Shame on the South Miami Police Department

December 10, 2008 @ 4:13PM

Shame on the South Miami Police Department

By Carlos Miller -...

It never fails to surprise and it never fails to anger me every time I hear another story about a photographer getting harassed by cops for doing nothing but taking photos in public.

The latest comes from South Miami, a municipality in Miami-Dade County – or as the national media would call it, “a Miami suburb”.

A local blogger named Lan Nghiem-Phu who operates Miami Every Day Photo said he had just parked his car in downtown South Miami where he was going to meet some friends for lunch. He arrived early so he snapped a couple of photos of a restaurant across the street.

Within seconds, a South Miami police car pulled up with lights flashing.

The police officer came directly to me and asked what I was doing there? I told him I took some photos. What for? For my MiamiEveryDay blog… What? Oh, that’s one of the City Daily Photo blog on the net. What? So I told him that I guess I know what’s happening, and he confirmed that someone had called the police and I was singled out!

The South Miami police officer, who apparently was a sergeant, asked for his identification. Then for his business card. Then, after calling his name into dispatch, asked Nghlem-Phu if he had ever been arrested.

After Nghlem-Phu told him no, he had never been arrested, the sergeant asked him again if he had ever been arrested.

This is the part that really pisses me off because had I been in that situation, I would have had to say yes, I’ve been arrested. For taking pictures of cops nonetheless. And no telling if the cop would have used that as an excuse to take me in.

The sergeant even asked if he made money off his blog. This could have just been out of curiosity, but after what he had just put Nghlem-Phu through, it sounds as if he were trying differentiate photographer’s rights based on whether or not they sell their photos.

This, as we all know, does not make a damn bit of difference.

I just hope that this wasn’t a case of racial profiling.

Comments

Anonymous

3 years ago

This kind of stuff drives me nuts. If I were in the same position I’m afraid I would tell the officer it was irrelevant if I made money off the site and to buzz off. I have a right to assemble peacefully and take pictures of a public establishment. This is not a nuclear reactor here people.

Carlos, I met a guy at an alumni football watch party on Saturday who spent 13 years in South Miami PD. He’s retired but a great guy and straight shooter. Perhaps he could help.

Anonymous

3 years ago

Keep up the good work. In my business I am taking pictures outside all of the time. Now you’ve made me aware of a potential problem.

Anonymous

3 years ago

You fool as a police officer myself we have to respond to stupid calls like the one you just described where a private citizen like yourself who always wishes to remain anonymous wants us to check a “suspicious person taking pictures”. We have to respond to the call whether we like it or not what the officer did is standard procedure he did a records check for warrants and asked if he had been arrested. Know what you’re talking about before you write something you know nothing about.

Anonymous

3 years ago

The South Miami Police Department is a corrupt piece of crap. It’s been corrupt forever and it will always be corrupt. I would love to do a public records search on complaints of brutality against scum-bag South Miami police officers. As for police being obligated to harass photographers, that’s bullshit. In New York, call 911 to complain that someone has photographed you, and the dispatcher will say, “Sir, that’s not a crime.” It is, however, a violation of a person’s rights when they are forced to produce ID for a corrupt, South Miami cop.

Anonymous

3 years ago

protect ‘n serve those that pay your salary…promote peace ‘n safety, not fear ‘n loathing…

Anonymous

2 years ago

ANONYMOUS COP: Know the law before you go out and harrass people over an anonymous call. We have rights. I have no issues with ensuring this guy isn’t out snapping shots of 12 year olds in the shower, but leave him alone when you find out he’s just a photographer.