Law & Video Taping Police Encounters

[mytown]

I'm currently in the process of creating a copwatch group in my area and I need to know the laws in Florida regarding video taping police encounters. I need to know what restrictions I have when comes to video and audio. I've attempted to contact the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, but both have refused to answer any questions regarding the subject, unless I explain to them why I need to know.
Can anyone tell where I might be able to find this information?

[KC]

mytown said:

I've attempted to contact the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, but both have refused to answer any questions regarding the subject, unless I explain to them why I need to know.

You're asking the wrong group of people for help, but that's kind of obvious now isn't? A quick letter or e-mail to the State Attorney General's Office and they could probably tell you.

It shouldn't be against the law in any state to record police officers on duty. Just be sure you are doing it on PUBLIC property. Public property doesn't mean standing in the middle of the street.

Don't "hinder" the cops while filming. Stay far away as possible from the cops, let them do their job. They don't need people jumping out of cars pointing things at them.

Use your ZOOM lens on your video recorder. Try and have more than one person with a video camera. Also no one says that the police have to know that your recording them do they?


Here is a link to some information on filming cops-

policecrime.proboards28.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=talk1&thread=1134535602&page=1

Another site is www.policeabuse.orgyou can check them out filming police officers and sometime even getting arrested. The owner of the site is an ex cop from Florida. He's done a lot of filming in Florida.

[KC]

Here's a story that took place in Florida and there's a kid who happens to be video recording the police. Watch the video and listen to the cop LIE and say it's against the law to record police officers. The cop knows he's lying, he won't even look the guy in the eyes.

stpeteforpeace.org/palmharbor.html

[KC]

You might want to read this also:

policecrime.proboards28.com/index.cgi?board=talk1&action=display&thread=1151721435

[WaTcHeR]

Check your local laws as far as "AUDIO" recording goes. Sometimes it can be found in front of your phone book or you may have to write you State Attorney General and ask.

Video recording citizens or police officers isn't a crime, as long as you do it from your property or on public property.

I have heard of cases in the past of someone video taping from the street into a window of a home with the shades open and the judge said that was perfectly legal, because the person was recording from a "public street." If the home owners had expected any kind of privacy, they would have closed their shades before they had sex.

Here is a Link to a story about someone getting in trouble for allegedly "audio" tapping police officers.

policecrime.proboards28.com/index.cgi?board=qqqqqqqq&action=display&thread=1153607446

[streetsweeper]

The rule of thumb with recording anything is this: expectation of privacy. If you record something in a circumstance that has a certain, reasonable, expectation of privacy (like the bathroom, for example) then it's probably illegal.

I encourage everyone to feel free to record every police encounter, as long as you follow the officer's instructions and do not break the law.

[WaTcHeR]

streetsweeper said:

I encourage everyone to feel free to record every police encounter, as long as you follow the officer's instructions and do not break the law.

If an officer tells you to stop recording, while your filming an event on a public street, such as a "police stop" would you consider that a lawful order from a police officer?

[streetsweeper]

Again it depends on the situation. But generally speaking, no. As long as you aren't interfering with the traffic stop or interfereing with the flow of traffic.