Another photog arrested...

Now that I've watched it I'm not sure I like how they did the story. I understand the station was upset but it seems like they attacked the police a little too much. I'm all for first amendment and photographer's rights, but I feel like they went too far when they revealed he's "going to get his injuries checked". Almost like they're adding pity to the situation.

Regardless, it's another example of rule crazy undertrained law enforcement!
 
Bryant,

Don't muddy the waters. The way they reported the story has nothing to do with the officer clearly violating this photographers 1st amendment rights. I hope he sues the city and wins a huge settlement. These officers only do this because the supervisors allow it. if Police chiefs created an environment where this type of behavior wasn't allowed, we would no longer see these types of cases.
 
The Milwaukee police are brutal and heavy handed. I'm shocked you don't see more photogs getting arrested there. I worked in the market for 7 years and saw them in action and I saw the result of their actions. Brutal cops.
 
2 Hungry Dogs said:
Bryant,

Don't muddy the waters. The way they reported the story has nothing to do with the officer clearly violating this photographers 1st amendment rights. I hope he sues the city and wins a huge settlement. These officers only do this because the supervisors allow it. if Police chiefs created an environment where this type of behavior wasn't allowed, we would no longer see these types of cases.
Click to expand...

The thing is I remember when Flynn was the chief in Springfield MA, the guy went out of his way to help the press with situations like this on a number of occasions. It is just simply not something I think of when I think of that particular chief, now others possibaly but I can think of a number of occasions where myself or another photog got in a tiff with a beat cop and one call, he would look at the tape and the officer involved would typically end up spanked.
 
A 68 year old dude still working the spot news beat!

That's an achievement. Still...when the shooter dropped the swear bomb over the "for your safety" BS, you just knew it was about to end badly. Seemed pretty obvious the officer was getting in the shooter's space, looking for just such a moment as the incidental contact.
 
Another Barney Fife

The first reason given was "privacy," the second "safety." Clearly it was an unlawful order. Of all scenes to be throwing your badge around! A house fire? Maybe he got bored directing traffic and lighting flares and needed to feel that "rush."

I try to always be respectful, even when the police don't deserve it because me complying and politely asking pointed questions while using the officer's name juxtaposed with him repeating his unlawful order can only help.
 
Watching the subsequent interview with the Police Chief sums up this whole across the board situation. Police Officers can and will do whatever they want at anytime they want. And, right or wrong, their Chief's will defend them. I don't know what can be done to try and turn the tide... but I do know we are in dark times in terms of how police are treating citizens and members of the press. I never hear follow up on all these incidents, so I certainly hope all these victims moved forward with lawsuits. Enough victories in that ring means perhaps enough precedent is established that we will see real change.
 
I find it incredible Chief Flynn thinks Clint wasn't complying with orders and chooses to ignore that the Sergeants were acting unprofessionally and in violation of Clint's rights. Maybe he will be harsh with the sergeants when the investigation is complete.

Is it significant that these were sergeants and not officers or whatever rank would be below sergeant? Like they should know better?

Here's an update from the NPPA Advocacy Committee. http://blogs.nppa.org/advocacy/2011/09/20/milwaukee-police-arrest-veteran-news-videographer/ At the end you can click on the second letter from Mickey H. Osterreicher, lawyer@nppa.org.
 
Wow...that's it? That's the best the Chief can come up with? Seems like the problem in Milwaukee goes all the way to the top. If the Chief can come up with such a lame justification, it seems he, like others will have to eventually learn the hard way....in front of a federal judge. He would have been better off keeping his mouth shut.

Not to mention, the reporter totally let him off the hook. Way to back up your guys!
 
C St. SW said:
Not to mention, the reporter totally let him off the hook. Way to back up your guys!
Click to expand...

EXACTLY! I was shocked that the reporters let the chief off the hook so easily. I was shouting questions to him through my computer!

The sad reality is that the cops, the police union, are all part of one big good ol boys network. Whether in the right, or the wrong... they will always stand by their man. Even down in Orange County when police beat a man to death... the Chief stood by his officer. Luckily in that instance, the DA pressed forward anyway.

We must do everything we can to continue to hold the police departments accountable, both in our broadcasts, and in the courts.
 
The reporter's lack of follow-up also shows how photogs are considered expendable cannon fodder in most newsrooms. If it had been a reporter arrested, there would have been a whole different mind-set in play. Sure, lots of empty words of support, but no real action behind those words to affect changing the situation...or to truly stand up for their colleague who, it seems, they don't really consider a "colleague".
 
You're only as strong as the station backing you

Think about it: "will the station be there to back me if I stand up for "our right" to be on a public sidewalk?"

If the answer is no, comply and shoot the story from wherever they tell you---without opening your mouth. It's not worth the legal bills if your station leaves you twisting in the wind.
 
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Mr. Fillinger did the right thing. Good to see NPPA and other news organizations back him up. Back in 1997 when I got arrested they were neutral on legal stuff. Bailie is right on with his, "Will the station back you up" comment. Mine did, and all charges were dropped, and my records were expunged. Here's the link to vid of my arrest. Sorry about the small format... it's email size. After I got cuffed, the deputy went after several other photogs. The story was about high school students protesting a canceled Sadie Hawkins dance because the administrators thought it was wrong for the males students to dress up in womens clothing. Did I say 1997. I've got some other good video of police clearing City Hall during a peaceful protest by Priests and ministers. Declared it a crime scene. Crazy times.
 
Pure and simple, uncomplicated and straight to the point. Here is how it is, has been, and will continue to be, until it isn't. Any violation of the law, the constitution, or any other means by which there is a line drawn that a public servant may not cross, that IS crossed, will continue to be crossed, pushed, abused, and violated until and unless stations, photographers, and organizations who purport to be advocates of same, stop ***** footing around with niceties, letters, interviews, and statements that have them sitting on the fence instead of using attorneys to go into court and sue the violators. Call it trying to keep a good relationship with the city, call it compromise, call it better judgement, call it whatever the hell you think fits and I'm telling you an attorney, most importantly being on the right side of the law and able to prove it, and knowing your rights will not only put money in your pocket, it will also change policy. I KNOW what I am talking about. You aren't going to become rich, you aren't going to be a big shot tough guy and you aren't going to endear yourself to the police that you have to deal with every day. What you do have to do is to make a choice. Be in this business and tolerate abuse, or fight it. There are damn good reasons to both fight, and to walk away. You have to weigh it all out and make that choice. Your station writing letters, trying to make nice with your comments in public, (like the PPA's lame words) makes you, your station, and all involved other than the officers themselves, look weak, afraid, ill informed, and welcomes the behavior to continue in earnest.
 
Last week, I tracked down a high speed chase that ended in a residential area. Sheriff's, Police and Undercovers all around. I parked far enough to get an establishing shot and work my way up; half way down the block I'm stopped by a Sergeant who commands me to move back. At the same time Lookie Loo's walked up to the scene, traffic drove through it. U.C.'s walked up to me and asked that I refrain from using their identities, I said okay and asked to move closer. Answer was no; sure I could have been a jerk about it and reminded them about how the media can go where the public goes. But instead I drove around found a neighbor with a direct line of sight and got what I needed. I wish every time they had spoken to me I could have had a banjo in the background.
 
Cops are spoiled. They arrest people and write a report. They know the courts will back them up (most of the time). I actually had a sheriff tell me once, ""I falsely arrest people all the time and send them to jail, do you want to be next?" Of course he didn't know he said that into my shotgun mic while I was rolling film (a long time ago). He ended up giving up a stripe and got desk duty for a year...

Until the media fights back, the cops are going to continue violating media rights. And it gets worse every year. When it is the cop who has to defend himself in court, they will think twice about throwing their badge around.

My new line is, "Just because someone was stupid enough to give you a badge, what makes you think the law changed?"
 
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