Police State

Last week I came across a news article that left me feeling uneasy. For perspective, I read various news sites every day, everything from the New York Times, Washington Times, and even the Times UK. I look to CNN, Pravda, Huffington Post and Breitbart for a variety and balance of news. As you know, I have previously written about CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) and the invasion of cameras creating questionable civil rights questions. Additionally, we have seen the expansion of citizens using cameras to capture incredible moments on tape: plane crashes, auto accidents, tornadoes, and questionable arrests and police brutality. It is the last category that concerns me.

About six months ago I noticed a trend in some of the news articles I was reading: police were arresting those who videotape them! I came across these articles on fringe, strong civil liberties web sites commenting on states that were using outdated wiretap laws to prevent citizens from videotaping an arrest. Under this premise, the states require both parties to give consent. Of course, law enforcement was not consenting and instead threatening arrest if videotaping continued. Last week I saw a similar article, but this time it was carried by ABC news, Growing Number of Prosecutions for Videotaping the Police”, by Ray Sanchez (07/19/2010)“. The article describes cases in New Hampshire, Maryland, and Florida where wiretapping laws are used to arrest citizens as I described.

I believe law enforcement officers are employees of the public; ultimately they work for us. In countries like China, North Korea, the former USSR, and former East Germany the police worked for the government and were charged with watching citizens. In these countries law enforcement runs rampant with brutality, torture, and intimidation. I argue, like Florida’s governing laws, that operating in the sunshine eliminates these horrors. Like our right to bear arms, or speak freely, our rights to hold public government and law enforcement officers accountable is paramount to our personal safety.

What would have happened to Rodney King had news helicopters not caught his beating? As hard as I try, I cannot come up with a valid argument to justify preventing a citizen from videotaping his own arrest. When a law enforcement officer dons his uniform he is a servant of the public, not a Gestapo officer given free rein to operate in darkness with no one looking.

Videotaping Police
ACLU of PA Announces Settlement for Man Arrested for Videotaping Police Officers in Public
FAQ: Can I videotape?
Police Cuff Citizens for Videotaping
Teen Arrested for Videotaping Police
Boston Police charge those who videotape arrests
Police investigate Videotaped Arrest
NM Journalist Asserts His Rights
Police and Democracy
Jail Time for Videotaping Police