Month: November 2019

By and large, New Yorkers are most appreciative of the police officers who devote their time to keeping residents safe. There is a flip side however, in that the police sometimes abuse their power. Here are three areas of concern where law enforcement officers may violate the rights of citizens. 1. False arrest False arrest is the most common claim lodged against law enforcement officers. The person initiating the claim will often say that the police violated his or her Fourth Amendment right concerning unreasonable seizure. The question is whether the officer had probable cause to believe a...

Everyone these days seemingly has a smartphone with an integrated camera. Whether you are riding the subway, walking on the street or sitting in your house, you may want to use your phone’s camera to record police activity. Generally, you have a First Amendment right to do so, provided you do not obstruct police activity.  A recording of police activities may be essential to someone’s criminal defense. It may also keep law enforcement officials from violating the law. Nonetheless, officers may not appreciate their actions ending up on a digital recording. Here are three ways...