In a roundabout way (from OpenCarry.org and the story of Zach Doty) I became aware of your website.
I have had my own open carry experiences, though not as extensive as his, and during them I always wondered "What if a citizen or LEO chose tell a tale about the manner in which I was conducting myself?"
Off and on I have looked for a portable video recording device, but have never found anything satisfactory.
I wonder if you would put out a request to your readership for their input?
My reply:
Need to know:
1. Is it legal to tape officer encounters where you live?
2. Are you talking open or covert CAMERA carry?
3. How much are you willing to spend?
His response:
1) I live in Ohio. If it is legal for them to tape me during an encounter, I don't see why not. I'm not worried about it at the moment.
2) Either one, but it must be video. I had hoped to find a tapeless (record to memory chips) model, but nothing I have found would quite work.
3) $200-300, maybe a little more.
I found some stuff that ought to do the trick, but it more than doubles his price range because the camera and recorder are separate components--also note I have no experience with these devices or the people offering them--this is just the most relevant hit from a brief keyword search.
Mini-recorder
Button camera
Hat camera
While I consider all public police interactions with citizens to be...uh...public, with no expectation of privacy on the part of the interrogator, I have found those with badges and guns who were not impressed with my belief system. Know your state laws--it may be illegal even if done openly--even thought they can record us--even covertly--with impunity. "The Only Ones" and all that, y'know. I once had a police sergeant threaten to arrest me for recording our encounter using an out-in-the-open micro cassette recorder. If they end up searching you and find a hidden recorder, it's possible charges could be filed.
So that's the set-up. If anyone has anything to contribute, either about hardware and prices my correspondent might want to look at, or about the general subject of recording law enforcement encounters, please add your comments to this post.
8 comments:
I read just the other day about a traffic stop where the officer discovered a tape recorder on the seat recording the encounter. Among other charges filed against the driver was felony wiretapping. No kidding. I don't remember off the top of my head where I read it or where it happened, but if I can find it I will post more particulars.
Seems just a little "Secret Police" for a police state, doesn't it?
this might be the story straghtarrow was mentioning:
Dover man arrested for taping his DWI investigation in Rochester
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/FOSTERS01/105070187&SearchID=73280440247937
It seems the cops are getting to be as dangerous as the criminals
That's the one. Here is a test to see if I have figured out how to shorten a url.
http://egzy.com/?r=5m
It works and takes you to the channel 3 news report.
Makes you wonder what they have to hide, doesn't it? Why are they ashamed?
Sounds to me like the ACLU needs to get in on this one.
Wiretapping without a phone line. That's a neat trick there.
I am not a lawyer or an "only one" and this individual should seek the counsel of an attorney but my understanding of the Ohio revised code is that you can tape any conversation that you are a part of for your own records. You cannot tape a conversation between other parties without their knowledge.
I have long stressed the vitality of A/V media when combating the Police-State.
I still ponder how different Waco may have turned out had the "Davidians" had cameras of their own running on Feb28, with a dispersal system of some sort.
C.H.
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