Man arrested for photographing arrest

This is a trend I have been following for some time - citizens arrested or threatened with arrest for photographing police activity in plain sight. I believe it is one of the most, if not the most disturbing trend in law enforcement in recent years.

Many LEOs are under the impression that any sort of photography or recording of their activities is illegal. With a few exceptions, that is untrue. As a general rule, you can take a photograph of anything that is publicly accessible, unless there is a sign posted to the contrary (and of course I believe most of those restrictions are blatantly unconstitutional, though the courts haven't always agreed).

But why this is so disturbing is that this gives police the power to squelch evidence of their own wrongdoing. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the ability to cover up malfeasance (and thus prevent an investigation) is certainly a giant leap in the march toward absolute power.


In the words used by many police, if they aren't doing anything wrong, then they have nothing to be worried about, right?