I live in NY. A few years ago, during the Israeli Day Parade, security was very tight and there many, many police officers guarding the parade route. On my block, there were police barricades cordoning off both sides of the street. I went out to take my dog for a walk. I had no problem taking my dog past the police barricades but when I returned, a couple of police officers demanded my I.D.
I pointed to the apartment building I lived in, said I wasn’t carrying any I.D with me because I was just out walking the dog and had never been asked before (or since) to produce I.D for the police. I also asked them what I done that would make them need to see my I.D. They didn’ t answer any of the above. The officers just repeated that I could face arrest if I didn’t produce I.D. I decided that I was done with them and walked into my building with the aside that they knew where I lived and that they could come and get me if they had nothing better to do. They didn’t.
I sent an e-mail to to the officer in charge of my police district, complaining about what happened. To his credit, he did reply by letter, apologizing for my “inconvenience.” Although I’m not under any illusion that I had anything to do with it, I have never seen a police officer request I.D for any of the Israeli Day Parades since the one where I had a problem.
So what’s the deal? Are you legally required to carry I.D with you? If so, are you legally required to produce that I.D if a police officer requests it and you have done nothing that would raise suspicion?
My WAG is extra security for a foreign dignitary. Was there a head of state or foreign minister, or some other high-powered governmental type there?
I experienced this a couple of times while living in DC and running into VIP security. I was even asked to haul my kite down so it wouldn’t foul the Marine 1 chopper coming in and out of the White House.
Most parades around here attract their own share of VIPs and politicians but I don’t recall anyone extraordinary appearing during this particular parade. Obviously, the Israeli Day Parade has its own set of worries to deal with but I do remember that Benjamin Netanyahu once put in appearance around where I lived. There was a great deal of security during that as well but no demands for identification.
I’m aware of Hiibel and Terry vs. Ohio but I think the pertinent part is this:
“Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada, 542 U.S. 177 (2004), held that statutes requiring suspects to identify themselves during police investigations did not violate either the Fourth or Fifth Amendments”
You have to be doing something that would invoke reasonable suspicion. In Hiibel, the police officer was investigating an assault. I was out walking my dog, walking away from the parade route. The only thing I was carrying was a leash in one hand. I don’t think you can get reasonable suspicion from that activity.
