RogueReflections
Regular Member
So: it has been almost a year, since my last videos at the Port Of Tacoma. I have been there, from time to time, to shoot a little photography. What can I say..I love the Port. When I visited in May of 2013, I was drawn on by United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) Officer Daniel. He refused to identify himself. After contacting USCBP, I learned they do not like to respond. Since they refuse to respond to me, I will have to see how they respond, real time.
I would have loved to have a discussion with them, regarding my videos from a year ago. Their lack of response indicates a more...direct approach is necessary.
In the following videos, from almost a year ago, I was at the Port of Tacoma, trying to take a few pictures. I had not had my camera out for more than a few seconds, before security officers started yelling at me.
The following videos are the sequence of what happened.
1) First security guy yells at me. Forgive me, I was not expecting an encounter. I had my face full of sunflower seeds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKzcf6kIYGs
2) Once he left, this "woman" came out to try to intimidate. He even told her, at the end of the video, I was doing nothing wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjb7hFxvukA
3) They called USCBP anyway. I greeted Daniel with "good evening, and was subsequently drawn on. He did not even know I was carrying because they were more concerned about my camera than my gun. When he saw the gun, he flipped.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_3smCYAKuo
4) After Daniel was chilled out by, what I suppose, was his supervisor (I can't really say for sure because these guys would not identify himself, Officer Stewart, from Port of Tacoma Security arrived. Cooler heads prevailed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX439RX4mFg
5) I went back the following day...this time, I had a partner with me. We met with Port of Tacoma Security Officers Fiola and Jackson. They informed me, on film, that they had seen my videos from the day before. They told me I was not breaking any laws..which I knew. They were professional and courteous. We need more like Fiola, Jackson, and Stewart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Y1ci7mk-I
At any rate, I plan to visit the Port, since USCBP people will not get back to me. I would have liked to have a dialogue and an exchange of ideas. I asked them if they have officially changed any policies and procedures, regarding open carriers and photographers at the Port. They chose not to answer. It has been long enough.
- Rogue Reflections -
I would have loved to have a discussion with them, regarding my videos from a year ago. Their lack of response indicates a more...direct approach is necessary.
In the following videos, from almost a year ago, I was at the Port of Tacoma, trying to take a few pictures. I had not had my camera out for more than a few seconds, before security officers started yelling at me.
The following videos are the sequence of what happened.
1) First security guy yells at me. Forgive me, I was not expecting an encounter. I had my face full of sunflower seeds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKzcf6kIYGs
2) Once he left, this "woman" came out to try to intimidate. He even told her, at the end of the video, I was doing nothing wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjb7hFxvukA
3) They called USCBP anyway. I greeted Daniel with "good evening, and was subsequently drawn on. He did not even know I was carrying because they were more concerned about my camera than my gun. When he saw the gun, he flipped.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_3smCYAKuo
4) After Daniel was chilled out by, what I suppose, was his supervisor (I can't really say for sure because these guys would not identify himself, Officer Stewart, from Port of Tacoma Security arrived. Cooler heads prevailed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX439RX4mFg
5) I went back the following day...this time, I had a partner with me. We met with Port of Tacoma Security Officers Fiola and Jackson. They informed me, on film, that they had seen my videos from the day before. They told me I was not breaking any laws..which I knew. They were professional and courteous. We need more like Fiola, Jackson, and Stewart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Y1ci7mk-I
At any rate, I plan to visit the Port, since USCBP people will not get back to me. I would have liked to have a dialogue and an exchange of ideas. I asked them if they have officially changed any policies and procedures, regarding open carriers and photographers at the Port. They chose not to answer. It has been long enough.
- Rogue Reflections -
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