Stephen Strichart
My darling wife Neena brought the following topic to my attention for two reasons: one, she knew how I felt about this “problem;” and two, she wanted to get a rise out of me. It worked!
Hip hooray and my hat is off to Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell for making the detention of photographers for taking pictures “with no apparent aesthetic value” within Long Beach Police Department policy.
Okay, a little history. As many of our readers know, I am a retired Long Beach police officer. My last seven years on the department I was assigned to the Accident Investigation Detail (AID). In AID we handled all hit-and-runs, felony drunk drivers, and all major and fatality traffic accidents. It’s the latter that I want to talk about.
Whenever there was a fatal traffic accident, no matter the time of day or night, the detective on call would respond. Of course, the local newspaper and TV channels had scanners and would hear the call go out. Shortly after getting to the scene, and many times before I could assess the situation, the press photographers would show up. Now, understand a press pass issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department will get the media photographers closer to the “scene” than the general public. However, it doesn’t give the person any guaranteed privileges or rights. The detective in charge on the scene has total control and may instruct senior or command officers to move if he or she feels they are likely to disturb evidence.
On more than one occasion I got into what I will call “heated” conversations with photographers wanting to take pictures of the deceased. Oh, they always stated that the photos would never get into the paper or on TV. I always stated, “If that’s the case, you don’t need them.” This was not what they wanted to hear, and they got very upset, to say the least. No family ever learned about the death of one of their loved ones over dinner watching the evening news, at least not on my watch.
I don’t know what type of training press photographers get or what they are told they can and can’t do by their employers, or for that matter what training officers are getting these days for dealing with photographers. But, let’s face it, with the 10-year anniversary of 9/11 right around the corner, the heightened security in the city is a welcomed sight. As they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The Port of Long Beach is on the list as a possible target. I imagine an oil refinery would make a likely target too.
So here I am, the owner of a newspaper, with a camera and a press pass. BUT, when I go to any scene being controlled by police, I make my presence known and wait until they give me the okay to move forward for pictures or witness statements. I do this out of respect for the men and women doing their jobs. They have enough on their minds; they don’t need some person (professional or not) with a camera adding to what they already have to do.
So, here’s to you, Chief McDonnell, for making your detectives’ jobs just a little bit easier and, in turn, possibly preventing what could be disastrous news to a local family.
