[Opinion] Suspicion That Man Fiddling with Phone Might Be "Filming School Children" Doesn't Justify Detention by Police

Suspicion That Man Fiddling with Phone Might Be "Filming School Children" Doesn't Justify Detention by Police

From Judge Daniel Crabtree's opinion yesterday in Alea v. Ptacek (D. Kan.): Plaintiff Galicano Alea was walking his dog on a sidewalk adjacent to a public middle school. He was fiddling with his phone to adjust his music selection. But to defendant Julian Garcia, a police officer, it appeared that plaintiff was filming school children. So, he detained plaintiff and demanded identification. Plaintiff refused. Officer Garcia eventually released pl…