Are the police above the law???

**Droopy** · 18-Feb-11, 15:01

This thread is shocking! Why has no-one from Canada been in contact with the Northern Constaulary Headquaters in Inverness and demanded to know why there was (possibly) an unmarked police car on the Wick -Thurso road doing speeds of up to (possibly) 79- 84 MPH.....

Theres only one excuse for this sort of (alleged) behaviour, and that is if they were responding to the discovery of a lost cat after being reported on Caithness. Org. Who knows what might happen to Tiddles had they not raced to the scene at speeds reaching (possibly) 79-84 MPH?

Or maybe there was a stampede at Tesco after a rumour started that it was shutting 30 min early that night? (23.30 instead of 00.00), or maybe.....there was a mass brawl in the Dammies in Thurso when rival gang members belonging to different car polishing faternities met up????........ Who'd be a Policeman aeh?

Anyway thats enough of my ramblings, I dont like to berate the Police as you never know when you'll need them.....Funny how the people that talk down of the Police are normally the type that call them quickest and waste thier time and our taxes sorting out thier messes.

**northener** · 18-Feb-11, 15:04

Originally Posted by lasher

Thats crap, the police are not going to have a crappy little fiesta!

I bow to your obviously superior knowledge.......

http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1455180

Post 1 and 12 may be of particular interest to you.

And guess what? They don't all roll over the bonnet when making arrests or drive through piles of cardboard boxes either......

**Walter Ego** · 18-Feb-11, 17:11

Originally Posted by lasher

Come back when you have something sensible to say.

Aw bless, can dish it out but can't take it. Poor lamb.

**Vistravi** · 18-Feb-11, 18:27

Originally Posted by northener

It can be quite amusing when I take the 'L' plates off the car. (Black 10 plate 5 door Fiesta)

You'll get a car come tanking up behind you, start to tailgate you and then you can almost feel the uncertainty setting in as they slowly drop back to a reasonable distance......

Bet you enjoy doing this! lol

**upolian** · 18-Feb-11, 18:41

Thread has run it's course a bit fast(speeding?) awaits the undercover org police to close the thread......don't forget your blue flashing lights now...

**orkneycadian** · 19-Feb-11, 10:29

Re: the original title of the thread....

How come the TV can be full of programmes nowadays of coppers going about their "business" with the members of the public getting their faces / crimes / predicaments broadcast on national TV (and presumably international TV given that these programmes in the UK have incidents from other countries as well) and when the "perpetrators" object to the presence of the TV camera, the police reply with "its a public place, he can film what he likes...."

Yet....

Take a camera out in a public place anywhere these days, and expect to be pounced on by "anti-terrorism" police wielding "anti-terrorism" powers, the camera confiscated and destroyed and 12 hours in the nick for intense questioning. And thats probably just for photographing a lamp post. What would the response be if you went to film the police "at work" from a member of the publics perspective? Would the same "its a public place officer, I can film whatever I like" justification still stand?

p.s. I never quite worked out how the police / public place excuse stands up when they have just burst into someones house on a raid and the "perp" is being filmed in his drawers and now being broadcast on TV!

p.p.s. I wonder how much the police get paid for the footage? Must be a lot considering that these programmes are just about wall to wall on some freeview channels.

**Corrie 3** · 19-Feb-11, 11:13

The police are always getting filmed "at work"......look at all the students with their mobile phones filming the police during the demo's (sorry, riots).....and if a copper hits a scruffy student with his baton you can be sure someone has filmed it and it will be news for the next 3/4 days.

C3...

**theone** · 19-Feb-11, 11:22

Originally Posted by orkneycadian

Re: the original title of the thread....

How come the TV can be full of programmes nowadays of coppers going about their "business" with the members of the public getting their faces / crimes / predicaments broadcast on national TV (and presumably international TV given that these programmes in the UK have incidents from other countries as well) and when the "perpetrators" object to the presence of the TV camera, the police reply with "its a public place, he can film what he likes...."

I'm not sure of the legalities of it all, but having seen "Road Wars" I've noticed that you are only shown the faces of those who were later convicted of the crime. Anyone who gets away with it has their face blurred out.

As for filming in a public place, I'm not sure of the law either, but I think it's a mixture of the intended use of the video and making people aware they are being filmed.

Fit a hidden camera to your house to watch school girls walking home would probably be illegal, while fitting one in clear view, and fitting signs telling people they are being filmed for security probably would not.

**david** · 19-Feb-11, 11:37

Originally Posted by theone

I'm not sure of the legalities of it all, but having seen "Road Wars" I've noticed that you are only shown the faces of those who were later convicted of the crime. Anyone who gets away with it has their face blurred out.

As for filming in a public place, I'm not sure of the law either, but I think it's a mixture of the intended use of the video and making people aware they are being filmed.

Fit a hidden camera to your house to watch school girls walking home would probably be illegal, while fitting one in clear view, and fitting signs telling people they are being filmed for security probably would not.

As far as I know it is illegal to film/take pictures of the Police. They on the otherhand are allowed to film/take pics of the public as long as its in a public place

**orkneycadian** · 19-Feb-11, 11:49

Originally Posted by Corrie 3

The police are always getting filmed "at work"......look at all the students with their mobile phones filming the police during the demo's (sorry, riots).....and if a copper hits a scruffy student with his baton you can be sure someone has filmed it and it will be news for the next 3/4 days.

Presumably the police in this scenario are too pre-occupied with not getting kicked in the nuts to be confiscating cameras. I imagine it would be a rather different scenario if the "crime scene" were altogether less riotous.....

Originally Posted by theone

I'm not sure of the legalities of it all, but having seen "Road Wars" I've noticed that you are only shown the faces of those who were later convicted of the crime. Anyone who gets away with it has their face blurred out.

Until folk go - "Hang on, that looks like so and so's car. And that sounds like her too. Yep it is, thats the same nodding dog she has on the parcel shelf! Ha ha ha ha ha! Wait till I tell everybody at work / on Facebook about this!"

Originally Posted by david

As far as I know it is illegal to film/take pictures of the Police. They on the otherhand are allowed to film/take pics of the public as long as its in a public place

Aha, so in the spirit of the thread title, they are above the law then? Wonder why they don't say that on the TV instead of "its a public place, he can film what he likes" - "Tough sonny, we're the police and we can film you and sell the footage to the TV companies to fund our Christmas night out, but you can't cos we're above you and the law...."

Alternatively, if its not the police behind the camera but say a TV production company, does that change things, because the filming is not actually being done for Law Enforcement but for Entertainment?

**theone** · 19-Feb-11, 11:50

Originally Posted by david

As far as I know it is illegal to film/take pictures of the Police. They on the otherhand are allowed to film/take pics of the public as long as its in a public place

Again, I don't know the legalities of it all but I've got plenty of pictures from drunking nights out around the country of my friends posing with the local police.

Any legal experts on here that can help?

**Metalattakk** · 19-Feb-11, 12:25

Originally Posted by david

As far as I know it is illegal to film/take pictures of the Police. They on the otherhand are allowed to film/take pics of the public as long as its in a public place

Originally Posted by orkneycadian

Aha, so in the spirit of the thread title, they are above the law then? Wonder why they don't say that on the TV instead of "its a public place, he can film what he likes" - "Tough sonny, we're the police and we can film you and sell the footage to the TV companies to fund our Christmas night out, but you can't cos we're above you and the law...."

Here's a shocker for both of you:

It's not illegal to film the Police in a public area. Unless, of course, you're being an arse about it while doing so.

**orkneycadian** · 19-Feb-11, 12:30

Aha, does someone need to tell the police this then?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-1228149.html

http://photographernotaterrorist.org/

**Metalattakk** · 19-Feb-11, 12:34

Nope, the Police are well aware of it. Those incidents happened ages ago. Lessons have been learned since then.

**bekisman** · 20-Feb-11, 00:28

One of our previous Volvo V70's was a white turbo. We'd been doing a bit of support for one of our lads cycling across UK; Carlisle to Newcastle, and we had our fluorescent tabards on, as we'd be stopping quite regularly.. It was quite funny to see a line of vehicles trailing behind us, not quite sure if...

**sandyr1** · 20-Feb-11, 02:40

[QUOTE=Droopy;820957]This thread is shocking! Why has no-one from Canada been in contact with the Northern Constaulary Headquaters in Inverness and demanded to know why there was (possibly) an unmarked police car on the Wick -Thurso road doing speeds of up to (possibly) 79- 84 MPH.....

Who'd be a Policeman aeh?

Huh???? As a pround Canadian it is EH!

**Amy-Winehouse** · 21-Feb-11, 10:47

You should watch the wick police conducting the crowd as they exit silver darlings on a sat/sun morning- pathetic , about 4 cars & a van there most weekends & the coppers getting themselves all wound up saying "there's gona be trouble" . Saturday night just passed & there was a wee scuffle which was quickly sorted out by civvis - in go the boys in blue & it all kicks off !!!
Why not use a bit o common sense ?????

**Blazing Sporrans** · 21-Feb-11, 17:53

Amy - so a fight occurs in a public place and the boys in blue are meant to stand back and just let it happen? You have an interesting perspective upon keeping the peace. At what stage would you prefer they do actually intervene? If the Police do become involved, I assume they still have the power of discretion to deal with a situation that might best be described as 'handbags' rather than having to cart off a couple of silly young laddies to the local nick? If they are so pathetic as you suggest, how would you police the situation differently? Instead they are out there actually dealing with any conflict and unrest that comes their way and do not have the luxury that you do of turning your back and walking away. I have my own ideas on who's pathetic and they tend to err against the armchair critic....

My father was a Police officer and I'd back people like him to the hilt any day against people like you.

**david** · 21-Feb-11, 20:32

Okay so you have a point, however if the local bobbys were to spend a few weekends in the centre of say Manchester, Birmingham etc, I'd bet they wouldn't be so keen to get involved.

**david** · 21-Feb-11, 20:38

Originally Posted by Blazing Sporrans

Amy - so a fight occurs in a public place and the boys in blue are meant to stand back and just let it happen? You have an interesting perspective upon keeping the peace. At what stage would you prefer they do actually intervene? If the Police do become involved, I assume they still have the power of discretion to deal with a situation that might best be described as 'handbags' rather than having to cart off a couple of silly young laddies to the local nick? If they are so pathetic as you suggest, how would you police the situation differently? Instead they are out there actually dealing with any conflict and unrest that comes their way and do not have the luxury that you do of turning your back and walking away. I have my own ideas on who's pathetic and they tend to err against the armchair critic....

My father was a Police officer and I'd back people like him to the hilt any day against people like you.

Policemen in Caithness must have one of the easiest tasks in the uk. No wonder that they feel obliged to do something for their keep.