Amtrak officials have assured the National Press Photographers Association that they are developing new photography guidelines as well as revising existing guidelines within the Amtrak Police Department.
In response to several inquiries by the National Press Photographers Association to the nation’s railroad about photographers being harassed by Amtrak police while trying to take photographs in public places, Amtrak’s associate general counsel David J. Domzalskihas informed NPPA’s lawyer that they are developing new photography guidelines that will be posted on the carrier’s Web site, and that existing Amtrak police department guidelines are being reviewed and updated.
This new development stems from the arrest of an Amtrak photo contestant who was arrested in December by Amtrak police after photographing an Amtrak train.
Duane Kerzic’s case – which became international news after it was posted on Photography is Not a Crime – was the latest in a long series of complaints from photographers who had been harassed at Amtrak stations, including Penn Station in New York City and Union Station in Washington DC.
It just goes to show you that sometimes subjecting yourself to an unlawful arrest can lead to positive change.