Is it illegal to video a CO when they check y

[Tom523]

Just wondering what the laws are here in KY. I've been stopped and checked several times and they were very professional. But is it legal to video them while being checked?

[semi75]

Just wondering what the laws are here in KY. I've been stopped and checked several times and they were very professional. But is it legal to video them while being checked?

No it is not illegal to video law enforcement in KY but I'm not sure why you would want to know. As a police officer I can tell you that it would raise suspicion to most officers though.

[zx150]

I have seen that the person has videoed an event and the phone was confiscated as evidence until after the trial.

[Tom523]

No it is not illegal to video law enforcement in KY but I'm not sure why you would want to know. As a police officer I can tell you that it would raise suspicion to most officers though.

The reason I ask is that some of the things I have heard them say to each other just don't seem professional. Like "we have to find somebody to take in because I need to go back to town and pay some bills". Most are professional but there are instances that get me thinking. Maybe for self protection. I was on jury duty a few years back and the case was about a couple of girls that were stopped and a police officer found a joint sitting on their console of the car. They were arrested and in court they produced a video of the cop putting the joint there. They had been stopped numerous times before and decided to have a hidden camera installed in the car. If it wasn't for that camera they would have been busted for something they didn't do.

[greenriverman1]

The reason I ask is that some of the things I have heard them say to each other just don't seem professional. Like "we have to find somebody to take in because I need to go back to town and pay some bills". Most are professional but there are instances that get me thinking. Maybe for self protection. I was on jury duty a few years back and the case was about a couple of girls that were stopped and a police officer found a joint sitting on their console of the car. They were arrested and in court they produced a video of the cop putting the joint there. They had been stopped numerous times before and decided to have a hidden camera installed in the car. If it wasn't for that camera they would have been busted for something they didn't do.

Thank the Lord that most of the police are not like that. They must have badly wanted the girls.

[Luke512]

Tom523,

As a police officer for 7 years here in KY, I honestly can say that your stories really make me wonder how true they are. I know there are some bad apples, but when I say bad apples, I have worked with probably over 100 different officers in the time I've been an officer, and when I say bad apples, I am talking about ones that say a few things to people they shouldn't, or arrest someone when it is iffy, and I can only think of 2 officers right off the top of my head out of 100 that I would classify as that. But of all the officers I've worked with (including those 2), I have never seen any officer say "we need to take one of them to pay bills". That is ridiculous, a lot of people think police make more money the more people they arrest, I can honestly tell you that there is NO truth to that. Officers make the same no matter if they arrest 0 people a month or 250 people a month, they also make the same if they write 0 tickets a month or 250 tickets a month, there is no such thing as a bonus for high activity. I have heard people say to the officer something like "I hope you like the extra money that you get for arresting me/writing me a ticket", and then I've heard officers reply back sarcastically "yeah ill get extra money for arresting/citing you, why do you think I'm doing it?" It's usually a sarcastic reply in reference to a smart eleck comment by someone in trouble. So I can't see the conservation officer saying that. Sorry. And also about the jury duty and the joint being placed in the vehicle... I'm not saying it can't happen, because it can, and I'd hate to think that there's an officer out there that would do that, but there may be. But I will tell you, and promise you on everything I love, that in 7 years I have never once seen evidence planted on a suspect/person. EVER. And if that was true about them planting evidence on the girls, then I'm 100% sure they would have been fired by their department, and 100% sure they would have been sued. And you didn't mention either of those happening. If you want to video the conservation officers while they are present with you, then there are no laws against it, but like someone previously mentioned, if you are videoing and are cited/arrested, the officers have the right to take your recording device (whether it be a camera/cell phone/etc..) and book it in as evidence until the court proceedings are over, because it is now that (evidence of the offense you were cited/arrested for). I'm not saying you are, but most people that I've dealt with who record police, are trying to get the officers in trouble because they hate police, and they hate police because they are a criminal. However, to answer your question, yes you legally can video them. I've been a member of fishin.com for a few years now, and everyone I've met or talked to on here seem like genuinely good guys/gals, but after reading your post, it really makes me wonder and I am sorry but I highly doubt that your stories are 100% true.

[semi75]

Luke in my 18yrs so far my experiences are spot on yours. I can tell you that the story of cops planting evidence and being caught on video is unlikely but anything is possible. What makes it utter BS is that somehow on a criminal case this made it to a jury trial. There is not a prosecutor in KY who would not dismiss the charges well before this ever made it to a jury had such a tape existed. The legal process doesn't work like a Perry Mason episode, a defense surprise like this would have been brought up well before a trial.

[nitro90]

i don't smoke it never have but can you really get arrested for 1 joint. I've had to friends get hit by a driver with no insurance and all the cop could do is give them a citation. go figure, which is worse.

[Fishin is life]

Tom523,

As a police officer for 7 years here in KY, I honestly can say that your stories really make me wonder how true they are. I know there are some bad apples, but when I say bad apples, I have worked with probably over 100 different officers in the time I've been an officer, and when I say bad apples, I am talking about ones that say a few things to people they shouldn't, or arrest someone when it is iffy, and I can only think of 2 officers right off the top of my head out of 100 that I would classify as that. But of all the officers I've worked with (including those 2), I have never seen any officer say "we need to take one of them to pay bills". That is ridiculous, a lot of people think police make more money the more people they arrest, I can honestly tell you that there is NO truth to that. Officers make the same no matter if they arrest 0 people a month or 250 people a month, they also make the same if they write 0 tickets a month or 250 tickets a month, there is no such thing as a bonus for high activity. I have heard people say to the officer something like "I hope you like the extra money that you get for arresting me/writing me a ticket", and then I've heard officers reply back sarcastically "yeah ill get extra money for arresting/citing you, why do you think I'm doing it?" It's usually a sarcastic reply in reference to a smart eleck comment by someone in trouble. So I can't see the conservation officer saying that. Sorry. And also about the jury duty and the joint being placed in the vehicle... I'm not saying it can't happen, because it can, and I'd hate to think that there's an officer out there that would do that, but there may be. But I will tell you, and promise you on everything I love, that in 7 years I have never once seen evidence planted on a suspect/person. EVER. And if that was true about them planting evidence on the girls, then I'm 100% sure they would have been fired by their department, and 100% sure they would have been sued. And you didn't mention either of those happening. If you want to video the conservation officers while they are present with you, then there are no laws against it, but like someone previously mentioned, if you are videoing and are cited/arrested, the officers have the right to take your recording device (whether it be a camera/cell phone/etc..) and book it in as evidence until the court proceedings are over, because it is now that (evidence of the offense you were cited/arrested for). I'm not saying you are, but most people that I've dealt with who record police, are trying to get the officers in trouble because they hate police, and they hate police because they are a criminal. However, to answer your question, yes you legally can video them. I've been a member of fishin.com for a few years now, and everyone I've met or talked to on here seem like genuinely good guys/gals, but after reading your post, it really makes me wonder and I am sorry but I highly doubt that your stories are 100% true.

Not taking sides by any means, but it only takes one bad apple to ruin the whole bunch. As a citizen, i like to feel that my rights are protected as well. I've never had a traffic ticket, been checked by water patrol 100's of times and never had a citation. All it would take is for one guy with authority to have it out for me, and that would all change. 999 out of 1000 officers might be straight and by the book, but that one guy can give them all a black eye. To answer the OP's question, if it makes you feel better and is within the law, you have every right to videotape them. As law abiding citizens, we have rights to

[Luke512]

Semi75,

I agree with that also, if this did happen, an the prosecuting attorney had knowledge of a video existing, the prosecutor would have never let this go to trial, and would have had the charges dismissed. But that officer(s) would have still been held liable by their agency. And FishinIsLife, I agree with you also, if the OP wants to video the CO, he has every right to do so, I'm just saying, it would raise suspicions. And his whole post raises my suspicions. Not trying to start an argument, just saying.

[Luke512]

To clarify my last message:
This whole post (by the original poster) raises my suspicions.

[RoadToad]

To clarify my last message:
This whole post (by the original poster) raises my suspicions.

"We have to find somebody to take in because I need to go back to town and pay some bills".

The cop isn't looking to make money; he's looking for an excuse to go back to town.