Let me start of by saying that i am not trying to pass my self off as some sort of Saint. But i felt the need to vent this evening about what i felt was an unjust action on the part of the City Of Miami Police.

I was attending a video shoot on 09/25/06 for the Artist Trick Daddy. The shoot was in the hood (15th Ave and 65th St). A problem area in the city you could say. I would think that the last thing on an officer's mind would be a lonley camera man capturing the event for publication. I understand we are a teenie weenie publication that may not have the reach of say.... Ocean Drive. But we do have a voice and a right to have that voice. Check us out at: www.thegrindmag.com I stayed on the outside of the yellow crime scene tape that seperated the haves and have nots. I made sure i stayed out of the crew's way and i was very respectful as i walked about through the crowd because god forbid i bump someone the wrong way and wind up getting shot. And by the looks of the crowd that began to gather as the sun went down i was more than happy that City Of Miami Police was on the scene. That is until......

Here's a word for word report that i presented to SGT J.G. Colon when i filed my complaint. This is my version....my truth about what happened.

I was working for The Grind Magazine ( www.thegrindmag.com ) as a photographer / promotions on the set of Trick Daddy's video "Bet That". I was snapping pick-up shots of the crew, the spectators, the tricked out cars, the equipment/lights, etc.... While snapping a shot of the production duo "The Runners", there were 4 uniformed officers next to the canopy that they sat under. I took the shot and turned to take more of the scenery when one of the female officers - who i believe to be either Officer Johnakin or Officer Johnson - came over and asked "Why are you taking our picture". She asked this in a joking manner. I explained to her why i was taking the picture and what magazine i worked for. I even gave her a copy of the magazine. She stated i that i " need to ask her before i take her picture. This was done in what i believed at the time was a playful manner - which she later confirmed. The second female officer came and told me " you can't take anyone's picture out here in public without asking them and that i had to delete the pictures. I felt this was in violation of my first amendment rights - freedom of speech and freedom of press. At this time both Officers became verbally aggressive and began to issue threats of arrest. I told them i would not publish the pictures if they felt tht strongly about it but i was not going to take any other action without consulting a lawyer. One of the Officers grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side and stated " I was just fu**#ing with you at first (street slang for messing around with someone) but now you have to delete the picture or go to jail". I gave her the camera and said she could delete it but i wanted a report on what she was ordering me to do. She refused and the second officer called the SGT on the radio. When SGT Johnson (Badge #3487) showed up he spoke to me in a disrespectful manner, told me "I was fucking with the right ones today", and got up in my face. He took my camera and had one of the female officers carry it off somewhere. She returned with a yellow slip of paper...an incident card. There was a case number on the card but no report of why my camera was taken. When my assistant tried to document the names, badge numbers, and description of the officer, SGT Johnson took the pen and pad and wrote what he wanted to on the paper. He recorded his name and the names of his superiours but did not allow us to document the other officers involved.

This was my official report. I did not feel i was doing anything unlawful. I really feel that two officers were bored and decided to test my manhood. Basically just bully on me. Maybe because i didn't look like the other thugs out there. Maybe i looked like an easy mark to pick on. No gold teeth. No wild dreads. Pants not sagging off my ass. I don't know what provoked there anger. I was planning on using the picture to showcase them in a positive light. They were three Beautiful (externally) sisters on duty duing their job. I had no malicious intent when taking the pictures. The Trick Daddy shoot was in the heart of our community and i just wanted to capture all of it for our little magazine.

I was also ordered to leave the set. As i walked toward my car pass the illegally parked cars in the streets and through the weed smoke floating through the air i asked myself "what the hell did do to provoke that". How could something so simple as snapping a picture lead to me almost getting arrested. I'm not the paparrazi. I'm not stalking J LO or Bradgelina. I was just taking some shots of a rare happy day in this community. A community that sees more death and despair than any other community in Miami. Maybe they don't want to see those sort of positive images in print. Maybe they want the community to continue to dwell in the gutter so they can continue to drive us out and make way for the developers that thirst for our land. Who knows. I never would've thought that a simple snapshot would almost land me in jail. But then again this is Miami and this city has a history of violating human rights:

http://www.saveourcivilliberties.org/en/2005/08/1181.shtml

http://www.aclufl.org/news_events/?action=...ailAlertID=1949

http://www.aclufl.org/news_events/?action=...ailAlertID=1844

http://www.aclufl.org/news_events/?action=...ailAlertID=1470

http://www.aclufl.org/news_events/?action=...ailAlertID=1380

http://www.aclufl.org/news_events/?action=...mailAlertID=895


Well thanks for reading my vent. I anyone wish to send a letter of support to one of the govt. officials it would be appreciated. The Police Report was made by Offcer Simmons on 09/25/06. The case number is 060925-283596. Just put the case number in the subject and include a couple of words on how you feel this is unjust.....If u feel this way.

SRichardson@ci.miami.fl.us
ChiefofPolice@miami-police.org
Frank.Fernandez@miami-police.org
Louis.Vega@miami-police.org

Again Thanks. I'm feeling a little better now knowing that i was able to share this with the world.

Sorry to hear about this. You should have definitely been supplied with all the badge numbers of the officers involved.
(The wild dread comment gets a though.)

See why I say fuck the police?

Sorry to hear about this man, but it's typical police behavior, no matter the race or gender of the cops invovled.

sorry about the wild dread. In Miami it's not the dread u think of in the sense of Rasta. most of the goons down here grow dread or wicks. I see mostly non islanders with dreads. It's a street thing down here to grow the dreads.

my bad for forgetting the culture.

sorry that had to happen to you dude...i hate fucking cops w/ a passion....

(i got locs but understand exactly what you mean...the dudes in n.o. grow the dreads and get the multiple golds and act a fool)

But the truth of the matter is. YOU REALLY CANT TAKE ANYONES PICTURE WITH OUT THERE PERMISSION