September 30th, 2009 | 
Author: The photographer/journalist who was harassed while taking pictures in Franklin, Wisconsin was interviewed on 620WTMJ – Click Here
Note one of the people who call in to the show to report that she was harassed while taking pictures of a water tower in Franklin
Then listen to the Chief have the unmitigated gall to spew the lie that photography is a “precursor to every terrorist event”. Unbelievable. We can only hope that the local chapter of the ACLU listens to this and files a lawsuit against that pathetic department.
The police chief is serious in eliminating public photography from his town!
Write to the Chief of the Franklin Police – tell him that photography is NOT a crime!
Chief Richard Oliva
roliva@franklinwi.gov
Primary: (414) 425-2522, Ext 2603
Fax: (414) 425-0391
Franklin Law Enforcement Center
9455 W. Loomis Road
Franklin, WI 53132
Posted in Photography and the Law
Have a story to share that we did not cover? Want to discuss something in greater detail? Want to compare Nikon vs. Canon? Post it in our forum - all are welcome.
The police chief sounds sincere, but clueless. The problem is that the local police have no idea how to stop a serious terrorism threat – they simply aren’t trained and don’t have the resources. Lost and clueless, they resort to Barney Fife tactics and strategies, including the harassment of law-abiding citizens exercising their rights.
I found the chief’s comments disturbing; particularly that he would stop anyone photographing public buildings, but didn’t see a problem with simply staring at the buildings. Contrary to what the chief believes, research shows that most terrorist do not rely on photos, but find visual reconnaissance more useful for their plans. In any case, if a terrorist needs a photo of a public building, they will take as many as they want and there is nothing that the chief can do about it – he is too busy harassing legitimate photographers.
This kind of post 911 paranoia is rampant and out of control. What ever happened to “Give me liberty or give me death”? It seems to have become “Give me liberty but only if I can feel safe at any given moment”.
This country has seriously gone off course.
Rather than suing, plan a huge photography convention for “beautiful and historic Franklin, Wisconsin.” Then watch the police chief’s head spin trying to harass hundreds of people spread out around town.
I just listened to the radio show, including an interview of the police chief. He stated that taking pictures of your kids is “normal” photography, while photographing a building is not normal. Who appointed him the arbiter of what is “normal” photography, anyways? Amazingly, he states that it is perfectly reasonable to detain someone seen photographing a building. His rationale was, what if that building were bombed the next day? Well, what if it’s not? What if the many residents and tourists doing photography all around the town and country don’t result in terrorism? His policy would needlessly and illegally detain innocent people, wasting resources, and at the expense of real police work that has a value to the community. Democracy can’t function in a police state.
I suspect that the basis of his belief is not published studies showing a link between photography and terrorism (baloney) as he claims, but a general fear and loathing of photographers, all too common now and in the past.
What gets me is the inflated ego this particular police chief exhibits, as if Franklin, WI is another New York. Even Chicago stopped freaking out about Sears and Hancock. Franklin, Wisconsin? Really???
Look, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Wisconsin is a bunch of cheeseheads. I went to college there. Worst years of my life. Got the hell out of that state, and never looked back. “That 70′s show”? It’s the way they live. Today. They never evolved. Why did the kids sit in the basement and smoke pot on that show? Because there’s NOTHING ELSE TO DO IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
Thus, it should be unsurprising that a police chief is chasing down photographers. His choices would be to drink, go to a Packers game, or make up some bizarre rules and enforce them. If he’s not a football fan, and doesn’t care for alcohol, then..yeah, it’s pretty much the way he’s going.
As per my email to Mr. Olivia:
Dear Mr. Olivia,
As a police chief I know that you are a reliable and honest fellow, so I want to say thank you for the information about your city.
I recently read the article about how you folks treat tourists to your town when they appreciate the architecture and photograph the interesting buildings.
As a Canadian I travel a great deal in your country, and I admire your spirit of independence. Now that I know that you and your community have chosen to further that virtue by refusing follow the US Constitution and that you would rather support Communism, I will honor your ideals and avoid your community.
Although I don’t believe in Communist ideals, and with the further pressures of a slow economy, I think it is amazing that you can stick to these anti-American ideals.
All the best in your venture,
Karl