Is It Legal to Film Police?

[Wallenstein]

Do the police get an exemption from wiretapping laws even if they have no specific warrent?

Surely the standard police dashcams are filming all sorts of people without their consent (under this logic)?

[neuroman]

Reason magazine actually has an ongoing series on filming the police, with a great deal of information. If you are interested in this topic, I think you'll find these and other links highly informative.

http://reason.com/archives/2010/12/0...ras/singlepage

http://reason.com/blog/2011/02/28/an...war-on-cameras

http://reason.com/blog/2011/07/25/re...g-the-war-on-c

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

As a society, we have an interest in compelling citizens to testify about miscreants.

Alleged miscreants.

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Some states have balanced these interests by creating shield laws that protect certain journalists from being compelled to reveal sources. To extend that shield law to every citizen "journalist" would obviously obliterate the first interest listed above.

So then, how is "journalist" to be defined?

[Alley Dweller]

Originally Posted by Wallenstein

Do the police get an exemption from wiretapping laws even if they have no specific warrent?

Surely the standard police dashcams are filming all sorts of people without their consent (under this logic)?

Each state makes its own laws that don't have to be consistent with the laws of any other state. Here is the specific law in Illinois:

720 ILCS 5/14-3)
Sec. 14-3. Exemptions. The following activities shall be exempt from the provisions of this Article:
...
(h) Recordings made simultaneously with the use of an in-car video camera recording of an oral conversation between a uniformed peace officer, who has identified his or her office, and a person in the presence of the peace officer whenever (i) an officer assigned a patrol vehicle is conducting an enforcement stop; or (ii) patrol vehicle emergency lights are activated or would otherwise be activated if not for the need to conceal the presence of law enforcement.
For the purposes of this subsection (h), "enforcement stop" means an action by a law enforcement officer in relation to enforcement and investigation duties, including but not limited to, traffic stops, pedestrian stops, abandoned vehicle contacts, motorist assists, commercial motor vehicle stops, roadside safety checks, requests for identification, or responses to requests for emergency assistance;
(h-5) Recordings of utterances made by a person while in the presence of a uniformed peace officer and while an occupant of a police vehicle including, but not limited to, (i) recordings made simultaneously with the use of an in-car video camera and (ii) recordings made in the presence of the peace officer utilizing video or audio systems, or both, authorized by the law enforcement agency;
(h-10) Recordings made simultaneously with a video camera recording during the use of a taser or similar weapon or device by a peace officer if the weapon or device is equipped with such camera;