New definition of sheriffnado!!!

[Dave Lewison]

This brings up a question in my mind....are you allowed to videotape a cop who is giving you a hard time? We're chasers, and have no shortage of camera gear ready to go at a moment's notice. Am I allowed to simply take the camera and point it at him with the red LED record indicator in full view? I'm not sure if this would make him behave more civil knowing that he's on camera, or would make him even madder... But in any case, you'd have the incident on tape.

But again, not sure if recording someone without their permission is grounds for some other kind of legal action.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

This brings up a question in my mind....are you allowed to videotape a cop who is giving you a hard time? We're chasers, and have no shortage of camera gear ready to go at a moment's notice. Am I allowed to simply take the camera and point it at him with the red LED record indicator in full view? I'm not sure if this would make him behave more civil knowing that he's on camera, or would make him even madder... But in any case, you'd have the incident on tape.

But again, not sure if recording someone without their permission is grounds for some other kind of legal action.

Well, I wouldn't just take my camera out and point it at him - he wouldn't like that. If you had a camera in your front seat or could access it, just record it - if you don't get video, you at least have the audio.

It's not uncommon for News Photographer for TV stations to do this whenever they have any altercations with police. They'll hit record so that they can get it - at least - on audio.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Another thing I'm wondering is if maybe these law enforcement officers are confusing the Skywarn classes as being some sort of system that you go through to obtain a licenses. Misinformed perhaps?

Whenever SGF does their skywarn class, the spotters attending recieves a Certificate of Completion. Granted, it's not a license but maybe these deputies and other officers are getting the impression that you have to go through these skywarn classes to be a chaser?

I don't know. As I said just a few minutes ago in another post, I would be interested in knowing that place the officer wrote down and gave to Tony that supposedly issues these license.

I hope that if Tony has it, he will post it.

 

[MatthewCarman]

Welcome to Texas! Especially in west Texas, nearly every county has some, if not all their vehicles as pickups, many of them brown or gray colors. My county has dark grey pickups exclusively. The pickup that day was WELL marked. In the more rural counties they don't often wear a uniform either. Mostly jeans, shirt and a cowboy hat with a badge on the pocket. Make no mistake though, they are as official as that clean black and white that Texas Trooper with the well pressed uniform is wearing though.

We have in Iowa sometimes police cars that look like normal civilian cars. I even saw a mustang once that ulled a guy over and it was a cop. Cops are trying to be more secretive in thier pressence so people wont know they are they and will more likely try to get away with something they shouldint be doing. A reminder that everyone needs to drive the speed limit and drive safely.

Jason what he did was wrong calling up your work place and telling your boss you drove him into a ditch.

 

[Glenn Dixon]

A reminder that everyone needs to drive the speed limit.....

Dude, you're kidding........right?

 

[Morgan Palmer]

It is completely legal to videotape anyone in any public place, and of course this means the side of the road. Would it infuriate the officer if he knew you were videotaping. Probably.

Could any officer legally seize your videotape? Absolutely not.

Could he seize your videotape and stomp it into tiny bits on the roadway next to your vehicle and laugh at you? Of course he can. Again, legally he cannot do it, but you'd probably just be able to get the replacement cost of the videotape as damages, and you might be able to get the guy in trouble if he's with a respectable department. I am not a lawyer, but know what journalists have to deal with.

Word of advice: if you're going to videotape an officer, you might want to pop in a fresh tape, instead of using the tape that just captured the elephant trunk festival. You never know.

 

[afischer]

A reminder that everyone needs to drive the speed limit and drive safely.

For the somewhat common situation where storms are moving due northeast at 35+ mph through an area with gridded N-S/W-E roads and lots of small towns? If you want to obey the speed limit, you'll have to cut diagonally through farm fields if you want to stick with the storm for more than 20 minutes. Anyone tried this yet? Somone must have, for as many people as have chased these sorts of set-ups.

 

[Earl Faubion]

This brings up a question in my mind....are you allowed to videotape a cop who is giving you a hard time?

As a general rule, yes, but in some states the audo portion may be regulated. Check this link for some general guidelines: http://www.rcfp.org/taping/

 

[Gene Moore]

Originally Posted by MatthewCarman
A reminder that everyone needs to drive the speed limit and drive safely.

Dude, you're kidding........right?

Ummm, don't you think backing off a bit would show some respect when you pass them....and it always helps to get the camera guy that's holding on the anemometer off the roof and back through the window

Jezzzz, we ain't asking you to miss the tube or nothin.

Gene Moore

 

[Jay McCoy]

Like David said this is a very small department and I dont know if the sheriff would want to punish his deputy if Jason did contact him. But with the knowledge that Jason has Video of the incident (or lack of one) and that it may be posted either on Youtube or maybe the station itself might do a report on it he may have to act. Having you department held up to scrutiny of the voters and other surrounding departments isnt something he would want to endure. If Jason had done what this guy had said then Jason would have been in cuffs or at least cited.

The only way we will know is if Jason sends them a nice little email explaing things and asking for an apology from the deputy not only to himself but to his employer. If they dont then at least Jason tried. Then post that sucker on Youtube and let the public know about this jerk.

LIke I said I hope this boy tries this with me.


I also know that convergences have gotten out of hand. I plan on filming some of this stuff next time. I think Tim V. is right. If we dont watch out for ourselves then law enforement will do it for us. It wqas mostly newer chases doing it also. I didnt see any 40 yr old's hanging out a window..lol

 

[Darin Brunin]

For the somewhat common situation where storms are moving due northeast at 35+ mph through an area with gridded N-S/W-E roads and lots of small towns? If you want to obey the speed limit, you'll have to cut diagonally through farm fields if you want to stick with the storm for more than 20 minutes. Anyone tried this yet? Somone must have, for as many people as have chased these sorts of set-ups.

I have many times...I usually try to wait until the corn is atleast chest high though so I can get in front of the tornado and have that whole Twister effect going on when my vehicle is in the suck zone.

God bless you Matthew for warning me about not speeding when chasing. I knew to not to park in the middle of a road, do cartwheels when a wedge is rolling through a trailer park, and piss off cops when chasing but now that I know not to speed when chasing, I feel 100% confident that I am following chaser safety guidelines and will meet your standards of approval when I am out on the road.

 

[Gerard Jebaily]

I have the video captured and uploaded. However a few of you said it would be unwise to post the video here in the forums. IMHO I think it would be a good idea to post the video so we all know exactly what kind of situation was going on out there. Im not trying to get anyone in trouble, upset anyone or single anyone out by posting the video. This video is meant to give everyone the best understanding of what really happened out there and then discuss what the next course of action should be. It seems that the majority of you all agree to posting the video so here it is...

One comment id like to make about the video is that i only caught about the last 20 seconds of a 5 minute yelling. The first couple of minutes were alot louder and more severe. And please excuse the Adobe logo, im using the trial version of premiere right now..

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYY3JNR38_4

 

[Morgan Palmer]

Yup, verbal abuse of that kind with a subject who is seated in a prone position is way out of line. The officer was clearly not in a position where he was threatened, and therefore should not have been screaming like that. Seems to be no doubt about it. Thanks for the post.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Looks like half the problem is when everyone feels the need to park with everyone else in one concentrated location...along a highway instead of off it on something else. I'd venture a guess there was a lot of following going on this day.

 

[sdienst]

I'm glad you finally got that up Gerard. Finally got some video evidence. He pulled me over about 5 minutes before all of that happened and I got a "what the hell are you doing" speech. I finally just pulled off and kept going east as he stared me down.