A man walking his dogs takes a picture of a Denver police officer just before a confrontation where the man ended up accusing officers of using excessive force against him. You can see the officer holding up something to shield his face from the photo. The incident was caught on videotape. |
DENVER - With more and more ways to take pictures or images, police departments are lobbying state legislatures to pass laws which in effect allow them to operate without public oversight.
"It's not right," said Colorado Attorney General, John Suthers. "We think that allows police agencies, who are public employees, working for tax payers, to operate outside the First Amendment."
Defense attorneys also claim the laws give the impression police are above the law. Police work is done in public and if they are being photographed in public that gives the public the ability to judge their work. Unlike people in the private sector who work for shareholders of individual companies.
Many say that getting prosecuted for taking pictures of police is the end of police and official intimidation, and when people are ordered to stop taking pictures of police, few want to test the veracity of those threats, most will comply. Those who don't will be arrested, but attorneys say it makes little sense to say the government can take our pictures without letting us take pictures of them. That could say something about the mentality of government.
One attorney said, "At last check, they work for us, we don't work for them."
"It's not right," said Colorado Attorney General, John Suthers. "We think that allows police agencies, who are public employees, working for tax payers, to operate outside the First Amendment."
Defense attorneys also claim the laws give the impression police are above the law. Police work is done in public and if they are being photographed in public that gives the public the ability to judge their work. Unlike people in the private sector who work for shareholders of individual companies.
Many say that getting prosecuted for taking pictures of police is the end of police and official intimidation, and when people are ordered to stop taking pictures of police, few want to test the veracity of those threats, most will comply. Those who don't will be arrested, but attorneys say it makes little sense to say the government can take our pictures without letting us take pictures of them. That could say something about the mentality of government.
One attorney said, "At last check, they work for us, we don't work for them."
