Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

  • Reviews
  • Recommended Cameras & Gear
  • Learn Photography
  • Contact
  • About
  • Subscribe

Proposed Texas Law Makes It a Crime to Photograph Police from within 25 Feet

March 16, 2015 By Eric Reagan

Jason Villalba

The Texas Representative Jason Villalba filed House Bill 2918 last week in Texas House of Representatives that attempts to criminalize any photographs, video, audio recording or other documenting of a police officer within 25 feet the officer.

I’ll cut right to chase and tell you that this bill is unconstitutional under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. No questions asked. This is Constitutional Law 101. There is no way this bill could withstand a constitutional challenge in court.

The bill seeks to amend an existing Texas law that states in pertinent part: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Legal Tagged With: first amendment, law, Legal, photography is not a crime, police, texas

 

FAA Tells Police How to Handle Illegal Drone Encounters

January 22, 2015 By Eric Reagan

Max Aero Drones-4

While the drone market continues to expand, the legality of operating them continues to be more up in the air than ever before. Earlier this month, the FAA released a new directive to local law enforcement agencies on how to handle encounters with drone operators.

While I am a lawyer, I am not your lawyer and this is an editorial commentary on newsworthy issues rather than legal advice.  Unless you’re paying a lawyer, you aren’t really getting legal advice, and what you are getting on websites, blogs and forums is worth just what you paid for it. If you are busted by the FAA for violating its regulations, get an aviation lawyer who knows their way around the administrative process. Do not solicit legal advice online. That free advice will be the most expensive you ever take.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Drones, Legal Tagged With: drones, FAA, law, Legal, local law enforcement, police

Illinois Wiretapping Law Continues to Be Abused by Police

December 2, 2011 By Eric Reagan

Just, wow.

I’m all for catching the bad guys out there, but this goes too far. As you can see in the above video, the guy who recorded police in public was charged with eavesdropping and faced up to 75 years in jail.  He won the initial case – the local judge dismissed it, citing that the Illinois law was unconstitutional (this should be a complete no-brainer here).

The Illinois legislature and attorney general are apparently idiots though, because the case is being appealed in an effort overturn the lower court’s dismissal.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Legal Tagged With: Constitutional, eavesdropping, first amendment, Glik, Illinois, photography, police, Posner, wiretapping

Detained for “Photography” by Maryland Transit Police

June 1, 2011 By Eric Reagan

Train fanatic Christopher Fussell was shooting photos and video of Baltimore’s light rail train when he was stopped and detained by Maryland Transit Police.  The police insisted that it was illegal to take photos and video of the transit system telling him that he “need[s] to cease and desist with the photographing and continue on your way.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Legal Tagged With: arrested, crime, detained, law, law enforcement, Legal, Maryland, MTA, photography, police

The Government’s War on Cameras

May 27, 2011 By Eric Reagan

The above video from Libertarian website Reason.com takes a look into the legal standing for police to stop and arrest photographers for photographing or filming in public areas.

[Reason via PetaPixel]

Filed Under: Legal Tagged With: 1st amendement, Film, first amendment, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, law, photography, police, video

Atlanta Police Delete Photos from Camera, City Settles $40K

February 16, 2011 By Eric Reagan

As seen in the above video, Marlon Kautz, an Atlanta man attempting to document police activity, had his cameraphone seized after he refused to stop filming them in a public place. Those police officers then deleted the photos/video of the police activity.

In addition to the $40,000 in damages the City is paying to Kautz to avoid a civil rights lawsuit, the Atlanta Police Department is adopting new operating procedures that prohibit police from interfering with citizens who are recording police activity.

It’s nice to see official police procedures catching up with the First Amendment, eh?

[via PetaPixel and AJC]

Filed Under: Legal Tagged With: 1st amendment, first amendment, free speech, freedom of the press, Photographers, photography, police, rights

Freelance Photographer for ProPublica & PBS Detained for Photographing BP Refineries

July 5, 2010 By Eric Reagan

T-Shirt via Street Giant (http://www.streetgiant.bigcartel.com/product/bp-cares)

T-Shirt via Street Giant (http://www.streetgiant.bigcartel.com/product/bp-cares)

Freelance photographer, Lance Rosenfield, was confronted and detained by BP security, police officers and a DHS agent in Texas City, Texas as he was working on an assignment for ProPublica/PBS concerning a deadly accident caused by BP’s safety violations in 2005.

According to the report from ProPublica, Rosenfield was told that he would be “taken in” if he did not allow the police to review his photos.  Based on the report, when he complied, the police also allowed private representatives of BP to view the images as well. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Photographers Tagged With: 1st amendment, 4th amendment, bp, bp cares, dhs, lance rosenfield, pbs, photography, police, propublica, texas, texas city

Support Photography Bay


Recent Posts

  • Reader Photos Roundup: March 26, 2023
  • WD 22TB External USB 3.0 Hard Drive Now In Stock
  • Reader Photos Roundup: March 19, 2023
  • Computational Photography & AI: Where Do We Go From Here?
  • Reader Photos Roundup: January 15, 2023

Pages

  • 2022 Black Friday Camera and Photo Deals
  • About
  • Camera and Photo Deals Newsletter
  • Canon 1D X
  • Canon 1Ds Mark IV
  • Canon 5D Mark III
  • Canon Rebel T4i
  • Contact
  • Disclosures
  • DSLRs
  • How to Subscribe
  • Learn Photography
  • NAB 2016 Live Blog
  • Nikon D4
  • Nikon D800
  • Photography Laws
  • Recommended Cameras & Accessories
  • Reviews
  • Sony Alpha A77

Copyright © 2025 | Photography Bay