Citizen Takes Picture of Cop in Traffic Violation and is Promptly Arrested and Jailed

Andrew Carter thought that he was performing a public duty when he photographed an English police officer going the wrong way down a one-way street. Officer Aqil Farooq did not agree — upon seeing Farooq, he jumped out of the van, knocked the camera to the ground, handcuffed and arrested Carter. Carter was then taken in the very same van to jail.

Carter was jailed for hours and only released on bond. To make the scandal complete, Farooq charged the 44-year-old plumber with being drunk, resisting arrest and assaulting the officer with the camera. Assault with a camera?

PC Farooq apologized at a disciplinary hearing. Rob Beckley, Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police, has written to Mr Carter saying: “I would like to add my apologies.We expect the highest standards and PC Farooq fell below what was required. His colleagues feel he let us down and he has learnt a difficult lesson. . . . I will be meeting him in the next few weeks and will reinforce our expectations of his behaviour.” That’s it? An officer assaults a citizen, falsely arrests him, and charges him with serious offenses and he get a stern talking to with Constable Beckley?

What do you get in England for a wrongful shooting, a time out?

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