<< ImcSfBay
The San Francisco Bay Area IMC gives out its own press card, which I designed on a computer, which includes a photo, the address of the SF Bay Area IMC, and the word PRESS across it in big letters. It is signed by the photo co-ordinator (myself) or the video-audio co-ordinator.
The SF Bay IMC has also successfully obtained press cards for reporters from the San Jose Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. This was a long process that took a lot of energy.
The SFPD and the CHP at first denied us cards. The SFPD said that it would not issue cards to an internet news site. They said we were not covering ?breaking news.? I appealed this decision. Meanwhile, a local left-leaning weekly paper wanted to cover the fact we were being turned down by the SFPD. Very quickly after hearing from them, the SFPD backed down and gave us the IDs, saying they had changed their minds and considered protests to be breaking news after all.
The CHP gave us a different kind of runaround. They kept losing their correspondence with us, claiming it was us who were losing everything. I went over the head of the person in charge of the cards and said to that person's boss that we were in effect being denied for no good reason except their own incompetence. They pleaded that they were giving out ten thousand cards and their system was all messed up, and then they eventually gave us cards.
The San Jose Police Department had no problem giving us cards as long as we had a letter on letterhead saying we were on assignment in their area.
The purpose of these police cards is to identify ourselves at events where police are present so we might 1) get info from cops at the scene, 2) cross police lines, 3) observe arrests and 4) get out of an arrest in case there is a sweep of some kind.
We agreed that only people who were regular contributors would receive cards.
I sent out the following to our reporters about the cards:
"Using a police issued ID does not mean that reporters need to report
favorably on the police. We at times have an adversary relationship
with the police, which is part of our job. However, we will try to
avoid having these cards revoked for behavior of reporters towards the
police at demonstrations, etc.
If you want to apply for an SF Bay Area IMC or police ID, you would need to agree to the following statement:
'I am a volunteer contributing text, sound, video and/or photographs to
the SF Bay Area IMC. While using a SF Bay IMC press credential I realize I will be
representing the SF Bay IMC, and I will not put the SF Bay IMC at legal risk. I understand that if I violate this agreement the pass may be revoked.'"
So far we have had no problems with the cards. There is a caveat: police agencies usually do background checks on people who apply for their press id?s, so people with outstanding warrants, etc., should not apply.
As one of the people receiving a CHP card said: "Alright! Now I won't get pushed around any more!"
--
PeterMaiden - 08 Jan 2003
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