Watch when you take pictures

[dc2t 80]

[-X A recent tid bit has been passed along to me.It seems that 4 photo buffs were caught taking pictures of an unmarked unit parked in the home of the officer. when local PD arrived they claimed they worked for code 3 ( which they do not) they were made to erase all photos and advised that such spy shots will not be tolerated. This happened in central Westchester. BEWARE [-( [-( [-( [-(

[WAS967 97]

Yeah, don't become like the paparazzi and start messing with people's houses. On the flip side of the coin however, if they were on the street and on public property, there really is no law that says they CAN'T take pictures. But I digress.

[Guest]

I was contacted by a detective from that police department to see if these gentlemen worked at Code 3 Collectibles. He told me that it is against the law in New York to take photos of unmarked police cars that MAY be involved, at any time, in a undercover operation. He also stated that if the photographers wanted to take photos of cars that they would have welcomed them at the station anytime and allowed them to shoot photos as long as they wanted.

[tbendick 27]

I think alot of this comes down to common sense. Is there a need to have a photo of an unmarked unit? I don't think so.

Also note that there is a diffrence between Unmarked and Undercover. Most of us can spot an unmarked car a mile away, however a undercover car is something else.

And a side note this isn't the first time I have heard people saying that they are taking photos for "XYZ". If you plan on sending photos to Emtbravo that doesn't mean you are taking photos for EMTBravo. Same as if you were going to post them on the Code 3 Board, you aren't taking them for Code 3.

[TR54 239]

Very well said Tom.

Below information from the EMTBravo photo Submission Guide clearly states....

Please make sure you are allowed to take the photo, and / or use your best discretion when gaining access to take photos.We cannot authorize , endorse and or support any actions taken to gain photos.This Site CANNOT be used as a vehicle to obtain such.In otherwords , you CANNOT act as a representative of this site in any means.

[Guest]

I am new (somewhat) to this whole taking pictures of emergency vehicles...however...i think that as far as taking pictures of undercover police cars is concerned, i have to agree with "tbendick", a lot of it is common sense. I would have expected the police department to get a little irked when someone decides to take pictures of any undercover cars for the simple fact that they are UNDERCOVER, they dont want anyone to know it's a police vehicle.... ](*,) #-o ...but then again maybe im wrong...it's all a matter of oppinion.

9-11-01 ALL gave some,

Some gave ALL!

[JBE 328]

I was doing some photos of rigs one day, and got my balls broken for it. Just be courteous about it, and use some common sense.

[Guest WolfEMT]

Yeah, if you're cool about it, then things probably won't turn into a problem. I think it's going a little too far to take pictures of an unmarked while it's in someone's driveway because that's someone's home that you're messing with; just exercise some good judgment and be cool if someone approaches you asking what you're doing. Tell them and perhaps offer to take their picture; who knows, maybe it will work.