One day after DC police's reasonable camera policy, phone still taken

DC resident did get his phone back, minus the memory card and family pictures.

by Cyrus Farivar

On July 20, just 24 hours after a new camera policy was enacted by the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC—you guessed it—the cops still took a guy’s phone. The new policy forbids the confiscation of cameras and cameraphones, and disallows police from ordering citizens to stop filming or taking photos of police action.

According to a local Fox TV affiliate, Earl Staley, a 26-year-old local resident started trying to record officers who were punching a man who they were arresting.

"So I go and grab my phone and start trying to record it," Staley told Fox 5 News in the District. "And once I do that, another vice cop reaches over my back and grabs my phone and tells me he's not giving my phone back."

Staley eventually did get his phone back, minus the memory card, which apparently had hundreds of photos of his daughter on it.

"I know it has to be illegal," Staley told Fox. "It hurt me a lot because that's a lot of pictures."

He’s right—it is illegal under the MPD’s new General Order (PDF) issued by Chief Cathy Lanier herself.

“A member [of the police department] shall not, implicitly or explicitly, coerce consent to take possession of any recording device or any information thereon,” the new order states.

MPD did not respond immediately to our request for comment.