This Trooper Tries To Violate A Civilian’s Rights. What Happens When His Sergeant Shows Up? Priceless! (VIDEO)

"Screen Grab From Video"
Screen Grab From Video


In Albany, NY, a state trooper had to be schooled on the law by his own Sergeant. It seems that on Sept. 25, a man was using a personal drone to take video of the area around a police station. Due to this, a trooper, identified from the video as D.M. Fougere, proceeds to try and violate the man’s right to videotape in public.

From the very beginning of the video, the encounter is already getting tense. Within the first 20-seconds, the exchange went like this:

Trooper Fougere: “Who are you?”

Drone Pilot: “I don’t need to provide that.”

Trooper Fougere: “Yes you do.”

Drone Pilot: “No I don’t.”

Officer Fougere: “If I’m asking you who you are, and why you’re videotaping our facility, you have to provide me with some form of identification. So do you have that identification?”

Drone Pilot: “To require identification under the law, you need to be able to articulate a crime that I’m about to commit, or have committed.”

This form of debate goes on for a couple of minutes with the trooper clearly ignorant of the law. At one point the trooper actually states, “I don’t care,” when the drone pilot attempts to educate him.

Now, according to the Free Thought Project:

“…in New York, if an officer demands that you identify yourself, that officer must have reason to believe you have committed a crime, are about to commit a crime, or have evidence of a crime that was committed.”

Fortunately, a Sgt. who was nearby, and was witnessing the dispute, approached as the drone pilot was asking for him. As trooper Fougere explained the situation, the Sgt. ended the dispute quickly by interrupting Fougere and saying:

“Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. According to your First Sergeant it’s not a problem. It’s not a problem.”

Trooper Fougere responds by asking:

“He can video tape as much as he wants, we don’t have to get any form of identification?”

The Sgt. then explains again:

“Not a problem. He can video tape. Not a problem.”

Lastly, at the end of all of this, the Sgt. actually apologizes to the drone pilot. As they converse calmly, they discuss the training of law enforcement officers (or lack thereof) and the lack of legislation regarding private drones.

Needless to say, trooper Fougere quickly left the scene. Now people can say that the trooper should have the right to at least ask for identification. Because you know…terrorists. But thankfully the Sgt. knew the law.

This altercation does not have as much to do with security, as it does with a trooper knowing the law. Too many times law enforcement officers believe they have the right to stop and ask anyone for their identification. Sometimes even more. While I admire what many honest police officers do on a daily basis, it’s officers like Fougere that end up giving the good ones a bad name.

 

Kristie is 22-years-old and resides in Nashville, TN. While reading is a passion, she also has a passion for writing. Reporting on social issues such as LGBT rights, racial injustices, and religious intolerance, she also has a vested interest in the current political climate in America.