Originally Posted by
PhoenixRev
Why have you put the onus upon the average law-abiding citizen to clear up the situation? If I am doing something completely legal - such as taking photos inside an airport - it should not be my burden to ease the mind of the police. They are free to ask me questions and I am free to ignore them.
If they truly believe they have probable cause to arrest me, then they should arrest me. Otherwise, if they ask me why I am taking photos inside the airport and I say nothing, they need to either continue their observation of me (without interfering with what I am doing legally) or they need to return to their post and start looking for the bad guys and gals.
You said you are more than happy to clear up any suspicion. But who defined that suspicion and why? We have nothing to suggest that taking photos of a TSO or the security area in the airport is the harbinger of terrorism. Nothing at all. But, we have cops detaining people for doing something perfectly legal and, in many cases, telling people they need to delete the photos they have taken as if destroying possible evidence is legal.
You may think it convenient to simply answer the cops questions and move along. But where does that stop? If he asks for ID will you give it to him? If he asks for your Social Security number or National Health Care ID number, will you give it to him? If he asks what you do for a living and how much money you make, will you tell him? If he asks you how many children you have and which schools they attend, will you tell him?
I wouldn't make that assumption at all. If the cops knew what laws existed on their own patch, the courts would have far fewer cases. How many cops have been slapped down by the courts for exceeding their authority? How many times have we heard on this forum cops saying that taking photos inside an airport is illegal (it's not)?
We have meandered here and meandered there and it's all sort of getting away from the original issue. So, I 'll stick to the airport example that opened this or before long we'll be debating far away.
I suggested that the OP did not behave in a responsible way as to me he set out to precipitate and provoke a particular reaction, that's my opinion. If yours is different OK. Having 'the right to do it?' Maybe. If you have 'the right to do it', is it automatically the case it must always 'be right to do it?' Suggest not.
Delete photographs. Well that's not on, if they are content no actual criminality is afoot. That's sort of like 'criminal damage'.
Not required to carry ID here. Would I produce it if I had it? If stopped in a vehicle I would provide driving licence (otherwise they would issue me a form to produce it later). They don't usually need anything else in that category as it's photographic and checkable.
As for the other stuff, I would not expect to be asked for that and don't carry it anyway. If I am stopped in relation to being suspected of something then I have to give a name and address (but that's here). They can check that too, fairly easily.
In short, co-operate? yes, but if I think I've done my bit to alleviate their suspicion and they are still questioning me to no end, I might be a little contentious about it, as you would. That's fishing, agreed.
Don't mistake me for the total submissive type but I'm just not at the other end of the spectrum either
Anyway, I'm having a 'Time out'. My original opinion of the OP and his precipitation of the encounter stands. I've given responses stating I don't condone TSA judgement and that being detained by HPD for 90mins seems a long time and I don't agree with the bag being taken. The caveat to it is that none of us were there and only one POV of events is reported. That's it.
'This call sign out!'