We have been following the continuing abuse of citizens who are detained or arrested for filming police in public. (For prior columns, click here and here). Despite consistent rulings upholding the right of citizens to film police in public, these abuses continue. Usually police claim that it is a crime to film them. San Diego police have been videotaped with a new and even more disturbing angle on these cases. Police officers were videotaped telling Adam Pringle that his cellphone was a weapon and then arresting him.
Pringle was being given a ticket when he began to record their conversation. Officers proceeded to warn him that his cellphone was considered a weapon. Pringle responds by making the obvious statement that “There is no way this could be a weapon…. I am videotaping – I will not turn this off.
The officers proceed to arrest him after he refused to put away his “weapon.” Pringle is heard saying “You may not touch my cell phone. No you will not… no, no.” Pringle spent all night in jail and was booked for resisting arrest and obstructing an officer. It was clearly an abusive arrest.
Unfortunately, such arrests rarely result in discipline for the officers even after the charges are thrown out. This video however has received a great deal of attention on the Internet and it will be interesting to follow the response from the SDPD.
This same Officer Reinhold gave me a ticket for walking against a red light in PB. He was VERY unprofessional, rude and definitely abused his authority as a peace officer. I would agree that Reinhold does NOT deserve his badge.
Another ploy is for the cops to “impound the camphone as evidence.” Yeah, evidence of their misconduct (crimes).
Good cops don’t fear cameras. They know that the camera will exonerate them of false accusations of misconduct.
Guns concealed in camphones? How about the danger that the arrestee has a bomb in his scrotum?
We ran a childsnatcher (ChildProtectiveServices) socialist “worker” off with a camcorder. When she saw it, she told her supervisor on her cell phone that “they” (we) had a camcorder and her super told her to “terminate the interview” and to leave immediately.
It’s getting so that when the cop steals the camphone, and will not return it, his (her) act is on the Internet and ten other cameras see what the cop did. If the cop stomps the phone, the view of the cop’s heel coming down is seen worldwide.
Heh.
All they understand is sue ’em, sue ’em, sue ’em. Eventually their Risk Management will raise their agency’s “contributions” (insurance premiums) so high that they will be transferred to another jurisdiction.
Barkin Dog, “constitutional law” is studying what the Supremes say the Constitution means, not studying the Constitution itself.
Photography is not a crime is a website that also has this story. In fact they have stories almost every day of police arresting people for recording them, or erasing video. I suggest anyone who wants to learn more about these cases to check out that site or copblock
Just wow…
Career criminals do make cell phones that can conceal a knife or stun gun. The police officer did the right thing. He did it for his safety and the safety of those around him.
smh@ the point of some things being missed here. the obvious blatant abuse of civilian citizens by those supposedly hired to protect and serve. not even mentioning the fact most are now hired straight out of the military… everything happening right now. from the false flag shootings, abuse by leos and po lie tricksters. isnt so they can grab whats left of our rights and freedoms those were taken long ago we were just allowed to think we had them. the real object of all happening now is THE ELITES PROVOKING A UPRISING. they arent going to attack. everything going on is designed is to cause humanity to attack. so they can retaliate. promising those who have yet to face the truth. that once the war is over they will find perfect peace. because those who do not know or dont want to know. still for some unfathomable reason still believe in the corporation formerly known as the government
The videocam is mightier than the sword.
That guy was way out of line! I am talking about the crybaby who had the temper tantrum over a small “no smoking” ticket! Really? Well, he got what he deserved! He could have just signed the ticket. Stupid! Good he got arrested!
For those who don’t think cell phones could literally be weapons, you better school yourselves! Here is the proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14fpt4zslss&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Frankly, the reminder regarding Woody Guthrie was excellent! With enough tweets and trackbacks your sticker idea (or iPhone covers- a serious niche market) could make you some money maybe if you had he means of production. That aside, I’d cross-stitch- or decopage that against a gaming image type background- on a phone cover.
Super-soakers can be converted into flamethrowers, too, but we don’t outlaw them. What’s next… arrests for buying a bag of fertilizer because it might be converted into a bomb? When my father was a cop, we were called citizens. Now we’re all civilians. If you live in a town of more than 20,000 people, the cops insist on a SWAT team (to serve low level drug warrants, mostly) and a Lenco Bearcat. It’s hard to remember a time when every cop in the country wasn’t in fear for his life on a full time basis. Cowards and bullies.
You want some respect? Try giving some first.
from my cold dead hands
No one caught the obvious corollary here – if someone is brandishing a weapon, a police officer has the right to use lethal force to prevent that person from using the weapon.
This officer would have had the subjective right to shoot this guy. Hows that for due process.