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I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 40 miles north of the Mexico border. This is a beautiful place to live; it's quiet with relatively low-crime. I'm an avid photographer, so with today being warm and sunny I went on a walking tour around the old industrial area of the city, and my husband and housemate came with me. We walked along railroad tracks, took pictures of junkyards and old cotton gin facilities, and stopped at the old rail depot to look at a big mural on the side of a building. I was taking some photos when I noticed a police car slowly cruise by just a block north of us, and about a minute later he came from around the block and pulled into the rail depot parking lot near where we were standing .
"Here we go", I thought, as he called out to us and motioned for the three of us to walk toward his car. He asked what we were doing and where we had been, so we answered that we had just been walking around the dirt lots and railroad tracks taking pictures. He then said he was following up on a complaint from the neighborhood "over there where all the old houses are" - and he gestured in the opposite direction where we hadn't been - that apparently a female was seen taking pictures of people's houses and they thought it was weird, so the police were called. Whether or not this was true, I have no idea, so I told the police officer it wasn't us. He said there was nothing illegal about taking pictures, then asked the three of us for ID, and that's when everything changed.
My husband and housemate obediently whipped out their ID; however, I am not that easy. "Why do I have to show you my ID for taking a walk and shooting pictures?" I asked. He got all excited and stammered something about having to verify that he spoke to us and he started scratching some notes in a little notepad. It didn't really answer my question, so I asked again "But why do you need to see my ID?" He laughed and said to me "What, do you have warrants out on you or something?" and I replied no. He again asked me for ID, and I wasn't sure what to do at this point and I did not feel good about it, but I gave him my ID. Instead of just writing our names in his little notebook, he immediately hopped into his car and called in our names over the radio - then made a bunch of bull**** small talk with my husband while we were being "checked out". I was fuming inside as I heard our names come over the radio, all fine and clear, of course. He gave us back our IDs and said we were free to go - I just turned and walked away quickly and he sped off in his car.
Obviously I am perturbed about this event and I'm curious if anyone has feedback about how to handle scenes like this. Was there really a "weird female" taking photos of people's houses causing someone to call the police and I was just in the same place at the wrong time? Was the police officer just bored and saw us as an easy target to check out? And why - because we look different than most folks? Because my housemate is Nepalese and is frequently mistaken for Mexican? Do I have the right to refuse to present ID in a situation like this? I just wasn't sure what to do, and I'm pissed.
Sure, it's no big deal, get over it, right. This is becoming a nation of fear and oppression, and now I can't take a Saturday stroll with a camera without being eyeballed and suspected by the local police.
Does anyone have similar stories? I'd like to hear them.
Well, if you're going to hang around with Nepalese terrorists what do you expect ??
Just kidding....
I empathize with you completely...what a stupid thing for a cop to waste time on..it would've been different if someone complained you were trespassing or doing something illegal ...but picture taking?
I think it would be more of a nation of fear and oppression if you went for your Saturday stroll and got beat up by the police.
Sure, he probably didn't need to check all of your ID's but maybe someone in the houses really did call the cops because they thought you were staking the neighborhood out or something. What if you were a burglar and staking some houses out, he called in your ID's and your record showed it, then it would of just been good police work.
I doubt it was because your housemate looks Hispanic, most state police can't also enforce immigration laws.
I hate to say it, but in "this" day and age, along with the fact that you live as close to the border as you do.........YOU are "suspect" just walking "freely" about and minding your own business.
As far as I know, a police officer HAS the right to ask for ID from anyone they want nowadays and I believe, there ARE actually laws (possibly just local laws and along/near international borders) that REQUIRE one to have an ID on them while in public (at all times?).........just NOT in your front yard/or on your OWN property.
Yes, it IS a shame that any LEGAL citizen should feel that they live in a "police state" but, that is the way it is more often than not thesedays.
Now.....whether or not, the officer was being truthful with you about his responding to a "complaint"........likely a 'Suspicious Activity' call.........only he knows.
And......of course, if you give them a hassle about producing the ID he asks for.....WHEN he asks for it.......YOU automatically make him suspicious of WHAT you might be trying to hide or WHO you are......or IF you might have wants or warrants.
Even if they do NOT have ANY real reason to "detain" you.......they ALWAYS will find a reason to do so........IF they WANT to, and more often than not.......their actions will be justified in court.............unless YOU can PROVE otherwise and at your expense with a very good attorney.
Sorry, but this happens EVERYDAY to a LOT of people in America.........and since it does.......police ARE able to apprehend a LOT of people who actually DO have wants/warrants for their arrest.
NOBODY IS as "FREE" in America as they truly THINK they are or wish to believe!
"""I think it would be more of a nation of fear and oppression if you went for your Saturday stroll and got beat up by the police. """"
Everything comes in small barely noticeable little steps....
There was NO reason to stop them.......if you're walking down any street you could be "casing" a house...will they soon stop anyone who's walking down the street?
I guess I am the only one here who will protect the cop. The neighbors don't know who you are, the business owners don't know who you are, and the cop doesn't know who you are. What do they do? They ask and verify that you are who you say you are. It wasn't because you were Hispanic (as some have suggested), otherwise he would be asking more detailed questions as well as papers. If a cop stopped anyone who acted suspiciously as you did (by questioning his need to see your ID while taking pictures of buildings), I would of done the same thing. You didn't do anything wrong, but arrests have been made on murderers and fugitives on such stops. If you were dressed in a business suit and had a briefcase I would of still ask to see your ID. It wasn't who you are... it was what you were doing. And if you were a criminal say a home invasion team, you would lie who you are and what you were doing. I think the law has a right to ask you what you are doing and who you are... and it is within their right to ask for your ID. It is not illegal for you to not show your ID but they are within their right to monitor your activities if you were not going to ID yourself. Would of you preferred that?
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,800,577 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by gnubler
I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 40 miles north of the Mexico border. This is a beautiful place to live; it's quiet with relatively low-crime. I'm an avid photographer, so with today being warm and sunny I went on a walking tour around the old industrial area of the city, and my husband and housemate came with me. We walked along railroad tracks, took pictures of junkyards and old cotton gin facilities, and stopped at the old rail depot to look at a big mural on the side of a building. I was taking some photos when I noticed a police car slowly cruise by just a block north of us, and about a minute later he came from around the block and pulled into the rail depot parking lot near where we were standing .
"Here we go", I thought, as he called out to us and motioned for the three of us to walk toward his car. He asked what we were doing and where we had been, so we answered that we had just been walking around the dirt lots and railroad tracks taking pictures. He then said he was following up on a complaint from the neighborhood "over there where all the old houses are" - and he gestured in the opposite direction where we hadn't been - that apparently a female was seen taking pictures of people's houses and they thought it was weird, so the police were called. Whether or not this was true, I have no idea, so I told the police officer it wasn't us. He said there was nothing illegal about taking pictures, then asked the three of us for ID, and that's when everything changed.
My husband and housemate obediently whipped out their ID; however, I am not that easy. "Why do I have to show you my ID for taking a walk and shooting pictures?" I asked. He got all excited and stammered something about having to verify that he spoke to us and he started scratching some notes in a little notepad. It didn't really answer my question, so I asked again "But why do you need to see my ID?" He laughed and said to me "What, do you have warrants out on you or something?" and I replied no. He again asked me for ID, and I wasn't sure what to do at this point and I did not feel good about it, but I gave him my ID. Instead of just writing our names in his little notebook, he immediately hopped into his car and called in our names over the radio - then made a bunch of bull**** small talk with my husband while we were being "checked out". I was fuming inside as I heard our names come over the radio, all fine and clear, of course. He gave us back our IDs and said we were free to go - I just turned and walked away quickly and he sped off in his car.
Obviously I am perturbed about this event and I'm curious if anyone has feedback about how to handle scenes like this. Was there really a "weird female" taking photos of people's houses causing someone to call the police and I was just in the same place at the wrong time? Was the police officer just bored and saw us as an easy target to check out? And why - because we look different than most folks? Because my housemate is Nepalese and is frequently mistaken for Mexican? Do I have the right to refuse to present ID in a situation like this? I just wasn't sure what to do, and I'm pissed.
Sure, it's no big deal, get over it, right. This is becoming a nation of fear and oppression, and now I can't take a Saturday stroll with a camera without being eyeballed and suspected by the local police.
Does anyone have similar stories? I'd like to hear them.
The police have a duty to check people out whom they come across. I do not understand why you object to the police doing their job and protecting you and others. When a policeman ask you for ID, you should show it and not ask questions. If you don't have warrants, you need not worry. If you do have warrants, you need to take care of them. If the police came across a wanted killer, child molester or rapist, you would want them to demand ID wouldn't you? The police are only trying to do their jobs and part of that job is finding wanted criminals. Let's say the police are called about a man taking pictures in the park. They demand his ID and find he is an ex pedophile. Would that be good enough for the police to ask for ID from somebody with a camera? I think so!
I have stories about "bad cops" galore- I'm definitely not a fan and I think our law enforcement model in this country is terribly, terribly flawed.
With that said, if I'm going to criticize them for what they do wrong, I have to be honest about what they do right.
If someone was walking around my neighborhood taking pictures of houses, I would want that checked out. If they asked you for an ID, oh well.
It would be one thing if he handcuffed you, took you down to the station, threw you in a cel, was verbally abusive to you, held you overnight then let you go after the fact... But asking you for ID after you were doing something that could've been perceived as taking pictures of private residences- I don't think he was too far out on that one.
The police have a duty to check people out whom they come across. I do not understand why you object to the police doing their job and protecting you and others. When a policeman ask you for ID, you should show it and not ask questions. If you don't have warrants, you need not worry. If you do have warrants, you need to take care of them. If the police came across a wanted killer, child molester or rapist, you would want them to demand ID wouldn't you? The police are only trying to do their jobs and part of that job is finding wanted criminals. Let's say the police are called about a man taking pictures in the park. They demand his ID and find he is an ex pedophile. Would that be good enough for the police to ask for ID from somebody with a camera? I think so!
OK, I now see your earlier "If you're not a criminal, don't worry about it" comment was indeed the dumbest comment in the history of human communication.
A mindless, blind "the law is the law and it's right because it's the law and it's the law because it's right and if you don't break it you don't have anything to worry about!
Sorry, officer, your logic is a bit off. It's not that I'm denying you permission to search my vehicle because I have something to hide... It's more like, since I'm doing nothing wrong, why should I let you search my vehicle?
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