In the UK today the law works in mysterious ways.stevensfo wrote:I would have thought that providing film of a crime being committed is doing your civic duty and should be rewarded.XFool wrote:The trouble seems to be (see recent arrests of news journalists in this country by police) too many of the "police" seem to lack all common sense. I still remember, from issues years ago where I live, telling a PCSO(?) how some persistently troublesome boys from an adjacent house had been filmed by one of my neighbours smashing up a hut in a neighbouring garden. His only comment: "People might object to being filmed" seemed to me to miss the mark by a very wide margin.
You risk being charged with assault.stevensfo wrote:One time when a video IS very valuable is when making a citizen's arrest. In such a case, you not only give permission to be filmed, albeit afterwards, but you're protecting yourself from claims that you used excessive force...
Quite a few years ago now, I managed to stop two teenage boys just in the act of graffiti at the entry to a pedestrian tunnel. How? The younger boy had put his schoolbag on the ground, I grabbed it. "You get this back if you throw those over that fence". The standoff lasted a while, with the younger boy making several unsuccessful attempts to get his bag back off me (I sustained a negligible injury to my hand in the process). In the end they gave in, threw their stuff over the fence - where it was irretrievable - I gave the bag back and we all went on our way. I used the tunnel regularly at the time and was pleased to see it remained graffiti free for a significant time afterwards.
Do you think I would risk doing anything like that these days? Walk on by! Nothing to do with me...