What is incredulous about this?
If you have ever met a power-tripping petty tyrant with a badge you know this type of abuse is fairly routine.
I speak from experience, in more than one city and state.
If you have never met one of these putrid punks you may still believe the fairy tale that all LE have only our best interest at heart.
In fact it appears the majority now see everything in an “US vs THEM!” light.
You are either a cop, or suspect.
If the article is factual, it’s pretty clear the “sheriff” here is a liberal brown-shirt.
Hopefully he loses the lawsuit, and his job.
I'm an avid camera nut, and have a few times been told that I wasn't allowed to take pictures. Once at a ferry terminal, a couple times when I got too close (by boat) to the USS Stennis and also near the Bangor Trident sub base. Warnings may have been stern, but never abusive or unreasonable.
On the other hand, I once pulled out my camera after walking off a plane at a tiny airstrip in southern Algeria and immediately had a half-dozen automatic rifles pointed at me... I quickly put the camera back in the bag and all was well.
This story also addresses the statement made frequently on this thread that if TSHTF the police will be on the side of the conservative and the righteous.
LEOs are on the side of the people who sign their paychecks.