Video: LAFD firefighter orders man to shut down camera at EMS scene

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We haven’t had one of these stories for a while. I get the impression people are learning.

Remember, no matter how angry this makes you, you’re not likely to win this battle and there’s a good chance you will make your department look bad. It’s also possible you will be on the losing end of a lawsuit.

In this case, the LAFD firefighter is ordering the man to shut down his camera, claiming privacy issues. The firefighter also attempts to tell the videographer he does not have a First Amendment right to shoot the video.

If you plan to send me a comment that brings up HIPAA as an excuse, you really need to do yourself a favor and get some education on this topic before you get into trouble.

Notice that it took a LAPD sergeant to let everyone else know that this guy and anyone else can take all the video they want of something occurring in public while they are standing in a public place.

The raw video is below. Thanks to Geoffrey Burns for sending this to STATter911.com.