It is the duty of any photojournalist to cover newsworthy event even if it costs his life- it is his choice, he can back down if he wants to. We don't see journalists being tied or cuffed for reporting Iraq war because it's dangerous right? Wouldn't denying newsreporting be denying public interest? :dunno:
Handcuff for taking flood photos?
- Thread starter roadrunner_552
- Start date
denniskee
Senior Member
but question is, he is chief reporter, i am sure he knows in singapore, nobody can test the authority of PO & i am sure he knows not to cross OB. else how to be chief reporter?
the main problem is that most, if not all, reporters and editors, and others of media, tend to belief that they have all the rights to do anything they want in the pursuit of their stores, in the believe that they are backed by their rich and powerful media owners as well as the public supporters.
This stem from those Movies and the gungho reporters story of reporting from the more democratic or lawless countries.
In Singapore, where most things are tightly controlled (in the name of peace and prosperity for its citizens), nobody is above the laws, becoz our garment don't believe in giving exception for fear that citizens will work around the rules ...:think:
As we all know well, even foreigners from powerful countries are no exception, such as citizens from USA, Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, Romania, Swiss, etc ....:sweat: then who is this small fry to complain?
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["According to the police statement, Mr Wu was trying to take photos in the middle of the road, which was dangerous, and he continued to take photos even after repeated warnings.
For the safety of Mr Wu and others, they had to handcuff him and move him to a safe area."]
Probably the policeman got fed up with the pesky photo journalist. Maybe the behavior of the photo journalist may have given the police the impression that he no hue them. But in handcuffing the reporter, the junior policemen forgot the connotations -if blown up by the press, it gives the misleading impression that this country got something to hide and is afraid that the flood photos will reveal. That is the extremely serious PR problem.
Junior policemen action give the PR head of police a headache. How to explain this convincingly when signs of impending GE. Handcuffing someone in a flood situation will endanger his life, because he cannot free himself. So the reason to hand cuff cannot be for his safety. It is not a case of a torrent of water and you handcuff someone to a something stable to stop him from being swept away. The quick explanation was not properly thought out and poorly done. I hope the PR consultants for the police will be able to smooth this one out and calm ruffled feathers.
Actually the police can just say that the photo journalist was interfering with police work to restore order and needed to be physically restrained since he would not respond to repeated advice to stop doing what he was doing.
Fortunately, there was not another press colleague who VIDEO the whole incident and hand cuffing process and then upload on to YouTube. If so, then not the best impression of the country before YOG.
For the safety of Mr Wu and others, they had to handcuff him and move him to a safe area."]
Probably the policeman got fed up with the pesky photo journalist. Maybe the behavior of the photo journalist may have given the police the impression that he no hue them. But in handcuffing the reporter, the junior policemen forgot the connotations -if blown up by the press, it gives the misleading impression that this country got something to hide and is afraid that the flood photos will reveal. That is the extremely serious PR problem.
Junior policemen action give the PR head of police a headache. How to explain this convincingly when signs of impending GE. Handcuffing someone in a flood situation will endanger his life, because he cannot free himself. So the reason to hand cuff cannot be for his safety. It is not a case of a torrent of water and you handcuff someone to a something stable to stop him from being swept away. The quick explanation was not properly thought out and poorly done. I hope the PR consultants for the police will be able to smooth this one out and calm ruffled feathers.
Actually the police can just say that the photo journalist was interfering with police work to restore order and needed to be physically restrained since he would not respond to repeated advice to stop doing what he was doing.
Fortunately, there was not another press colleague who VIDEO the whole incident and hand cuffing process and then upload on to YouTube. If so, then not the best impression of the country before YOG.
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It doesn't mean that if you don't see it, it doesn't happen. There are so many things happening everyday, if the news don't report, does it mean that it didn't happen?
am sure the cop had a good reason to cuff the journalist...
A week or so ago I think, Wanbao reported Mediacorp's actress Guo Hui Fen committed suicide by drinking bleaching solution. Later she clarified in Zaobao she was hospitalised due to food poisoning (or something), no apology or whatever so from Wanbao.
It really amused me the way some of you are "over-reacting" to the article. Wanbao is just tabloid, if you read it often enough, you will know it doesn't have much credibility. For those who think the police/govt/ministers need to defend/explain themselves just because of one article from Wanbao, you are just being... naive.
It really amused me the way some of you are "over-reacting" to the article. Wanbao is just tabloid, if you read it often enough, you will know it doesn't have much credibility. For those who think the police/govt/ministers need to defend/explain themselves just because of one article from Wanbao, you are just being... naive.
stonefish35
New Member
Anyone who are into playing with handcuffs ( I mean training in using handcuffs as part of the duty ) would had known that, to cause that mark that would be visible for 5hrs as claimed by the reporter, the person being hand cuffed would have struggled very hard.
As part of my reservist army training, we had been training in using hand cuffs. Details should not be discussed here, but I am a demonstrator as a "suspect" who resisted while being cuffed, and after that, being brought in a face down proning position and still resisting, I did not suffer any marks that lasted that long.
The reporter must had struggled very very hard to get that mark. Or maybe, the cuffs were of the wrong size for him, cuffs have S,M,L sizes too. Maybe the reporter is of L size wrist, but the cuffs were S size ?
I think a detailed investiagation is needed , before we know who's at fault. PO may have abused his rights, or the reporter may have "dramatised" this, struggled hard to get the mark. Who knows.
As part of my reservist army training, we had been training in using hand cuffs. Details should not be discussed here, but I am a demonstrator as a "suspect" who resisted while being cuffed, and after that, being brought in a face down proning position and still resisting, I did not suffer any marks that lasted that long.
The reporter must had struggled very very hard to get that mark. Or maybe, the cuffs were of the wrong size for him, cuffs have S,M,L sizes too. Maybe the reporter is of L size wrist, but the cuffs were S size ?
I think a detailed investiagation is needed , before we know who's at fault. PO may have abused his rights, or the reporter may have "dramatised" this, struggled hard to get the mark. Who knows.
yeobt
New Member
my personal point of view in this is....
if the officer brings out the handcuff n start to cuff it onto someone, at that point of
judgement, it should be deemed as an arrest. another word means a crime is committed
and there should be NO NONSENSE from the suspect.
for this case, the suspect was cuffed but released later? :think:
all i can say is, there wasn't any crime committed. if any, he should be warmed if not cuffed
than proceed to charge him. if there wasn't any crime committed, he should NOT be cuffed
at all in the first place.
the bottomline is, if he's not charged for any offence, the police officer has to answer for
his action. cuffing a person and retrained his movement at the time of flooding situation
could even lead to further complication and may endanger his life further unnecessarily.
well, the above is juz my personal point of view. :angel:
if the officer brings out the handcuff n start to cuff it onto someone, at that point of
judgement, it should be deemed as an arrest. another word means a crime is committed
and there should be NO NONSENSE from the suspect.
for this case, the suspect was cuffed but released later? :think:
all i can say is, there wasn't any crime committed. if any, he should be warmed if not cuffed
than proceed to charge him. if there wasn't any crime committed, he should NOT be cuffed
at all in the first place.
the bottomline is, if he's not charged for any offence, the police officer has to answer for
his action. cuffing a person and retrained his movement at the time of flooding situation
could even lead to further complication and may endanger his life further unnecessarily.
well, the above is juz my personal point of view. :angel:
synapseman
Senior Member
You are all wrong.
There was no flood. Never had one. The last flood we had was in 1972.
We are not the type of country that has floods.
There was no flood. Never had one. The last flood we had was in 1972.
We are not the type of country that has floods.
denniskee
Senior Member
oh!! i didnt know that.:bigeyes::bigeyes:
denniskee
Senior Member
:think::think:
Knighthunter
Senior Member
I am sharing the same view here, why hand cuffed only to be released later and not charged plus IO never show up.
Anyway if you familiar with real hand-cuff it's not a kid toys, it used one way lock when it pushed hard during clamping it will really pinch the arm. I also wonder why he had to be dragged by his hand-cuff. Did he hand-cuffed on the back like the correct procedure or in front to aid dragging?
But it's sad day for photography.
stonefish35
New Member
IIRC, maybe some bro here can confirm this ? Pls correct me if IIRW. Last yr's ICT was playing with the cuffs :bsmilie:
the real cuff has got 2 function. ones it lock in position, you can't open or close it further unless you have the key to adjust it. All cuff is fix size, anybody wrist of any size is still suitable and there's way to lock a person up.
I don't think he's left alone on his own in this case, there might be another PO there guarding him in case he tries to harm himself in anyway.
btw, news paper zhao bao release the incident.
Kit
Senior Member
This is a really superficial way of looking at the situation. Photojournalists don't live in their own world. Whatever they do will implicate other people as well. You say its the photojournalist's duty to cover a story even if his/her life is at stake. You don't think the police was also bound by duty to ensure safety of the general public (including photojournalists)? Taking photos isn't the greatest business of them all.
Kit
Senior Member
What if cuffing him was the only option at that moment in time to keep him out of harm's way......
Kit
Senior Member
I don't think the police had any intention to restrain anyone while answering to flood calls. They probably use what they have....... standard issue cuffs.....
Kit
Senior Member
I'm not siding the police but yes, those bloody papers will print anything. I despise them.
