Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Cops Gone Wild? Journalists Who Won't Listen?

WATCH THE ABOVE VIDEO by clicking here. Was the police officer acting properly in detaining the reporter? Or did the officer overreact? What is the best way to handle such a situation?

9 comments:

Michael Gaudini said...

That was absolutely ridiculous, but given the situation, I'd say the reporter and the cameraman reacted very well. The cameraman kept filming the incident, which could be used later as evidence so there's no 'he said', 'she said' going on later, and the reporter repeatedly said that he had no intention of getting arrested and that he was going to leave the scene. He didn't scream or yell or do anything which might hurt his case later.

-Michael Gaudini

Unknown said...

Both men were trying to do their jobs; but the reporter did not interfere with the officer's job at all...the cop abused his authority by trying to intimidate the reporters and neglected what he was sent to do: worry about an 18-wheeler that flipped over.

Anonymous said...

I think that this story brings up questions about police officers and the news media. I think that there are some officers who do not like the news media because they believe that reporters only shows there actions in a negative way. I think that the officer was out of line and should be suspended. This story should have been about how normal people are quick to respond when someone is in trouble. Now it's a story about excessive force by an officer.

Anthony Brown

Andrea Symonds said...

What was that?
The officer was obviously on a power trip. There were still other bystanders that they showed on camera just watching, so why does the person with the camera have to go. This is breaking news AND it's NOT on private property, so the news team has a right to be there. If it was a direct order that ALL of the people watching had to leave then I understand that the officer has to do his job, but come on...what he did was unnecessary.

Anonymous said...

The cameraman and journalist did not do anything wrong in my opinion. They were simply there to report on an accident. The cop had no reason to arrest or even tell the journalist to leave the scene. It was a public location and the cameraman and reporter were not doing anything that was out of line. they were just trying to get their story and leave the scene. I don't even think there is a question about cops gone wild or journalists who won't listen. The journalist, reporters were listening, he was putting up a fight and complied and said he would leave. This is a cop power tripping. For no reason at all. totally and completely un-call for.

Erica Buyer

Elizabeth Nemeth said...

The officer was completely out of line. There was no reason for him to approach, speak to, and handle the reporter and cameraman in that way. The journalists were just doing their jobs, and the police officer needs to do his correctly, worrying about the clearing of the highway so it can be reopened to traffic, and getting reports taken and injuries dealt with. Not harassing bystanders.

Antonio Boone said...

The reporter and camera man didn't do anything wrong. Even after saying that he didn't want to be arrested the police officer still put the reporter in handcuffs. Like other peole have said there were other bystanders in the side of the road watching the incident and the officer said nothing to them. He went straight for the film crew.

brittneyCorridean said...

Another cop abusing authority, Surprise! Honestly, I don't doubt that there are good and honest cops within that district, or any district therefore but that Sargent was so out of line it made his IQ level look very low, and to an outsider who does not live in that community, it makes me never want to go there to visit, I might get arrested. I understand yes he has a job to do, To serve and protect. Who was he serving by arresting him? And I'm sorry, what was he protecting and who?? Unless you consider a camera and a microphone a lethal weapon, Nah this guy is a clown.

Amara Kamara said...

I think since both the men were trying to do their job, they got to each other way and the result to that was what we saw in the video