but I kept silent, because I did not own a gun. Then they came for the cell phones …
OK, maybe that is a little over the top even for UO Matters. But it’s motivated by an interesting ODE Becky Metrick story about a fist-fight on campus, and what may be one of the first arrests since UO Public Safety converted to a sworn police force:
Amin’s teammate and brother Abdul Tufa had been recording the arrest with his phone. Shortly after Amin was placed in the police car, DPS forcefully confiscated Abdul’s phone, claiming they wanted the recording on the phone as evidence of the fight and arrest.
The UO Police confiscated a student’s phone after he recorded them making an arrest? Is that legal? Should it be? Note that the video also apparently included the original fight. A reader sends along this youtube video on the importance of cell phone cameras when dealing with the police. 3/8/2012.
Don’t they need a warrant or a subpoena to confiscate his phone?
Absolutely it is not legal. It is absolutely and COMPLETELY legal for one to record an arrest however.. here’s a good link for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxlL0I5AWLI&feature=player_embedded
If our rent-a-cops are now to be “sworn police officers” then perhaps they need a rigorous training to match.
Oh, and who’s going to pay the legal costs when the lawsuits begin to mount? Fortunately for Public Safety, there’s already a pretty cushy model in place, developed by the athletics department.
So what is the current legal standing of DPS now and through the six year “transition”? Do they possess full police powers today?
I’d like to hear from another source on the incident. The ‘Emerald’ staff reporters are green to say the least
Looks like DPS officers are not up to speed on recent case law regarding video recordings of cops in action. Especially in Oregon and Eugene.