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Illinois Law Does Not Prohibit Recording On-Duty Law Enforcement
On Twitter, it started with circulating the headline of an article published on The Free Thought Project titled “Illinois Just Made it a Felony for Its Citizens to Record the Police and the Media is Silent.” The article claimed that Illinois passed a law making it a felony to record police officers. That is not factual. The emotional state of many Americans with the thought that a law prohibits the video recording of police officers using excessive force, was at the forefront of the headline that misrepresents the amended Illinois law.
Snopes has already printed about the apparent confusion of the law, which isn’t a new law at all but rather, an amendment to an existing law and does not prohibit the recording of on-duty police officers.
The Free Thought article states that the wording from the legislation is vague, and it included the following;
(a) Eavesdropping, for a first offense, is a Class 4 felony (from Ch. 38, par. 14-4) and, for a second or subsequent offense, is a Class 3 felony.
(b) The eavesdropping of an oral conversation or an electronic communication of any
law enforcement officer, State’s Attorney, Assistant State’s Attorney, the Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, or a judge, while in the performance of his or her official duties, if not authorized by this Article or proper court order, is a Class 3 felony, and for a second or subsequent offenses, is a Class 2 felony.
Had readers clicked the link to the Bill, they would have read two words that should have stood out. Those two words are;
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eavesdropping
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private
When I read the first tweet reporting this, (and expressing disgust that Illinois would legislate such a law), I didn’t respond. I didn’t respond because my first impression that anyone reading the word “eavesdropping” would understand its meaning. I was wrong, not taking into consideration that people passing the tweet around are not residents of Illinois understanding how “eavesdropping” is defined in Illinois law. Read the rest of this entry
Not the Blind Side –Black Foster Child Attacked By Cops In His Own Home

The Blind Side
In 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” is a semi-biographical film about the life of Michael Oher, and offensive lineman who plays for the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. Oher has an impoverished upbringing, but high prospects in college football, and was without parents and homeless when he met Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Oher, who is Black, was adopted by the Tuohy’s, who are White. Actress Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film, and the Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a leading role. The film itself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Tim McGraw played the role of Sean Tuohy.
When I heard about DeShawn Currie of Wake County, North Carolina, (just south of Raleigh) I immediately thought of the movie, “The Blind Side,” although for DeShawn, it was not classmates that made him feel unwelcomed – it was the cops. For about a year, DeShawn has lived with his foster parents Ricky and Stacy Tyler, who are White. They moved into their new home in July.

DeShawn Currie
DeShawn came home from school the other day. A neighbor profiled him as “suspicious” and called 911. When the cops arrived, DeShawn asked them why they were there? He told them that he lives there. The cops looked at photos on the wall and seeing that the photos are of White people, accused DeShawn of lying. Read the rest of this entry
A Policeman’s Kindness in El Paso
For more ‘protect and serve’ related police kindness, please see;
- This Way, Ducks
- Wet and Limping Little Dog Needed Some Help
- Boy With Brain Tumor Got a Much Needed Boost From His Heroes
- Tulsa Police Department Dedicates Day To Fixing Local Kids’ Bikes
- Police Officer Wraps $100 Bill In Traffic Ticket
- “…Dying Boy’s Family Told Police he had always Wanted to be a Cop…”
- Two Policemen Go Shopping to Help a Crying Girl on First Day of School
- A Police Officer and a Suicidal Man
- Policeman Tying an Old Man’s Shoes
- One Kind Police Officer, One Mama Duck and Some Ducklings
- Water for Daisy