CBC shooter arrested

[Canuck Photog]

From the CAJ (Canadian Association of Journalists) website...

CAJ blasts arrest of CBC Winnipeg cameraman

OTTAWA, Dec. 13 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Journalists
is outraged at the arrest of a CBC cameraman by Winnipeg Police
yesterday and is urging police to drop charges against him.
Winnipeg Police charged Don Scott, a 21-year veteran with the
CBC, with obstruction of a peace officer Wednesday after Scott filmed
a police incident that afternoon. Scott's camera and tape were
confiscated in the arrest, and he was held in custody for four hours.
"This charge is baffling and we want it dropped. It appears as
though Scott was merely doing his job - what journalists do every day
in this country, bearing witness to the news as it happens," said CAJ
President Mary Agnes Welch.
The CBC says Scott did not film any undercover officers or cross
police lines as he filmed the incident. He agreed to a police request
to step further away from the incident but refused to stop filming,
according to the CBC.
Winnipeg Police allege Scott refused to heed instructions to
move beyond a police perimeter.
The CAJ is Canada's largest professional organization for
journalists from all media, with about 1,500 members across Canada.
The CAJ's primary roles are to provide high quality professional
development for its members and
public-interest advocacy.

[Sore Shoulder]

On the face it sounds like your usual "I'm always right (because I have a badge) and you're always wrong (because you have a camera)."
Says his tape was confiscated--hope he got it back undamaged. That should help clear-up any questions.
Please, tell me you were rolling the whole time, Don.

[HamCam]

Here's a few articles from the web...

Four arrested after street blocked off
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/story/4092928p-4690997c.html

CBC-TV cameraman faces charges

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/MediaNews/2007/12/14/4723914-sun.html

[Canuck Photog]

On the face it sounds like your usual "I'm always right (because I have a badge) and you're always wrong (because you have a camera)."
Says his tape was confiscated--hope he got it back undamaged. That should help clear-up any questions.
Please, tell me you were rolling the whole time, Don.

My understanding of the law says the cops can confiscate your gear if you are being arrested, but otherwise they can't take anything (well, unless they have a warrant).

I've had a few cops get pissed at me because I crossed the magical umarked police line, but never to the point where they've threatened to arrest me. I like to think I know how to handle the police, but this particular case seems rather disturbing. I think you're right-- must of been some cop with an ego.

CP

[AlexLucas]

The best way to get out of that situation is to never get into it.

As a twenty year veteran, I guarantee that he was in the right, you just can't be that old in the game and not get arrested by some arrogant cop, eventually. He knew his rights, and I guarantee he hasn't been pushing buttons for twenty years, because that is impossible by nature.


RULE #1 with dealing with officers. NEVER APPROACH THEM AS OFFICERS. I will explain.
I personally never approach an officer like an officer, I approach them like a person without a uniform on. If you approach them like a an authoritarian in uniform, you never, ever get a chance to move forward with them from that point on. They're officer (blank)? No. They're a person with a name that isn't "officer." If they want to be referred to as "officer (blank)," well, you've learned a lot already about how far you're going to get personal with them.

The first rule is this: No one, ever, in a million years, will go out of their way if they don't like you first. Calling somebody officer first is a way of letting them control you. You must lob that ball in the court sideways, and see how it bounces. NEVER USE FORMALITIES WITH PEOPLE UNLESS THEY DEMAND IT. You must endeavour to be liked immediately by everyone that you come in contact with at your job IMMEIDATELY, or face an uphill climb the whole time. You want to focus on your job? Focus first on the relationships that make you work BETTER, then focus on the job. That will free up criticisms, and wasted time in pissing matches.

More specifically, I approach all officers with a very specific, chipper, uppity, "what's up!" attitude, and then move from there. If they rebuff me, then I know how to work it.

If you lose the chance to be personal with anyone you contact from the start, you lost everything on a story.

I'm positive that this poor photog ran into a tough cop. It isn't his fault. Still, for younger photogs, there are ways to get the job done much easier.

[Canuck Photog]

The first rule is this: No one, ever, in a million years, will go out of their way if they don't like you first. Calling somebody officer first is a way of letting them control you. You must lob that ball in the court sideways, and see how it bounces. NEVER USE FORMALITIES WITH PEOPLE UNLESS THEY DEMAND IT. You must endeavour to be liked immediately by everyone that you come in contact with at your job IMMEIDATELY, or face an uphill climb the whole time. You want to focus on your job? Focus first on the relationships that make you work BETTER, then focus on the job. That will free up criticisms, and wasted time in pissing matches.

More specifically, I approach all officers with a very specific, chipper, uppity, "what's up!" attitude, and then move from there. If they rebuff me, then I know how to work it.



Amen to that. Granted society has given them powers to enforce The Law, but they're still citizens like everyone else. It's like everything else in this job-- from ordinary people to politicians-- it's a constant negotiation to ensure we can get the shots and (hopefully) to the truth.

Generally if you are friendly and don't give them unwarranted attitude, most cops will work with you. For example, if I pull up on a big fire or an MVA, I'll ask if I can get up close...usually they'll let you through...but sometimes they'll "ask the scene commander"....so they'll start typing on their little laptops (Cdn. police don't seem to use voice radios anymore)...and they'll say "sure go on ahead...just don't get *to* close...".

It's all about talking people up.

- CP

[The Next Generation...]

You are right Alex....it always seemed to have worked for us! But NO cop has the right to tell a photographer to not shoot while on public streets....clearly more abuse of power.

[Freddie Mercury]

Police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said the cameraman was asked to move out of the area because it was within a safety perimeter. Officers thought firearms were inside the house, but none were found.

Scott is accused of disobeying the officer. He is facing a charge of obstructing a peace officer.

CBC regional director John Bertrand said in a CBC report he believed Scott had done nothing wrong.

“By all accounts, the CBC staff that were involved in this were acting completely appropriately," he said.

There is at least one account that someone from CBC was acting inappropriately, that being by the police, so I'm not sure why Bertrand phrased it that way.

Until that tape gets released or a witness speaks up it is a case of word against word. The police already got what they wanted, which was that camera out at that moment for whatever reason, so they'll probably not keep after the photog, but if they don't give that tape back, that's a pretty strong indication that his safety was NOT their concern when he was asked to move.