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- So, you have the right to film the police under the First Amendment. But why should you? It’s simple: accountability. When you record the police, you capture their official conduct on film. If the police officer does something illegal, they’ll have a hard time talking their way out of it, lying, or casting blame.
policebrutalitycenter.org/can-you-record-the-police/
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Jun 29, 2020 · Whether documenting everyday interactions with police or large-scale demonstrations, filmmakers are at the forefront of the First Amendment, which has been ruled time and again to include the right to film the police.
- Rule #1: Know the Law (Wherever You Are) Conceived at a time when pocket-sized recording devices were available only to James Bond types, most eavesdropping laws were originally intended to protect people against snoops, spies, and peeping Toms.
- Rule #2 Don’t Secretly Record Police. In most states, it’s almost always illegal to record a conversation in which you’re not a party and don’t have consent to record.
- Rule #3: Respond to “Shit Cops Say” When it comes to police encounters, you don’t get to choose whom you’re dealing with. You might get Officer Friendly, or you might get Officer Psycho.
- Rule #4: Don’t Share Your Video with Police. If you capture video of police misconduct or brutality, but otherwise avoid being identified yourself, you can anonymously upload it to YouTube.
Stanley says the law itself is “crystal clear”: You have a constitutionally protected right to film the police in public as long as you don’t interfere with their activities. The US Justice Department agrees.
Apr 20, 2023 · The right to film police officers performing their public duties is essential to challenging police narratives about encounters with citizens and helps to protect public information. 48 Simply put, the right is too important—particularly to communities of color—to allow it to remain unestablished. 49 The next section explains why the right to fi...
Oct 18, 2023 · If you are planning in advance to film police officers or other law enforcement officials, you should consult an attorney to make sure that you are not violating any laws in your state. The laws governing recording vary widely.
Jun 8, 2020 · Often, it’s the video alone that leads to disciplinary action, firing, or prosecution of an officer. This blog post provides some practical tips to record the police legally and safely, and explains some of the legal nuances of recording the police.
It is no accident that some of the most high-profile cases of police misconduct have involved video and audio records. The ACLU has fought—and will keep fighting—to ensure that the right to film and photograph the police is respected by law enforcement officials.
