From the Govt. and HERE TO HELP

[Decker]

I have never considered myself to be “conspiracy” prone, but non-the-less we live in very troubled times today. Recently in my living area there has been somewhat of a tempest in a teapot with the County sending around Animal Control Officers that have violated private property looking for unlicensed animals. We have a local news sheet that is published for local homeowners and they had a very interesting essay concerning actual rights that we citizens DO HAVE. The problem is, often people do NOT KNOW what their rights are. For example, if someone comes to your door wearing a uniform (police or fire dept. as a rule and an example) and demands to speak with you or enter to speak to you, what are your rights?

Remember, I was a police officer. There are only 3 ways a public official or someone claiming to be a public official can enter your property or your home.

You as owner allow them.

They have a warrant.

It is a dire, immediate, impending emergency.

So, what do you do if and when they show up and you do not welcome their presence? Film them .. and tell them you are filming them. Keep your camcorder or your smart phone handy and charged up. If you have a security camera mounted and audio surveillance .. post the fact. (That can do wonders.) If they ask you to talk "off the record” refuse to do that.

Now, here is the big one. Hand them a “Public Servant Questionnaire” to complete before agreeing to consider speaking to them. A what? Yes, you heard me .. a Public Servant Questionnaire. You probably have never heard of that but it is real and it often causes the “public official” to just turn around and leave. Here is a link for one. (There are several variations of it but they all cover the same material.)

https://billstclair.com/blog/images/public-servant-questionnaire.pdf

If they are there to “enforce a code”, in a polite manner demand to see the code .. in writing. And remember to always be calm and polite. (And you should be filming the encounter) in the event it should go to court.

Okay, I have just done my part for today and I hope you find this of interest and possibly helpful.

Decker

 

[Decker]

Oh by the way gang ... in light of the post above ...

all you Apple fan-boys and fan-girls ... be sure to send a great big Thank You letter to Apple for the following! (Geeze .. wish Steve was still around to tell him thanks to!!)

Police Now Can Switch off iPhone Camera and Wi-Fi | Veterans Today

Police throughout the globe have been embarrassed to see online videos of their officers pepper spraying tied captives. In our age of mobile gadgets the pictures can be uploaded online in seconds, making supervisors to answer the questions.

But now the police may not need to fear scrutiny anymore, because Apple has recently patented a piece of technology that would allow the authorities and police to block data transmission, including video and photos, whenever they like. All they need to do is decide that a public gathering or venue is deemed “sensitive” and needs to be protected from externalities. In this case Apple will enable them to switch off all its gear. The developers insist that the affected locations are normally cinemas, theaters and concert grounds, but Apple admits it could also be used in covert police or government operations that may need complete “blackout” conditions.

In the meantime, privacy outfits point out that it could also be used to prevent such whistle blowers as Edward Snowden from shooting pictures and sharing them online. In response, Apple claimed that the wireless transmission of sensitive data to a remote source is a threat to security, with the sensitive data being anything from classified government data to answers to an exam administered in an academic setting.

Anyway, the fact is that Apple has patented the means to transmit an encoded signal to all wireless gadgets, commanding them to disable recording functions. The developers reveal that the policies would be activated by GPS, and Wi-Fi or mobile base-stations that would ring-fence around a building or a sensitive area in order to prevent mobile cameras from taking pictures or recording video.

Decker

 

[Gene Steinberg]

OK, so we have a reality check on this. That Apple has a patent for something doesn't mean it'll ever appear in a shipping product. Many of Apple's patents are done for defensive reasons, to get there first before Samsung or another company uses it. Of course that hasn't stopped Samsung, but at least Apple has a defense.

 

[pixelsmith]

Thanks for posting this Don. I am going to keep a couple copies of that PSQ in my camera bag. I get stopped by cops once in awhile who ask why I am taking pictures downtown. It will be interesting to see what they say when I hand them one of those.

 

[ward]

Thank you Don for this information. You having been a police officer makes this especially important information.

 

[Gene Steinberg]

And it's an OLD story. I heard about this long, long ago. It hasn't actually happened yet. If it did occur, you can imagine ACLU and EFF would be in full force on 1st amendment grounds, among other things.

 

[GeoShift]

Thank you Don for this very practical and informative advice.

 

[Randall]

OK, so we have a reality check on this. That Apple has a patent for something doesn't mean it'll ever appear in a shipping product. Many of Apple's patents are done for defensive reasons, to get there first before Samsung or another company uses it.

Or like iPods, which Apple ripped off from Creative Labs, and for which a judge awarded Creative $100 million dollars? http://www.macnews.com/content/apple-pays-creative-100-million-ipod-related-lawsuit

Mapple - Think Differently