MPlannette
Regular Member
So I went down to the Strip tonight to try to get some candid photos of people and ended up in cuffs. I started off photographing in some of the casinos and walkways and ended up in front of the Bellagio at about 9:45pm, which happened to be when the water show was starting. I was in the process of taking some shots of people silhouetted against the light from the water show when I overheard two metro officers, one male, one female, ask two middle-aged black men if they were smoking any "weed". This immediately pulled my attention towards the situation. The men answered no and stated that they were locals who come to the Strip frequently. The male metro officer told them that they would need to see their IDs and the men complied. My attention peaked when the male officer told the men, that for officer safety, they would need to search their pockets. They proceeded to empty their belongings onto the sidewalk in front of the Bellagio. This is about the time I started photographing them.
After a few seconds the male officer shined his light at me and approached me until he was about 3 inches from my face. He told me that I could not photograph the two men because it violated their privacy. I replied that, since we were on public property, I could photograph the officers and the two men. He stated that "it was in my best interest to turn around and leave." I told him that I was within my rights to photograph and I would not leave. He demanded photo ID and I refused, he told me that "it was in my best interest to show him ID" and that it was state law that I must show ID when asked by a police officer. When I refused, he told me to turn around and spread my legs. He then proceeded cuff me and pat me down, I was asking "why am I being detained during this", but he didn't bother to answer. When he found the small knife I was carrying he said, "you're being detained for illegally carrying a concealed weapon." I told him there are no laws that prohibit me from carrying a knife and he said they would check to see if it was a legal knife.
He asked for my name, which I gave him, then my date of birth, which I refused to give. He threatened to arrest me if I didn't give it to him, so I chickened out and gave it to him. He called in my info, which took about 5 or 6 minutes. He came back over and took the cuffs off. As soon as the cuffs were off I went to get a pen out of my camera bag and ask for their badge numbers. The male officer told me his before I could write it down.
This is the kicker, they decided that it was a good time to walk about 15 feet away and set my knife down on the public sidewalk. I contested this, but they said it was for "officer safety" and was protocol for them. I asked for the badge number again and the male officer said, "you might want to go get your knife before that kid does." I went to pick up my knife and looked back to see both officers walking away.
I had enough sense to switch my camera to video mode and walk after the officers, which was the direction my car was parked too, and ask for both badge numbers. The male officer refused at first stating that "he had given it to me already", but after I contested, gave it to me.
I apologize for the novel of a post, but this was the last thing I expected to be detained for. That is also the reason I didn't have my recorder on me. I also wish I had been quick enough to switch my camera to video mode during the detainment, although the officer seemed to check it when he was patting me down and would have probably turned it off if it was on. My camera bag was also searched after they discovered the knife.
Badge Numbers
Male Officer-14161
Female Officer-13587
After a few seconds the male officer shined his light at me and approached me until he was about 3 inches from my face. He told me that I could not photograph the two men because it violated their privacy. I replied that, since we were on public property, I could photograph the officers and the two men. He stated that "it was in my best interest to turn around and leave." I told him that I was within my rights to photograph and I would not leave. He demanded photo ID and I refused, he told me that "it was in my best interest to show him ID" and that it was state law that I must show ID when asked by a police officer. When I refused, he told me to turn around and spread my legs. He then proceeded cuff me and pat me down, I was asking "why am I being detained during this", but he didn't bother to answer. When he found the small knife I was carrying he said, "you're being detained for illegally carrying a concealed weapon." I told him there are no laws that prohibit me from carrying a knife and he said they would check to see if it was a legal knife.
He asked for my name, which I gave him, then my date of birth, which I refused to give. He threatened to arrest me if I didn't give it to him, so I chickened out and gave it to him. He called in my info, which took about 5 or 6 minutes. He came back over and took the cuffs off. As soon as the cuffs were off I went to get a pen out of my camera bag and ask for their badge numbers. The male officer told me his before I could write it down.
This is the kicker, they decided that it was a good time to walk about 15 feet away and set my knife down on the public sidewalk. I contested this, but they said it was for "officer safety" and was protocol for them. I asked for the badge number again and the male officer said, "you might want to go get your knife before that kid does." I went to pick up my knife and looked back to see both officers walking away.
I had enough sense to switch my camera to video mode and walk after the officers, which was the direction my car was parked too, and ask for both badge numbers. The male officer refused at first stating that "he had given it to me already", but after I contested, gave it to me.
I apologize for the novel of a post, but this was the last thing I expected to be detained for. That is also the reason I didn't have my recorder on me. I also wish I had been quick enough to switch my camera to video mode during the detainment, although the officer seemed to check it when he was patting me down and would have probably turned it off if it was on. My camera bag was also searched after they discovered the knife.
Badge Numbers
Male Officer-14161
Female Officer-13587
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