Michael DeBaer finally mustered up the courage to demand why they believe they are above the law.
After all, he knew he would be cited if he did the same.
So on Tuesday, he walked up to a cop with his camera recording and asked her why she was blocking the sidewalk.
“I’m not blocking the sidewalk,” she responded in quick doublespeak.
He told her she was wrong as she reached up with her phone to snap a photo of him and he continued walking away.
Ten minutes later, she approached him five blocks away from the initial exchange, insisting that he had broken the law by video recording her without her permission, claiming she had a right to privacy as she blocked the sidewalk with her tax-funded patrol car, preying on unsuspecting drivers who may have been exceeding the speed limit.
Of course, in her authoritative mind, that right to privacy did not extend to DeBaer, whom she said was obligated to hand over his identification because he had been walking down a public sidewalk, even if she contradicted herself by admitting he had not broken the law.
When he kept reminding her that she had no expectation of privacy, she insisted that he bring in printed copies of case law to the police department to prove he was right.
At first, it appears as if she is completely idiotic. But then it becomes clear that she is only playing the idiot because she backs down after he walks away without providing his name or identification, despite her insistence.
DeBaer admits he was nervous, which is normal when you go up against these bullies who make up the law as they go along, so he didn’t even think about asking for her name.
But he now walks around with a copy of the United States Department of Justice statement of interest regarding the right to record, which is packed with case law, just in case he runs into her again – especially now that she will probably be peeved that the video ended up on Youtube.
Call Cuyahoga Falls Police Chief Jack Davis at 330-971-8300 to advise him that perhaps his officers need training on the existing case law on the right to record.
