Do you have the right to record police?

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  • Denny347

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    In Indiana...YES. I cannot speak for anywhere else. As long as one party (you) know you are being recorded, any conversation/interaction you have can be recorded.
     

    NYFelon

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    In general, I say yes. The police are public employees, and for the most part perform their duties in the public purview. This being the case, they have no reasonable expectation of privacy in the course of performing these duties. NY, too, is a one party notification state. I can't speak for any others.
     

    jgreiner

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    In Indiana...YES. I cannot speak for anywhere else. As long as one party (you) know you are being recorded, any conversation/interaction you have can be recorded.

    Only if YOU are part of the conversation. I don't believe it is legal to videotape an ARREST or an incident that you are not part of.
     

    jeremy

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    In Indiana...YES. I cannot speak for anywhere else. As long as one party (you) know you are being recorded, any conversation/interaction you have can be recorded.

    I think the Caveat to this is that Business meetings under certain Conditions are not allowed to be taped.
     

    KLB

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    Nice find on the article. I've heard of cases where the police have harassed people for filming them. You can turn the whole "if you have nothing to hide, you should not mind being filmed" thing around on them. The government is putting cameras everywhere they can to keep an eye on us, but God forbid we try to keep an eye on them.
     

    the1kidd03

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    I don't see on what grounds ANYONE (state,county,etc) can say that it is illegal to record the actions of public service representatives while on the job.........I understand making a law which prohibits voyeurism for self "gratification" or profit...however if you write a law which is SO "general" as to NOT exclude occasions where you are ensuring someone isn't braking the law or infringing on someone's rights...then you shouldn't be in the business of making laws and/or have a hidden agenda behind creating such a general non-specific law
     

    Kirk Freeman

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    the1, well, it depends.

    If you are interfering with the police in an arrest or ticket by sticking a camera in an ear or nose, it'll likely be deemed illegal.

    If you take your camera into a courthouse, you're going to get a scolding by the judge and have your camera taken (if not more).
     

    rambone

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    There is a difference between a "right" and what the government "allows" you to do.

    I would say that anywhere on the planet, in public, you have the right to record your surroundings. Its an act of free speech & free press. These are rights that do not originate from government.

    Whether or not the local government oppresses your rights or not, is another story.
     

    the1kidd03

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    well, not interferring is a given.....but I'm talking about how can they say you recording an officer doing his job is illegal....as long as you're not interferring, I don't see any grounds where it can rightfully be outlawed given the nature of their duties......such a law simply gives said government authority to do to its people what it wishes without fear of retalliation
     

    Denny347

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    well, not interferring is a given.....but I'm talking about how can they say you recording an officer doing his job is illegal....as long as you're not interferring, I don't see any grounds where it can rightfully be outlawed given the nature of their duties......such a law simply gives said government authority to do to its people what it wishes without fear of retalliation
    I am only referring to Indiana. I am not well versed in law of other states. But in Indiana it should never be considered illegal. I've been recorded many times without any problems. I handle business just the same as when I am not being recorded and have yet to have a problem. In this day and age a police officer is naive to believe they are NOT being recorded. It is just too darned easy to record these days.
     
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