What was most interesting to me about the readings was how police are exempt from the constitutional right of photographers to take photographs or film in public. As mentioned in the Gizmodo article, there are, in fact, 12 states that consider filming a police officer a federal offense. In an age where there is surveillance everywhere -- on street corners, in stores, even at schools -- and everyone has a camera phone, it astounds me that this exemption is so prevalent. You can be arrested and charged for something you recorded by accident (or without intent), like Anthony John Graber.
I am astounded and disenchanted with the idea that the police are entitled to be above the constitution. In all the examples provided by the articles, in each case, bystanders or the convicted were being harassed by the police. Posting the video elucidated a breach in trust between the public and the police (our sworn protectors), embarrassing both the department, the officer, and the badge. Instead of using surveillance and public photography as a means of checks and balances between the public and police, it is turned against the innocent and victimized in order to mask the wrongdoings of those in power. Vengeance is sought against those who have been wronged and it is simply unsettling.
Kasia Thomas
2 comments:
The police thinking and acting as if they're above the law has always bothered me to no end. We live in a country that claims it strives for equality, which is evident in non-discriminatory hiring laws. Yet, at the same time, the police and government are allowed to film us, the public, all they want, yet when we try to do the same we're thrown in jail and/or fined.
It's my belief that if more and more people are arrested for filming the police, and those arrests are made more public than they are, that we could start to see some actual change regarding the matter. The arrest of Chris Drew is a prime example of this, since his arrest led to courts in Illinois declaring their law on eavesdropping and filming police unconstitutional.
Kasia, I really love that you said that you felt 'disenchanted' - I feel like we grow up being taught that the police are the heroic men and women who always save the day and always do good. As is true with any profession, there are people on all parts of the spectrum and there will always be some who take advantage of their power for negative reasons. Disenchantment is the perfect descriptor for this situation, because the illusion begins to fade away, and we realize that they are just people, too. So as you ask, why is there that idea that the police are above the law, and why does a law that applies to everyone NOT apply to them?
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