By Lena Mitchell
Daily Journal Corinth Bureau
CORINTH – Alcorn County deputies will receive training this week on the ins and outs of a new policy on the public’s right to photograph, video and audio record encounters with law enforcement.
Sheriff Chareles Rinehart told supervisors on Monday that he is implementing the policy effective immediately in response to an inquiry from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Basically, Rinehart said, when in a public setting and not interfering with an officer’s performance of his or her duty, anyone has a right under the First Amendment to record the officer’s actions and statements.
The same holds true on private property, the sheriff said, unless a property owner objects, and when there is a property owner objection the violator would be charged with trespassing.
On Thursday the sheriff’s department will hold a training session for the officers, reviewing the policy section by section.
Afterwards each officer will be required to sign a statement that he or she understands and will abide by the policy.
Everyone in an official capacity needs to understand that these days they can be recorded performing their duties at any time, the sheriff said.
lena.mitchell@journalinc.com