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While Vancouver police sort out the aftermath of Sunday's officer-involved shooting of a fleeing suspect, the department also finds itself on the defensive after a local news photographer had his equipment confiscated while taking photos of the event.
Jason Payne, a photographer with The Province, said police took his camera under threat of arrest after the 16-year veteran showed up on the scene. Officers eventually returned his camera.
"To me it's not a huge deal. It's more the principle of the matter," Payne said. "To actually seize a camera from a news photographer - I've never heard of that happening."
The Canadian Association of Journalists' head calls it "profoundly troubling," while Payne's editor is calling it an example of "police bullying,"
"We are seeing more and more of it," said Wayne Moriarty, The Province's editor-in-chief. "I think police have to open their eyes to this reality that people are tired of this type of behaviour."
It's not the first time police have confronted media at crime scenes. In 2007, a Channel M videographer was detained after filming a crime scene.
"When police interfere with a journalist's ability to do their job, it violates a fundamental right that we have in Canada," said Mary Agnes Welch, president of the Canadian Association of Journalists.
But a VPD spokesperson said the officer acted in good faith to preserve potential evidence.
"Once it was clarified that, in fact, this person was a member of the media, the camera was returned," Const. Jana McGuinness told reporters yesterday.
McGuinness said police are able to seize evidence from observers at a crime scene, but usually do not do so with media.