View allAll Photos Tagged POLICE
Delaware State Police
Chevrolet Caprice
Vehicle #7397
Picture Date: 06/08/2016
An unmarked Delaware State Police Chevrolet Caprice sits parked in the roadway while the Trooper investigates a crash nearby.
...little did I know that this uninteresting photo would trigger events that were anything but uninteresting. It is a long tale, but hopefully worth while to read through. For the record the pictures were really not worth the ensuing ordeal.
It is not so much that I was surprised by what happened. After all my chats with law enforcement about photography, I knew it was only a matter of time before I attracted more attention. I was not scared either. I guess you get used to this type of thing and it helps knowing you did nothing wrong. Nothing calms your nerves like a clear conscience.
But I have to confess that tonight's events impacted me more than any of my previous chats with the police. Deep down I'm just left with a big question mark about where this society is moving. It is a feeling that security is being used as a excuse to severely restrict liberty. Any abnormal behavior is being viewed with suspicion - despite the innocent nature of this behavior. It gives me a creeping feeling that this country is inching closer to being a police state - all in the name of 'the war on terror'. It is sad really, because that would mean that the bad guys are winning. Afterall didn't they attack our freedom?
I already got ahead of myself. What actually happened?
I was going to get food after taking some shots of the sun setting behind the Port of NY and NJ. Instead of punching something into my GPS I decided to drive aimlessly through Jersey City. In general, this is a bad idea as some areas of JC are shady, but I typically feel safe in the car - and besides it was around 6:30 pm. Somehow I ended up close to the Liberty State Park and decided to drive around to scout for possible locations. I did not feel much like taking more photos so I headed out of the park. About one block away from this major tourist attraction I pass this old abandonned Chevrolet Caprice (actually a Pontiac twin of the Caprice). I had seen it there before, but had resisted the temptation to stop.
The area is somewhat industrial and empty, but the road is frequented by users of the park. There was some interesting light and the area surrounding the car looked dark and somewhat bleak - it would be a great setting for this old car, a hallmark from another era. I had a quick internal struggle before deciding that I should try a couple shots before finally getting food. It would not hurt.
I got out my tripod and tried several angles close to the car. When I was about to leave I decided to try and get some truck streaks in the shot to get a more urban look and interesting light. There is a warehouse or something next to this location so trucks were pulling out with some frequency. I was getting bored so I decided that a couple cars would do instead. A car pulled up and lingered. Weird I thought, but after hesitating for 2 seconds the dark blue 2003 Hyundai Sonata sped past. It was followed by a similarly anonymous looking and standard commuter sedan: a white Chevrolet Malibu. I got these cars in this shot. Cool I thought and packed up and left. It was only afterwards that I would remember these cars again.
I drive for about 2-3 minutes and end up on a backroute that goes parallel to the NJ Turnpike. This route also connects to other entrances to the Park. I notice flashing lights, but since I'm going calmly with other cars (cars both behind and ahead) I don't worry. The police cars are passing all the other cars and traffic keeps to the right and slows down. As the first car - a dark blue Hyundai Sonata - passes it cuts in front of me and forces me to stop. It is blocking any entrance by going diagonally in front of me. Before I know it another car - the white Malibu - is behind me and two seconds later the place is crawling with cops.
This is the stuff you see in movies. Both cars were unmarked and not traditional cop cars. Since when did the police use Hyundais? They both had the improvised cop thing inside the car - the flashing thing you stick somewhere. Also when cops pull you over they simply pull up behind you and then you stop. This was more like: 'we have to stop this guy right now'. I mean the Sonata cut in front of me right between the car in front of me - we were all slowing down so I was going pretty close to the car in front.
All the cops - all four of them - wore civilian clothes. They seemed more confident than normal uniformed cops (they referred to these in lowly terms). They also seemed quicker, smarter and more confident. I'm guessing they were Jersey City detectives or part of a special task force or something. I do know they were linked to JC law enforcement.
They come up on both sides with flash lights. I already have my license which one of the four takes. The main guy then starts asking questions starting with the obvious: why did they stop me. They quickly move on: what were you filming? I explain that I was taking pictures of the Chevy Caprice. They ask why. I try to explain - which is hard since I really had no compelling reason to take the picture. So I focus on my hobby, what photography I like (night, urban, cars), what appealed to me about the car and why I stopped. I offer to show the pictures. He says, that all I have to do is convince them I was not doing anything suspicious. He adds that I was croached down (to get the angle I explain) and seemed to be filming. They found it suspicious because there was nothing much to be filming around there. Abnormal behavior they say.
I talk some more and he buys it. Then he starts talking about that you can't be too careful these days. He hopes I understand (I agree; I always try to cooperate and not show any attitude). He tells me something about Jersey City being more dangerous than Wisconsin and uses that to justify why the cops are more alert.
They are checking everything on me. Is the car stolen? Warrants? License? I'm expecting them to check the car, but besides using flashlights and opening the passenger door they don't.
They have to call everything in - not very sophisticated in Jersey City. It takes time so one of the four starts chatting some. Great GPS, get any good shots etc. I ask him about crime in Jersey City and what areas to avoid. He starts talking about the area on the other side of the Turnpike - the area I just drove through. You leave your car like this there, he says, and they'll swipe your gear in 2 minutes. Stay away from all projects he says. This is similar to advice I've heard from several people. Projects are usually pockets of trouble. Lots of people with little to do and little money. Newport (where I live) is ok know, and Hoboken mostly safe. At least I got something useful out of this incident.
In the end everything checks out and the main guy apologizes. He hopes I understand why they stopped me. I don't, but pretend to. I then repeats what I've heard about 4 times already. You can't be to careful these days. Especially in this area. Got to check out anything suspicious. These days? I wonder when these days will end and what was really special about this area. They finally left. It had taken 30 minutes. Talk about spending tax payer money. Four guys for 30 minutes checking out a Caprice picture!
The cops were not nasty and I did not feel uncomfortable except maybe the first minutes and especially the moment they pulled me over. But why was I suspicious? Why should I understand that being croached down taking pictures of an abandonned Chevy Caprice was suspicious activity? Sure it was weird, but suspicious? I try to think of sensitive buildings or sites close by and come up dry. Port? Nope. Power stations? Nope. Buildings? None in sight. Tunnels? Nope. Bridges? None.
In an odd way I found the episode amusing and dumb, but at night I couldn't sleep. What if I was an Arab? What if I did not speak perfect English? What if I displayed an attitude? What if I had a record of some sorts? What if it was my roommate's car? What if I was trepassing unknowingly? What would they do? Who knows? But what scares me the most is that an innocent picture like this could even trigger this chain of events.
It is not amusing at all. More and more this country seems to be turning into a police state where liberty is sacrificed for greater security - and that I don't like at all.
PREVIOUS INCIDENTS:
1. Where: Eisenhower Expressway Overpass. Chicago, IL. Why: Shooting the Sears Tower. link
2. Where: Illinois Tollway Overpass. Belvidere, IL. Why? Motorist felt I was behaving weird and called it in.
3. Where: Verrazano Bridge. Staten Island, NY. Why? Shooting bridges is illegal. link
4. Where: 1st Avenue, New York, NY. Why? Suspicious behavior. Close to senstive points. link
5. Where: Holland Tunnel, Jersey City, NJ. Why? Shooting Tunnels is illegal. link
6. Where: Whitestone Expressway. Queens, NY. Why? Suspicious behavior. link
Police Scotland BMW 330d saloon unmarked Traffic Car from the Trunk Roads Patrol Group, parked at Dalkeith Police Station
BMW i8 Police Demonstrator Hyperceptor Blue and Amber light show Exhibition National Association of Police fleet managers NAPFM conference Telford June 2015
...is still patrol...
"Police officers may drive black and white cars, however what goes on in their job is a lot of gray."
-Arik Matson
Volvo V60 Police Demonstrator Blue and Amber light Exhibition National Association of Police fleet managers NAPFM conference Telford June 2015
Before it became part of Brickston’s police force, the 1st Airborne used to be a navy unit. These dreadnaughts build the imperial order as you know it today. Now these gigantic airships are tasked with defending it.
Check out the episode „Big Game Hunting“ of „Full Steam 2“ over at Insta if you want to see these ships in action against the infamous Sky Pirates.
Stay tuned for a detailed minifig-sized MOC of the bridge part of this zeppelin, a closer look at the miniature planes and some edited action shots.
Would have loved to build the whole zeppelin at mining scale but this would have been quite the operation...
Michigan Conservation Police
Chevrolet Silverado
Picture Date: 09/01/2015
This picture was taken in Fenton, MI during the funeral services of Trooper Chad Wolf of the Michigan State Police who was killed in the line of duty.
A member of the police force entering into the spirit of the occasion by donning a pair of flashing pink rabbit ears....
More in Hi-Res @ www.burieddreams.nl
Like or share: www.facebook.com/burieddreamsphotos
Sale: www.burieddreams.nl/category/sale-expo-events
Instagram: www.instagram.com/burieddreams.in.decay/
A lovely BMW 3 Series Touring Roads Policing Unit car from police Scotland sitting parked up on display at Greenock police office open day.
Findlay, Ohio Police Department Ford Explorer at the funeral Service for Westerville Officers Eric Joering & Anthony Morelli.
Connecticut State Police
1971 Ford Custom
Picture Date: 09/14/2017
A classic Connecticut State Police cruiser sits parked in Fort Adams State Park during an event.
________________________________________________
Trams, police cars and police officer lining up in Swanston St, Melbourne during the 'March4Justice' protest rally. These 4 cops, particularly n#3 seem to have an extraordinary large number of ballpoint pens as part of their 'public order' kit. (c)Henk Graalman 2021