police officers

[james_wallace3]

Street photography is a new interest of mine and I've been wandering the streets of Chicago with my

Canon F-1 and a 50mm lens as often as possible for the last couple of weeks. On one occasion I

happened upon a police officer helping a guy in a wheel chair get over a curb and thought it might

make a nice photograph so I raised the camera and made the exposure. The police officer confronted

me and told me that I wasn't allowed to photograph officers in uniform. I asked him if it was illegal to

do so his response was, "You're just not supposed to do it." He asked me to delete the image which

was obviously impossible (It is the New F-1, but it's not that new ;-) ). He instructed me not to take any

more pictures of officers. I've done some searching on this sight and a few others about this and can't

find a definite answer about the legality of photographing officers in uniform. I have since obliged the

officers instructions. Does anyone know the law regarding this?

[b_hall1]

The press can photograph police and anyone can be a contributor to the press. But the press has ID or will ID themselves and the press will operate within instructions of emergency personnel.

 

But consider the press. Realistically the press is a major corporation that desseminates news. But fundamentally the press is the local community looking at things of interest to the community and this while being independent of the police.

 

So just say "press" or say "freelance press" and you have not defrauded if you do offer your work to the...press.

 

Anything else ? Yeah, the police can cite a photographer as a public nuisance. (A public nuisance would be impeding traffic, impeding pedestrians, or upsetting more than one person.) And a public nuisance citation usually requires a warning first...

[oceanphysics]

The law is the guy's a bit of a Nazi and a bit of an idiot. You can photograph anyone you want on a public street, including police officers. If it's a crime scene, accident scene, etc you do have to follow instructions are far as staying out of the way.

[nels]

<center><img src="http://ct.pbase.com/o5/35/596435/1/67298533.X9YppJ6w._MG_3335_small_border.jpg"></center>

<center><i>Proudly posing while on duty</i></center>

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"The law is the guy's a bit of a Nazi and a bit of an idiot."

 

You've just defined "cop."

[james_wallace3]

thanks for the responses. I had a suspicion that what you guys have told me was the

answer to my question. Gotta love a guy who uses his badge to get his way.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"Gotta love a guy who uses his badge to get his way."

 

In my experience, that's almost _any_ cop.

[chris_leck]

In the US, you are within your rights to photograph police officers, or anybody else within public view. A police officer with contrary opinions can make your life difficult. Understand your priorities and options.<div></div>

[mark liddell]

As well as the cop on a power trip, 'video vigilantes' have made the cops very wary of being filmed/photographed since it can be used as evidence against them if they screw up.

[john_elder1]

There is nothing illegal about shooting (photographing) police in public. But like all people, there are good cops and bad cops. Take a picture of a " bad" cop willing to lie about the situation and you can find yourself under arrest and in jail. Happened to me in Forida. Notwithstanding the above. I photograph cops all the time: it is one of my "triggers" no pun intended. The trick is to shoot and move. When confronted by an officer about my shooting, I usally ask up front whether I'm under arrest;that puts alot of pressure on the cop to say no, since you haven't done anything wrong. Then when the cop says you are not under arrest, turn and leave, he has no right to detain you. Usually the beter educated the cop, the better off you are. In the early 90's I was shooting an abortion protest in front of an Abortion clinic in Philly. For some reason, which I forget, the Authorities expected violence. Both the FBI and alot of Philly Cops were on scene. I couldn't believe that the cops had sold the press that they could only shoot from a specific corner, really out of the way. I shot all over the place on the public sidewalks. The first cop to approach me was a local Phippy Cop, I asked her immediately if I was under arrest, when she said no, I told I wasn't doing anything illegal and asked her politely to leave me alone. 5 minutes later I was surrouned bu 2 FBI agents and a superior local cop. Same conversation, execept I identified myself as a lawyer, gave them my card and told them flat out that if they didn't leave me alone I would sue them for a 1983 Civl Rights violation. I was willing to go to jail that day. They left me alone after that. I also got 2 good pictures that day both of which are im my porfolio containing only 30 photographs over a period of 25 years. However, I was pretty much on my own turf, I knew many defense attorney's in Philly and I was in the right. Definitely a Risky Move. Don't know whether I would do it again. I cop can always lie and invent some theory that you were engaged in Disorderly Conduct, or Obstructing Justice.

[lol1]

Gotta say, I was somewhat discreet!<div></div>

[keirst]

<img src="http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~keirst/images/Arrest-Horses.jpg"><br>

See a larger version and caption at: <br><a href="http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/

~keirst/photojournalism/pj26.html">Stopping an Altercation, Massachusetts Statehouse,

Boston, November 9, 2006.</a><br><br>

<img src="http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~keirst/images/Arrest-Horses2.jpg"><br>

See a larger version and caption at: <br><a href="http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/

~keirst/photojournalism/pj27.html">Arrest after Altercation, Massachusetts Statehouse,

Boston, November 9, 2006.</a><br><br>I like the first one better even if it's a blurrier

negative.

The sense of action is dramatic and dynamic. The second one is a bit static and its

background is too busy and distracting.

[oktayhan]

<p>the law ia always protected by police</p>