recording cops with their permission question

i was watching a court show and these kids won the case even thought they recorded the park ranger, is that okay to do i think the kids should be punished as the judge. i am not a cop, but i think it is wronge to do that.

It is not illegal to record police in my state. Why shouldn't we be allowed to? Cops should behave and act professional and we should show respect. If either one is not living up to their role, they should be called out.

Each state has different laws on what, who, and where you can record. My state's laws allow recording of anything in 'public'. No restrictions except that you cannot use sound when recording (not admissible in court). You can't record people by looking in their windows, or by using ladders to look over fences, or in any place where 'privacy' is assumed, (like a public restroom).

Our local police force just spent mega bucks to give every patrolman a body camera. I'm sure I'm a star in at least one of those recordings when I called the police about the looters/squatters across the street. Hope I looked good.

I have security cameras around my house which monitor my yard, the street out front, the driveway, etc. I can see anything that happens in public. It's great to keep track of 'suspicious' people and the police have requested some of my tapes for their files.

With the popularity of the new Drones, it's getting even more complicated to follow the law. An apartment manager in my city was using a drone to keep track of the renters, by flying the drone with a go-pro camera up over their second floor balconies and filming in their windows. A big no-no on his part. That one is still in the DA's hands as to whether or not to charge him with invasion of privacy.

Camera's all over now, on houses, in the stores, on drones, in everyone's hands who owns a cell phone. I think George Orwell was right, Big Brother is really watching!

Why would they NOT be able to record a cop or park ranger? There are no laws against this. In fact, it is protected as First Amendment speech whether it is the press or the public recording.

This is from the NYPD Police Department, but applies nationwide.

thank you guys very much for clearing this up.

It's important to keep in mind that laws can vary from state to state. Check with your state's attorney general or ask someone on your local police force. The police in my community are always glad to answer such questions.

There is a patchwork of laws governing recording conversations from state to state. Recording officers carrying out their duties in a public place falls under a completely different category.

Another quote from the Digital Media Law website:

...First Amendment considerations arise when you are openly recording the activities of police officers (or other public officials) carrying out their duties in public places. A number of U.S. Courts of Appeals have held that, in such circumstances, the First Amendment protects the right to record audio and video regardless of whether the police/officials consent. This constitutional right would override any state or federal laws that would otherwise prohibit such recording.

Thats correct Drac! Illinois has been in trouble a few times for police telling people it's against the law.

As has Missouri...