Police Harassing Timelapse Photographer

WOW these police have a serious attitude problem. Listen to this and post your opinion

No wonder why some people are defensive with police, it's officers like this that step over the line.

The photographer does make a good point. The police officer didn't have to be an @$$. The photographer wasn't doing anything illegal.

You'd think the cops would know the law... you know since it's their job to enforce it.

Anyway, I will note though, most cops aren't bad guys. They have to put up with this sort of liberal "I have rights" stuff all the time no doubt. Must be frustrating.

Hamtastic wrote: The photographer does make a good point. The police officer didn't have to be an @$$. The photographer wasn't doing anything illegal.

Yeh but the photographer didn't have to go on like "I don't need to show you" just show it and be done. If the photographer was a bit nicer they probably would have left him alone. I mean, when the cop asked "why?" he said "Because I can, I'm on a public easement", (don't actually know what that is). That was just provocative.

OF course the cop should be use to that sorta crap and just be professional. Must be a rookie.

We want to live in a society that is safe, the cops hands are tied enough in trying to accomplish this, when the jerk photographer starts saying I am doing this because I can, or I know your chief, I know my rights, etc etc. He also had a previous run in with the other cop. There are enough issues of cops over reacting and being stupid, this isn't one of those cases. The cops see someone on the side of a busy highway with a tripod taking pictures, so they wonder what he is doing so they ask, they didn't accuse him of anything. I am a Geo Cacher, we are often approached my police wondering what we are doing looking around areas. 100% of the time it ends up being a very friendly converstion with them and its nice to know they are around....

Darrell wrote: We want to live in a society that is safe, the cops hands are tied enough in trying to accomplish this, when the jerk photographer starts saying I am doing this because I can, or I know your chief, I know my rights, etc etc. He also had a previous run in with the other cop. There are enough issues of cops over reacting and being stupid, this isn't one of those cases. The cops see someone on the side of a busy highway with a tripod taking pictures, so they wonder what he is doing so they ask, they didn't accuse him of anything. I am a Geo Cacher, we are often approached my police wondering what we are doing looking around areas. 100% of the time it ends up being a very friendly converstion with them and its nice to know they are around....

It does go both ways. I watch this and think the photographer was polite and upfront with the police. One of the benefits of living in the USA are the rights that each one of use get. Course the photographer declined giving the officer his ID, and he HAD the right to do so. The officer started to over react, and the photographer not giving the guy his ID only frustrated the officer more.

My votes for the photographer here.

Personally if it was me... I would have shown the officer my ID rather than quoting my rights.

Rawley Photos wrote: It does go both ways. I watch this and think the photographer was polite and upfront with the police. One of the benefits of living in the USA are the rights that each one of use get. Course the photographer declined giving the officer his ID, and he HAD the right to do so. The officer started to over react, and the photographer not giving the guy his ID only frustrated the officer more.

My votes for the photographer here.

Personally if it was me... I would have shown the officer my ID rather than quoting my rights.

Well stated I agree!

There is the letter of the law, than there is the intent of the law. The intent of course is that Law bidding citizens are not to be stopped and asked to show ID just because the police want to harass you. We live in a democratic country and have rights. That being said, a person does look suspicious standing on the side of the highway with a tripod. Now if the cop ignored the situation and 20 min. later some driver was shot, people would be complaining that the cops drove by this guy and didn't even stop to see what was going on. Cops are human, and can be short on patience but this photographer may have known his rights, but really !!!!

Darrell wrote: There is the letter of the law, than there is the intent of the law. The intent of course is that Law bidding citizens are not to be stopped and asked to show ID just because the police want to harass you. We live in a democratic country and have rights. That being said, a person does look suspicious standing on the side of the highway with a tripod. Now if the cop ignored the situation and 20 min. later some driver was shot, people would be complaining that the cops drove by this guy and didn't even stop to see what was going on. Cops are human, and can be short on patience but this photographer may have known his rights, but really !!!!

If I was the photographer I would have thrust my wrists out and said "Arrest me - Take me in" If I would have been the cop I would have tasered his butt and thrown him in the squad car. I guess both sides are lucky I wasn't there...

Seriously - is there anyone here that couldn't have made that cop go away without all this fuss...???

chasrich wrote: If I was the photographer I would have thrust my wrists out and said "Arrest me - Take me in" If I would have been the cop I would have tasered his butt and thrown him in the squad car. I guess both sides are lucky I wasn't there...

Seriously - is there anyone here that couldn't have made that cop go away without all this fuss...???

Well in all honestly... I probably would have done the same thing as this photographer. Might be easier to let it go... but i can be a bit... like this guy:P Worst case scenario you spend a few hours/the night in jail. If its legal not to show ID then you may be arrested/detained... but they wont have any charges to file against you. of course if you are carrying a bunch of delicate cameras around you may not want to risk them getting damaged by improper handling lol. Depends on the situation i guess.

I once had a 7-11 clerk ask me for gov ID for a transaction. I declined. Told her she could make the sale as-is or I can go somewhere else. She made a fuss about it but ultimately let the transaction go through. Seriously though... why would I hand over a card that has my Full Name, Birthday, Address, and License# - All the shit that credit card companies verify when you phone.

I am the 1%! Down with protestors! Occupy yachts and country clubs!

Liberals and their rights. Pah!

That photographer is an idiot. The police were just doing their jobs.

In a world where people put bombs in their underwear you have to be cautious.

All he had to do is tell them what he was doing show them his ID and they'd be out of there.



What an asshole to be honest.