This is yet another video of a citizen confronting a police officer about his taking her iPad because she was using it to film him in the course of a stop or arrest. The officer tells her that she can pick it up tomorrow and that she is risking an arrest by continuing to confront him.
What I found the most interesting about this video is that the officer is citing the fact that this is a public area as the basis for threatening arrest for the woman yelling and disturbing the peace. It is the very fact that it is public that gives her the right to film so long as she is not physically interfering with the stop or arrest.
The officer does not explain what authority allows him to seize a citizen’s property and force her to drive down to the police station to retrieve it. It sounds more like a parental scolding than police action.
What blhlls said. Be sure to go to the Photography is Not a Crime web site I linked to. Just guessing, but I am willing to bet her message has been removed from the township’s Facebook page.
This kind of incident is a really good reason to have the app which sends your files somewhere else in real time. Second, if you are going to carry your digital device or laptop around, have strong passwords and encryption if possible. Just sayin’.
Some additional information for those who do not follow the link: The woman indicates she has notes on the IPAD concerning misconduct, and was taking notes in a township meeting when the IPAD was taken from her. She also indicates that there is an indication that the IPAD may have been used to access her e-mail while in law enforcement hands.
Occupy-protesters-get-1-million-in-Oakland-police-misconduct-settlement
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/03/1220933/-Occupy-protesters-get-1-million-in-Oakland-police-misconduct-settlement
Great update OS. Scary story that is being repeated far too often around the country.
The officer has now been identified as Randall Courson. Here is a link to an update on the story, with a statement by Suzanne Matteo. She signed up for the township’s Facebook page and posted a message. This is part of it:
This link is to Carlos Miller’s web page, Photography is Not a Crime.. He has her full statement from the Facebook page.
http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2013/07/02/pennsylvania-cop-confiscates-ipad-from-woman/
When these kinds of incidents occur, it does not seem to register with officers there may very well be additional cameras recording the scene. Obviously, someone else is making a cell phone video as he waves the confiscated iPad around. He wants to keep his actions from being recorded, and ends up the star of a viral video. Not very smart.
I wish I had more context here. Why was she interjecting herself into a situation that appears not to have involved her? She absolutely has the right to record it, There is a woman still taking pictures while the conversation is ongoing about the Ipad, I can’t tell if that is the woman whose Ipad was taken or not so he has not stopped the filming, at least during that portion of the video.
I get the feeling both were wrong here, the officer and the woman.
That being said the saddest thing was when I saw the post title in my email I almost didn’t come to read it thinking well, this is no longer news because it is happening so often.
Remove the offending hand………… that swiped the iPad.
Good advice Mespo. This cop is just covering his backside and has no legal authority to confiscate a camera. This cop should be looking for a new profession.
Reblogged this on dreams on the hill.
I’m sick of you people trying to exercise your rights or thinking you should be able to exercise your rights. This is all going to the NSA and your local prosecutor will be notified. When a cop says stop, you obey! Remember, you don’t have Miranda rights or free speech until a cop, a city attorney or judge says you do.
Politicians have adjusted to the ubiquity of cameras. At some point cops are going to have to learn to live w/ it.
Only the NSA can spy on us …
“The officer does not explain what authority allows him to seize a citizen’s property and force her to drive down to the police station to retrieve it.”
Cops have the authority to act like a dick whenever they want. You didn’t know?
Is this a classic case of being stopped while being a citizen…
Good thing there wasn’t a dog around or Barney Fife here would’ve shot it.
Here’s a classic case of two people completely lost on how to handle the situation. The officer has no business confiscating the Ipad as most everyone will agree. The owner has picked the wrong place, manner, and time to confront the officer so we have a standoff. The citizen will always lose in that situation. The better course is to ask the officer to get a supervisor to the scene and make her case to a more detached third party. If the officer won’t call the supervisor the citizen should call and request one. Even if the supervisor won’t help you’ve bolstered your case by being reasonable and provided yourself another witness who is likely not as emotionally involved.
Since I am not a lawyer, is there any legal recourse to sue the cop for confiscating somebody’s property illegally? I think that the woman should be able to cost the city a lot of money for not keeping their thugs in line and following the laws.
Simply trying to cover his own behind in case he got rough with the person he was arresting. These clowns should be fired when they seize cameras that are filming their wrong doing but then it’s obvious that too many police officer think they are above the law.