threaten arrest instead of cowtowing to your feelings of entitlement and the I AM ME sentiment you tried to wield. You cow. Holy crap. Who the hell are you? You drop yourself into a police investigation with a giggling old lady’s…’oh my! Is that what I think it is?’ Are you an empty guord? And then you are draping your stupid camera over the evidence. Obviously you have no idea of the chain of evidence. Do you know you could have contaminated the entire crime scene. How stupid are you?
And let’s not forget your backup. A retired old defense attorney with nothing to do with his day and nothing to show his worth. I bet he was all excited to get back into the thick of things. Maybe now he would make his mark. Wow it only gets better.
Like the last commenter wrote…police officers will come running to save your sorry ass next time, again, when someone panhandles you and you are scared. Cuz you call for help don’t you? Lots. Well at least the NCJ employees do …whether you know it or not. How dare you do this article. Especially when there were days to have a discussion with the department but you failed to do so and waited almost a week to make the complaint but to wanted toget the article out first….oh, you and Kim Starr are now local heroes and partners….I have no respect for your career any long and I think the NCJ is just a rag. Sorry to the other good reporters there and there are some.
I wish you gone to some other place.
Oh, and by the way, I took cell phone photos of friends to determine the distance of YOUR shots compared to mine. I was as close as 4 feet. Definitely in harms way! You are too stupid to keep yourself out of harm’s way. You should be thanking God for the Officer’s cautions. But you are a bag of flab that wants to be a headline. Go for it big’un.
Actually a girl I know used to date him and measured his private parts, the penis was one inch 6 cm flacid. He said he always wanted to be a cop so he could ride around with the big boys and play with guns. He is a horrible cop and needs to be placed on administrative leave effective 3/3/2013 until the internal investigation os completed by my department. I say my department because my tax dollars go to pay his salary, as I am one of the most wealthy people in the Eureka area. Thanks for your time
We will e recording all police activity possible starting on Sunday. Who ever is interested meet at the courthouse Sunday. We need video equipment, cars, and police scanners. Hopefully with our vigilance, this type of armature behavior exhibited by Drake will be stopped. Nip it in the butt and bud! Thank you-
It’s always inspiring to hear the voices of this community sharing information with one another on the internet.
So pleasant, so cheerful, so thoughtful, so loving.
So revealing of character.
and wonderfully satirical
M’AERIE is an expert as sucking off that 1 inch 6 cm cock. She can’t get enough of that entitled pig cum. Keep it up girlfriend.
This should be titled “Carrie’s Liberal Diary”…..ask Betsy Lambert how interfering with cops worked out for her. Keep your nose to the keyboard and let the cops do their jobs. In case you haven’t noticed there are more important things to handle besides your anti-cop tirade. Stay out of their way and move along.
Jana must love that little Willie also. She is an expert at sucking off cops. drake would be proud. Now you stay the fuck out of my way. Copwatch 2013!!!!!
Sounds like you were bored miss Carrie and needed a little excitement at the “library” that day. YOU are not above the law and will fail trying to create unnecessary drama around here.
Jon-
You are an absolute dipshit! It’s not a matter of being above the law, it a matter of holding our law enforcement accountable for their actions. There is no privacy in public! She was not creating unnecessary drama, just letting our law enforcement know they can’t abuse citizens. Do you have Drakes pecker in you mouth also? I can’t believe how stupid some people are!
Hey Carrie! You should be sentenced to 600 hours community service for interfering with a crime scene AND ignoring law enforcement. You will be tasked with picking up hypo needles around old town with you bare hands.
If you are interested in a detailed explanation of the federally protected right to photograph in public, and specifically, to photograph the police in public, the Department of Justice 11 page memo to the Baltimore Police Department last year will prove to be a definitive resource.
http://www.pixiq.com/sites/default/files/united_states_letter_re_photography_5_14_2012_0.pdf
“So why did a Eureka officer threaten to arrest the Journal’s editor?”
Not for taking pictures but for inserting herself into an ongoing investigation when she could of just stayed out of the way and taken all of the pictures she desired.
drake and the rest of these pig lovers can have a nice orgy! I hate the police and don’t trust them one bit. I will arm myself and protect my family without the help of Johnny law. Drake was probably down there getting a hooker!
I stumbled upon this article after I saw the picture of officer goodale. I actually took goodale and another officer to jury trial due to unfair treatment during a so called “traffic stop.” Officer goodale is a liar and apparanlty is prejudice also after some comments that were directed to me.. I have several witnesses to back up these claims and my story. Even court documents will say so. Officers like him are the reason I do not trust the epd.
What exactly is the point of you’re rambling article? You are clearly grasping at straws here. You will never bring the officer or law enforcement down so quit exhausting yourself by ranting through the journal. Move somewhere like Mexico and see how the “law” treats you there.
JOHNNY
You must like drakes pecker in your mouth also.
Cop loving scumbag! Eureka police are not respected law enforcement. I’m not saying start a lynch mob against them, just bring light to the corruption! JOHNNY LIKE SKINNY WEE WEE IN HIS MOUTH!!!
JOHNNY
You must like drakes pecker in your mouth also.
Cop loving scumbag! Eureka police are not respected law enforcement. I’m not saying start a lynch mob against them, just bring light to the corruption! JOHNNY LIKE SKINNY WEE WEE IN HIS MOUTH!!!
JOHNNY
You must like drakes pecker in your mouth also.
Cop loving scumbag! Eureka police are not respected law enforcement. I’m not saying start a lynch mob against them, just bring light to the corruption! JOHNNY LIKE SKINNY WEE WEE IN HIS MOUTH!!!
Rumor has it drake has been known to frequent the tip top club! My ex husband used to hang out with him. According to one of the girls he likes to talk dirty
Also his wife left him after an affair
Titan? Titan, is that you?
Good Monday morning, Carrie. The locals were drinking and carrying on this week-end. Again I thank you for your article, I hope the issue of abuse of power, photo and otherwise with our local police is resolved. You have started a very important conversation.
We ask a lot of our police and they keep showing up. I am thankful for that and the acknowledge the pressures they work under. But there are bad days and intimidating citizens is not acceptable. Please let us know what happens next.
Carrie, Carrie, Carrie….Where did you say you were from? how long have you been here? (my guess is too long) Why don’t you do some investigations about where all the tweeker feed comes from. That would be really useful. Why do we have so many druggies in Humboldt County. How many of the protesters get food stamps, County General Releif dollars or some social security income for their disability? * Occupy, Cop Watch * to name two of the protesting groups. I know people who worked sure didn’t have time to sit on their dirty butts smoking pot and waving a sign at the Court House. And it was hard enough to tell what they were protesting for anyhow. Some were on the 99% roll…… some were all about the homeless and others were cop watch fans. Well, I happen to know a lot of the cop watch fan and maybe it’s just in Humboldt that they all are on County, State or Federal low income programs. They meet with Wesley Smith and his pervert buddies down at Free Meal. You can find Wesley there dealing dope around the first of the month when people get their SSI checks. He is short and chubby with short hair and these huge floppy ear lobes with big holes in them. He is happy to explain to you that his way is the right way. He has several friends. They may have met in jail or on the streets where he lived for years. As for cops, yes, there are bad cops and they should be stopped and not allowed to work in the police force. They under go psych evals to even get a job as a cop. Kinda like Wesley and Shane and their friends had to do to get on SSI. There are plenty of us homeless folks who are glad that the cops are here. Sleeping on the street is hard and scary. Drake has helped me on more than one occasion. Those of you who have to talk about people’s body parts are probably just jealous. And nasty. If that is the best you can do, why don’t you just get lost. Most of you are not from here anyway and the people of Humboldt are sick of you costing us money. The nation is going broke due to people like you-
EUREKA COPS WHAT THE FU, YOU GONNA TAKE THAT CRAP FROM A PUNK? INCREDIBLE.
This incident is a prime example of why we must end the “war” on drugs. It has caused more problems, more suffering, more friction, more pain, more money and more lives than drugs themselves could ever have caused. Join the real Good Cops at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition to help stop the madness. As for the meth problem, this crap isn’t meth, it’s poison. It’s nothing more than modern-day Bathtub Gin. Educate yourselves, speak out against Prohibition. Support LEAP.
I am glad the reporting came out and exactly as it did.
What I find interesting is that LE wants more public surveillance cameras, cell phone tracking, and police are now asking for drones to keep track of both you and me. Personally, I think I should buy surveillance cameras for my home and vehicle to protect myself, but probably won’t.
START AN OFFICIAL “COP WATCHER” WEBSITE FOR HUMBOLDT.
How about we form a group to constantly film the actions of ‘copwatch’ and see how they like it?
As a long-time resident of Humboldt County, I’ve had a few interactions with Officer Goodale. He has always been pleasant and kind.
The author of this article clearly exaggerated her version of events and stated some “facts” which are simply not true. To put it plainly, she was dishonest. I heard the cops have video of the incident which disproves most of her claims. She may get sued.
And another North Coast Joke editor goes crazy and gets committed to the local nuthouse. I can’t wait for Joel to shit out a comic about this.
It’s easy to see what a polarized issue the police department is to this county. Some people hate the police and others love them. Neither are correct in their stance as it is our responsibility as free thinking Americans to be critical thinking in our assessments of public SERVANTS.
Public complaints about police actions should be taken seriously before a civilian review board. The only reason police don’t want this to happen is because they have the power within their departments to hide what mistakes they make without the people being privy to the process.
City employees call themselves “family”. Those of us who pay their salaries are not allowed access to the inner “family” and do not get to see the reality of what goes on when cops kill people such as Cheri Moore, Martin Cotten, James Honda and the myriad of other poor people who have succumbed to the cruelty of north coast “justice”.
Unfortunately those who discriminate on either side of this issue are not clearing up the smoke screen that keeps the affairs of the police obscure and detrimental to free expression. We must have a civilian review of police activity both in our cities and the county to clear up our understanding of what is really going on!
First off anyone who posts without their name has something to hide!! ive known Drake Goodale for the past 15 plus years, he is an excellent officer. he has no power trip or higher than mighty attitude. He does his job to the letter. I have been on ride-a-longs with him multiple times, he does not put his feelings or beliefs into the situation. Drake follows the law as his job requires, if you dont like the laws dont break them plane and simple. yes it is ok for journalists to photo situations, just as it is ok and the law says its legal to photo anyone who is in public, long as you dont take a picture of their face. but there is also the fact that Drake or the other officers involved were doing their job, and if the reporter was interfering with that then they are in the wrong!!! Officer saftey also comes into play, if they are being distracted doing their job then it is a safety factor and that officer has the right to say something!! Also the media in general needs stories to keep them employed, so keep that in mind! no story no job!! Drake has nothing to hide and does his duty to protect and serve everyone from the mayor down to the citizens.
Possibly Officer McPig was setting aside weed for his personal laboratory… your photos unnerved him, and caused him to miscount. Who knew?
Just wondering why you felt the need to get involved in the first place? Also please recognize that not everyone with a cell phone camera is a good guy. And know that they need to keep people out of their crime scene. Why you would need to get so close to take pictures of weed is beyond me.
Why is it “journalists” feel that they can do whatever they want and hide behind the first amendment? There is a professional way to get information from the police, inserting yourself into a crime scene/investigation is not it. Mrs. Dahleburg please conduct yourself more appropriately, you cheapen journalism with these tactics.
As a street photographer I often find a good black and white shot among the officers. Is this a criminal act?
No Mr. Officer… this is my photograph.
is this what “Cop Watch” does?
It’s everyone’s right to film cops, not just journalists. In case you are not paying attention I’ll inform you that this is happening every day. Cops intimidate and brutalize people through the color of law, claiming that they are in the right and their tactics are justified. The phenomena of police believing they are above the law, thus acting however they want, is well entrenched in the fibers of the thin blue line. It’s called a police state and it’s accelerating by the minute. Why else would America have the largest prison population in the history of the world? Cops are trigger pullers for the politicians that make unjust laws. They are not here to protect your rights or serve the community. They are here to protect the state and the illusion of it’s authority over the natural rights we ALL have as human beings.