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Man Claims Cell Phone Taken By DC Police For Taking Photos

Posted by timothy on from the safest-city-in-the-world dept.

First time accepted submitter hawkinspeter writes "Just one day after Chief Cathy Lanier made it illegal for MPD cops to take recording equipment, a 26-year-old local man had his phone taken as he was trying to record a violent arrest. They eventually gave back his phone, but without the memory card which also contained photos of his daughter along with the record of the alleged police brutality."

13 of 318 comments (clear)

  1. Dropbox by ilsaloving · · Score: 5, Informative

    I installed dropbox onto my cell phone, and now every time I take a photo with my cell, it gets automatically uploaded.

    I can't think of a better way to handle such abuses.

    1. Re:Dropbox by schlachter · · Score: 2, Informative

      iCloud does the same.

      --
      My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
    2. Re:Dropbox by Kenja · · Score: 4, Informative

      That was my first thought, however iCloud waits for a wifi connection before uploading.

      --

      "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    3. Re:Dropbox by unk98 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Dropbox does allow you to set a separate password to open the app on the phone. Might help a bit.

    4. Re:Dropbox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      On most modern Android devices, its supported out of the box. You need only turn the feature on. Dropbox not required.

    5. Re:Dropbox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      I installed dropbox onto my cell phone, and now every time I take a photo with my cell, it gets automatically uploaded.

      I can't think of a better way to handle such abuses.

      I can. It is really simple. Install Google+ and turn on Google Instant. The same thing you get with Dropbox, but it uploads to a private area on Google+. There are integrated editing tools crop, exposure, etc. right there on the G+ site too. The only thing Dropbox would do that might be more useful would be automatically syncing it back to your computer too. But all of the other features of Google Instant are better. I even use it for getting screenshots of messages from lab machines, etc. When I get back to my desk to document stuff the picture is already there on G+ and I can edit it, etc. and then directly use it.

    6. Re:Dropbox by gnasher719 · · Score: 4, Informative

      That could make for a very interesting legal case... Grabbing a phone and destroying the memory card is one thing, but what are the legal ramifications of an officer illegally searching a storage technology on a server almost assuredly in another state over wired technology, and then destroying evidence there?

      Hacking laws: Accessing another's computer or server without or exceeding authorisation.

    7. Re:Dropbox by grub · · Score: 4, Informative

      There is an iOS app called CopRecorder which sends the recordings away.

      --
      Trolling is a art,
  2. Re:Chief? by Spritzer · · Score: 5, Informative

    True. The article is poorly worded. However, Chiefs do set policy within their department.

  3. Qik by eyeota · · Score: 3, Informative

    qik.com has an app for iPhone/Android, etc allows you to stream video you're recording directly to your account over 3G/4G, etc. People dealing with TSA Abuse have been documenting and recording them using this app and similar. Even if your phone is confiscated, the video is already on the server.

  4. Re:Chief? by Jahf · · Score: 5, Informative

    And in this case the chief didn't make law.

    The chief clarified to her officers what the law already is. Seizure of recording equipment without the recorder actually causing some form of disturbance (the officer being disturbed) does not stand up in court. Officers tend to know this, too, but are used to being able to bully their way through the issue.

    The policy from the chief was not a new thing in the sense of the law. It was a new thing in the sense of the policy acknowledging it.

    --
    It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
  5. ACLU Police App Lets People Police The Police by colordev · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Android “Police Tape” app records video and audio discreetly, disappearing from the screen once the recording begins to prevent any attempt by police to squelch the recording. In addition to keeping a copy on the phone itself, the user can choose to send it to the ACLU-NJ for backup storage and analysis of possible civil liberties violations

    more information here

    an iPhone version is probably still awaiting approval from Apple

  6. Re:Chief? by scubamage · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, by illegal they mean illegal. It was already against the law for the officers to do this. The official policy just solidified that it was unacceptable for officers to behave in this way in that department.