Wrong side of the law

[SG1]

Thought this might be a good rainy day topic: Tell us about your run-ins with the law while fishing.

I think mine is a classic:

Last December I was kayaking under a central NJ bridge at night with a friend. We were catching a few nice stripers. I snapped a few pictures....oops! Five minutes later, with full lights and sirens, police from two different towns (the bridge is the border) come flying up to the top, shut down traffic, and hit us with spotlights... . We are instructed to immedaitely paddle over to a private dock. As it turns out, someone saw my camera flash and thought we were terrorists surveying the bridge. The cops were actually very cool about it. They took our info and told us not to take anymore picts.

 

To make a long story longer, after the police left, we headed back out to the bridge and I was just about to drop the anchor when my buddy tells me to look up. About a mile away, I could see the big blue flashing light on the marine police boat heading right for us . Same drill.. showed them ID, and got a lecture. They were actually more interested in the fishing.

 

I'll be changing my name to Osama Bin Kayak

[Striped Bass]

[Seal]

Fishing late at night you're bound to meet some of the local officers...

 

Most of my experiences have been positive.

[Trigger]

They took our info and told us not to take anymore picts.

 

 

 

Is there some statute or regulation in New Jersey that prohibits taking pictures of bridges or pictures from boats? Why would these Barney Fyfe's think they could tell you not to take any more pictures?

[hatman]

Is there some statute or regulation in New Jersey that prohibits taking pictures of bridges or pictures from boats? Why would these Barney Fyfe's think they could tell you not to take any more pictures?

 

Those "Barney Fifes" as you put it were checking on what could have been a terrorist activity which means potentially putting thier lives at risk. But hey, go ahead and mock them if it makes you feel better.

[Charleston]

Thought this might be a good rainy day topic: Tell us about your run-ins with the law while fishing.

I think mine is a classic:

Last December I was kayaking under a central NJ bridge at night with a friend. We were catching a few nice stripers. I snapped a few pictures....oops! Five minutes later, with full lights and sirens, police from two different towns (the bridge is the border) come flying up to the top, shut down traffic, and hit us with spotlights... . We are instructed to immedaitely paddle over to a private dock. As it turns out, someone saw my camera flash and thought we were terrorists surveying the bridge. The cops were actually very cool about it. They took our info and told us not to take anymore picts.

 

To make a long story longer, after the police left, we headed back out to the bridge and I was just about to drop the anchor when my buddy tells me to look up. About a mile away, I could see the big blue flashing light on the marine police boat heading right for us . Same drill.. showed them ID, and got a lecture. They were actually more interested in the fishing.

 

I'll be changing my name to Osama Bin Kayak

 

 

Why in hell would you be instructed not to take any more pictures. That is not against the law. The people who made a complaint should be instructed to gt it right!

I am sure the Police are right but it sounds weak. The threat is real but stopping the pictures simply stops the complaints.

[126andy]

I wasn't on the wrong side of the law I was the law in the Parks & on the Beaches for 34 years--trust me we weren't out there to break anyones Ba**s. If you aren't doing something out there that you shouldn't be doing then you had nothing to worry about. I used to stop and see all of the fisherman when I was out there and most of the time they were happy to see us. They would even point out people that had shorts or were putting the right to use the beaches in jeopardy by doing stupid things.

There's always some people though that will complain if you're out there checking things out and if you're not there they will complain about that too.

[canyondiver]

Those "Barney Fifes" as you put it were checking on what could have been a terrorist activity which means potentially putting thier lives at risk. But hey, go ahead and mock them if it makes you feel better.

 

Hat,

If someone really wanted to take good photos of bridge construction, you would do it from a distance so you could get the full span.

Taking notes when close up would be more useful.

I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding when it comes to this stuff, and since everyone is not trained by the FBI, or whoever teaches this stuff, officers sometimes react to everything they see. I have no problem with it either way.

 

Perhaps cameras should not be allowed in public?

 

I have been hassled a few times for no apparent good reason.

 

Better safe than sorry, but it can get silly at times.

[Fishoholic]

I've been on both sides.. In the coast guard I mostly did commercial inspections but after 9/11 we had to really start enforcing the " no tying up to bridges" law and we'd have to make a night of patrolling all the bridges in the bay. I felt bad making the guys leave..but i was only doing my job. I did feel like a hypocrite being that when i was a teenager i use to jump the fences of the mansions on the spillway canals in fl fishing for snook at 2am. I can't believe i never got arrested. I several verbal altercations with richie rich and his neighbors. I dont blame them but it was well worth it

[AbuMike]

 

I'll be changing my name to Osama Bin Kayak

 

 

Funny stuff right there...

[Trigger]

Those "Barney Fifes" as you put it were checking on what could have been a terrorist activity which means potentially putting thier lives at risk. But hey, go ahead and mock them if it makes you feel better.

 

 

This kind of crap ("no more pictures") went out with fedoras, running boards, and cops eating and drinking on what we used to call "BadgeAmericard."

 

What I and any well-run agency would expect of these officers responding to a call for a suspicious activity like this is that:

 

1. They would have arrived on-scene and made a preliminary assessment (preliminary assessment: apparent American citizens fishing from kayaks and, as someone else pointed out, apparently not gathering technical information in the dark).

 

2. Approached and identified individuals, explaining reason for contact

 

3. Made want/warrant check and, maybe, criminal history check from portable or MDT/computer in car and, if nothing relevant, put a positive spin on the stop.

 

4. Explained contact purpose again, apologizeed for any inconvenience, chat a bit about need for security, given the citizens a personal card or department contact card, asked them to call if they see anything suspicious themselves, and leave on a good note. (sometimes this last thing is impossible; the world has many _________ -- fill-in the blank.)

 

6. Completed the appropriate report or field contact card (recording the identification info of the citizens contacted). (Maybe, if department policy and time permits, contacting the person reporting the incident by phone or in person to give a disposition)

 

Total elasped time: less than five minutes.

 

Result: incident investigated, everyone reassured, information captured for future use (either statistical, investigative, or intelligence) (For example, guy found in concrete galoshes next day near bridge; your fishing partner doesn't come home; or two weeks later your fishing partner becomes a fugitive and investigators are looking for associates or prior contacts).

 

What I would not expect, unless the jurisdiction or specific location has a statute, ordinance, or regulation barring photography is that the officers would issue a facially unlawful order interfering with an individual's right to take photographs while fishing, kayaking, or walking around.

 

Barney Fyfe was an incompetent, ill-trained, undisciplined cop; an officer who tells two innocent fishermen to stop taking photos when they have every right to do so is a Barney Fyfe.

 

In most well-run agencies, a complaint about behavior like this would, at a minimum, result in informal discipline, a written admonition, or, if it weren't isolated behavior, maybe more.

[Patrick9915]

I've had a few run ins. Nothing too bad though.

 

The only one that pissed me off was when I got kicked off of the beach. Beaches close around dark here. I'm in the parking lot suiting up when the cop pulls up.

 

=cop

=me

 

: What are you doing here?

: (keep in mind I'm wearing waders, holding a fishing rod with a "Is this a trick question?" look on my face) Umm fishing.

: Beach is closed after dark.

: Yeah, but I'm fishing. I have a permit to use the beach. I can't fish when there are swimmers.

: Beach is closed after dark. (HELPFUL!)

: Let me get this straight. I could be down the road getting hammered and driving around. Instead, I'm fishing a desolate beach and this is a problem?

: Beach is closed. Fish at the marina.

 

So I parked at the marina and walked down to the area I wanted to fish.

[StriperTC]

Hmmmmmm, Spillway canals, Naw too old to jump fences anymore. However, just in case, where were you?

[Lagerhead]

Last police contact I had uhh fishing related when me and a bud were on his boat 3 Sat's ago. We went out to Romer when there was that big south blow. I think there were genuine 4 footers on the Knoll. We ended up seeking shelter between the channel and the tip. We were anchored and clammin when the Coast Guard stopped by to tell us the big stuff was 2 hours away.

 

The camera thing, Hat correct me if I'm wrong, the cops got a call because of camera flashes..... They just didn't want to get more calls. Is it too much to ask?

[Striped Bass]

Is there some statute or regulation in New Jersey that prohibits taking pictures of bridges or pictures from boats? Why would these Barney Fyfe's think they could tell you not to take any more pictures?

 

 

 

They were doing their job, and not only can they tell you to stop taking pictures they can bring you to the station, and they can take your camera if they want it.

You need to have more respect for the people that protect you and your family.