Officer reassigned after ticketing local busker Rachel Yonkunas Published: September 14, 2015, 10:14 pm
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – An Albany cop has been placed on administrative duties as the department investigates his confrontation with a street musician.
Leif Solem posted a 43 second video on YouTube that shows him busking, or street performing, on North Pearl Street in the city of Albany. But Officer Glenn Szelest tickets him for disorderly conduct claiming Solem is blocking the sidewalk.
Solem said it was the first time he had ever been stopped by police. He said the officer quickly became condescending.
“He sort of says rhetorically, ‘You were picked on in school weren’t you,’” Solem said over the phone. “And he was sort of being really demeaning and belittling.”
Local musician Derek Rogers saw the video. As a busker himself, he understands the importance of following the rules, but he’s not sure the video alone warrants the charge of disorderly conduct.
“More often than not, you know, when someone’s being obnoxious and crossing the line, and I have no problem with a cop telling someone to stop in that case, but I guess, you know it when you see it, and from the looks of that video, it seems like that guy wasn’t bothering a fly,” he said.
Albany City Hall referred to the mayor’s office when asked about needing a permit for busking in the city. The mayor’s office declined to comment.
The city clerk’s website contains no information that prohibits busking in Albany.
“To my knowledge, there is no ordinance against busking,” Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox said.
Cox said they placed the 21-year veteran on administrative duty while they conduct an internal investigation.
“We want to make sure that the trust is there,” he said. “That is part of the reason why we took the action we did today. To make sure we do a thorough investigation to find out exactly what the facts are.”
Solem has a court appearance scheduled for Thursday.
Since it doesn’t appear Albany has an ordinance against busking, he’s hoping the city will dismiss the case.
Most certainly aggressive policing. The police in this country are going to continue to lose respect until this high school bullying mentality, that is so prevalent among the profession, is stopped. It becomes increasingly more difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt when it is shown time and time again that their methods are aggressive, are over the top, and are often illegal.
Most certainly aggressive policing. The police in this country are going to continue to lose respect until this high school bullying mentality, that is so prevalent among the profession, is stopped. It becomes increasingly more difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt when it is shown time and time again that their methods are aggressive, are over the top, and are often illegal.
the leaders in place believe that police officers/departments are there for them to use as pawns...not much different from a soldier in the military. To protect THEIR way of life.
the police chief is a tool of the politicians who are from the Mayberry generation. After the 60's the police began being used in a most unholy way, out of fear. No matter what the hippies believe they 'freed', they didn't. They were fearful and made their own 'camps' of their 'own like'. The hippies appear 'free' but they did NOTHING to bring the country together.
Some hippies got into politics and just kept up the separation and redlining, because deep down, as long as they had people of the same mind and beliefs, they felt safe.
The liberals are not a different kind of human. They like to point and talk and be all ideological but are not true activists. They are just like conservative in making 'boundaries' for control and a feeling of safety.
Liberals have just as many police officers protecting their 'way of life' as do conservatives......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Most certainly aggressive policing. The police in this country are going to continue to lose respect until this high school bullying mentality, that is so prevalent among the profession, is stopped. It becomes increasingly more difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt when it is shown time and time again that their methods are aggressive, are over the top, and are often illegal.
^5
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Incident seems problematic but rather than this being a matter of aggressive or bullying policing - might just be a matter of a lack of training or policy. Based on the available information and the video it would appear that there is an issue re: the necessity of a permit. And, I think he may have dug himself a deeper hole because he became defensive.
................AND...........the cop had no legal right to strong arm take the girls cell phone.
there's bigger fish to fry out there than someone 'singing'. imo
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Incident seems problematic but rather than this being a matter of aggressive or bullying policing - might just be a matter of a lack of training or policy.
I didn't know human decency was something that had to be instilled into cops through training. Condescending comments to a guy playing music and grabbing a camera out of somebody's hands isn't something you'd think needs to be taught.
Quoted Text
Solem said it was the first time he had ever been stopped by police. He said the officer quickly became condescending.
“He sort of says rhetorically, ‘You were picked on in school weren’t you,’” Solem said over the phone. “And he was sort of being really demeaning and belittling.”
Incident seems problematic but rather than this being a matter of aggressive or bullying policing - might just be a matter of a lack of training or policy. Based on the available information and the video it would appear that there is an issue re: the necessity of a permit. And, I think he may have dug himself a deeper hole because he became defensive.
Street artists are allowed in Troy, Albany and Schenectady.
Albany requires a permit if there are 3 or more performers or the performance is amplified.
they wanted artsy fartsy because there is nothing else to do with the cities....they are all old industrial 'towns' that grew fast and with limited planning for the future....
take GE....folks back in the 40's never ever ever dreamed they'd lose their 'power' they were promised
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Street artists are allowed in Troy, Albany and Schenectady.
Albany requires a permit if there are 3 or more performers or the performance is amplified.
well then..........it appears that the cop needs more TRAINING!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
well then..........it appears that the cop needs more TRAINING!!
Maybe in the future when cops have streaming live video feeds, people watching will be able to send a warning when cops are overstepping their authority.
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