license, registration. >> I can do that. I can tell you off. That's the first amendment. If you got a problem, get your sergeant out here. I have you recorded doing 80 mph in a 65 mph zone. >> No headlights, no sirens, nonchalantly. Apparently, you drive like that all the time. >> You ain't getting nothing. >> Okay, then I will arrest you for obstruction. >> You do that, buddy, and I'll sue the out of Adams County. In February 2024, Adams County Deputy Walter Berlinsky was caught on video casually driving 80 mph in a 65 mph zone with no lights, no sirens, and no emergency whatsoever, only to aggressively pull someone over for speeding minutes later. The First Amendment, as repeatedly upheld by federal circuits, including the 10th Circuit, which covers Colorado, explicitly protects the right to record police officers performing their duties in public as long as the person does not physically interfere. What deputy Binsky did next wasn't just hypocritical. It was a deliberate attempt to punish a citizen for daring to document that hypocrisy. When off-duty Denver Reserve officer Deary Zadk recognized the deputy's cruiser, safely pulled over on the shoulder and began recording the traffic stop to gather evidence for a complaint. Berlinsky abandoned his original motorist, marched over, and demanded ID for absolutely no crime. >> Hi, how are you? >> Good. >> Everything okay? >> Yeah. Can I get your name and badge number? >> For what? >> What? For what? >> Uh, >> what do you need? >> So I know who I'm making a complaint against. >> For what? >> For speeding. >> Speeding? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> I have you recorded doing 80 mph in a 65 mph zone. >> No headlights, no sirens, nonchalantly. Apparently, you drive like that all the time. So, I wanted to film hypocrisy at its finest. >> Okay. License, registration, proof, insurance? >> No. No. >> Yes. Cuz now you're in >> No, I'm doing nothing. If you're going to start this [ __ ] if you're going to start this [ __ ] you get your sergeant over here. >> Get your sergeant over here. Get your sergeant over here. Get your sergeant over here. No, I ain't giving you [ __ ] Get your sergeant over here. >> You pulled over on a traffic stop, so you had >> I didn't pull over on your traffic stop. I pulled over here because I was I had to answer my phone. >> No, that's exactly why you're not getting [ __ ] from me. If you're going to keep this up, get your sergeant out here. >> License, registration. >> You ain't getting [ __ ] from me. You ain't getting [ __ ] from me. >> Then now you're obstructing. >> No, I'm not. Obstruction is a physical. Look, dude. You better get youring sergeant out here, okay? Get your sergeant out here. >> License registration. >> I can do that. I can tell you to [ __ ] off. That's a first amendment. If you got a problem, get your sergeant out here. >> You ain't getting [ __ ] from me. Get your sergeant out here. I'm asking for your sergeant for the last time. >> And I'm asking >> Get your sergeant out here. Well, you ain't getting my [ __ ] You ain't getting my [ __ ] You ain't getting nothing. >> Okay, then I will arrest you for obstruction. >> You do that, buddy. And I'll sue the out of Adams County. Got it. >> Step out. You better get a I want a sergeant here. >> Step out. I want A SERGEANT HERE. >> STEP OUT AND you're gonna get tased. Come to get tased. I have a weapon right here. >> You have uh security here. Okay. >> You have a CCW? >> Yes, I do. >> Yeah. He's a Denver cop or is a Yeah, he's a Denver cop. >> And I know my rights, too, buddy. >> Okay, cool. Thank you. Want to get me out of the road here so I don't get run over. >> Thank you for being compliant. Greatly appreciated. No problem. Let me just check real quick. >> All righty, sir. He said I was doing 85 and a 65 and he's just recording hypocrisy at its best. So then I asked him for his license registration cuz he pulled up on my traffic stop. So, I was dealing with him second and he wouldn't give it to me because he's a Denver cop and he knows his but he knows his his rights. >> Is he retired? >> I don't know. I didn't even say I just saw he was a Denver cop. >> Denver reserve. So, >> how exactly did he Well, that's what we got to clarify. Yeah. >> Well, I'm trying to get his trying to get it. He came up here. If I know honestly, I could have I should have contacted him sooner, but I didn't. I waited for my traffic, so I contact him. He was video recording me. So I was asking for all of his information. He was like, "He's not giving it to me." He wanted a supervisor. >> He was just video recording. >> And then when I was asking, >> did he walk up to your stop? >> No. >> But then >> you don't have instruction. >> But when I was trying to get his information here, >> Robert Charles, >> he wouldn't give his information here. He wouldn't identify himself here. It's It's weak. >> Yeah, it's very weak. But and I can hear less that I say on the camera. But uh >> and I asked him to step out and he stepped out. He stepped out lawfully. Just wouldn't identify himself. >> It's weak, but I got it. >> I'm I'm driving down 85 and I'm leaving Brighton. I'm on my way to the Ford dealership to get my car back on on a starter. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> I'm doing 65. This guy passes me >> and I look at my thing and I'm doing the speed limit and he passed me I mean pretty aggressively. >> Mhm. So, I started to go to catch up to him because I wanted to pace him to see how fast he was going. He was going about 80 mph. I recorded it. Mhm. >> Okay. I recorded pacing him and then a picture of my So, anyway, he just >> I mean, he just like I said, he just passed me and all and he disappeared. Okay. So, my intention was I've got this on on on video. I was going to call the station and complain. get a hold of me. >> Yeah. Who else? >> Right. So, I I had no idea where he went, but I turned on 104th to go to the Ford dealership and he had somebody pulled over and right at the same time my phone rang. So, um I I noticed that it was the same guy and I thought, "Boy, wouldn't that be isn't that something if he's given whoever he pulled over a ticket for speeding?" So, I uh just sat there and I put my phone out the window to to record um so they could get a picture of the guy. >> Mhm. >> Um and then I just sat in my car and after he wrote the guy a ticket and let him go, then he came up to me and he said, "Uh, can I help you?" And I said, I said, "No." I said, "Can I get your name and badge number?" And he said, "What for?" And I said, "Because you were speeding on Highway 85." Oh, yeah. I said, "Yeah, you were doing 80 and a 65. No lights, no sireers, no nothing. And I could tell that you were just your casual driving. Give me your driver's license, insurance, and proof of insurance." I said, "I'm not giving you my information." He said, "Give me your stuff or I'll get you for obstruction." I said, "You didn't pull me over. I don't have to give you my driver's license. You didn't pull me over." Right? >> So then he opened my car, yanked me out, handcuffed me, and here I sit. And I told him, I want a sergeant. This is You have no [ __ ] right to do this. And that officer that's going up to my van right now admitted it. When Zach Kalik refused to hand over his license because he had not been detained for any offense and was simply parked on the side of the road exercising his rights, Deputy Berlinsky threatened him with obstruction, then forcibly yanked him from the vehicle, handcuffed him, and threw him in the back of a patrol car. Colorado Law 18-8-1004 and every single federal court that has examined the issue have ruled that mere refusal to identify during a consensual encounter or when no crime is suspected is not obstruction and does not create reasonable suspicion or probable cause on its own. Even Berlinsk's own colleague who arrived on scene immediately recognized the arrest was baseless, telling the deputy on body cam that the stop was very weak and that Zatalik had broken no law by filming from a public road. The supervisor apologized on camera multiple times, removed the handcuffs, and sent Zadclick on his way. >> You have no [ __ ] right to do this. And that officer that's going up to my van right now admitted it. >> He said, "Yes, you you should that that deputy is >> right there." >> Um, he's right there with you. >> So, I'd like these handcuffs off. I'd like to be go I'd like I'd like that guy's >> that's that's >> information and I'd like like to go on my way here. >> That's going to happen. So, >> and I want an apology from that guy. >> Some of these guys they forget that it's not it's not against the law for someone to to to videotape your your traffic stop. It's not against the law for them to to pull on the side of the road. It's not against the law to make a comment. Um, it I can't think of any way that that would interfere with it. >> And he some people >> and I even said to him at least if their body cams are on at least six times when he kept asking me for my stuff told me he was going to arrest me for obstruction. I said I I I want you I want I need a supervisor before you keep doing this [ __ ] I'd like a supervisor. And he said no. And then that's when >> that's when I called >> and that's when he yanked me out and threw me in handcuffs. >> So I'll handle it. It'll be taken care of. I promise you that. I'm not going to let it's not going to just go away. Okay. >> Um it will be handled. Um I'm sorry. I I will apologize for the sheriff's office. I'm sorry it happened. It shouldn't happen. Like I said, let me go talk to him for a minute and uh I'll be back in just a minute. Okay. Okay. All right. Mhm. Well, here's my business card. Didn't mean it to go this route. Unfortunately, it did. So, that is my, you know, my apologies, but So, I don't know what else to say. >> You ought to know better. >> So, I will I will bite my tongue on that response, sir. >> Yeah. >> Am I free to go? >> Absolutely, sir. I'll see you at court. >> Okay, sir. Have a great day. >> Thank you, sir. Have a great day. >> No, sir. Enjoy your day, sir. Thank you. >> What the hell did he just say? >> He said I'm a [ __ ] idiot and to see me in court and then grabbed his balls and put me off >> at the same time. >> Yes. >> You know, stay further away, especially if he's an offduty cop. Really? That's stupid. who he is. >> He's a [ __ ] Denver reserve. >> He comes and try and does this [ __ ] because he was >> After the wrongful arrest and clear first amendment retaliation, Adams County quietly settled with Barry Zadclick for $80,000 of taxpayer money without ever going to court because the body cam footage was so damning a lawsuit would have cost far more. Internal records obtained by us show Deputy Berlinsky received only a letter of reprimand for violating the department's courtesy policy with his sergeant writing that he needs to remember that the public has a right to pull over in video and that deputies must provide their name and badge number when asked, not get into an argument with the citizen. So, a corrupt cop speeds with impunity, illegally arrests a citizen for filming that speeding, costs the county $80,000, and walks away with a slap on the wrist piece of paper while still wearing the badge. Just another day when the thin blue line protects its own and the public pays the price. Like and subscribe for more police cam stories. Watch the next recommended video.