NPPA Protests Ferguson Police Tactics, Disrespect for Constitutional Rights
Khai Le
“Today the National Press Photographers Association sent a strong letter of protest to the Ferguson, MO, chief of police regarding the unwarranted arrest and detention of journalists who are covering the town’s unfolding national story, as well as the department’s “complete lack of understanding and respect for the First Amendment.”
In a letter to Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson, NPPA’s legal counsel Mickey H. Osterreicher wrote, “In any free country the balance between providing police protection with integrity and over-zealous enforcement is delicate. It is one thing for officers to act when there is reasonable suspicion; it is quite another to abuse that discretion by chilling free speech and creating a climate of fear and distrust under the pretext of safety and security.””