Eric Adams, New York City’s Mayor, stated Wednesday that any bystanders who are too close to the police will not be tolerated.
Adams was considered a moderate candidate for the Democratic nomination when he was elected last summer. Adams, a former captain of the New York Police Department (NYPD), was elected a state senator. He rejected calls for defunding the police in a period when it gained popularity on the left side. Adams’ tenure in office was not one of civil libertarians’ dreams. Adams, for example, has plans to put his own spin on the controversial “stop-and-frisk” policy implemented by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Adams announced his decision to reintroduce the NYPD’s anti-gun division at the New York City Police Academy. Adams responded to an reporter’s questionAdams strongly responded to citizens who wanted “to document what’s happening,”
“That is one thing that we are going to do: We are going to teach the public how to properly document…If an officer is trying to prevent a dispute from taking place and deescalate that dispute, they should [not]You have someone looking at you with a camera pointed in your face. There’s a proper way to police, and there’s a proper way to document…Stop being on top of my police officers while they’re carrying out their jobs. This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Adams addedYou should upgrade your iPhone if your iPhone is unable to capture that image with you at safe distance.
Adams was most likely joking with that last line, though it fits well with Adams’s patronizing tone. Adams implied there were two options for holding police responsible. Adams confirmed the assertion. Allgemein right to film—allowing that “You can safely document an incident, and we can use that footage to analyze what happened”—his overall answer on the subject leaves much to be desired.
It is not unusual for bystanders to record police interaction with the public. However, it became mainstream with the death of George Floyd, a former Minneapolis police officer. The Minneapolis Police Department has a initial reportThe author merely stated that a man died “after.” [a] medical incident during police interaction,” bystander footage made clear what actually happened.
However, it has been confirmed by numerous circuit courts across the country. The right for citizens to record police officers remains controversial. Citizens are still being harassed by officers for recording them. This is often done violently and even when they haven’t been hindered in any way. Numerous states tried to make the practice more restricted by passing legislation. These bills generally establish minimum distances to record at, between 5 and 30 feet. They also state that filming cannot be done closer than an officer. These laws are likely to be unconstitutional, particularly if they have high minimum distances. The difference between recording and interfering with the officer’s duty is clear and dangerously confusing the two.
Although citizens are not allowed to obstruct police officers in their duties (which in New York is already a crime), bystanders should be allowed film the officer. Adams stated that citizens have the First Amendment right of filming police interactions. Adams’s record regarding police reform after only a few months is disappointing.