Amateur Photographer Magazine

 Police 'overzealous' in Christmas lights fiasco -

Monday 26th November 2007

Chris Cheesman

Police admit they may have been 'overzealous' when they prevented a man taking pictures at a public event to celebrate the switching-on of some Christmas lights.

Photography enthusiast Phil Smith has lodged a formal complaint against Suffolk Police after an officer stopped him taking pictures from a spectator area in front of Ipswich Town Hall on Sunday 18 November.

The 49-year-old had been hoping to snap some images of the main event - which included a visit from Cinderella and Postman Pat. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to enjoy the festive cheer.

His plans fell apart when a policewoman spotted him in the crowd taking pictures prior to the lights being turned on.

Phil told us the officer approached him asking: 'Have you got a licence to use the camera?'

It seems the policewoman objected when she saw him pointing his camera - a Fujifilm FinePix S9500 - at the crowd.

Phil said he had been using a 'small monopod' and claimed he was taking pictures of the act on stage.

'She said there was an official photographer at the event and I had to stop taking photographs,' Phil told Amateur Photographer (AP).

'I was taken behind the barriers - and down an alleyway - to fill in an Encounter & Stop/Search Record form]. I found this very degrading as it looked as if I had been arrested.'

The police form – a copy of which has been seen by AP - cites the reason for the stop as: 'taking photographs of the crowd at Xmas lights'; and 'unauthorised photography'. No actual search was carried out.

Phil tells us that photography is his passion as he is unable to work due to a spinal and hip disability caused by osteoarthritis.

Following our enquiries Suffolk police released a statement, which read: 'We have not had the opportunity to consult with the officers concerned and obtain their version of events.

However, it would appear that on the evidence presented that the officers may have been overzealous in the execution of their duty.'

Police confirmed that the Ipswich Christmas lights switch-on was 'a public event in a public place to which the public had access'. The police statement added: 'Hence, there were no restrictions on taking photographs.'

The force has pledged to conduct a 'full investigation' into the matter.

Picture (below): Phil Smith said he was using a Fujifilm FinePix S9500, a non-professional digital camera similar to the one shown here

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