Bully officer that does not know the law costs his department 41,000 dollars.
The incident took place outside the Pueblo Police Department in Colorado, where an independent journalist known as O'Connel was filming and taking photos from a public sidewalk.
As we all know this a protected right that we all have. This journalist is exercising those very rights.
Officer Romero notices O'Connel recording police vehicles and the building. He approaches and demands to know who O'Connel is and what he's doing.
O'Connel exercises his right to remain silent and attempts to walk away. Instead of letting him go, Officer Romero immediately grabs him and places him in handcuffs.
When pressed on why he is detaining the citizen, Officer Romero claims he has "reasonable suspicion." However, as O'Connel rightly points out on the scene, recording from a public sidewalk and refusing to answer a police officer's questions is not a crime, nor does it establish reasonable suspicion of a crime.
The moment Captain Martin (the supervisor) arrives on the scene, the entire dynamic shifts. Captain Martin instantly recognizes the situation, identifies O'Connell as he has seen his work, and tells Officer Romero point-blank: "He has every right to do that."
The supervisor orders the immediate release of the journalist, leaving the arresting officer to face a swift internal affairs complaint for deprivation of rights and illegal detainment.
In the end in order to avoid litigation caused by the incompetence of officer Romero, their department settled for 41,000 dollars.