Amtrak "revises" photo policy as Amtrak police continue harassment


While the National Press Photographers Association is proudly proclaiming how it had a hand in revising Amtrak’s policy towards photographers, Amtrak police are continuing to harass photographers.

The latest incident comes to us from War on Photography and involves a photographer/videographer from Boston who goes by the Flickr username Scleroplex. He was standing on the platform filming the train as it came in and an Amtrak cop walked up to him.

In the video, you can hear the cop’s walkie talkie as he approaches Scleroplex. Then you can hear the exchange:

“Sir may I ask you a question?”

“Yes sir.”

“What are you doing?”

What does it look like he’s doing, asshole?

One of the most annoying questions you can ask a photographer when he is obviously taking photos is “what are you doing?”. That question is even more annoying when you are shooting video because it interrupts the video.

So obviously this cop wasn’t informed of Amtrak’s new policy. In fact, this cop didn’t seem to be aware of Amtrak’s previous policy, which went into effect in 2007 and doesn’t look much different from the revised policy, which went into effect this month.

The NPPA states the following in touting the new policy:

“The newly revised ‘policy’ is written in bold print and states that ‘It is the policy of Amtrak that the taking of photographs and/or videos is permitted within public access areas on Amtrak property.‘”

However, the previous policy stated the following, which was also written in bold:

“It is the policy of Amtrak that the taking of photographs and/or videos is permitted within public access areas on Amtrak property.‘”

While the previous policy stated that photojournalists were allowed to take photos in the station area but not in the platform area, the new policy states they are allowed to take photographs where ever the general public is allowed to take photographs, which includes platforms.

The NPPA goes on to say:

Included in the new policies are orders to Amtrak police to not delete, destroy, or alter photographs and video, along with the directive that they shall not request others to delete, destroy, or alter photos or video either.

While it doesn’t say that in the previous policy, it doesn’t encourage cops to do so either. That would be the destruction of personal property, which should not be allowed by any police department. And the fact that it had to be spelled out for Amtrak officers makes you wonder where these cops are getting certified?

Both policies are posted below so maybe you can help me spot more “revisions.” Click to enlarge. You might have to click twice.

Amtrak’s photo policy that went into effect in March 2009.


Amtrak’s photo policy that went into effect on Sept. 11, 2007.

amtrakphotopolicy-2007-1

amtrakphotopolicy-2007-21


Comments

Anonymous
Anonymous

The second most annoying queston to be asked when you are taking news worthy questions is, “who are you with?” You answer, “I’m with myself” and they can’t except that as a plausable answer. Then they say “well this is suspicious activity, let me see your ID.” At the time you’re being “suspicious” you’re standing in a public street near a newsworthy event and obviously taking a photo of subject of the event.

This happened to me last night (3/16/2009) at the site of a NJ Transit Train waiting to be towed away which tore down the electric lines for the Northeast Corridor Line. I was approached by Officer Garcia, badge 0318 of the New Jersey Transit Police. To her credit this did not get out of control. Perhaps my mentioning the name of NJT’s executive director has something to do with that.

Anonymous
Anonymous

One of the most annoying questions you can ask a photographer when he is obviously taking photos is “what are you doing?”. That question is even more annoying when you are shooting video because it interrupts the video.

There is no law against asking somebody what they are doing. A photographer has no expectation of privacy when he is taking pictures or video taping. If you don’t want people interrupting your video go somewhere else. You can’t have it both ways.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Jones, we are well aware of that. We even tolerate it. Wasn’t there a comedy show about a cop that was always asking the obvious question?

In this case the guy is obviusly taking a photo of a trin that only comes once a day. He bought his tickets so he can be there. Then deputy obvious comes along and bothers him with a question that’s not even worth answering.

Photography is not a suspicious activity.

Anonymous
Anonymous

What these “Security Theater” stooges don’t seem to understand is that anyone devious enough to plan some kind of terrorist activity would probably be devious enough to go somewhere with an accomplice and have them “pose” for a picture… voila, nothing suspicious about that.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Last time some one asked me that stupid question I told them I was shining my shoes. They then said,” No your not, your taking a picture!” “Well duh!” Conversation went down hill from there.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Reading the policy it seems that you are in the wrong if you think that holding a ticket makes it ok to stand out on the platform and wait for trains to come into the station, it clearly states that ticketed passengers can only film when boarding or or de-boarding a train

Anonymous
Anonymous

Wait until you start taking pictures of commercial airliners! I’m an avid aviation photographer, with many published photo’s, and in the area of the Atlanta Hartsfield airport, I have been approached, stopped, investigated by the following agencies:

ATL Operations
ATL Security
ATL Airport Police
Atlanta Police
AirTran Security
College Park Police
Forest Park Police
US Air Marshal
FBI

The FBI actually came out to my place of work and conducted an interview with me. IMHO, the two agents must have either been rookies or been bad and had to talk to me. I called them Dumber and Dumberer! These guys had no clue and I turned the table on them and started asking them questions about their guns, radio equipment, etc. The quickly concluded the investigation and left!

The US Air Marshal was the coolist of them all! He wanted to make sure I wasn’t a “fan belt and pizza hut table cloth dude”! Probably the most friendliest person I ever met. He even gave me a couple of locations on where I could get the best photo’s from!

Now, I don’t get harrassed by them anymore as I ended up contacting the ATL Operations folks and they have given me a renewable 6 month pass to shoot photo’s from airport property.

Anonymous
Anonymous

May 9 2010: DEPT TO WATCH: PARK FOREST IL POLICE.
Refused resident Pam Toll police help or response for three years as she was being seriously hararassed by a forgein financed group by the Sauds or Africans, although she is a white , us citizen, IL resident, and registered to vote. Police allowed unauthorized black males to respond only in PARK FOREST AMBULANCE and force Pam to an emergency room and kept there without ever making contact with the perpetrator Tonia Scott a neighbor in the apt below her who often was paid $1200 a nite to let strangers use her condo unit to harass Toll.. After three years o f notifying the Village manager and board members and community rights groups. She sued the Village of Park Forest, who told their insurer, they didnt respond because the CIA told them not too. Unknown to PF police, Ms Toll was a witness providing info directly to agents on terrorism rellated matters. They did not tell the police not to investigate. it was a matter of a corrupt person that got the Village citizens to gangstalk Ms Toll in an Alquaida operations not at all sanctioned by the US govt. But in which the US was trying to find the source. As PF pollice refused to take reports, persons present and evidence were lost to a long trail that went back to the Iraq war and the middle east. The Hackers which still severely target Toll were never identified in the early stages, it wasnt til Toll put up posters in the community and people with knowledge went forward to the fBI did anyone take note of her plight. The Park Forest police is a conspiracy with corrupt people who were in the State of iL in inappropriate positions that continue to disallow Toll her free access, and free speech. they stalk her all over the area and deny her a detective or agent with a proper statement. They are railroading a real 9-11-01 witness thru the mental health system in IL to surpress her knowledge that the feds were redirected to a phony witness and to keep them supporting inaccurate info on a real Alquaida cell in the CHicago land area. Toll is being discredited because she was outspoken about the Abuse of CIA and FBI credentials by a black gang and labled a racist although the gang in fact was black. The black muslim community harrasses this white woman extensively and gassed her with toxic chemicals in her apt building including URANIUM which is out on the open and The FBI never came to take any foresencis and REFUSED TO TAKE HER RECENT reports. NO agent asked her for any further proof although she has it and they refused physical evidence of a FED EX deleivery to the black muslim perprators apt. Ms Tolls testimony is being surpessed by a false mental health hearing in Chicago criminal courts on a disorderly conduct that totally violated her civil rights. She plead NOT GUILTY AND REQUESTED A JURY trial.// guily influcences had the judge deny her her trial , her day in court and the IL states atty came out and said in court that they were concerned about what she would say on the stand and rendered her unfit to stand trial. for a disorderly conduct. tHe state of il did not ahere to the proper procedures for a mental health clearance and fabricated phony Shrink reports by actors and changed the orignal reports to the court record. Ms Toll cooperated in the process but is under the care of the state of il for something she was a CRIME VICTIM OF . not a criminal too. The state continues to surpess Ms Toll and the FBI failed to respond to her civil rights complaints as far back asa 2003.. Ms Toll is still fighting for her intergriety. in the meantime park forest received govt grants for improvements to roadways and to build the new gym in the police stationa nd applied some fo the grants to building a new fire dept which never responded to the chemical assault at her apt in park forest. il

Anonymous
Anonymous

there is a private group that clones Ms Tolls’ cell phones of which police n fbi never cleared despite numerous reports. She tried to over come this and tell persons on the board that whoever was interfereing with the police dept were not authorized. CIA can coordinate their investigation with local police but cannot ORDER OR STOP Any municipality from doing their right n proper job. This was done to Ms. Toll even when there was NO mental health court involved. Ms. Toll wrote to the board members of the Village of PArk forest and the police cheif Tom Flemming and urged them to contact Langley directly and identify who was surpressing her. Phony cops not on US govt busienss started driving around the area in cop cars painted like park forest and no real park forest cops were responding to her 911..calls. She told the dept in person and provided some pics bu tthe front desk cleark at the Police dept refused to call in any officers to the station and they ran out the back door when Ms Toll would go inside. someone video taped this occurence. twice. The CIA was trying to learn who was doing this , Donald Rumsfeld the sec of defense was out here in park forest in 2005.. and a complete investigation was done. Park Forest police did not provide the name of any legitmatae agent as Ms Toll had contended and Now she is being harrasssed again in the town with unauthorized persons denying her communicationa nd free access. The last person in question was with the State of IL and has no such authority to order library personnnel to deny her access to the internet. As Ms Toll did not sign on with her own name its proof she was being preempted and stalked as the MAster computer in the back would have been searching for her name.. instead denying someone elses at the computer SHE was using. She did not threatened to harm anyone at any time and did not mention a conspiracy. The guilty personnel at the library know theyre conspirators..
There are Four reports of severe hacking and denial of services at the PARK FOREST LIBRARY and many more that were not made because of the arrogance of the library personnel. Some of whom received FREE CARS in exchange for their silence. Many employees in the Village Hall of Park Forest, were given FREE Cars also not to speak to the FBI about who they worked with. Pam Toll, a real witness is being rendered crazy by the perpetrators that paid off these employees and the town is going along with it.to alliveiate liability of the Village not investigating the terror cell activity for four years.

Anonymous
Anonymous

An Additional item. the Local news, not sure about national Indicated the Board President of the Chicago area METRA TRAINS commited suicide. Ms Toll was a reporter of information to Metra that illegal alien africans were DRIVING FULL METRA TRAINS in June and July 2009 against company and safety policies. she reported this to the DOT and FBI and homeland security. It was found to be true and possible connecton to the Washington Dc Train crash a month later and Another NYC commuter crash and one in Calif by black females infiltrating transportation offices. These africans were the pinnacle of homegrown terror cell activity in Chicago. Ms Toll has now been unable to move forward with the US Attorneys office due the corruption in the County level of inappropriately labeling her UNFIT TO TESTIFY.. although she closely followed tracked and reported their activity when hundreds of other peopel who knew of it refused because they took free cars and cash from terror operatives.
Mr Pagno may or may not have offed himself.. but Pam Toll tried extensively to notify all levels of Metra and Chicagoland transit police when this was occuring and was brushed off and underminded by a black group who lataer gave up another woman posing as Toll and gave different data. The FBI took her report and now refused to take any reports since she s been labled unfit but she has not left her tracking of the terror trail and now has no place to make those reports due to her person and character being underminded. She has been on the terror trail since August 2001 when she received significant data that ID the true plotters of 9-11-01.

Anonymous
Anonymous

TO NOTE: THE ACLU was interested in representing Toll in 2006 but the attorney investigating was murdered.. Federal Judge joan lefkows husband Michael Lefkow, the terrorists then tried to reproduce a phony Michael Lefkow to dispute his death . But the judge says the murder was in fact real.

Anonymous
Anonymous

SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKY!!!

Post new comment

Pixiq on Facebook

Join the 10107 Pixiq fans on Facebook

Share

  • Share

Subscribe

Get weekly updates from Pixiq. Short, sweet, and always interesting.