Is this policeman's actions legal? (worded better details added, please asnwer i want to nail this #####%##%@)?

Katie W

Videotaping people in a public place generally isn't illegal, unless it's intrusive/pervy (like trying to film up women's skirts) or used to profit yourself without their approval. Local laws may vary, however.

If you caught the actions he denies on video, though, why didn't you show the police officer dad before you wiped it?

Mike

i believe unless your in there house your free to video tape anyone you want. I would file a complaint that he was harrassing.

spot

its not ilegal to video if your not showing it publicly and if you have another run in with him them get his badge# and name and report it o his c.o. or go to the station and reguest a meeting with the his c.o

Cotton

The answer is u can video tape anything you want to. There are no laws against video taping outside in a public area.

I would first, report the kids behavior to the school principal and I would also report the cop's action to your local police dept.

I hope he does try to arrest you for video taping. You have a law suit against him, the police dept, and the city. $$$$$$$

The problem that you have to watch out for is the "Blue Retribution". You start messing with a police officer, you may find yourself being pulled over for minor traffic violations, being followed by police, etc.

kara

Your first mistake was in allowing a child to get your goat. You are the adult here. And by displaying your anger, you are giving this child just the attention that he is seeking .

Your second mistake was in not reporting this child to the school.

Your third mistake was being an adult male and video taping children in a school zone. Does not look good in this day and age! I certainly would not want and adult male video taping my sons as they came out of school.

Report the child to the school. Do not take your camera when you pick up your children. If you are harassed by the Police Officer, get his name and badge number and report him.

California Street Cop

As long as you're legally in a place to see someone, you can film them, no problem, no issue. No person in public has a "reasonable expectation of privacy" that is the key term. Juvenile or adult.

As for the officer...you're story is still confusing talking about filming a kid that was harassing you, then saying the kid was sitting in his police car, then telling...blah blah. You lost us.

Anyways, if you're having an issue with an officer, call the local PD or drop on by and tell them you want to speak to a supervisor or command officer.

rbs

I believe you should talk to a third party about this. Maybe a different police station so no friends of the cop join in on his game. Talk to them about the legal measures you can take. His actions seem to be an abuse of power, i hope something happens because it made me mad reading it. Videotaping is illegal to an extent I believe, but in your case, you were trying to prove something, so I don't think it would be a problem, and I don't believe he could have made you wipe the tape because he doesnt technically have the power to do that. he would need a search warrent to actually look at it. just believing his son isn't right. I would seriously talk to a third party about it, a couple towns over. good luck!

Bemis

You need to report this to the school first. They probably have surveillance cameras on the school property that may help. I would have them raise it up. The only way reporting the father would help is if he harasses you himself. Just make sure you are in the clear on this. Video taping children at a school is not good no matter what the reason. Always remember there are a lot of pervs out there and you don't want to do something or anything that will put you in that category.

David B

You should file a complaint with the officer's Department. Chances are nothing will come of it, but at least you'll have something on file. Fact is, he shouldn't have been contacting you as a "police officer" if it was a case in which his kid was involved, that's a conflict of interest, he should have had another officer talk to you or you should have demanded he request a supervisor or shift commander to come to the scene.

So, file a complaint. Write it up ahead of time, be EXTREMELY detailed and make sure you are as clear as possible (this was your second time writing this question? It was still very hard to comprehend, have someone help you write up a complaint so that it's clear exactly what happened). Nothing will probably happen, but it will be in his file and further conflicts of interest or other professional violations might either get him suspended or prevent him from gaining promotion which would give him even more abusive power.

Kozy

humanly speaking, not legally speaking....

Take a step back
Keep your cool
and move forward
dont let this get to you
you are right and this was blown way outa proportion...
keep calm about it , dont get angry like this because the father is angry. otherwise this could get even uglier.

the fact that you did erased nothing, meaning, you didnt catch him harassing you on tape, so you did not get forced to erase evidence...

try to understand for a minute the fathers prospective.... someone is taping his child....it is anywhere from creepy to a violation of privacy to a threat you might catch the child doing something incriminating thus getting the child in trouble and bringing shame to the father.

yes he did use his authority and intimidation to get you to erase the tape. but, had you not erased it , the tape still proved nothing...because you had not caught him on tape.

I think you should keep your camara at home,,,, if the kid harasses you again, go to the principal and say look this is what is going on, and I'd like you to contact his parent and tell them and to meet with this kids parent, then if this is arranged, tell the parent that you didn't mean anything by trying to catch this on tape other than to stop this kid from harassing you.
be understanding But don't be sorry, stress the bottom line is that his child is misbehaing and this is not acceptable in society for a child to harass a parent who is coming to the school to pick up his child and that you would appreciate it if he would do something about his sons behavior immediately.

Please, don't let your anger mislead you.

corp_752000

He MADE u erase the tape? Grow a set buddy and tell him if he's gonna arrest u he'd better do it now because the next call will be to his boss and your lawyer. Dont let someone of his ilk intimidate u. What kind of example are u setting for your kid...that he/she can be bullied by some crooked cop and just take it cause cops are right all the time? If thats the way u wanna live then its your life, but not me.

El Scott

Okay, so the one party is a kid and you are an adult that was behaving like a kid.

The Officer did nothing illegal. You may be able to file some sort of rudeness complaint but I doubt it is going to go anywhere. If someone was chasing my kid around trying to film them I would approach them also.........you probably would too if it was your kid.

Grow up and learn from this experience.

solannshiin

Depends on where you live but video taping someone, and especially taking it out to tape them whenever they come near you, may be seen as a violation of the person's privacy rights. I don't think filming the kid was a smart thing to do.

A kid harassing an adult is rather a difficult case to figure out..however, I suggest you go to the police officer, admit that perhaps video taping wasn't the best idea you ever had and apologize. Then you may actually have a proper adult to adult conversation about how his child's behavior has been affecting your life. As a police officer, he should not be taking harassment lightly nor be ignoring it. Making sure to keep in mind that he IS a parent and obviously is bias for his kid and making your way around that is important if you really want this problem resolved.

breakoutclothing

You can always file a complaint... Police have sooo much power, don't waste your time in court.. The tough truth.

metrotronic

My Gosh I feel sorry for you. I believe you but your in a sad situation. I think you know it to. so please move because he is going to lie, lie, lie and you'll end up suffering for all the lies that can only make life hard for you and your child. Good luck to you. I'm not sure who you can turn to either? If you hire an attorney and they know that they are in the wrong then they will have the attorney lie to so your better off to leave the situation as fast as you can. I can't think of even the FBI probably will not help you. As unfair and wrong as it is. You probably are out of luck and need to get away because of this corrupt situation. All I can say to you is sometimes it's better to leave then to stay and be done soooooo wrong that it is really a shame. Good luck to you. Because I feel you will need lots of luck on your side. Try to move so that you will not be bothered anymore. I hope this helps you some, Good luck!

Fozzy

How old are you? You are letting a little kid drive you to doing this nonsense? Sounds like you could be charged with some pretty heavy crimes involving children.

Tez

Video taping is fine, however recording sound must be by consent... Filming a child is probably not the best thing to do....but I cant see it as harrassing.....

sadude922

Videotaping a minor (under 18 years of age) without his parent's consent is illegal. You should file a complaint against the kid at the school and/or the police station

one_dakine_howlie

You shouldn't erased the tape when you told you too. He had no jurisdiction to do that as a "police officer". Obviously as a regular citizen he has no right period to tell you what to do. Secondly if he pulls that same "I can arrest you" b.s. just tell him that you could have him arrested just as easy for abusing his position because you really can. I would continue to try to get the kid on tape. I don't see how you haven't been able to in the first place. It's honestly not that hard. Be creative in how to conceal the camera. Other than that you don't really have any immediate material to do anything to the cop.

Cheekiie Kiki

omg.
i've always hated kids like that.
but i dunno if it's legal or not.
I DOUBT IT!

bartlettgreg@ymail.com

i know that in TAPE RECORDING, like voice recording, if there are only two people involved in the recording, then at least one person has to know about the recording (which means you can record you and another person talking and they don't have to know about it, but if you record two OTHER people talking then one of them has to know about it. I would imagine for video taping it doesn't matter seeing as how stores use cameras all the time to catch people whether the suspects are or aren't aware of the video taping. so take it to court, and call the precint. keep on recording, and tell him where to stick it.

tia maria

omfg hes such an as*hole.

boiinkerz :)

videotaping people is illegal unless they give you their consent

Cbyroni

Harrassing you? a cop's son??? say it aint so

Michelle B

video taping someone without their consent is illegal except for certain cases, like getting evidence.

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