Police vs the Press (2) The Delete Police
Where does our Royal Barbados Police get off get off grabbing reporters cameras and deleting their pictures whenever they feel like it? This happened to a news photographer on the scene of that tragic accident at Joes River down East Coast on Party Monarch day.
Nation photographer on the scene Rawle Culbard had his camera “grabbed” by the Police and the photos he had been taking deleted. The Police also took his phone from him to check it did not have a camera he could delete those pictures too.
Where does the police get off grabbing peoples cell phones and checking if they have cameras so they can delete photos? What part of the Barbados law are they operating on which gives them the right to infringe on the rights of press or of any one on the scene who might choose to take pictures for that matter? A lot of bureaucratic crap happens in this country and then we sit to ass down and do nothing and then it becomes the accepted norm.
I have heard the same police warning people that they should watch out for cell phones snatchers so when they grab a persons cell phone to check for pictures with out his permission aren’t the same police breaking the law? What about when you just take it upon your self to delete pictures from a persons camera which might include not only photos taken at that scene but photos taken before which you have no authority to destroy.
What are the police frightened for? Why do they go on a scene of a tragedy and instead of looking to assist people look to delete pictures? Usually it is the opposite. When an incident happens the police usually request people who might have taken photographs to come forward so the photos can be used to reconstruct the scene. Not we police; they delete delete delete.
I looked in the newspaper just recently and saw photos taken of the results of the Cubana airline tragedy which occurred back in 1973. If we police of today were around back then, those photos would have been deleted. From September 11th 2001 there is that infamous footage of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center buildings, if we Barbados police had happened to turn up on that scene first they would have deleted that footage.
The point that I am making is the present actions of our delete police will have serious effect on the historical recording of events which occur today that we would want to have records of in the future.
To be honest with you people, I did come across one example which would justify why we police delete pictures. United States back in 1991: An amateur camera man caught 8 police officers beating a hand cuffed Rodney King they were in the process of arresting. You know how much trouble they ended up in for that.
If we Barbados police would have been there they would have known what to do, they would have deleted the footage..
I guess now we know why they do it…
Well tell them to delete this and……
…..Article was brought to a premature end as Police deleted it, plus it was going on to damn long anyway!
>”Why can’t we all just get along?”Rodney king
If during the reading of this blog there is any thing I might have written which might have incensed or offended you, GET OVER IT! There are many things I read and hear in the media on a daily basis that I don't like either. SO DEAL WITH IT! You are welcome to leave your comments though. Make sure and come back yuh hear !!!...
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
It is well known fact, Bajans does keep the most noise….. but to themselves. When an injustice is done whether it’s personal or public, no one likes to come out and say anything for fear of being pitied and victimized. The rock is so small and members of the police force are so petty & childish, they would make sure they cross paths with you again just to get back at you. Why you think people don’t take the same police to court for ½ the crap they do to the general public? For fear of being victimized.
I can speak with authority due to the fact that I grew up in Westbury Road and when you are from certain parts of this country the police is drawn to you like flies to horse sh**, and they like to intimidate and use their power to control you. But as I grew and matured, they didn’t so now anytime they come to me with crap I through it rite back in their face & stand up for my rights. That is what bajans need to do. Learn about your rights and don’t let the ROYAL BARBADOS POLICE FORCE trample all over them. You don’t have to go study law to know your rights. And believe me, ¾ of the force don’t know majority of the laws, they just know how to make people fear them.
Next time a police officer tries to intimidate you whether it’s during a traffic stop or whatever stand your ground & challenge them. You’ll see how fast they start to back peddle.
August 24th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Imamgine that… And then the same Police Counchstables, sorry I mean Constables asking the public for assistance. Dem looking for anyone who would have been on the scene first and who did dey dem destroy wha dem had… Pack o ……!!!!
August 28th, 2007 at 12:36 am
That was something else. The press and the police should be getting along well. The police had no right to man-handle the reporters if they did…that’s not right. The nation has a right to be extremely well informed about what is going on…good or bad. Bajans like information…we like to know. And the Nation tells.