Estes looks to protect those taping cops making arrests
We’ve all seen the YouTube videos people make of police making arrests. Now one Texas lawmaker has filed a bill to protect those of you who do the filming.
It's called the Freedom to Film Act, and it was filed by State Senator Craig Estes. Its goal is to protect you if you film police arresting someone with your phone. But Ray Hunt of the Houston Police Officer's Union told KTRH he’s not sure he likes it.
“I think it has the potential to be a problem. I would be very uncomfortable filming an arrest where we have undercover officers involved. That would be a major problem,” Hunt said.
Hunt also says it’s not just the cops that can get upset about being filmed.
“We’ve already had a situation where someone was being filmed on a traffic stopped, and the motorist was concerned for their privacy because they were being filmed,” Hunt explained.
So Hunt has mixed feelings about the bill and about you filming police while they are doing their job.
“As long as people aren’t mouthing off and are in a safe area, it’s fine. But if they are, that presents a problem,” Hunt stated.
Filming is legal, and Hunt says you won't have a problem if you follow a few guidelines. Be smart, stay in a safe spot and don't get in the way of the police.
The measure is under consideration at the same time the second officer accused in the Chad Holley beating case is scheduled for trial. Former officer Raad Hassan will go before the judge on April 29. Hassan, along with former officers Phil Bryan and Drew Ryser face Class-A misdemeanor charges of official oppression. Former HPD officer Andrew Blomberg was already cleared in a separate trial.
The officers were reportedly seen on surveillance video kicking and beating Holley, who was then a teenager running from police following a burglary.
