Nevada Journalist Tackled By Police While Covering Wildfires Near Reno

Interesting story regarding photojournalism and the fires in Navada:

Nevada Journalist Tackled By Police While Covering Wildfires Near Reno | Fstoppers

Original article: http://www.rgj.com/article/20120619...un-Valley-fire-taken-ground-cited-by-deputies

A 60-year-old Reno Gazette-Journal photojournalist was pushed to the ground, handcuffed and suffered minor injuries Monday after sheriff’s deputies alleged he obstructed and resisted them while trying to take photographs of a destructive fire in Sun Valley.

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What do you think? Another case of excessive force?

Cops way overstepping their bounds again. Big shocker there. I would file suit for any medical related bills and and damaged camera equipment.

Its never the Police in genral, rather indidviduals that allow the power to go above there heads. They simply abuse the powers they have.
If it had been two other oficers on duty at the time, its unlikely the event would ever have taken place. Im often called upon to cover national events. I always end up being searched thouroughly. All gear and bags and my van. Most are polite and courtious while on the odd occasion you are asked rudely and bluntly to get out of the car and stand there etc. We all know they have a job to do, but there are right and wrong ways to do things.

Read the second page. He went to where he was suppose to and then got into a heated discussion about being too far away to photograph and that's when 2 deputies came over to took him down.

It's got everything to do with the Photography Business. That's why it is posted in here. This man works as a photographer and was not treated properly.

Dunn said he was asked by a man wearing a T-shirt, later identified as Capt. John Spencer, who he was with. After Dunn said he responded that he was with the Gazette-Journal, he said Spencer told him to go down the hill where other media had been directed.
Dunn said that after he complained the area was too far away for him to take photos, Spencer escorted him down the hill and said Dunn did not have any identification.
After Dunn said he told Spencer he wasn’t asked to show identification, their conversation became heated. Soon, Dunn said, the two deputies arrived and handcuffed him after taking him to the ground.
“I was proceeding out of the area and was irritated they wouldn’t let me do my job, but I was doing what they told me,” Dunn said. “... I don’t know why they felt they had to take me down. I’m a 60-year-old guy carrying camera equipment.”

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Oh I feel this thread will get interesting.

There seems to be much left out that I could not possibly have an opinion about the actual facts that happened that day. But, we all have to remember that having a camera around our necks and a press badge does NOT give you the rights to do anything that pleases you. Law enforcement officers have a job to do too and we must respect them. This is a two sided coin. I might agree that the officers probably didn't and shouldn't have brought a 60 year old to the ground, but I wasn't there to be the judge.

Let's keep it civil now before the forum cops show up.

I think there definitely is a trend, at least in America, where cops are getting more and more peturbed when someone whips out a camera and starts taking pictures or video...I personally think it is a reaction to several cases where the police have been caught acting foolishly or in some cases even breaking the law themselves...there was an incident in Oklahoma a few years back with a Highway Patrolman and a black ambulance driver where the cop just went ballistic on this ambulance driver...it was caught on cell video and caused quite a commotion. I wouldn't dare let a OHP officer see you pull out a camera he or she might get rather hot under the collar I think.

Just think they are talking about putting drones in the air over America...pretty soon the cops will have the guns and the cameras!

Oh well I'm a good citizen and have nothing to hide but I am sure there are a few people who lived in Germany in the 30's who felt the same way....

I'm not a professional photographer so I'm sure my take on things is a bit different than the fellow in the article or in fact some members on this forum.

My *initial* take on this after very briefly reviewing the article, etc. is this: The photographer's job to capture pictures of the fire is so much LESS important than those people trying to put OUT the fire! The don't need to worry about some guy getting himself in trouble - press pass or not - they have a very intense, important job in stopping that fire, saving land and saving lives. I don't see this as one of those situations where "big brother" or "Da Man" is trying to hide or control something from the public (unlike some other, more obvious situations like just taking a picture of a building in downtown London or something).

These firefighters and cops are probably stressed to the max., have family, friends and their own homes in the area that they are worrying about and now to have this photographer poking around was just a bit too much for them to deal with (and I don't blame them). This photographer should have just read the situation better and got his butt out of there PDQ.

I don't blindly support police and readily acknowledge they can be overly aggressive brutes often times, but I'm not sure that is the case here.

Just my .02 (and I hope I won't need my fire retardant suit!)

PS. We do have an Off Topic forum - so would that make it any more palatable to you D5100 shooter if it was located there? (just curious?) I dont' see why it would but I think this story is quite topical for a photography site notwithstanding the sub-forum it is posted in! (and I'm not just saying that because the OP is the boss! lol!)

I personly think its very much in topic. The guys a full time pro journalist that was doing his job. How much more relevent can it be lol.
Its just a thread for goodness sake. Its either of intrest to you or it is not. Its not like you have to be intrested and post in every thread. If nothing else it gives warning to anyone finding themselves in a simlar situation of what could happen if you push too far etc. I dont see any heated arguing or debate in this thread, just people expressing there opinion and thoughts.

D5100Shooter said:

Well Bluenoser, perhaps it does belong in Off Topic. I saw no relation of this story to managing your own photography business. And to make things worse, the question of wether or not excesive force was used came up, which kind of goes off on a tangent. But hey, whom am i... I was once part of an aviation forum/website - noitce i said "..was once...". It was a informative site and lots of like minded people with the same interest. However, on many occasions, the threads became so politically heated (it was a US site) that no one was even talking about aviation or airplanes anymore!! My point is, if someone wants to start talking about wether or not police were to aggresive with someone, there are specific sites/forums for that. Yes, yes, i know this guy is a photog, but that does not make him special - i hate it when people put a "can do no wrong" complex on certain people. From what i have read, this guy did not listen to authorities and seemed to think he was to good to be with the rest of the media types.... and all the stuff you said. Seriously, we don't need this to turn into some sort of heated debate about what police do right or wrong, this is not the place - thankfully, it has not happened.

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I feel your frustration. I posted this here only because it directly relates to the business of photography, and to make others aware of what is going on so they can form an opinion about it. If it didn't relate to photography, but still may be a good discussion, I would've posted in the OT forum.

Regardless, you're right, there's no reason for a heated debate about who was right or wrong. I know the members here are capable of forming their own opinions without being abrasive about it.

And the moral of the story is?

slowpoke said:

And the moral of the story is?

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For my 1000th post I give you "this" (see below), as what can be taken away from this thread (co-opted from our site's owner):



(I don't know why but this really cracks me up )

Love it! I have my 2,000th comming up, no way to top that!

I'm just a little over 200 shy of 4,000 posts. I'm going to reward myself with a big slice of chocolate cake when it happens.

The Pancakes and Chocolate Cake Club...CCPC... Nice!

bluenoser said:

For my 1000th post I give you "this" (see below), as what can be taken away from this thread (co-opted from our site's owner):

(I don't know why but this really cracks me up )

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Cracks me too.LOL

Marcel said:

Oh I feel this thread will get interesting.

There seems to be much left out that I could not possibly have an opinion about the actual facts that happened that day. But, we all have to remember that having a camera around our necks and a press badge does NOT give you the rights to do anything that pleases you. Law enforcement officers have a job to do too and we must respect them. This is a two sided coin. I might agree that the officers probably didn't and shouldn't have brought a 60 year old to the ground, but I wasn't there to be the judge.

Let's keep it civil now before the forum cops show up.

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And a police badge does NOT give you the right to do anything that pleases you...