Giving Freedom to Photographers - Essay Example

Some of the end up being unlawfully convicted for enjoying their hobby. Police officers have been quoting Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 when arresting photographers for photographing certain public places terming the act as being illegal.

However, this paper aims at making the readers know that the power of law enforcement officers to stop and search photographers doing public photography was ruled illegal in the year 2010. Therefore, photographers have the right to take photographs of public places to which they have legal access without being stopped, searched, or arrested. Any police officer attempting to search digital data possessed by a photographer should have a search warrant (Krages, 2011, p. 212).

Supporting Facts
According to Lewis (2010, p.2), during the year 2009 unlawful conviction of a photographer named Robert Palmer cost the New York Police Department a total of $30 000. The amount of money was paid to the victim as damages because he was convicted unlawfully. Moreover, On December 19th, 2009, an amateur photographer was arrested in Lancashire Town for taking photos that were considered to be suspicious and triggering antisocial behavior by the police officers (Lewis, 2010, p. 5). The law enforcement officers questioned him under the anti-terrorism legislation and later arrested him. Nevertheless, during the year 2011, police officers arrested a photographer named Clint Fillinger for taking photos of a House Fire Crime Scene (Potter, 2012, p.1).

Views of Various Sides of the Issue
In response to the unlawful arrests of photographers, Mickey Osterreicher, a general counsel of the National Press Photographers Association, says, “…police treat anyone with a camera as a suspect” (Potter, 2012, p.3). Moreover, John Timoney, the former police chief in Philadelphia and Miami confessed that there has been increased tension between police officers and photographers that has led to unlawful arrests and convictions (Potter, 2012, p.4).

Police officers have continued to violate the rights of photographers by arresting and accusing them of various offenses that are invalid. A police officer arrested a photographer of a Local TV news service in July 2011 while videotaping the end of a police chase on a public street and accused him of obstruction (Potter, 2012, p.5). Law enforcement officers have continued to see photographers as potential threats to the welfare of the public hence arresting them unnecessarily.

Conclusion

Photographers are being denied the right to enjoy their hobby and career by police officers. They should be given the freedom to enjoy their rights as long as they do not violate the laws governing photography. The unlawful actions of police officers have cost taxpayers a lot of money in compensation for damages to the unlawfully convicted photographers. This problem can be solved by taking strict legal measures against law enforcement officers to violate the rights of photographers. Read More