Greenfield Police Getting National Exposure

[mrjarrell]

Even with it being the holiday season a posting at the Indy Star site is getting the Greenfield PD some unneeded national exposure. Apparently, some of their officers are in need of remedial training.
via Carlos Miller

An Indiana man said police threatened to confiscate his camera as he was filming a traffic stop in front of his house while standing on his own property. The man, who goes by the username dUsTjUnKy2000 on the forums of the Indianapolis Star newspaper, said the incident occurred Christmas Day after police pulled over his neighbor for a seatbelt violation.
The cops wanted to search his neighbor, but his neighbor did not consent to the search.
Meanwhile, one of the cops started threatening him for filming them.
According to his forum post, the following exchange occurred between the cop and himself:

“If you’re going to keep on filming me, guess what I’m gonna do. I’m going to come over there and confiscate that camera and keep it for evidence.”
I said ”Evidence of what?” “I’m on my property, I am not interfering. I can photograph whatever I want to from my property.”
He replied “Take that camera inside or it’s gonna be mine and I’m gonna confiscate it.
​

Minutes later, a female cop walked up to him and demanded the camera and the following exchange occurred:

‘You’re going to need to give him that camera.’
I replied ‘I’m not breaking the law. Anything viewable from the street is legal game to be videotaped. If he wants my camera, he needs to get a warrant. Also, if you don’t have a warrant, then you need to leave my property.’
​

The female cop walked off, telling him “we are going to need that camera eventually for evidence.”
The man eventually stepped back into his house where he continued filming. He also called the police dispatcher to inquire whether they could take his camera but she was no help.
The man has yet to post the video even though several forum readers are urging him to do so.

You can click through to the full forum posting for the entire story. It hasn't made the local news yet, but it is a holiday weekend.

 

[caguasjade19]

Police mis-communications in Greenfield????NO WAY Jose. A picture could say more than thousand words. Anyway what happened to the fine citizen without a seat belt?? Do they know how expensive windshields are??

 

[Don]

I bet I know who the female officer was, these pics are from my incident this summer when getting a couple of guns from a fellow ingoer. She did have quite the attitude too.

 

[Denny347]

We are using an anonymous forum posting as source material now? No article and no video? This is kinda bottom of the barrel.

 

[Ruiner]

I bet I know who the female officer was, these pics are from my incident this summer when getting a couple of guns from a fellow ingoer. She did have quite the attitude too.

STORY?

 

[Denny347]

Sounds like a reply to this original posting on Indystar thinks he has something to post on YouTube.
Haha, "forced" the driver to dump his weed and break his pipe. Oh the horror!!!!!
Maybe it's a funny video, I dono.

Re: Power hungry cops harassing teens and citizens flexing their rights in Greenfield.

posted at 12/26/2009 7:03 PM EST on IndyStar

Yackazz
Posts: 1402
First: 8/4/2008
Last: 12/27/2009
After reading the post, I'm still not clear on if it is legal or not to film an officer while he/she is working? I happened to film a "stop" a few weeks ago. I believe the officer forced the drive to dump his week out in the grass and break his glass pipe. I could see and hear him smash the pipe and dump something into the grass.

If I wanted to post the video, how would I go about doing it? Anyone know?


Another question I have is what is the time limit on waiting for the K9 officer to arrive? How long can the original officer detain someone waiting on the K9 officer?

New post Reply to this post Report Abuse
Ignore Yackazz Contact Yackazz

 

[IndyBeerman]

The cops wanted to search his neighbor, but his neighbor did not consent to the search.

Looks like this was missed while people are focusing on the video taping, why ask to search the neighbor or car on a seat belt infraction. Looks like a big fishing expedition to me.

 

[jeremy]

tag

 

[Agent 007]

We are using an anonymous forum posting as source material now? No article and no video? This is kinda bottom of the barrel.

Funny what qualifies as "national exposure" nowadays. My cat got national exposure when I put him on YouTube.

 

[tv1217]

I bet I know who the female officer was, these pics are from my incident this summer when getting a couple of guns from a fellow ingoer. She did have quite the attitude too.

There's a female in these photos?

 

[Calvin]

There's a female in these photos?

My thoughts exactly!
I had to do a double take.

 

[M107]

In Noblesville a few years ago a police officer on a traffic stop in front of a homeowner weeding his yard with a knife gave him a lecture about carrying it in sheth like a pistol in his own yard!

 

[jeremy]

So when will this become credible?

 

[drgnrobo]

The officer on the right isn't steven segal ??? But it sounds like the greenfield police like to exert their authority ,Would like to see video of incident before I make a judgement call

 

[SavageEagle]

Well, that's interesting. However, they have no right to come on his property demanding to have his camera. They can have a copy of the recording, but they can't take his camera. Even for evidence. Once they walked on my property demanding my camera I'd call the state police after telling the officer to leave and they refuse. That'd be considered trespassing wouldn't it? Being told to leave and they don't?

I can't wait to see the video. If it happened like that, then he was in the right. If not, then he was just stirring the pot to get his 5 minutes of fame.

 

[Denny347]

Lets all hold our collective breath for when the video is made public....

 

[theweakerbrother]

So what are people going to do to remedy the situation besides post on the internet, assuming the alleged act occurred?

You hear that? It is the sound of rights being trampled.

 

[Denny347]

Funny what qualifies as "national exposure" nowadays. My cat got national exposure when I put him on YouTube.

So true.

 

[mrjarrell]

So when will this become credible?

I'd say that right now it has the same credibility as any of the many interaction postings we've had here on INGO. Some have been positive and some have been negative. This one, tho seems to have engendered some small amount of....concern....among our resident enforcers, (most of whom in the past have stated that they have no concerns about being taped). It would certainly allay their suspicions if the poster were to post his video, but the story really doesn't need that to be true. Does it? I could see where he'd be concerned about posting the video. Police departments in some locales have gone after people for doing that.

 

[Bill of Rights]

We are using an anonymous forum posting as source material now? No article and no video? This is kinda bottom of the barrel.

IF this is true, then yes, I would consider it an overstepping of authority. It is not only in this post that that is a big "if".

If proof exists, I'd like to see it. Until then, I'll reserve judgment.

Blessings,
Bill