Police Car photos ?

[robdavis305]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

 

[ottor]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

Short answer ...... ah, .......no. You can take pictures of any police activity, as long as you're not in the way and not hindering any of their actions..

Oh, wait a minute..... you're in tennessee.. :scratch:

 

[Gaerek]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

The first question I would ask is, who told you this? The best way to answer this would be to ask a police officer. My understanding is that if it's in a public place, the police officers, their vehicles, and their activities are fair game. It's very likely that in their operating procedures and/or training, this is mentioned, so they should know. You could also call the police station nearby and ask. I would personally ask to speak to a lieutenant or higher as they're going to likely have better knowledge of this than a patrol officer on the street.

 

[Josh66]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

The first question I would ask is, who told you this? The best way to answer this would be to ask a police officer.

My money says that a police officer is who told him this.

 

[Shelly1204]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

Bwa ha ha :lmao::lmao::lmao:

If you spend time in jail for taking a picture of a police car, find yourself a lawyer and you will become a rich man.

 

[KmH]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

The first question I would ask is, who told you this? The best way to answer this would be to ask a police officer.

:lmao: Ask a police officer? I don't think that's the way to get a straight answer.

 

[C-Towner]

If you are in public and not impeding the police, you are good to go. Police get touchy about photographers, and try to get you to stop by bullying you, but you can ask them if you are breaking a law, point blank. If they say yes, ask what law, and watch them start bumbling

don't be afraid to be firm without being an ass, police usually get their back up when people are disrespectful.

 

[Josh66]

Use some common sense though...

Just because you're not "breaking the law" doesn't mean they can't totally **** up the rest of your night/weekend.

 

[LuckySo-n-So]

Just because you're not "breaking the law" doesn't mean they can't totally **** up the rest of your night/weekend.

This is true. Cops can--and will--arrest you for anything if they are predisposed to do so. They will come up with any charge ranging from trespassing, failure to leave when asked, obstruction, interfering with a police officer, etc. etc. It doesn't matter to them that the charges may be dropped or reduced. The point is that you will be thrown into lockup with all manner of ne'er-do-wells--from drunk drivers, to addicts coming off of a 2 week meth bender. You'll have to bail yourself out of jail ($500+), hire a lawyer ($1500 retainer), car impounded?, gear confiscated--oh no! don't know HOW those photos got erased...SORRY!, and on, and on, and on....

Unless you are a credentialed reporter with the backing of your news organization, it's best not to argue the intricacies of photographers' rights with a cop with an attitude if you are not on your property.

 

[Josh66]

LOL, one other thing to consider if you're ever in a position where there is a chance of getting locked up... Who are you going to call?

You can only make collect calls from jail, and a cell phone cannot accept a collect call.
How many of your friends still have a landline?


Just saying... Getting locked up sucks! Especially for some stupid BS that you won't even get charged with.

It sucks more when nobody knows where you are and you can't call them.

 

[Battou]

No, you can not be jailed for photographing police vehicles.


If that where true I'd be in a world of **** with the sheriffs department
Starflight by Battou - Photo Lucidity
A Life on the Line by Battou - Photo Lucidity
^^Yes that is a Sheriffs department chopper below is a shot of the same heilo on the same day with different exposure.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/Photos/468938_F400_011_1.jpg

And the SNI marshals
Seneca Nation Marshals by Battou - Photo Lucidity

as well as the local fuzz
Got Snow by Battou - Photo Lucidity
Finishing up by Battou - Photo Lucidity - I was standing right next to a policwe car when I took that one
Mercy Flight 2 by Battou - Photo Lucidity - I got three of them there
SPD by Battou - Photo Lucidity - I E-mailed this one to the police department and gave them permission to use it on their website...they did not use it but still.


Those are just what I've put online, rest assured there are many more.

 

[chip]

My daily driver is a 2003 P71 Police Interceptor - I have many pictures of it

I don't see why you couldn't take pictures of police cars?

 

[grafxman]

Some of my relatives over the years have been in law enforcement. I don't know a lot about it but there is one thing I know for certain. A knowledgeable, experienced cop can take you in and lock you up almost any time they wish. They have a huge repertoire of laws available to make you do what they want you to do or make you wish you had done what they told you to do.

As for taking pictures of cop cars, if they don't complain consider yourself lucky. Here in Florida I suspect at least half of the traffic enforcement cars are unmarked. I have seen cops at rest areas on I-95 climbing into black Dodge Chargers with windows that were obviously tinted so dark as to be illegal. Frankly I would be afraid to stop for the damn things. Criminals in this state use similar cars for hijackings. Police here also use unmarked SUVs just like soccer moms drive.

One of the favorite tricks of traffic enforcement officers in general is what my mom's second husband used to put food on our table. He was a constable in Wood Co WV during the fifties. His favorite trick was to roar up on a car and drive about six inches from the car's bumper. Almost always the driver would speed up eventually breaking the speed limit. When I went home a few years ago I was driving down a highway and a high speed vehicle came up on me about six inches from my rear bumper. I immediately set the cruise control. Eventually he realized I wasn't going to speed up so he passed me and roared on trying to find another sucker.

At least in Florida, I would be pretty sure law enforcement would be VERY unhappy if someone photographed their unmarked cars. Someone, not me, could set up a web page with their pictures. That would be great for everyone but the cops. This state has no income tax but we do have rivers of gold. Those rivers are our highways and YOU PROVIDE THE GOLD!!

 

[patrickt]

I was told that taking a photo of a police car was a criminal offense and subject to a fine or 30 days in jail. Has anybody else ever heard of this?

The first question I would ask is, who told you this? The best way to answer this would be to ask a police officer.

My money says that a police officer is who told him this.

Really? I would have guessed it was someone like you.

 

[Dao]

If someone take a video of an officer standing in front of their car beating a suspect. And that video can be present in court as evidence, then the video is obtained legally otherwise it cannot be present in court.

If that is the case, I will think it is legal to take photos as well. However, it does not mean the police officer cannot do anything against you.