# God Bless Texas



## granfire (Mar 13, 2015)

Texas bill would make recording police illegal for citizens


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## tshadowchaser (Mar 13, 2015)

I think citizens should be allowed to film police but I think they should be outside of a certain perimeter to keep them and the police safe. Anyone inside that perimeter filming an event should be considered interfering with the police if they entered the area after the incident started. 
  As far as an armed person filming it well he/she is an armed person and should be worried about the ramifications of committing a crime if the police action is against them in the first place.


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## granfire (Mar 13, 2015)

well, considering the love affair Texas has with concealed carry...or maybe it's just people who look like Davey Crocket? There should not be any backlash on that account. 

But all the fun laws Texas has been passing....this one fits right into place!


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## Dirty Dog (Mar 13, 2015)

granfire said:


> well, considering the love affair Texas has with concealed carry...or maybe it's just people who look like Davey Crocket? There should not be any backlash on that account.
> 
> But all the fun laws Texas has been passing....this one fits right into place!



I think the "love affair [...] with concealed carry" is less than people think. My daughter and her husband are in TX, stationed at Ft Bliss, and it's no easier to get a CCW permit there than it is in most states. And the CCW rules are more stringent than they are here in CO. TX does not allow open carry, and it is a crime for a CCW holder to intentionally expose their weapon. If the weapon is in the car, say, in a holster mounted to the center console, it must be covered.


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## granfire (Mar 14, 2015)

glad to hear that!


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## moonhill99 (Mar 14, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> I think the "love affair [...] with concealed carry" is less than people think. My daughter and her husband are in TX, stationed at Ft Bliss, and it's no easier to get a CCW permit there than it is in most states. And the CCW rules are more stringent than they are here in CO. TX does not allow open carry, and it is a crime for a CCW holder to intentionally expose their weapon. If the weapon is in the car, say, in a holster mounted to the center console, it must be covered.



One of these days some one is going to get shot with these open carrying activists.

Look at off duty cop that was open carrying and ended on a  street fight!!! The police show up and shot him.

Getting into street fight with gun is bad idea.Not only they could take the gun from you and shoot you!!! The cops could shoot you. Yes thinking you are the aggressive person.

And gun will do nothing for you in area where gangs operate. Being tough guy walking into gang area wearing a cut of shirt,tattoos ,do-rag and muscles or carrying a gun is just asking for trouble. The street gangs will take this as a insult that you tough. There numbers would out number you.To prove you wrong.


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## granfire (Mar 14, 2015)

however, the point is not gun carry permits, open or concealed, but filming police in their natural environment....

I think - and maybe Bob would agree to a point - it is taking overhand, or always has, especially now, that nearly everybody has a device capable of mid to high grade video imaging. Why does one have to have an FCC license to film cops? Because reporters can't be everywhere? 100 feet? that's a lot of real estate, especially in tight spaces or indoors.....what is so scary about being filmed?


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 14, 2015)

Legal carry has anything to do with the legality of a citizen peacefully recording. Something the US Dept. of Justice has repeatedly reaffirmed.   Bluntly put if cops are afraid of cameras, those cops are looking at not being caught doing something.  

Department of Justice Warns Police Against Violating Photographers Rights
US Department of Justice Defends Photographers Right to Record Police
U.S. Justice Department Issues Letters Supporting Citizens Recording Police Officers CNS Maryland
Justice Dept. Defends Public s Constitutional Right to Record Cops WIRED

Unfortunately, many PD's in places like Miami FL, Austin TX, and Baltimore MD continue to threaten, intimidate, lie, fabricate non-existent laws, violate the law and in some cases outright assault citizens who were doing nothing more than exercising a Constitutionally protected right. 
Florida Deputies Enter Man s Home Without Permission Ordering Him to Delete Drone Footage of Crime Scene - PINAC
Forced Entry.  Destruction of Evidence. Trespassing.
Texas Cops Arrest Man for Video Recording Claiming They Needed Phone as Evidence - PINAC
Theft
Hawaii Cop Beats Man Then Tries to Confiscate Camera From Witness - PINAC
Assault. Attempted Robbery.

PINAC - Be the Media - Little Brother Watching Big Brother (which unfortunately has become much like any other anti-cop rant site these days) has -thousands- of articles detailing police abuse against photographers.  Other cop-watch sites have significantly more. 

Right now, I'm seeing a growing lack of concern in Texas, and Austin specifically towards the US Constitution, from both their law makers and law enforcers. Austin Police Revealing Pattern of Abuse Against Citizens who Record - PINAC

When you have politicians passing bad laws, allowing the appointed enforcers of the law free reign on how they interpret those laws, and the idea of accountability is just a joke...you have a recipe for a totalitarian regime with an enslaved citizenship.

Cops have -every- right to be as safe as they can while doing a thankless dangerous job.  But they also must respect the rights of citizens. 

While I don't agree with every comment made, Cop Block has some good recommendations for apps to use to safely and securely save your video. You may lose your phone, but your video up until the time they smash it will be out of their unlawful reach.
Apps Cop Block

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to looking at a wiring diagram for connecting the backup camera in my Prius to a live stream archival system that stores encrypted video in the cloud. Hey, he's got a dash cam...why can't you have an *** cam?


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 14, 2015)

granfire said:


> however, the point is not gun carry permits, open or concealed, but filming police in their natural environment....
> 
> I think - and maybe Bob would agree to a point - it is taking overhand, or always has, especially now, that nearly everybody has a device capable of mid to high grade video imaging. Why does one have to have an FCC license to film cops? Because reporters can't be everywhere? 100 feet? that's a lot of real estate, especially in tight spaces or indoors.....what is so scary about being filmed?


The -ONLY- reason to try and limit the right to record to a select few, is to try and control what is released.  It's Censorship.


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 14, 2015)

Though I suspect we're heading across the political divide here.  

US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum
^------That's where Politics goes.


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## granfire (Mar 14, 2015)

ah, shucks. Have not ventured into serious waters in so long, I forgot!


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## Rich Parsons (Mar 14, 2015)

1) Feds say it is ok to film.
2) States pass laws saying it is not. 
3) Sue the state for violation of your federal rights. 
4) Precedence shows this should not stand. It would have to be challenged of course.


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## granfire (Mar 14, 2015)

$$$ that challenges will be few and far between....


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## Buka (Mar 15, 2015)

As retired Law Enforcement, I had no problem or qualms with anyone filming me when I was working. I don't care what the circumstances were.

Just get my good side.


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## Tez3 (Mar 16, 2015)

A lot of our police carry body cams and it's going to be rolled out so all are soon.


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## Steve (Mar 16, 2015)

My impression, based on the cops I know and their opinions on the matter, they all endorse the idea of recording all of their interactions with some kind of shoulder cam/body cam or something.  The issue they have with people recording them is that it often gets edited and taken out of context.  if there is video, the consensus is that they would like to ensure that the entire interaction is recorded, and not just the one part that, out of context, looks bad.

My impression is it's less about a desire to censor and more about a desire for self-preservation.  The answer, though, isn't to keep people from recording interactions.  Rather, it's to ensure that the entire interaction is recorded to provide sufficient context.


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