By Police1 Staff
NEWARK – Newark Police have issued new policies aimed at protecting citizen’s rights to record police activity after an incident where a girl was detained and placed in handcuffs for filming officers in a public space.
“We are pleased that the Newark Police Department has adopted a policy that clearly articulates and respects the constitutional rights of citizens to record police activity,” said Seton Hall Law Professor Barbara Moses.
Khaliah Fitchette, 19, will receive an undisclosed amount of money in compensation for her arrest in 2010 and the threat of being charged with obstruction of justice, according to nj.com.
Fitchette, a high school student who was 17 at the time of the incident, was riding a bus through Newark when a man collapsed on the bus. Officers Noemi Maloon and Lloyd Thomas came on board to help the man. Fitchette was asked to stop filming with her phone but refused, and was removed from the bus and handcuffed.
A memo was issued by Director Samuel DeMaio telling officers they can only stop citizens from recording police activities if the recording somehow interferes with “legitimate law enforcement operations”, according to the article.
“If you are uncomfortable with being filmed, that is OK!” the memo read. “But it does not give you the right to place that person under or order them to stop filming.”