1245A Defender
Regular Member
Sooo we were at the night out in Port Orchard Tuesday night, the 7th.
I, 1911er, batusai, trigger dr, ventu, EMNofSeattle, Squeak, viteus, psbart and kids..
talked to lots of folks, answered lots of questions, gave out lots of fliers.
many of us talked to various deputies, cops and the sheriff.
Even the Mayor of P.O. stopped at our table and was very nice and supportive of OCDO!
I have a audio/video device around my neck, camoflaged by a bandana.
I recorded our group for a while just as I arrived, then turned it off.
So far so good, everything is going very well.
Sooo we see a deputy use his expandable batton to push up a tent to free it from the post
so it can be removed and folded to take home.
One of our group wondered if they were legal,
I said, well, for sure, if youre a cop.
I went on to add, that it has been hashed out on the forum before and
I dont think anyone has ever found any law that prohibits us from carrying one.
Sooo here is where my failures start...
I went to ask the deputy about the law,,, concerning expandable battons...
He was standing with about 4 other various LEOs.
I did not turn on my recorder,,, after all, I was just going to ask a question,,, not have a confrontation!!!
The deputy talked nicely to me about batton use, and confirmed that I too was legal to carry one.
So far I was feeling good about having this night out, things were going good...
Now the fun starts!!!
A Cop standing in front of me pipes up and bruskly asks if that is a recorder around my neck?
He sternly states that I am breaking the law, as washington is a two party consent state!
He tells me that he can arrest me right now because he does not consent to being recorded!
The ony time he would let me get in a word, was to say, It is NOT turned on rght now!
I tried to say he had no expectation of privacy.
I tried to tell him he was a public employee and on duty.
He kept hammering on me that he could arrest me,
and demanded that he could not be recorded,
that I was breaking the law!
Now this whole confrontation probably only lasted for about ONE minute, but seemed longer, like forever!
I finally came to my senses,,, excused myself, turned, and walked away... Un detained, un molested, or arrested..
I returned to our group, visibly shook up, 1911er looked ready to help hold me up, saying Easy Bob Every thing is going to be OK...
Many thoughts I have had since.
Why didnt the 4 other cops there, try to deflect his unlawful tirade? I know, this thin blue line!
Why didnt I ask each of them for their business cards? The bad cop and four witnisses.
Why didnt I go and tell the Sheriff that I was being cooerced and threatened by an indevidual in the crowd?
Why was I almost home before I could think of a 20 year old supreme court case that makes recording legel,, state V. flora.....
I have tried to be complete, factual and straight forward in this post,,, spitting it all out at once.
I am still sooo mad at myself. It was my first encounter of any kind. I thought I would do much better.
I hope to find out who and what this LEO was.
If I can, I be thinking abot some remedial actions, dont know what Yet!
I, 1911er, batusai, trigger dr, ventu, EMNofSeattle, Squeak, viteus, psbart and kids..
talked to lots of folks, answered lots of questions, gave out lots of fliers.
many of us talked to various deputies, cops and the sheriff.
Even the Mayor of P.O. stopped at our table and was very nice and supportive of OCDO!
I have a audio/video device around my neck, camoflaged by a bandana.
I recorded our group for a while just as I arrived, then turned it off.
So far so good, everything is going very well.
Sooo we see a deputy use his expandable batton to push up a tent to free it from the post
so it can be removed and folded to take home.
One of our group wondered if they were legal,
I said, well, for sure, if youre a cop.
I went on to add, that it has been hashed out on the forum before and
I dont think anyone has ever found any law that prohibits us from carrying one.
Sooo here is where my failures start...
I went to ask the deputy about the law,,, concerning expandable battons...
He was standing with about 4 other various LEOs.
I did not turn on my recorder,,, after all, I was just going to ask a question,,, not have a confrontation!!!
The deputy talked nicely to me about batton use, and confirmed that I too was legal to carry one.
So far I was feeling good about having this night out, things were going good...
Now the fun starts!!!
A Cop standing in front of me pipes up and bruskly asks if that is a recorder around my neck?
He sternly states that I am breaking the law, as washington is a two party consent state!
He tells me that he can arrest me right now because he does not consent to being recorded!
The ony time he would let me get in a word, was to say, It is NOT turned on rght now!
I tried to say he had no expectation of privacy.
I tried to tell him he was a public employee and on duty.
He kept hammering on me that he could arrest me,
and demanded that he could not be recorded,
that I was breaking the law!
Now this whole confrontation probably only lasted for about ONE minute, but seemed longer, like forever!
I finally came to my senses,,, excused myself, turned, and walked away... Un detained, un molested, or arrested..
I returned to our group, visibly shook up, 1911er looked ready to help hold me up, saying Easy Bob Every thing is going to be OK...
Many thoughts I have had since.
Why didnt the 4 other cops there, try to deflect his unlawful tirade? I know, this thin blue line!
Why didnt I ask each of them for their business cards? The bad cop and four witnisses.
Why didnt I go and tell the Sheriff that I was being cooerced and threatened by an indevidual in the crowd?
Why was I almost home before I could think of a 20 year old supreme court case that makes recording legel,, state V. flora.....
I have tried to be complete, factual and straight forward in this post,,, spitting it all out at once.
I am still sooo mad at myself. It was my first encounter of any kind. I thought I would do much better.
I hope to find out who and what this LEO was.
If I can, I be thinking abot some remedial actions, dont know what Yet!