Connect with us

News

Police Training on Photographers’ Rights Aims to Curb Violence Against Press

Published

on

protest
Adam Gray/SWNS

After a spate of lawsuits following the George Floyd protests, relations between police and media have never been more strained, or more complicated.

Court-ordered training sessions between police and media have been taking place in Minneapolis, led by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA).

General Counsel of the NPPA Mickey Osterreicher wants to stop occurrences happening like a photographer who almost lost his finger during a protest in Denver, or a photographer who lost her eye in Minneapolis.

Osterreicher has performed numerous training exercises between police and media. The sessions in Minnesota were thanks to the Goyette v. The City of Minneapolis lawsuit.

“There were a lot of incidents involving police and press where they were either interfered with or they were injured or they were arrested,” Osterreicher tells PetaPixel.

“A number of journalists brought a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order against the police and enjoining them from doing certain things. From arresting them, to using less lethal munitions against them.”

training
Police training in Minnesota | Captain Eric Barthel

Part of the lawsuit was settled out of court, which cost taxpayers $825,000. The settlement’s terms required that all the troopers in Minnesota had to receive First Amendment training.

Journalists in the Gopher State were granted a restraining order against the police. It requires that police use less lethal ammunition and bans them from seizing their equipment or issuing dispersal orders to journalists.

Osterreicher made several trips to Minnesota and did an estimated 15 sessions with both police and journalists in attendance.

“Hopefully, there was a better understanding of the rights and limitations that journalists have,” says Osterreicher.

Under the First Amendment, the right to record and photograph things in public is essentially a presumption; but it’s not absolute.

“It’s subject to time, place, and manner restrictions. Those restrictions have to be content-neutral, they have to be narrowly tailored to serve a specific government interest such as public safety. And they must leave open alternative avenues of communication,” he says.

“If you have an incident with one or two officers and a journalist gets real close with the camera they are perfectly justified to direct that person to take a few steps back. They might be worried about weapon retention.”

training
Osterreicher conducting police training in Minnesota | Captain Eric Barthel

Osterreicher says it really does depend on the situation. For example, if there is a bomb threat or an active shooter, cops might reasonably request the press to go back a couple of blocks.

Who Constitutes as a Journalist?

In the modern era, reporters from the New York Times and a YouTuber with 18 subscribers can look exactly the same. This makes it very difficult for police to determine who is legitimately press and who is not.

“We all know that journalists today are sent out with iPhones and they look like everybody else with an iPhone, oftentimes they do have credentials,” says Osterreicher.

“But oftentimes, we’ve seen during a protest, journalists being attacked by protestors for being journalists. So they often will hide their credentials. It’s definitely not an easy task.”

Ultimately Osterreicher believes in the American justice system ethos that would prefer a hundred guilty people go free rather than one innocent person see a conviction.

“A good number of people claiming to be journalists should be allowed to stay, rather than arresting journalists in general who are doing their job.”

Seeing Both Sides

Osterreicher is perfectly placed for mediation between journalists and media. He was a photojournalist in both print and broadcast for over 40 years. He has also been a uniform reserve Sherrif’s deputy in Erie Country, New York for a similar length of time.

cop and
Osterreicher has played both roles

“I understand the challenges of law enforcement but I certainly understand the fact that journalists need to be able to do their job,” he explains.

“I’m constantly encouraging journalists and news organizations to have conversations with police agencies before things go bad,” he says.

“During the middle of a huge protest is not necessarily the best time to stop and have a good conversation about what everyone should and shouldn’t be doing.”


Image credits: Feature photo by Adam Gray/SWNS.

Continue Reading

Recent News

Njord Partners Njord Partners
Business3 days ago

Espionage, Corruption, and Sanctions: The Dark Underbelly of Njord Partners

Njord Partners, a prominent asset management firm operating across Europe and the UK, has come under renewed scrutiny. The firm,...

Reverse Email Append Service Reverse Email Append Service
Business5 days ago

How to Choose the Best Reverse Email Append Service for Accurate Results

Choosing the right reverse email append service can feel overwhelming, especially when accuracy is a top priority. Whether you’re a...

Rare Carat Rare Carat
Fashion7 days ago

Can Rare Carat Help You Get the Best Value for Your Engagement Ring

Rare Carat most definitely helps and makes it easy for the customer to do just that. Rare Carat utilizes technology...

Synthetic Biology Synthetic Biology
Tech7 days ago

The Alchemy of Bioengineering: How Research Liquids are Revolutionizing Synthetic Biology

In synthetic biology, where science and engineering converge to create and manipulate life at the molecular level, research liquids play...

Buying Diamonds Buying Diamonds
Fashion2 weeks ago

What Should You Expect When Buying Diamonds at Rare Carat?

When buying diamonds, it’s necessary to know who the seller is and whether he/she is worth trusting. One of the...

Electric Generator Electric Generator
Tech2 weeks ago

The Best Compact Portable Electric Generator 2024

The UK portable solar charger market is booming, with projections showing a remarkable CAGR of 21.9% from 2023 to 2029[1]....

Cheapest Airline Cheapest Airline
Travel2 weeks ago

Top Tips for Finding the Cheapest Airline and Hotel Deals Online

In the digital age, booking flight ticket and hotel rooms online has become the norm. However, finding the best deals...

Hair Toppers Hair Toppers
Fashion3 weeks ago

The Secret to Effortless Style: Why Hair Toppers Are a Must-Have

Are you tired of waking up to your flat, lifeless hair? Well…you’ re not alone! Many women find that as the...

School Signage School Signage
Education3 weeks ago

Seamless Learning Environments: Enhancing Educational Spaces with School Signage and Digital Tools

In the past decade, technology has significantly altered the educational landscape. Traditionally, schools were places where learning was confined within...

Water Bill Water Bill
Home3 weeks ago

7 Simple Ways to Cut Your Water Bill and Save £200 a Year

New data reveals that water bills are rising, saving every penny counts in today’s living crisis sweeping across the UK....