Posted on 08/01/2011 7:43:00 AM PDT by WaterBoard
The cameraman, Phil Datz, was standing on the sidewalk of Sycamore Avenue in Bohemia, video taping the end of a police chase, when a Fifth Precinct police officer told him to “just go away.”
Mr. Datz called Suffolk County Police Public Information Officer to get permission which was granted, Mr Datz was still arrested while filming from one block away on a public street while cars used the same road without restriction.
Suffolk County police confirmed that Datz was arrested and said he was charged with obstruction of governmental administration. He was taken to the Fifth Precinct stationhouse in Patchogue where he was fingerprinted and had a mugshot taken. He was later released.
“We are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the arrest” of Datz, a police spokesman said.
Video of Incident: Link
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
I’m a bit confused? Doesn’t the Press have the right to report “news”? Many would consider a police chase as news for the community. I have the feeling that the charges will be dropped but this certainly is interesting. IMHO
Obstruction of governmental administration?
The dog and pony cop shop just bought this man new equipment, but the fools that have this dog squeeze cop working for them will pay the freight. So fire the POS.
The police have learned that due to the expense and hassle of an arrest, that they can use them to intimidate law-abiding citizens. It will worsen until there is a penalty - to the police - for this kind of behavior.
>> Obstruction of governmental administration?
Yeah, bet George Orwell would take his hat off in respect to whomever wrote THAT into law. Orwell thought he was writing fiction.
Too bad they don’t use the same logic in rounding up these mobs of youth who are flash-mobbing all over the place, causing damage and creating fear in their own communities.
obstruction of governmental administration
_____________________________________
AH how do you “obstruct” from a block awzy ???
and wheres the evidence he was hindering the government ???
Now they are arresting the news people.
That's NEVER the sign of a Police State.
What is amazing to me is you would think that arresting someone in the Press would be an absolute no-no. It is one thing to arrest a regular citizen in the mind of law enforcement but to arrest someone who has an audience? Imagine this guy writing a column over his recent arrest? Talk about a public relations nightmare! Will the Chief of Police take questions from the other Press about this arrest? That is why I predict the charges will be dropped and fast.
As Gary Oldman SCREEMED in “The Professional”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>EVERYONE<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
MUST take video and audio of ALL police activities. Cell phone cameras, whatever you have. Be willing to be arrested. Stand up for your rights or they will be GONE. While I would not call the cops Nazis, The guy in a video was well within his rights. He was in his own garage.
The cop was in the wrong. He should have ignored the guy.
It’s what’s called “Contempt of Cop”.
This is a psychological phenomena in police where they can not tolerate challenges to their position as it is usually ‘ego-dystonic’.
They typically respond with verbal abuse escalating to violence.
In this case, a citizen is videotaping across the street from a group of police. For whatever reason, the officer does not like it. When the cameraman challenges the officer as why he can’t film, the officer’s ego is damaged.
When the cameraman gets permission to film from the Suffolk Police department, the officer views that as another challenge to his ego and responds “I don’t care how high you go over my head”.
When the cameraman leaves and moves a block away to film, the officer views that as another challenge to his authority and drives his police car in aggressive fashion directly at the cameraman and arrests him on a public street.
The officer then creates a false charge to punish the man for challenging his authority.
This officer should have been screened a long time ago for this type of behavior that ultimately costs tax payers in lawsuits. Just my 2 cents.
Sometimes, of course, it is a reasonable charge. If a passerby/reporter/witness is truly interfering with a cops ability to do their job, that person may be charged with this law. Usually, though, it's a tack-on charge in the midst of other more serious charges. Rarely is OGA the only charge for an arrest.
If this story is to be believed as written, this cop will have some problems.
Seems they have a lot to hide.
Agreed. Personally, I believe that there are good people who want to become police. However, there are some that want to “control” or “live some sort of aggression fantasy”. I thought that many departments screen via use of psychological testing. I realize that this is probably limited but perhaps it should be used in cases like this... a cop that really goes over the edge?
You have to understand that Suffolk Police has a union.
They will fight tooth and nail for any officer no matter what the issue.
It is a real disservice to society that they protect bad apples from within.
With the advent of video cameras, the public is finally seeing what is really going on.
It is amazing the self-avowed “enlightened” crowd can ignore hundreds of years of recorded history which shows more government ALWAYS leads to more abuse.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.