In California it is now explicitly legal to video record in public and the fact that someone is video recording in public does not constitute probable cause or suspicion to justify an unfriendly police intervention.
CA PC 148(g): “The fact that a person takes a photograph or makes an audio or video recording of a public officer or peace officer, while the officer is in a public place or the person taking the photograph or making the recording is in a place he or she has the right to be, does not constitute, in and of itself, a violation of subdivision (a), nor does it constitute reasonable suspicion to detain the person or probable cause to arrest the person.”
And if the cops VIOLATE THE LAW and screw with someone anyway then what happens next is all on them. And I really don’t care if it’s an auditor, reporter, or an average citizen simply recording the cops doing their job.
The motivations of the citizen exercising their rights is not my concern nor should it be yours. It’s irrelevant.
All that matters is that the police are not supposed to violate anyone’s rights yet they do. Auditors bring attention to this fact and if the police stopped acting like a criminal gang then there’d be nothing for the auditors to do, am I right?
Likewise with open carry, if it’s legal then the police need to stop messing with law abiding people who open carry. It’s that simple.
The camera guys were being jerks, actually major a-holes...but your post is correct. The cop lost his cool and did not handle the situation correctly at all.
Auditors bring attention to this fact and if the police stopped acting like a criminal gang then there’d be nothing for the auditors to do, am I right? Absolutely.
As for open carry ….. there is a difference between open carry with a Glock 19 on your hip and walking into a Walmart with an AR or AK. I’m trained that when I see something on someone’s hip or ‘printing’ under their shirt I pay attention to it. 95% of the time it’s an iPhone. Sometimes it’s not.
Most people are so oblivious that they wouldn’t notice if you or I were walking down the aisle with a 1911. But they would notice you walking into the store with a rifle. The rights are the same. I get that.
But even a little courtesy to your fellow man, goes a long way.