NY Police harass man in driveway for washing his car

[chrisberb]

So he shouldn't try to interpret the law then.
It says public place and he is on private property.

You keep coming back to public place vs private view..you realize he doesn't seem to be reading the statute/ordinance word for word right? Maybe paraphrasing?
Unless you can find the statute/ordinance he is reading from, it's best not to talk with such certainty about how the law reads.

[Talen]

Judging by the way the cops are approaching the situation and how many times he says Eric Geer or w/e owns the car in CT... Oh and the wrong plates on a different vehicle. Theres something here we arent being told. Im going out on a limb to say these two guys are either up to no good of some sort, or are fishing for harassment from the cops to begin with. The guy filming does say small things that seem to provoke the cop and annoy him, with good reason. End of the day, the cop doesnt want to be there, its stupid crap and hes trying to tell them to stop doing dumb shit so he can stop going baby sit them.

Yeah...and the cop essentially tells him, to back off or he can expect to see cops "looking into his business" more frequently.

"You don't want us being upset with you and coming down here to check things out".

And people wonder why the cops aren't more popular these days.

As it is, the ordinance in question forbade washing cars in a public place - which is what the cop says.
The driveway of ones own house does not qualify as a public place. If the cop was upset at being sent out on a bogus call, he should have taken the matter up with his boss and the neighbor who called them

And no - being in public view does not make it a public place. Threatening to harrass the person unless he was a good little citizen and obey also doesn't put him in a good light. It's perhaps understandable that he's upset at being filmed...but the cops should be getting used to it by now. Its legal.

EJL

[PACOX]

The cop is just doing his job...If the people have a problem they take it up with city hall. The cop actually tried to explain the situation with them and give them a heads up...He straight up said that he was responding to a CITY ORDINANCE violation from a NEIGHBOR COMPLAINT. The dude behind camera should have beef with the city and the neighbor, not the cop...

And for the record, cities are allowed to pass BS ordinances like the one the cop was called out for and there are usually passed in a purely democratic fashion so if you don't like them then you pretty much have to move.

- - - Updated - - -

And no - being in public view does not make it a public place. Threatening to harrass the person unless he was a good little citizen and obey also doesn't put him in a good light. It's perhaps understandable that he's upset at being filmed...but the cops should be getting used to it by now. Its legal.

EJL

Depends on the wording of the ordinance and where its at...

[Heathy]

i guess its just lucky he didn't have a dog..

seriously though, it seems to me that the guy was just doing his job and if anyone is being a dick its the guys neighbour, if it was me, i'd simply buy one of them large open tents with sides and hey presto, public can't see you washing the car. or better yet start taking the car to a proper car wash? could always go and argue with the neighbour if you can find out which one complained. as far as cops being asses is concerned it didn't seem like he was being out of order to me maybe a tad pushy but its not like he was going above and beyond to inconvenience the tenant.

harassment requires repeated encounters as well. like if you get pulled over by the cops for a random search 10 times a month thats harassment, being told your breaking a rule of some kind is informal.

[darkwarrior42]

Watched most (edit: here meaning all but the last 15 or so seconds) of the video....

1) First off, going in I'm biased against the people filming the video. Why? Because they filmed it. If it had been a video of a police officer doing absolutely nothing wrong, it wouldn't have been posted online. We have no idea how many videos they've shot, or how many similar people shoot videos every day and choose not to upload them because the videos don't match their agendas. There are idiots everywhere, happening to find one isn't proof that the organization is flawed.

2) The cop seemed relatively polite, and if it's your job to enforce the laws or regulations and you're told to go deal with an incident, you pretty much have to do so if you don't want to put your job in jeopardy.

3) The person behind the camera could have phrased his responses in a way that was polite. He instead to go the sarcastic and antagonistic route... once he does that, any response from the police officer is provoked. True, the officer shouldn't allow himself to be provoked, but if we're going to fault the police officer for that then we must also fault the person trying to get him to act that way.

4) Officer was responding to a call, and the guy behind the camera isn't at all pissed that his neighbors called the cops on him? That's so far beyond the realm of credibility that I actually find it more likely that said neighbor put in the call so they could stage this entire scene. (If one of my neighbors called the cops on me over something like this before talking to me about it, I would be outraged and offended... none of which came through in this video.)

[vindicatorx]

The report was stupid, and the fact that the Officer enforced it is stupid as well.

It just shows what happens when you got an overly inflated Police Force with little to do then to pester people going about their business.

Hate to break it to you slick, but enforcing laws is kinda the polices job. "Overly inflated police force" I hope you are joking cause if not you are extremely ignorant. Neighbor files a complaint, cop does his job, cop is wrong? Lol, nice logic.

[PACOX]

Most likely the neighbor is a dick and the guy recording is a dick and they like to spite each other. Unfortunately the cop is dragged into the middle of it and just doing his job, enforcing the law. Its like getting pissy at someone working at a drive-thru because the place no longer carries the promotional item you wanted. And again, ordinances are passed by the neighborhood and police departments catch hell for not enforcing them. All beef should lie with the neighbors. Hell, the cop is probably mad that he had to drive down there over some BS dispute. The cop could have just written him a ticket and let the judge handle it.

[vindicatorx]

I'm normally in agreement, but they're not stirring up trouble at all. They're washing their car on private land, they're not breaking any law, and the Office trying to warn them is being a right jerk.

Apparently you missed the town ordinance the cops reads to them. Now, if the cop just has misunderstood the law the judge will correct the problem. The cop explains he was told to come down and warn them by his superior.

[Moondance]

I think most the people who are posting here are extremely ignorant when it comes to conserving our natural resources.

Washing your car takes a LOT of water. Water that is very precious and scarce. I for one am PROUD of that ordinance.
Take your car to a car wash!

[Yunru]

Eh there are more stupid laws than this.

Example:
In Scotland the law obliges citizens to allow whoever knocks on their door to use their toilet.

[KeirAdish]

Last I checked officers don't rewrite laws on the spot to justify their motives nor are they judges.
Laws are worded very specifically for a reason, there is a difference between public place and public view.

Public Place Law & Legal Definition

A public place is generally an indoor or outdoor area, whether privately or publicly owned, to which the public have access by right or by invitation, expressed or implied, whether by payment of money or not, but not a place when used exclusively by one or more individuals for a private gathering or other personal purpose.

What this law is really designed for is curbside mechanics, usually poor mechanics with no jobs who will work on your car in a public place leaving oil garbage old parts etc behind.

What is happening here and this is just my opinion is that some neighbor who has pull at the police station doesn't like these guys but they aren't breaking any laws so they try to misrepresent one to them using intimidation tactics.

Okay, I'm sure someones already quoted you and pointed out you prove yourself wrong right here.
but I'm short on time so no time to check.

PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY OWNED!
THAT PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS BY RIGHT OR INVITATION!!!
There ya go, their driveway is a public place.

Officer did no wrong, get off your cop hate and let the man do his job.

[Ucinrus]

Lol at all the Public view vs public place. Just cause its "private property" doesn't mean you can do whatever you want on it. Go outside and set up some traps on your lawn and watch what happens when someone trips over it/gets hurt. They will sue you and win. Think of who might need to walk on/near your property. Neighbor's kid throws a ball and lands there? UPS guy? Mail Men? Police men need access to your door, Firemen, Paramedics are just examples. Thats the whole public vs private thing explained......

The point is in this case it was run off onto the streets(which is why they sell special special soap to use)
When the cop read the public part he seemed just as confused, but again he was told by a higher up to go out there and given that paper most likely telling him " if they ask show them this".

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/washington_waters/carwash.html

*edit* a word

[Daerio]

1) First off, going in I'm biased against the people filming the video. Why? Because they filmed it. If it had been a video of a police officer doing absolutely nothing wrong, it wouldn't have been posted online. We have no idea how many videos they've shot, or how many similar people shoot videos every day and choose not to upload them because the videos don't match their agendas. There are idiots everywhere, happening to find one isn't proof that the organization is flawed.

That's some heavy, head-in-sand denial. Like no matter what, it could never be proved to you. I guess the upside is you're well aware of your bias, even if you don't seek to challenge it.

[chrisberb]

For the ordinance sticklers..
http://www.ecode360.com/9147718

For the purpose of this chapter, certain words are defined as follows:
PERSON
Includes natural persons, corporations, partnerships, associations, firms, societies and all other organizations or entities.
PUBLIC PLACE
Includes a street, avenue, road, alley, lane, highway, boulevard, concourse, driveway, culvert, crosswalk, every class of road, square, place and municipal parking field used by or set aside for the general public.

http://www.ecode360.com/9148049

No person shall wash or cause to be washed, clean or cause to be cleaned, beat or cause to be beaten any rugs, curtains, furniture, tapestry, clothing or other like articles upon any sidewalk, public street, highway or public place within the village, and no person shall wash or cause to be washed any motor vehicle or like conveyance upon any public street, highway or public place.

[Spikeychris]

Eh there are more stupid laws than this.

Example:
In Scotland the law obliges citizens to allow whoever knocks on their door to use their toilet.

This law is an urban Myth it does not exist and never has done.

[lockedout]

Okay, I'm sure someones already quoted you and pointed out you prove yourself wrong right here.
but I'm short on time so no time to check.

PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY OWNED!
THAT PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS BY RIGHT OR INVITATION!!!
There ya go, their driveway is a public place.

Officer did no wrong, get off your cop hate and let the man do his job.

The public has no access by right to my privately owned driveway, if they do it is trespassing.
No one invited them.
A driveway is not a public place try comprehending what you read.