A Cop Filming Lesson

The recent onslaught of news reports involving police/citizen confrontations, has highlighted the question whether citizens have the right to film police activity.  The short answer is we do.  Here’s a piece on the subject.   Spoiler alert.  Several federal appellate courts have ruled that the First Amendment protects the public’s right to video police activity.  And the obvious reason is that the public has the right to observe and record the state when it is performing arguably its most coercive power.  Seems like a no brainer to me.  And many people will tell you, when it comes to no brains, I know what I’m talking about.  

So, having established the right, Richard Labunski, a former television reporter turned media law professor, offers some tips on how to best record the action and how to protect your footage.  Good stuff!