Presidential Perspective

After the NPPA Advocacy Committee received complaints last year from Region 2 Director Todd Maisel and several other photographers about Amtrak harassing or arresting photographers taking photos at public train stations (NYC’s Penn Station and DC’s Union Station), the committee jumped into action and began a dialogue with the railroad’s attorney.

NPPA General Counsel Mickey Osterreicher wrote to Amtrak offering to help them craft a revised policy that would address First Amendment considerations. Amtrak accepted the offer. Osterreicher and Advocacy Chair Alicia Calzada began a flurry of e-mail conversations about the policy and drafted changes they submitted to Amtrak Police General Counsel David. J. Domzalski.

One of their biggest concerns was wording that described photography in sinister terms. They rewrote the section and Amtrak agreed to the revisions. In fact, Domzalski wrote yesterday to tell Osterreicher, “all of your recommendations were incorporated into the guidelines …”

The end result, a change in Amtrak’s photo policies which now state:

‘It is the policy of Amtrak that the taking of photographs and/or videos is permitted within public access areas on Amtrak property.’”

Amtrak also issued Amtrak Police General Order 09-02 which gives direction to the police on how to handle situations involving photography. In the order, they state that:

Officers may request that an individual consent to release of a recording, film or picture. Any consent must be knowing and voluntary. Under no circumstances will officers delete, destroy or alter photographs/videos; nor shall they request that photographs/video be deleted, destroyed or deleted.

Read the full story in News Photographer.

This is a major victory for photography and First Amendment freedoms. I am proud of what the NPPA has accomplished with this work. I want to thank all of the people who helped with this issue, but especially Mickey, Alicia, Todd, News Photographer Editor Don Winslow, and NPPA Executive Director Jim Straight.