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General Photography
i got pulled up again
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<blockquote data-quote="spb_stan" data-source="post: 655516" data-attributes="member: 43545"><p>A few years ago I was back home in the US staying with my sister in our duplex for a couple weeks. I had just purchased a new D800 and was trying it out to by walking down the street to a park testing it and the new 24-70 2.8. It was the middle of the day, weekday so few people were in the park except for some kids in the enclosed skateboard area with an elaborate concrete course inside a chain link fenced area. Being a school day I assumed they were older than school age. I took a few shots from 50 feet away to check AF speed, then wandered off to the creek to see if I could find some birds to shoot. 10 minutes later I heard sirens and then they stop. 2-3 minutes later I am confronted with two cops with guns pointed at me demanding that I drop the camera...sure, a new D800 and $1800 lens toss to the ground...not. I got down and they started screaming to drop the weapon...the camera, and I did but one put his foot in my hand really hard as he kicked the weapon(D800) several feet away. They demanded I keep my hands spread wide but also demanded id. Anyway, they did not shoot but did cuff me and took me to the police station and sat for a couple hours until they interviewed me after checking to see, I suppose, if I had a record for taking photos in the park before. 3 hours later, after hostile interrogation they decided I was a homeowner in the neighborhood but was told if I was reported again for "lurking" in the park or around children....(all late teens or early 20s) I would be arrested. They said I was lucky if I was not a homeowner I would have been in serious trouble for taking 3 photos of skateboarders doing trick jumps. I asked how that assumed they were children but did not ask them why they were not in school. I was told it was none of my business and it was up to me to assure they were over age, after all, I was the person the complaint was made about. I sent a letter to the city council and police chief telling them of the overreach and life-threatening situation their police put me into, and the city said they do not discuss police matters and the police said they do not answer questions about cases pending.</p><p></p><p>I have been all over the world, 90 countries, and never ever treated with so much aggression and disrespect by officials as in my own neighborhood, and live in a country most who have never been here assume to be a police state but it is exactly the opposite. I feel less free in my own country than any place I have visited. It was not like that 30 years ago. I have not been back for 3 years and need to renew my passport so will try to have it down outside the US. Why people put up with the insanity of increased authoritarianism is puzzling. Maybe because it has been so gradual that people get used to it. </p><p>The US is no longer safe for photography in public places is the only lesson that I could take way from this.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="spb_stan, post: 655516, member: 43545"] A few years ago I was back home in the US staying with my sister in our duplex for a couple weeks. I had just purchased a new D800 and was trying it out to by walking down the street to a park testing it and the new 24-70 2.8. It was the middle of the day, weekday so few people were in the park except for some kids in the enclosed skateboard area with an elaborate concrete course inside a chain link fenced area. Being a school day I assumed they were older than school age. I took a few shots from 50 feet away to check AF speed, then wandered off to the creek to see if I could find some birds to shoot. 10 minutes later I heard sirens and then they stop. 2-3 minutes later I am confronted with two cops with guns pointed at me demanding that I drop the camera...sure, a new D800 and $1800 lens toss to the ground...not. I got down and they started screaming to drop the weapon...the camera, and I did but one put his foot in my hand really hard as he kicked the weapon(D800) several feet away. They demanded I keep my hands spread wide but also demanded id. Anyway, they did not shoot but did cuff me and took me to the police station and sat for a couple hours until they interviewed me after checking to see, I suppose, if I had a record for taking photos in the park before. 3 hours later, after hostile interrogation they decided I was a homeowner in the neighborhood but was told if I was reported again for "lurking" in the park or around children....(all late teens or early 20s) I would be arrested. They said I was lucky if I was not a homeowner I would have been in serious trouble for taking 3 photos of skateboarders doing trick jumps. I asked how that assumed they were children but did not ask them why they were not in school. I was told it was none of my business and it was up to me to assure they were over age, after all, I was the person the complaint was made about. I sent a letter to the city council and police chief telling them of the overreach and life-threatening situation their police put me into, and the city said they do not discuss police matters and the police said they do not answer questions about cases pending. I have been all over the world, 90 countries, and never ever treated with so much aggression and disrespect by officials as in my own neighborhood, and live in a country most who have never been here assume to be a police state but it is exactly the opposite. I feel less free in my own country than any place I have visited. It was not like that 30 years ago. I have not been back for 3 years and need to renew my passport so will try to have it down outside the US. Why people put up with the insanity of increased authoritarianism is puzzling. Maybe because it has been so gradual that people get used to it. The US is no longer safe for photography in public places is the only lesson that I could take way from this. [/QUOTE]
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