Arrested for Railfanning Segment 1 (6/6/11) (North White Plains, NY)

Here's a segment (one of the most important parts) of my encounter with 4 police departments; Greenburgh (The RUDE officer(s) you hear), North Castle, Westchester County, and MTA Police. I was handcuffed and arrested for taking photos at a Metro North Railroad Crossing (PICTURED ABOVE) (10-15 feet away from the tracks) in North White Plains, NY. The Harlem Line was shut down and the area was searched for "devices". I was originally recording a train horn with my phone's recording app, but because I was unable to touch anything, my phone fortunately kept recording for 1 hour and 50 mins! *Note that neither I nor the police knew my phone was recording this. I did not notice until I got home. In this segment, I am in handcuffs, all of the 4 police departments have arrived, and I am being interrogated for the 5th time. Keep in mind my rights WERE NOT read to me (which is required by law). The officer yelling in the recording is a Lieutenant of Greenburgh Police Department. He tries to lie and say I was on the tracks when he "rolled up", but he was the 4th officer on the scene and by the time he arrived, I was already in handcuffs, which makes no sense! If you listen carefully, you can hear one of the officers say "GIVE UP" in the background (2:02)In the end I was issued a summons for "Unlawfully entering and remaining on RR property". I now have a court case on July 12th. **I was not detained, I was arressted because about 1 hour and 30 mins after I was cuffed, I was handed over to MTA PD and taken all the way to Mt. Vernon West, where one of the MTA PD HQs are. I had to sit in a holding cell for a couple of mins to wait for the detectives to interview me. The detectives were pretty nice to me.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WANT MORE PROOF:
LINK TO SUMMONS: http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad50/gregorygrice/EPSON001.jpg

Hopefully by the end of the week I will have the full recording fixed so that my address, and other private info is edited out.(Recorded 6/6/11)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• railfanning
• police
• altercation
• metro north
• railroad
• greenburgh
• greenburgh police department
• north white plains
• crossing
• virginia rd
• virginia road
• railfan
• railfan stopped by police
• rude police
• photography on railroads
• photography

[im1greatman]

Any updates on the case?

[gregorygrice]

@im1greatman I am now past my Greenburgh trial and recieved an ACD. Now I'm in the second phase.

[ForTheDefence80]

If you're disgusted by the imbecile little Greenburgh PIGGY playing badass with a 16 year old because the PIGGY is obviously a major-league LOSER, please call or email the Greenburgh Chief of Police at the following:

Joseph DeCarlo, Chief

telephone: 914.682.5340

fax: 914.682.5342

email: jdecarloATgreehburghnyDOTcom

Ooh boy, did we catch a terrorist!

NO, you caught a 16 year old kid who likes to take pictures of trains.

Whichever cops are heard on the video, you're FUCKING JERKOFF JOKES!

[ForTheDefence80]

@ColeOnly777

What a crock of horseshit you spew. The law of the land is the United States Constitution, not the laundry list of excuses police use to violate peoples' constitutional rights (WTC 1, Oklahoma City, WTC 2).

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

"Suspicious" activity gives the police the right to demand ZERO from a citizen. Reasonable suspicion OF A CRIME per Terry v. Ohio is the legal standard.

[TrackulaVideos]

Holy shit. That is just wrong right there. And I thought the encounter with the MTA conductor in my video was bad, but obviously I was wrong. Hope everything is okay.

[newflyermaniac]

Sue!!!!

[pele6922]

Ive been in law enforcement for 17 years. This is embarrassing. A 16 year old kid with a camera posing no threat, being cooperative and answering questions posed to him hardly calls for this treatment. Check his camera, check his person, check his phone, check his vehicle, call his mom then and send him on his way with a warning. Done.

[chisleu]

You need to educate yourself on your rights. There were things you could do and say to make this situation go a lot better (for you) and get the bad cops off your back quickly.

"See something, say something" is going to lead ot a lot more of this kinda bully-cop action.

[iceman997799]

if you havent gone to court yet why were they asking you question with out a legal guardian with you at the time you asked for your mother that's it.

[Smoovious]

@gregorygrice

I tried finding the other segment(s), and the video your camera captured with no luck.

Would you mind pointing me to them?

[Smoovious]

handcuff you because he doesn't wanna get hurt...

...by a kid with a camera...

...what a pussy that cop must be.

[Smoovious]

@Applachia0928

Probably not enough skateboarders in their town they can push around so they can feel more like a man.

[1775novten]

@Rattlebunny His description says "Keep in mind my rights WERE NOT read to me (which is required by law)."

[Rattlebunny]

Greg,

While I am NOT a lawyer, I sincerely hope that you are fighting this BS with everything you have. I would suggest contacting the media and making the PD as embarrassed as possible. Should the railroad want to protect their right of way ... it should be posted. Also, treating a MINOR in this manner is appalling. I would also consider a charge of harassment on the RUDE officer involved. Just how was he physically threatened by a 16 year old? Did they read you your rights?