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.
Cop is a power hungry ass wipe.
Dude wasn’t interfering with anything and I’ll bet if his footage had something of value on it they would damn happy for his participation in their investigation.
Problem is that first step, when the cop demands the citizen stop filming. He’s made a classic mistake - giving an order that won’t be obeyed (and on that the citizen is really under no obligation to obey).
Unfortunately, cops have an issue - their authority has to be upheld in public, all of the time. He can’t let anyone think that some punk can make him back down. If he does, his authority is compromised and he might have to fight every time he gives an order.
Stupid cops shouldn’t give the order to stop taping in the first place. They don’t have any right to privacy during the performance of their duty. NOT trying to order law-abiding citizens around will prevent the issue of compromised authority.
Laz,, as usual, you nailed it
I believe they will be but, they got what they were looking for...
he was fingerprinted and had a mugshot taken
The photog was in a public place. He was not obstructing traffic, creating a disturbance, etc. The action he was photographing was happening in a public place as well. Others standing where he was were not told to leave. His camera was seeing and recording things that any citizen could see from where he was standing.
He should immediately bring a large civil suit for violation of civil rights, false arrest, false imprisonment, etc.
SCPD will settle for somewhere between $20,000 and $75,000 to avoid having to have this “tried” in Newsday.
Que Alice Cooper music
Prettiest Cop On The Block
I’m 6 foot 3 with a fist like a hammer
And I work with the Vice Squad when I can
And when I pull out my badge they forget all my glamor
Little guys all surprised
Take a seat
Peek at me
It’s a bust
I’m a man
I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I set your souls on fire
Yes, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I’m cool and I’m so mean
Oh, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I’ve handcuffed your desire
I’ve got a stiff reputation with a stick like a rock
My kids are confused and my wife is in shock
I’m a full blooded man not a weak immitation
I like to flex my arms in the neon lights
I’m a queen on the street and a king at the station
It’s a secret of mine, not a sign I’m gonna make that right
Because..
I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I set your souls on fire
Yes, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I’m cool and I’m so mean
Oh, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I’ve handcuffed your desire
I’ve got a stiff reputation with a stick like a rock
My kids are confused and my wife is in shock
I must look pretty shocking
In my bullet proof vest
With my black lace stockings
All this hair on my chest
When the boys see me coming
All the boys start to run
They all got their empty holsters
And I got the only gun
Because..
Because, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I set your souls on fire
Yes, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I’m cool and I’m so mean
Yes, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I handcuff your desires
I got a stiff reputation with a stick like a rock
My kids are confused and my wife is in shock
I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I set your souls on fire
Yes, I’m the prettiest cop on the block
And I’m cool — so mean
I’m the prettiest cop on the block
I handcuff your desires
I’m so pretty, I’m so pretty, so pretty
Yes I’m gorgeous
I’m really lovely
And I’m so mean, so mean
I’m oooo I’m mean
But I’m pretty
And I’m mean
Sooo Pretty
But I’m mean
And I’m pretty...
I’m a huge supporter of LEOs, but in this case, the cop should be put on a desk, or fired. No way should he be allowed on the streets with his attitude and apptitude towards the public. Clowns like him give all a black eye.
18USC242. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
The citizenry does not yet understand the power they have in their hands in the form of a camera.
What if there was a hundred people filming Officer “I yam da law!”? Would he arrest all of them or try to tell all of them to stop filming?
Leni
Compare and contrast this with Munipalities installing comas on intersections to make money from people with registered plates.
woops. CAMERAS.
Quite possibly he would open fire because he was being assaulted with a deadly camera.
It'll happen.
It’s a free country - or used to be. In Russia, China, and North Korea there were always places that couldn’t be photographed. Earmarks of a totalitarian state?
http://www.alt-market.com/articles/198-the-essential-rules-of-tyranny
Thanks for posting the link. I just ordered one.
What the cop in video clip seems not to understand is that a camera could also serve as a protection for him if he's in the right. Suppose this cop was accused of some wrong doing without cause? The film could be an unbiased witness.
These laws need to be repealed. Freedom of the press baby freedom of the press...
Carrying a gun doesn’t require an AK 47 and carrying a camera doesn’t mean a Sony the size of a bread box.
Having the cop shoot the cameraman would really be a news scoop!
Must be a rouge cop.
They certainly are handy, aren’t they. Probably the best $50 I’ve spent in a long time.
You’re darn right the charges are going to be dropped, along with a sizable settlement check to avoid a civil rights lawsuit...more evidence of a quickly growing police state...
What the cop in video clip seems not to understand is that a camera could also serve as a protection for him if he’s in the right. Suppose this cop was accused of some wrong doing without cause? The film could be an unbiased witness.
###
No cop who acts properly and obeys the law fears cameras. Cops like this scum bag fear cameras because they are thugs who regularly act outside the law.
Hopefully, this candy ass cop will be charged with false arrest, illegal detention, kidnapping and violating the citizen’s rights under color of law and will spend many years in Attica in gen-pop. The convicts will adjust his attitude in a hurry.
“It’s a catch-all for when there really is no real crime committed but you don’t want to just let someone go.”
In other words, a way to justify illegally detaining and/or arresting someone.
Originally Transylvanian ;)
You can articulate almost anything and make it seem like a crime was technically committed. But there is a fine line between that and excessive force.
“Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.”
I would argue that in such cases, a crime is being committed. If the non-cop-civilian(as opposed to the cop-civilian) has committed no crime, then said non-cop-civilian should not be detained or arrested on the grounds of “obstruction of government administration”.
That is, of course, if the cop is more concerned with being a peace officer than he is a law enforcement officer.
More police shenangenins.
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