Saturday, August 01, 2009
Police and their powers to stop you taking photographs
This is a post by Mark Pack on Liberal Democrat Voice. It needs wider circulation and thus I believe it is worthy of re-posting in its entirety:
The Voice has covered various stories about people being questioned by the police for taking photos. So here’s the guidance from the National Policing Improvement Agency* from their 2008 guide, Stop and Search in Relation to Terrorism:
The Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place. Officers should not prevent people taking photographs unless they are in an area where photography is prevented by other legislation.
If officers reasonably suspect that photographs are being taken as part of hostile terrorist reconnaissance, a search under Section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 or an arrest should be considered. Film and memory cards may be seized as part of the search, but officers do not have a legal power to delete images or destroy film. Although images may be viewed as part of a search, to preserve evidence when cameras or other devices are seized, officers should not normally attempt to examine them. Cameras and other devices should be left in the state they were found in and forwarded to appropriately trained staff for forensic examination. The person being searched should never be asked or allowed to turn the device on or off because of the danger of evidence being lost or damaged.
Quoting the last sentence might be fun if you are filming, asked by the police to stop and say that you’d like to film them questioning you…
* If you’ve not heard of them before, their guidance, “Is commissioned by ACPO or the Home Office and is produced primarily to assist practitioners by promoting good practice … Practice Advice is a discretionary tool for chief officers as it identifies good practice. It may, however, underpin HMIC inspection frameworks and, therefore, chief officers may be accountable to HMIC if they do not follow it.”
The Voice has covered various stories about people being questioned by the police for taking photos. So here’s the guidance from the National Policing Improvement Agency* from their 2008 guide, Stop and Search in Relation to Terrorism:
The Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place. Officers should not prevent people taking photographs unless they are in an area where photography is prevented by other legislation.
If officers reasonably suspect that photographs are being taken as part of hostile terrorist reconnaissance, a search under Section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 or an arrest should be considered. Film and memory cards may be seized as part of the search, but officers do not have a legal power to delete images or destroy film. Although images may be viewed as part of a search, to preserve evidence when cameras or other devices are seized, officers should not normally attempt to examine them. Cameras and other devices should be left in the state they were found in and forwarded to appropriately trained staff for forensic examination. The person being searched should never be asked or allowed to turn the device on or off because of the danger of evidence being lost or damaged.
Quoting the last sentence might be fun if you are filming, asked by the police to stop and say that you’d like to film them questioning you…
* If you’ve not heard of them before, their guidance, “Is commissioned by ACPO or the Home Office and is produced primarily to assist practitioners by promoting good practice … Practice Advice is a discretionary tool for chief officers as it identifies good practice. It may, however, underpin HMIC inspection frameworks and, therefore, chief officers may be accountable to HMIC if they do not follow it.”
Labels: police
Comments:
<< Home
everyone tap in youtube 'Iamcrazydave' and you will see this old maestro videoing police under there nose outside the assembly. Best and funniest welsh political videos from an acclomplished adjutator.
learn about cardiff council rent revenue account and there cover up. also bbc wales and all its shenanigans.
crazy dave used to have a semi-detached council house in cardiff. for all of his misdemeanours card council chopped his house in arf and hes ended up with just a flat now for all his great little vid's!!!!
learn about cardiff council rent revenue account and there cover up. also bbc wales and all its shenanigans.
crazy dave used to have a semi-detached council house in cardiff. for all of his misdemeanours card council chopped his house in arf and hes ended up with just a flat now for all his great little vid's!!!!
# posted by 
: 8:53 PM
: 8:53 PM
I always find it ironic that photos that appear in our local newspapers are often provided by the police, as a means of self promotion and good PR (some may argue Propaganda).
Surely, supplying such photos, would amount to "incitement", these photos can easily be used by Terrorists to identify high ranking police officers like Supt. Tim Jones in Bridgend?
Post a Comment
Surely, supplying such photos, would amount to "incitement", these photos can easily be used by Terrorists to identify high ranking police officers like Supt. Tim Jones in Bridgend?
# posted by : 8:02 PM
: 8:02 PM<< Home
