Taking pictures in Public places - Know your rights

Things you want to write or talk about
mickiaston

Re: Taking pictures in Public places - Know your rights

Post by mickiaston » Wed Jun 09, 2010 5:19 am

Guys, Join an online campaign called ' I'm a Photographer not a Terrorist. The name says it all really. I, like many of you, am getting mightly fed-up with being viewed with suspicion every time I use a camera in a public place. As photographers we have to register our outrage at this increasingly prevailing antipathy to our profession. Joining a nation-wide campaign is one way to register our disapproval. Micki

Mike Hynes

Re: Taking pictures in Public places - Know your rights

Post by Mike Hynes » Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:22 pm

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journ ... cadet-pics

An example of heavy-handed policing against young photographer.

Sandra Crook
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:13 pm

Re: Taking pictures in Public places - Know your rights

Post by Sandra Crook » Fri Jul 16, 2010 1:42 pm

This month's copy of Amateur Photographer has a free lens cloth with photographers' rights printed on it and a clip - now attached to our camera bag.

Mike Hynes
Site Admin
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:10 pm

PAGB Guidance February 2011

Post by Mike Hynes » Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:40 pm

The following was issued in the latest PAGB newsletter:

POLICE STOP AND SEARCH RIGHTS UNDER THE TERRORISM ACT

• Every person has a right to photograph in a public place and it is not against the law to photograph a police officer undertaking normal duties.
• The police do have a duty to investigate incidents which may give rise to suspicion.
• You are not required to give any personal details unless driving a car or you are arrested.
• Officers may stop and search and view images if they believe they could be used in connection with terrorism.
• Officers have no powers to delete images.
• PCSOs may not search without a police officer present.
• You must be provided with a copy of the Stop & Search slip which will include the officer's identity.
• If stopped by a police officer remain calm and polite.
• We all need to be vigilant against terrorism and support the police where possible as well as protect our rights to photograph in a public place.

• We ( the PAGB) are grateful to the RPS who have agreed this wording with appropriate authorities.
• Neither the RPS, the PAGB or your Editor can be held accountable for any inaccuracy.


Mike Hynes

steve smith
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:54 pm
Location: Great Missenden & North Berwick
Contact:

Re: Taking pictures in Public places - Know your rights

Post by steve smith » Fri Jul 22, 2011 11:12 am

On Tuesday 21 June 2011 six photographers were assigned different areas of the City to photograph. Some used tripods, some went hand held, one set up a 5 x 4.

All were instructed to keep to public land and photograph the area as they would on a normal day. The event aimed to test the policing of public and private space by private security firms and their reaction to photographers.

All six photographers were stopped on at least one occasion. Three encounters led to police action.

This is what happened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJH9F7Hc ... ture=share

Steve Smith

Mike Hynes
Site Admin
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:10 pm

Re: Taking pictures in Public places -ACPO Guidance

Post by Mike Hynes » Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:48 pm

Photographers may find it useful to carry a copy of the attached PDF when carrying out street photography. The attachment originated from Andrew Trotter, Chief Constable & Chair of APCO Communication Advisory Group and contains the following wording:

From:
Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Communication Advisory Group
Andrew Trotter OBE QPM BSc (Hons), Chief Constable
Chair of ACPO Media Advisory Group
British Transport Police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN
T: 0207 830 8810 F: 0207 383 3023 email:andrew.trotter@btp.pnn.police.uk


26 August 2010
Dear Colleagues
Guidance for Photographers
I am writing to you in my capacity as Chair of the ACPO Communications Advisory Group which sits in the Presidential Business Area.
There have been a number of recent instances highlighted in the press where officers have detained photographers and deleted images from their cameras. I seek your support in reminding your officers and staff that they should not prevent anyone from taking photographs in public. This applies equally to members of the media and public seeking to record images, who do not need a permit to photograph or film in public places. ACPO guidance is as follows:
• There are no powers prohibiting the taking of photographs, film or digital images in a public place. Therefore members of the public and press should not
be prevented from doing so.
• We need to cooperate with the media and amateur photographers. They play a vital role as their images help us identify criminals.
• We must acknowledge that citizen journalism is a feature of modern life and police officers are now photographed and filmed more than ever.
• Unnecessarily restricting photography, whether for the casual tourist or professional is unacceptable and it undermines public confidence in the police
service.
• Once an image has been recorded, the police have no power to delete or confiscate it without a court order.

If you require further guidance please refer to the ACPO website or contact my Staff
Officer Robin Edwards at robin.edwards@btp.pnn.police.uk.
Yours sincerely
Andrew Trotter
Chief Constable
Chair of ACPO Communication Advisory Group

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and coordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates the strategic policing response.
ACPO is registered as a private company limited by guarantee in England & Wales – registered address: 10 Victoria Street, SW1H 0NN. Company Number 3344583.

APCO_Letter.pdf
(57.74 KiB) Downloaded 2126 times
Also available on the web at http://www.theiac.org.uk/resourcesnew/f ... Places.pdf

Mike Hynes
Site Admin
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:10 pm

Re: Taking pictures in Public places - Know your rights

Post by Mike Hynes » Mon Nov 16, 2020 5:41 pm

16 Nov 2020

Advice from the Met Police site:
https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice ... hy-advice/

Post Reply