Omaha officers told: Don't interfere with citizens' right to record police activity [View all]

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Maggie O'Brien

Omaha police officers are hitting the streets with a clear directive: Don't interfere with citizens' right to record police action.

The department has refined its policy on the public's use of cameras and video in the wake of a YouTube posting of an arrest that led to the firing of four officers, two of whom are charged with criminal wrongdoing. The March 21 incident highlighted the sometimes contentious terrain that officers and citizens navigate when cameras increasingly capture their interactions.

“Individuals have a First Amendment right to record police officers in the public discharge of their duties, plain and simple,” said Deputy Chief Greg Gonzalez.

The department has long recognized that right. But the revised policy, which cites federal case law, states that citizens cannot be arrested simply for recording police or being near a crime scene.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130511/NEWS/705119930/1685#omaha-officers-told-don-t-interfere-with-citizens-right-to-record-police-activity

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