Should individuals be able to record any on-duty police officer?

by TruthSeeker Posted June 10, 2010 13:17:00

38 votes
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	Yes	30 votes	79%
	No	3 votes	8%
	Other	5 votes	13%

In response to a flood of Facebook and YouTube videos that depict police abuse, a new trend in law enforcement is gaining popularity. In at least three states, it is now illegal to record any on-duty police officer.

Even if the encounter involves you and may be necessary to your defense, and even if the recording is on a public street where no expectation of privacy exists.

The legal justification for arresting the "shooter" rests on existing wiretapping or eavesdropping laws, with statutes against obstructing law enforcement sometimes cited. Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland are among the 12 states in which all parties must consent for a recording to be legal unless, as with TV news crews, it is obvious to all that recording is underway. Since the police do not consent, the camera-wielder can be arrested. Most all-party-consent states also include an exception for recording in public places where "no expectation of privacy exists" (Illinois does not) but in practice this exception is not being recognized.

Story continued at http://wearechangecoloradosprings.org/blog/2010/06/are-camera...

+14

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cuz June 10, 2010 16:21:04

Yes

+9
They work for us. It's ludicrous to say we don't have the right to monitor them.
>> See Replies

charles_1 June 18, 2010 00:00:21

Yes

+1
Police and law enforcement have forever claimed that there is no expectation of privacy in a public space. So it is OK to record the police in action in any public space. If the police try and stop you that is a civil rights violation. I'd love to be on one of the juries in a case like this.

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P-Funk June 14, 2010 19:22:58

Yes

+2
If they can record US -- on those dash-cams, those spy-cams on the street corner, and in their interrogation rooms -- and they they work for US, then we should certainly be allowed to record THEM (when they are in public).

When the police become immune from public oversight we are in a police state!

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crimson dragon June 13, 2010 14:41:24

Yes

+1
It's the only way to keep the secret police secret.

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jitko June 13, 2010 07:54:50

Yes

+2
Can you spell "martial law"? If not, "SS" should be easy enough.

Why should an ON-duty officer expect, demand and/or be granted privacy? Most jobs have no expectation of privacy yet in those moments of police brutality, the brute has more rights than the brutalized? We don't even expect privacy when pulled over and we are on our "own time."

How far are we gonna let this insanity run?

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1oct1 "Marko" June 12, 2010 15:44:41

Yes

+2
Wow, okay.......they are in public for one. If they pull me over what gives them the right to stop me from getting evidence on the crime? They are recording me aren't they?
Under no circumstances should they be allowed to tell me to stop recording anything with them in it.

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Philadelphia Freedom June 12, 2010 13:02:31 (edited)

Yes

+2
If they are in public domain now if they are in the bathroom or a dressing room or that sort of places Hell no , but thats not what is really being asked .Hell yes they must be held accountable that they acted in the best interests of the law .

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Rondolce June 12, 2010 05:10:12

Yes

+2
First, we ought to have some record of police actions and second, anything that occurs in public ought to belong to the public and be recordable.

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Frank June 11, 2010 22:57:45

Yes

+2
Sorry, but if they have nothing to hide see no problem. Besides people aren't just going to follow them around video taping for the heck of it, most likely it will be when something is going down, and if that's the case then they should have nothing to hide if they handle the way they are suppose to handle....

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Bubba June 11, 2010 22:50:34

Other

+1
I'll video tape anything I want. But depending on how I would use the video, I would agree, maybe limited under the law.

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Sheila June 11, 2010 19:26:38

Other

+3
If the policeman is on duty and in uniform then HELL YES we should be able to record them!! They can record us with out our permission! I don't understand the why of saying "you can not record me" unless he is under cover and it would endanger his well being to be caught on film identifiable as an officer. Other than that it should be a given that we can. The only reason people don't want to be recorded is if they are doing something they shouldn't be.

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Racefish June 11, 2010 15:16:43

Yes

+3
By making it illegal, there could be a possibility of a constitutional battle.

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hook June 11, 2010 14:13:52

Yes

+2
any more you have to watch every one,but i don't have a problem with them kicking some low life's ass!!

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jitko to hook June 13, 2010 08:00:07

+2
And the measure of a person's life is determined on the streets and declared with violence by a cop in uniform rather than by the judicial system?

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Alleyoop June 11, 2010 14:10:32
macnamera killjoy June 11, 2010 13:22:27 (edited)

Other

+3
I think that we should be able to but in the states that think that we shouldn't be able to then I think it only fair that police not be able to record any citizen without their permission.

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Torchmanner ~PWCM~JLA June 11, 2010 13:21:01

Yes

+6
They hold a PUBLIC position. PUBLIC. Not private. Paid for with OUR tax dollars. If they have a right to incriminate us with their car mounted cameras we have a right to defend ourselves with our cameras. We have a right to defend ourselves as well.

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Torchma... to Torchma... June 11, 2010 13:44:59

+4
Fascism

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danjac1263 to Torchma... June 11, 2010 16:22:32

We dont need an army of cop haters with there cameras running around videoing half the story. Many of these same people would be the first to scream if they were stalked on their jobs by haters.

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Marie to danjac1263 June 11, 2010 21:18:33

This is the reason they want this law! Too many cameras out to make money- we need to find a happy medium!

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jitko to danjac1263 June 13, 2010 08:07:02

+1
We need police who PROTECT and SERVE and if an army of recorders get them to do their JOB, then THAT is what we need. Why do you equate recording with "hate"? And with what do you equate the brutality being recorded?

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Patti The Yes Fan June 11, 2010 12:45:12

Other

+4
You should definitely be able to record them. They are not above the law either althou some of them think they are. Besides, we are supposed to be free. Freedom means recording whatever you want.

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Duke----The Non Racist, Fun... June 11, 2010 11:58:16

Yes

+7
And we will not stop

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jitko to Duke---... June 13, 2010 08:08:10

+2
Excellent! :-)

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zyledr June 11, 2010 11:03:41

Yes

+4
Without a doubt.

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Tomus Megalomania June 11, 2010 09:24:02

Yes

+5
That's a pretty shady move by these state legislatures. Hopefully these laws will be challenged and overruled by the Supreme Court.

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wolfshadow June 11, 2010 07:44:06

No

+3
Thats dumb, but it is a two way street. I don't consent to being video taped when I get pulled over, I don't consent to being video taped when conducting illegal activity, I don't consent to being video taped or photographed doing anything.... now dumbass... try to convict me.

Works two ways or not at all.

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agnsttrnd*nation in turmoil* June 11, 2010 06:24:51

Yes

+5
Emphatically yes!!! Good post safari!!!

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safari to agnsttr... June 11, 2010 06:41:40

+5
Thank you but I just shared this one - Truthseeker put it up. :)

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agnsttr... to safari June 11, 2010 06:43:17

+3
Well then kudos to Truthseeker, and kudos to you for sharing!!

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The Mother ∞ God Loves You June 11, 2010 06:05:46

Yes

+5
yes they should be able to do so.. and making a law against it only shows how far out our legal system has gone... they've become the bully on the block!

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Annie~Pro American~Pro Israel June 11, 2010 05:54:57 (edited)

Yes

+6
Yes, i think so, especially for checks and balances....Am shocked in these 3 states, people are not allowed to tape. This erases boundaries for law enforcement in this state.

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safari June 11, 2010 05:51:33

Other

+7
Yes if they are in uniform. Of course. This is totally ridiculous. If they are undercover I MIGHT can see a point in protecting them but if you are spotting them and they are undercover then they aren't doing a very good job are they? I don't like the sound of this at all.

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The Mot... to safari June 11, 2010 06:07:18

+3
i agree to a point... if the undercover officers are doing something they shouldn't be doing.. then their protection is out the window as far as i'm conserned..

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safari to The Mot... June 11, 2010 06:40:45

+3
yes that is true also - good point mother.

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The Mot... to safari June 11, 2010 07:12:02

+2
you've a good point as well safari :D

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cuz June 10, 2010 16:21:04

Yes

+9
They work for us. It's ludicrous to say we don't have the right to monitor them.

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Annie~P... to cuz June 11, 2010 06:00:53

+5
I hear you cuz. Our politicians supposedly work for us too.

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cuz to Annie~P... June 11, 2010 06:04:08

+5
I wonder where they get the idea they don't?

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gregaj7 June 10, 2010 16:15:09

Yes

+6
This is a must!

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