Can't I get some ID, buddy? Is there a reason why you're not talking to me? What brings you out here? Why are you out here filming the post office? I don't really have to answer you. I'm not doing anything illegal, so I'd like to be left alone, please. You're being live-streamed, too. Okay. When a constitutional right is treated as suspicious behavior, the line between law enforcement and abuse of power becomes more fragile than ever. If you detain me right now >> And I'll I'll pull you over. >> detain me right now Regardless of you are right or wrong, I would give you my ID. The actions of officers who abuse their authority today don't just spark controversy. They can lead to civil lawsuits, tens of thousands of dollars in damages, and even the collapse of a career. Just for holding a camera in front of a public building, this man was instantly labeled suspicious. And the very first question rang out Can I get some ID, buddy? But did the officer actually have the legal authority to demand it? How are you doing? Can you put the camera down so I can talk to you? 41-36, I'm going to have to ask you to 10-4. Can I get some ID, buddy? Is there a reason why you're not talking to me? What brings you out here? So, I got a call that there was some suspicious behavior going on over here and they were possibly filming. I'm just calling to check I came over here to check on you, see what's going on. So, what's going on? Can you tell me your name? Hi. Are you with him? Who's with me? No, I was just joking. Do you know him? No. Well, I can't talk to you then. Hello, 10-31. I'm here just filming the building. I walked all the way over there. He's filming the Social Services Department. Okay, I'm 41. Kevin Gallop, 5' 10". >> moment to Spanish? Okay. Well, I'm not trying to add some excitement to it. Well, I'm not trying to do that. I'm trying to figure out what's going on. >> Just filming. That guy came out where he came across parking lot. And uh well, he was walking over here and he was getting right up next to the and I wanted to keep him on camera that way. Hello. Central 11-43, you're not allowed Just a bunch of mumbo jumbo and then he went in the building. Okay. But that's the only contact I had with anybody. I hadn't filmed anybody. I hadn't talked to anybody except for him. All right. Well, I mean I got a call out here for to check on you guys, see what's going on. After the questions about suspicious behavior, the cameraman continued to insist he was simply filming lawfully. No violations. No disturbance. Then the distance began to close and the atmosphere noticeably shifted. The conversation was no longer simple. It turned into a debate over authority and the limits of the law. It's a beautiful day to do it. It definitely is. Were there anybody else going to show up? >> [music] >> Will you step back? What's your deal? It's public, man. We are in public, am I allowed to walk around in public, am I not? I need a little bit of space. All right. Don't touch me. You don't have any right to touch me. This is a public area, ma'am. Okay. I'm I'm like straight up out of curiosity now more than anything. I see a journalist reporter and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just had a curiosity. I'm with the Social Services Department. I'm just filming a story on on the building. Yeah. Everything shifted into a full legal showdown. It was no longer just why are you filming? It became did the officer actually have a lawful basis to demand ID? But the real turning point didn't stop there. The officer began outlining the specific situations in which a person is legally required to provide identification. There are times you do have to give it. Now, I want to make that crystal clear. And now, I'm not going to force or compel you to right now because we we got a call about a suspicious And now, I Please be careful about putting information out about You absolutely don't always have an absolute right. But you have you have to be I have to have reasonable suspicion that crime was committed articulable Reasonable articulable suspicion. You left that part out. I actually have reasonable as articulable suspicion and reasonable articulable articulable facts to go one up on you. All right. I can't just say he looks shady. I have to have an articulable fact uh that makes me be able to say that you're in the process of committing a crime or about to commit a crime or you have committed a crime. I I I understand that, but I do want to make sure that y'all don't put it out there that you never have to give your ID. All right, because it gets people jammed up with this little law I know. I've seen those DUI stops. Resisting is a secondary charge. Right. Yeah, it absolutely is a secondary charge. If you're driving >> You can't I have to have a reason to >> Right. That's right. And we would if If you detain me right now If you detain me right now Regardless of you are right or wrong, I would give you my ID. Right. But I'm going to be >> Because because I'm not about to go to jail. Right. But I'm I'm going to try to be right in everything I do. Thank you. The exchange gradually shifted from questions about ID to a clear debate over authority and reasonable suspicion. Both sides understood the law and neither was willing to back down. But when the discussion turned to the concept of disorderly conduct, the atmosphere changed once again. Uh DSS have anything to say about this guy? Well, I mean That might be true with some people, but it don't bother me. All right, hold on. Don't harass any regular public. I haven't talked to a person. Haven't I just like this officer right here? I didn't talk to her up front because I had no need to. I'm walking out in public. I never went in there, banged on the door, never did anything. They scurried like ants because of the camera. And I just stood there for a few seconds. Yeah. Well, that that doesn't bother me. I've been filmed so much that You know, uh disorderly is one that they use a lot, but that requires an imminent threat and walk the person through Well, if you were 40 years in law enforcement, you would probably should know the particulars of North Okay. Should know the particulars of dis- disorderly conduct in North Carolina, but it does not require violence. I mean, it it will result in violence. Not necessarily. There All right. I'm not that good at it. So, general disorderly conduct out here for me to try and charge you with that, yes, there would have to be some form of of intimidation or threat or danger or violence. Now, there are some forms of disorderly conduct like, for example, if you disrupt a classroom. Right. Or in a building Or if you disrupt a funeral. Uh and this is a newer law that You know, when the Yahoo's started going to the veterans uh That's right. deceased military and tried to like Shot him shot him down. Just >> and their family, so there there was a law passed about that where yes, disorderly conduct going to call this poor person's family who just died overseas dirty names at his funeral. Which is uncouth conduct. I think most people would Yeah. Those are specific forms of disorderly conduct. It does not necessarily involve violence, but it is a breach of public peace. You ain't doing nothing like that. And this is public property. That's right. property and a person told you to get out of here, I can make you get out of here. >> That's right. right along. From the moment the term disorderly conduct was mentioned, the conversation was no longer just a discussion of the law. It became a real test of the limits of authority. And then, as nearly every argument had been laid on the table, the situation moved into its final stage, where a single decision could either bring everything to a close or send it in a completely different direction. It requires this is public property property for us to do something wrong like disorderly. Because it's like the sidewalk. You just can't tell me to get off the property. >> I I can't I'm going to tell you if the Great Republic of San came out and said you'll have to leave right or wrong, I'm going to enforce that as respectfully as I can to you, and then we'll settle it out. Did you actually ask him that you have to go to the master have him trespass and it would be on him? Yeah, I can I can still I've seen that before and that seems to work better. And the judge would kick it right out because there's no probable cause. >> and that's the thing. That's one of those So, it's up to you really to discern whether there's probable cause before you take it one step further and arrest, detain, etc. >> isn't determining probable cause. He's determining proof beyond a reasonable doubt. You may have absolutely have probable cause for arrest. Right, but again, that that whenever you're talking probable cause, he will look at probable cause as the base and then move it on up to however he decides to, you know, charge you, bond you, uh whatever. One more real quick. Well, gentlemen, now now I'm going to go on >> All right. All right. Like I said, just y'all y'all keep peace for the public. Y'all get it going. Y'all have a good day. Thank you. Thank you. After all the arguments about authority, reasonable suspicion, and the legal examples that were raised, the situation finally cooled down. No handcuffs, no arrest, no charges were filed. Up next, amid the scorching heat outside the Colton Post Office, a man stands on a public sidewalk with his camera. No trespassing, no disturbance, but just minutes later, all eyes begin turning toward him. The Colton Post Office. Do you have Let's see how they do about with photography. It's a dead end. They're already getting paranoid. What was that? I'm just doing a little story. Huh? Just doing a little story. Story? Yeah. But it's kind of suspicious. The story is? Uh when you're taking pictures of mail. Mail? I'm taking pictures of no mail. >> What are you doing? Just what? Cars? A story on the post office. On the post office? What's so suspicious about it? Because really there isn't a story when you're talking about what people, you know, put in the mail. It's all private. Is that your opinion or No, it's just everybody's. Do you have articles in your box in your mailbox? The first few minutes pass quietly, but that calm is quickly broken as suspicious eyes begin to appear. And instead of a simple conversation, the focus shifts to permission and authority. Does filming in a public place really require approval? I'm just doing it. I just be cordial, but I mean, I don't have to I don't have to give anybody an answer why I'm doing the story. That's the whole point of doing the story. I tell them what it is, then I compromise the story. I know that you're video taping cars. Anything Anything I can see from public. Mhm. My first amendment right, yeah? Whatever I can see from public as long as I'm where I'm supposed to be. All right. You have a good day, okay? Here we go, guys. I'm at another post office. How you doing, sir? Good, how are you? Uh what is it you're filming now? Your post office. Regarding? It's a story I'm doing. What's that? Your post office. What about the post office? That's none of your business, right? I can't compromise my story. >> the district because our San Diego district office is the one that grants permission. >> I don't Okay, first of all, thank you. Take it easy, okay? At this point, the exchange is no longer just a few curious questions. Permission is brought up. The tone shifts. >> [music] >> The tension rises. And when police arrive, the situation moves into an entirely different phase. It's no longer a debate between a citizen and employees. It becomes a direct confrontation over the law itself. What's going on, sir? Much. Okay. What what's going on right now in reference to why you're out here filming the post office. I don't really ever have to answer you. I'm not doing nothing illegal, so I'd like to be left alone, please. You're being live streamed, too. Okay. Do you have any identification? No, you're not going to get it because I'm not doing anything illegal. For size versus Seattle 148.9 California Penal Code. I'm standing on the public sidewalk, video taping, doing a little story. So, I'd appreciate it if you guys You guys are just messing You guys are You guys are I'm okay. >> Well, like you said, it is a public sidewalk. >> Yeah, but you're on But you're Is that what you want to tell citizens that you're harassing people that are doing a lawful activity? I was asking you what I don't need to I don't need to answer you. And now we're both standing on a public sidewalk. Thank you. Maybe you can go tell them now. Well, as long as Well, the guy came out The guy The guy in the Mercedes came out here and started threatening me. Okay, as long as you don't enter their property I I don't need instructions, sir. Thank you. You have a good day. What kind of story are you doing? Just a little story on the post office. On this uh actually, I'll show you. This paper that was sent down in 2010 that was declassified on uh on the right for a photographer to film the exterior of all federal installations, military land. So, I was just doing a little follow-up story on it. And then I brought that, too, but they didn't even give me a chance to like even present it to them and stuff, but I brought stuff in. Thank you, sir. Yep. Also, the guy in the in the white shirt came out, too, but then he came out threatening and didn't even get to dialogue with him or anything or So, get Get out of here. You're talking to them seeing what's up? Yeah, yeah. I just As long as they leave me alone, I'll walk away. I was just trying to get a a shot of a mail truck coming in or out. Okay. Cuz on on the YouTube, they do they use that for a thumbnail like a beginning, you know what I mean? So, so we're I thought it'd look good, but Now, they come out acting all crazy and stuff. So, I apologize. They came out acting all crazy with me, man. So, I didn't I didn't know what they had told you or So, I just figured I figured I The police are now on scene. Questions are asked. Requests are made. But instead of the tension escalating, the conversation shifts to something more important, the boundaries of the law. A public sidewalk, the right to film, no signs of a crime. Will this situation quietly come to an end? what it is. Um you have every right to do whatever it is as long as it doesn't emit or come As long as it doesn't encompass a crime. You're just on the public sidewalk, right? And I wouldn't come out here. That's why I made sure I wore something bright so that everybody would see me and stuff. I'm not trying to conceal myself. is true or not, his concern was that at any point in time if you Just like you do when you're at a picket line, right? Yeah. Everybody does have the right to picket a company, everything like that. But the only thing you don't have a right to do is obstruct the flow of commerce coming in and out of a business, right? >> Yeah, no. And and So, as long as you don't Walking to and from is one thing. It's like a picket line, sir. But it's when you're standing in the way or in close proximity to a car or a car Yeah, I wouldn't I wouldn't do that. all that kind of stuff, right? So, I told him the same thing as it was as it would be in any kind of a picket line or anything like that. You're He understands you're allowed to be. You just can't step foot on their property technically and can't disrupt the flow of their employees coming in and out. Thank you. Other than that, I appreciate you, yeah. I appreciate you honoring your oath cuz yeah, I didn't know what they told you cuz this guy was getting pretty aggressive with me. I told him just call the cops, you know what I mean? It's just They're They're just employees. I mean, they they shouldn't even be bothering me. I was so Anyways, sorry to waste you guys' time, but I'm going to be out of here. I was just trying to get a It's kind of ruined now. I was trying to get a a shot of the mail truck coming in and out, but I'm out. I don't I don't want to be all paranoid and stuff, so Okay. I appreciate that. You guys have a good day. I'm going this way. Thank you guys. Good looking out. This is the post office. I'm going to go take a picture of the front real quick. The officer went and explained it to the guy. The guy wasn't too happy. So, uh I get my last couple of shots in the front just to let them know that uh After the legal boundaries are clarified, the tension gradually eases. No handcuffs, no charges, [music] just lingering stares and visible frustration from postal employees. A citizen may file a lawsuit under Section 1983 if their rights are violated. Officers found [music] to have infringed on constitutional rights could face civil liability, disciplinary action, or even termination. When citizens exercise their rights [music] in a public space, what they need is not intimidation, but respect. Hey everyone, what do you think about this situation? If you enjoyed the video, don't forget to like, subscribe, and support us with a donation. Thank you so much.