"student Busted For Taking Cop Pictures"

[Virginian]

STUDENT BUSTED FOR TAKING COP PICTURES

The charge against Cruz was based on a new law, allegedly prohibiting people from taking pictures of police officers with cell phones.

Anyone have similar laws where they work/live?

A Penn State college senior was arrested after he pointed his camera cell phone at police activity in his neighborhood. A Philadelphia NBC News Channel 10 report says the family of Neftaly Cruz, 21, is claiming the cops had "no right to come onto their property and arrest their 21-year-old son simply because he was using his cell phone's camera."

Cruz had heard a commotion outside his parents' home and walked out the door to investigate it. When he saw the street lined with police, he flipped his phone open to take a picture. Within moments, an officer came to his back gate, put him into a police car, cuffed him and took him to jail. According to a neighbor's report, the cop spoke only once during this process, allegedly saying, "You should have just went [sic] in the house and minded your own business instead of trying to take pictures off your picture phone."

The charge against Cruz was based on a new law, allegedly prohibiting people from taking pictures of police officers with cell phones. Cruz is quoted as saying, "They threatened to charge me with conspiracy, impeding an investigation, obstruction of a investigation..." Larry Frankel of the local ACLU chapter, reportedly said, "There is no law that prevents people from taking pictures of what anybody can see on the street," adding that, "it's rather scary that in this country you could actually be taken down to police headquarters for taking a picture on your cell phone of activities that are clearly visible on the street." - ST

[dlefdal]

No laws here as of yet but I have seen a lot more people taking pics of me at work.

I guess I should start wearing more clothing at work.

[conalabu]

Bad law, but that is pretty annoying. My sarge was telling me about a riot they had where he had one guy in his face the whole time snapping pictures with his phone.

[cajunguy]

Anybody that was in LE right after the Rodney King deal, probably got video-taped a lot.

Easy to handle. Face them and give them a big smile and a wave. Been there, done that. Aggravates the crapola out of them. They're thinking that they're gonna catch you pounding the doo-doo out of somebody, and you just wave to them. Ruins their whole day.

Besides, if people are doing things "by the book", there should be no problem with having their picture taken.

[Ducky]

I typically don't take pics of someone if I don't have permission, but I guess that's why I'm not a reporter. I prefer the smiling and waving pics.

[Piggybank Cop]

No laws here as of yet but I have seen a lot more people taking pics of me at work.

I guess I should start wearing more clothing at work.

The gun belt and shades are more than enough; what more do you need?


Well, maybe steel toed boots.

[Ducky]

Don't forget, he needs his hat to make his stops legal.

[TXCharlie]

What a coincidence if it's some of the same states that make it illegal to record your own conversations

Anything within public view or public earshot should be recordable for personal use, including legal defense - But distribution is another totally separate issue, in my mind.

[Standard Dave]

No law over here.

This is dam annoying especially when some drunk idiot gets himself arrested and all his idiotic mates start filming or taking photos with phones. Usually it would work in our favour as they show how many people there are around and their behaviour.

Depending on the law where you are you could always sieze the phone as evidence or take the persons details to obtain an evidence or witness summons at a later date.