Police threaten to seize phones if officers are filmed on duty (UK)

[Kalis]

If that is true, i stand corrected.
But that still doesn't change my standpoint, the police are in a position with alot of power that can be easily abused, paramedics and Firefighters are not even remotely compareable to the police.

Police aren't routinely armed in Britain (England, Scotland & Wales), I believe they are in Northern Ireland, at least they used to be. We do have some armed officers at places like airports.

You can film the police carrying out their duties, people do it all the time, what you can't do is interfere with the police carrying out their duties.

[procne]

In the public, nothing is private. If it is in a private business, there might be issues, but even then you are still technically in the public.

I'm pretty sure every western countries (including US) has some laws against publishing someone's pictures. Unless those people publish those themselves (like on facebook). For example check google maps and street view - every person or car license plate are fuzzied.

[Deianeira]

I think people forget that despite police being Public Servants they also pay taxes to the same value that everyone else does, so technically they also pay for themselves.

You dont see people going up and shoving cameras in the face of Paramedics, or even the Fire Brigade - who are also public servants, so they shouldn't for the Police.



I wouldnt agree the UK is becomng a police state in any way - But I agree for the protection of officers and those they interact with body cameras should be mandatory for every officer - training for UK officers is fine, having been a Special Constable (who get compressed training) I felt I was given enough to be able to go out confidently and serve - however followup and retraining is required, this isnt done enough for officers as things change.

While i agree that if you film a police making an arrest on another citizen and you interfere with that arrest then you should have your phone taken and possibly even be arrested yourself. But if i see a police making an arrest and start to film that from a little bit away then what is the police afraid of? I mean if they do their job correctly why do they care? Also to those that say that Policebrutality is increasing and whatnot(mostly in the US) they are delusional, they are getting caught more on camera since everyone have a phone with a camera in at the ready.

I do agree that Police should have Bodycams at all times. For their safety and for the citizens safety.

[Machismo]

Private citizens should be fine with surveillance even in their own home, unless they have something to hide.

Public servants on the job should not be facing surveillance because it could prevent them doing what they were doing even though they have nothing to hide.

God, I hope you are joking.

[Yvaelle]

This is a problem in the US, Canada, and the UK at this point.

When did the police motto go from, "To Protect and Serve" to "No Witnesses".

Tarintino the other day said it wasn't a "bad cop" problem, it was an institutional problem. Somehow it crosses countries though - it's global - it's bigger than a single institution.

[Deleted]

UK is quickly turning into a police state. this needs to be stopped. Body cameras should be in place and better training of the cops needs to be done.

UK Police are already trained well enough, if anything I think the UK Police are too soft and coddle people too much.

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This is a problem in the US, Canada, and the UK at this point.

When did the police motto go from, "To Protect and Serve" to "No Witnesses".

Tarintino the other day said it wasn't a "bad cop" problem, it was an institutional problem. Somehow it crosses countries though - it's global - it's bigger than a single institution.

It's not a UK problem at all. Our Police don't open fire on people at the drop of a hat. Our problem is they're too soft when dealing with "Sensitive issues"

[Kalis]

This is a problem in the US, Canada, and the UK at this point.

When did the police motto go from, "To Protect and Serve" to "No Witnesses".

Tarintino the other day said it wasn't a "bad cop" problem, it was an institutional problem. Somehow it crosses countries though - it's global - it's bigger than a single institution.

We don't have a 'no witnesses' issue with UK police.

This is about people obstructing officers in the course of their duties, you can film them, but you need to do it in a way that doesn't hinder them. As citizens we have a duty as well and people forget that.

[Deleted]

We don't have a 'no witnesses' issue with UK police.

This is about people obstructing officers in the course of their duties, you can film them, but you need to do it in a way that doesn't hinder them. As citizens we have a duty as well and people forget that.

It's people coming from totally different countries with totally different police types trying to throw a cover all on their anti-police sentiment. It's hilarious at best and downright Sociopathic at worse.

People think We as Citizens are being bullied and attacked by police all the damn time just because they tackle criminals, now I may not be the majority, but when I am out on the town I rather enjoy seeing the overly aggressive dickhead eat curb because he thought he could try and tackle a bobby.

[Kathandira]

We don't have a 'no witnesses' issue with UK police.

This is about people obstructing officers in the course of their duties, you can film them, but you need to do it in a way that doesn't hinder them. As citizens we have a duty as well and people forget that.

This is how I view it as well. Just stay at a safe distance away, and if you are told to give them more room, move back. You can record from across the street, or where ever the officers ask you to stand.

If you need better zoom, buy a real camera instead of using your phone. It is not the officers fault that your iPhone doesn't zoom in with great detail when recording.

[Deleted]

This is how I view it as well. Just stay at a safe distance away, and if you are told to give them more room, move back. You can record from across the street, or where ever the officers ask you to stand.

If you need better zoom, buy a real camera instead of using your phone. It is not the officers fault that your iPhone doesn't zoom in with great detail when recording.

Considering 9/10 you'll be meeting Police in this situation on a night out as they manhandle a drunken douchenozzle, I think giving them room is extremely easy.

[Azadina]

Private citizens should be fine with surveillance even in their own home, unless they have something to hide.

How about no? I don't want someone watching me, in my own home, when I barely wear clothes half the time.

[Kalis]

This is how I view it as well. Just stay at a safe distance away, and if you are told to give them more room, move back. You can record from across the street, or where ever the officers ask you to stand.

If you need better zoom, buy a real camera instead of using your phone. It is not the officers fault that your iPhone doesn't zoom in with great detail when recording.

What constitutes obstruction would depend on the circumstances. The police are concerned with doing their job, not giving people an unobstructed view in order for them to get more hits on Youtube.

[Kathandira]

What constitutes obstruction would depend on the circumstances. The police are concerned with doing their job, not giving people an unobstructed view in order for them to get more hits on Youtube.

I agree. They can tell you where it is safe to stand. But it is none of their concern if you can get a good video from there.

If a person wants to be ready to film the police at all times, they should carry around a really nice camera.

[Cerilis]

Well, there IS a difference between neutral observance cameras and shoving a camera in someone's face. Talking about public places, obviously.

[Noradin]

In the public, nothing is private. If it is in a private business, there might be issues, but even then you are still technically in the public.

Just being in public does not give others a free reign to film you.

[Kathandira]

Just being in public does not give others a free reign to film you.

May want to check with your local government then. We are being recorded constantly. There are cameras on bill boards on highways to record traffic patterns. There are cameras in and outside of stores to record for security. There are cameras on people's property which records more than just their yard.

I'm sure there are several other circumstances where we are being recorded in public without our consent. The reason being, the recordings have other purposes other than recording individuals. They are to monitor the things mentioned, not specific individuals. But we are still being recorded without our written consent.

[Aeula]

First world tyranny at its best.

We'll be like America soon.

[Deleted]

First world tyranny at its best.

We'll be like America soon.

Because our Police don't like Punters getting in their way.

Someone is reading the Daily Mail too much.

[Tradewind]

Because our Police don't like Punters getting in their way.

Someone is reading the Daily Mail too much.

but it's every random scots right to stick their phone in people's faces shouting about their rights!

[Kalis]

but it's every random scots right to stick their phone in people's faces shouting something incomprehensible!

Fixed that for you.