Mr. Mayor, please make sure your police department is educated on the law

The JCPD were involved in a disturbing incident the other day near Journal Square. They were performing a traffic stop and a citizen, well within his rights began filming the encounter. A JCPD officer saw the man recording and walked over to him and demanded he stop filming and threatened to take away his cell phone/camera. He then detained the man and called his sergeant.

No. This is not right. For the 100th time, you CAN film police, regardless of what they say is long as you do not interfere with their business. Standing at a safe distance filming is your RIGHT given to you by the United Staes Constitution. Police anywhere in America cannot order you to stop filming (well they can but you do not have to) and cannot take your camera away.

Johnny chanced across an incident a couple years ago, some losers had broken into a warehouse downtown and were sunning themselves on the roof. Police came by and as they were trying to get the people down off the roof a JCPD officer noticed Johnny filming the event from across the street. He told Johnny to stop. Johnny told him in no uncertain terms NO. The cops seemed confused at first and repeated his "request". Johnny again said NO . In fact he told the cop your problem is not with me, it's behind you across the street on that roof over there. The cop walked away.

It's strange, never in American history has a police department ever spoken out against putting in more cameras on street corners of places like Journal Square or the Grove Street Square or on PATH trains or on MTA trains or in stations or around sports stadiums. Cops love their dashcams that capture bad guys fleeing or in the act. It would seem the ONLY people the police do not want on camera is.....police. This will not stand.

Mr. Mayor, we know JC is rolling out body cams for some police. We need them on every cop to protect both us and them. We'll need STRONG laws against turning those cameras off except to use the restroom or eat. We'll also need you to remind you Director of Public Safety and JCPD that citizens are constitutionally allowed to film police.