[35mmfilmfan]

This was suggested to me by the thread concerning cameras on airlines.

Some years ago, I was taking photos along a clifftop close to where I used to live, when I saw a person with a dog approaching. Knowing some dogs can feel threatened by what they perceive as sticks, I collapsed my monopod and held it beside me. The dog and owner passed me by, we exchanged 'Good mornings', and headed in our separate directions. Not long after, a Police Range Rover came bounding over the rough turf towards me, and I was ordered to lie on the ground by apparently armed officers.

I promptly did so, and the OIC (I think a sergeant) stood with his standard issue very close to my head, and demanded 'Where is it ?' I enquired what he was looking for, and he said 'Your gun !'

Apparently, the dog owner had seen me collapse the monopod, assumed it was a firearm of some kind, and called the police !

I was allowed to stand, still covered by firearms, and I explained the situation, showing them the monopod and opening my bag so they could see the contents. They even took each roll of 35mm film from its container to check the contents. Finding nothing, they then departed, leaving me to pick up my equipment and restore it to my bag. No word of apology.

[Wheatfield]

The mistake you made was paying any heed to the owner of the dog and giving any consideration to the dog's feelings. Just keep on doing what you are doing, and let the dog owner be responsible for his animal.
Had you done that, it would have been obvious you didn't have a firearm, and you would have had a fully extended monopod to defend yourself from the dog if the owner was unable to control his animal.

I've never had camera gear identified as anything but camera gear.
I suspect there are two reasons for this:
1) I live in an area of the world still relatively untouched by the paranoia that is infecting an increasing number of stupid people.
2) I don't bother to hide what I am doing.

In relation to #2, folding up your monopod as the moron approached made you into a suspicious person because you were hiding what you were doing. Don't do that. If you aren't doing anything wrong, just keep doing it.
About the only thing I do to keep the idiots happy is to not point a camera at them. I don't want pictures of them anyway, so it's no great hardship.

[aslyfox]

there are some " support aids " which might lead some to think " fire arms "

Rifle Style Mount StediStock II

https://www.pentaxforums.com/accessoryreviews/rifle-style-mount-stedistock-i...r-your-camera/


________________

How to Make a Rifle Stock for Your Camera
MAR 06, 2019

https://petapixel.com/2019/03/06/how-to-make-a-rifle-stock-for-your-camera/

[Simon K]

Just get a Photo Sniper and you will get to know a lot of police officers

Google Image Result for https://www.cryptomuseum.com/covert/camera/sniper/img/301423/024/full.jpg

[sergysergy]

No word of apology.

They are doing their job; great. But when they see they are wrong the least they can do is apologize

[pschlute]

Knowing some dogs can feel threatened by what they perceive as sticks,

What does that mean ? All dogs I know love sticks

Seriously, if you made a move to hide your monopod because you believed the dogs may have been frightened, you may have appeared to be acting suspiciously. If that was the case the dog owner was correct to report you and the police were correct to investigate.

[35mmfilmfan]

What does that mean ? All dogs I know love sticks

Seriously, if you made a move to hide your monopod because you believed the dogs may have been frightened, you may have appeared to be acting suspiciously. If that was the case the dog owner was correct to report you and the police were correct to investigate.

It was not hidden, I merely shortened it and held it, clearly visible, by my side.

[pschlute]

It was not hidden, I merely shortened it and held it, clearly visible, by my side.

I do not really know what you expect my or others responses to be ?

Maybe the dog walker was partially sighted and mistook it for a shotgun ?

Maybe he was an angry troublemaker ?

Either way, what did you expect the police to do ?

I am getting the impression you want sympathy for the event as you feel you did no wrong. I would consider the alternative.... better an innocent man gets questioned than a killer with a shotgun runs amok.

[StiffLegged]

I do not really know what you expect my or others responses to be ?

It's interesting to know how a misunderstanding may occur and the possible consequences of that misunderstanding. I regard this account as a cautionary tale.

[35mmfilmfan]

I am expecting no sympathy for this misunderstanding - it merely occurred to me as an adjunct to the original posting concerning a similar issue on an airline, and I thought it might be of interest.

[UncleVanya]

Where I live an openly carried firearm isn’t illegal. I’m confused by the whole thing. Pointing a gun at someone, threatening them, firing the weapon in certain places; those are illegal.

I don’t think you did anything wrong. I also think the police are really over the top in their responses these days.

[pschlute]

I also think the police are really over the top in their responses these days

So the police get a report that there is a man on a cliff-top walk carrying what may be a gun. What do you expect them to do ? Drive up to him and offer him a drink ?

Carrying a gun in the UK is illegal with a few exceptions. Anyone reported carrying one in a public place will be seen as a threat to the public and will be treated as extremely dangerous.

This is perhaps why firearms related deaths are 50 times higher per head of population in your country compared to mine.

[aslyfox]

Report of a person with a gun

Always gut tightening experience

Margins of error can be very small

Most dangerous job in law enforcement ???

Game warden

They know they are dealing with someone who is armed when they check hunters

[UncleVanya]

So the police get a report that there is a man on a cliff-top walk carrying what may be a gun. What do you expect them to do ? Drive up to him and offer him a drink ?

Carrying a gun in the UK is illegal with a few exceptions. Anyone reported carrying one in a public place will be seen as a threat to the public and will be treated as extremely dangerous.

This is perhaps why firearms related deaths are 50 times higher per head of population in your country compared to mine.

First where did it say what country this was in? Second, I think this has veered well off the path into politics. I will not debate the relative merits of gun policy with you. I will say that the reaction under the circumstances seems even more out of proportion as guns are in fact rare and unlikely there - why on earth are the cops freaked out when it so rarely occurs? The answer is that they got overly excited I suspect. These over the top reactions all too common and always justified as “just in case” without any thoughts about the negative side of these incidents. There’s a cost to these incidents that goes deeper than we may realize. I think this is the root of some of the police violence we see - but now I’m steering into politics. Whoops. Let’s just say I feel like the dehumanization of people who are only SUSPECTED of crimes is a dangerous path.

[pschlute]

First where did it say what country this was in?

"Some years ago, I was taking photos along a clifftop close to where I used to live" ..... profile info:Location: Norfolk, UK

Second, I think this has veered well off the path into politics. I will not debate the relative merits of gun policy with you. I will say that the reaction under the circumstances seems even more out of proportion as guns are in fact rare and unlikely there - why on earth are the cops freaked out when it so rarely occurs? The answer is that they got overly excited I suspect. These over the top reactions all too common and always justified as “just in case” without any thoughts about the negative side of these incidents. There’s a cost to these incidents that goes deeper than we may realize. I think this is the root of some of the police violence we see - but now I’m steering into politics. Whoops. Let’s just say I feel like the dehumanization of people who are only SUSPECTED of crimes is a dangerous path.

We have nutters that commit mass murder , same as any country. But report of a gun in a public place ...you will get jumped on hard. I regard that as good policing.