Two separate incidents in and around JFK on 7/17

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2014-07-18, 11:50 AM
Steven Holzinger

Two separate incidents in and around JFK on 7/17

So yesterday I and two of my friends drove up to JFK for the day... my two friends were talking about going up there for a while and we finally decided to go up on Thursday. Had a real good day shooting until we hit up Panera for 31R arrivals.

We were at Panera for about half an hour when a uniformed PORT AUTHORITY cop came over in an unmarked Ford Escape. It was a female officer who asked for our IDs, wondered why two guys from Pennsylvania and one from New Jersey came up to the area to photograph and film airplanes from a mile away from the airport and even had the nerve to ask "why can't you do this at Newark?" and referencing we can't be doing this on a day like today (making an obvious reference to the Malaysian plane that crashed). I politely advised that Newark it can't be done. She warned us that local law enforcement may come by and ask us to leave. We said okay, and she drove off. I felt like her ego was way over what was allowed and she seemed to have an attitude all the way, even with us being as nice and respectful as possible.

Maybe 15-20 minutes later NCPD came by in a marked vehicle. The NCPD officer was very nice and courteous and professional, and we talked with him for 10-15 minutes. In that time frame, the Port cop came by on the opposite side of the NCPD cruiser, yelling through the NCPD officer's vehicle "SEE I TOLD YOU GUYS THE COPS WOULD COME BY!!" Funny... I could see it in the NCPD officer's face that the Port cop had no business being there, and I even overheard her say the phrase "not in my jurisdiction" and he just kept a professional demeanor. We even talked about the Malaysian incident with the NCPD officer and brought him up to speed with all the news updates I'd been seeing come through as news alerts. He took down our names and all and stated we can continue photographing and all that and asked how long we'd be there. Told him an hour or two, and he drove off. No one else bothered us, and my guess of an hour or two was right as they then switched to the 22s. I wish I had gotten the name of the massive ego, power-tripping Port cop because I felt she was way out of line.

Later in the evening we went up to the T5 parking garage. We were there for an hour and a half when an Allied Barton security officer rolled up on us and a Jamaican (I think) asked us that we weren't allowed to photograph and film from there. We asked to speak with his supervisor but he was hesitant to do so - heck we had a hard enough time understanding what he was saying but we decided not to chance it. Heading back to the car it was almost as if he was stalking us the whole way AND almost preventing me from backing out of my parking spot. I almost wanted to tell him if he's throwing us out that we were not going to pay for parking.

Oh and unrelated... why do the parking attendants need to record your plates when you pay for parking? That's the first time I've ever had that happen at ANY airport!
2014-07-18, 12:55 PM
moose135

NCPD has gotten quite used to us in the area, and the times I've encountered them at Panera have all been friendly and professional. Half the time, they didn't even check my ID. Some years ago, we did have Port PD stop when a group of us were on the side of Costco (not near the water). Said they were "getting a lot of calls" about us - actually, I had seen them drive by toward the entrance about a half hour earlier, so I think they just happened to see us on their way out. They took our ID info, but were cool about it - they stood and waited while we all shot the Icelandic Air cargo 757.
2014-07-18, 02:16 PM
PhilDernerJr

Your plate gets recording by them in case you lose your ticket. Been there, done that.
2014-07-18, 06:08 PM
felipegcmh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Holzinger

Oh and unrelated... why do the parking attendants need to record your plates when you pay for parking? That's the first time I've ever had that happen at ANY airport!

Columbus has ALPR and when you get your ticket it is printed there, the receipt won't show it though.
2014-07-18, 07:41 PM
Gerard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Holzinger

and referencing we can't be doing this on a day like today (making an obvious reference to the Malaysian plane that crashed).

Or was she also possibly referencing that POTUS was due in around 4PM or so? What time was this?
2014-07-18, 10:46 PM
megatop412

I was telling my girlfriend about this and she suggested I paint the word "PHOTOGRAPHER" along the side of the car. I don't even think that would help with some of these folks
2014-07-19, 11:39 AM
Steven Holzinger

She came by in the 12:00 hour... forget when exactly. Didn't even bother to try to get POTUS arriving.
2014-07-19, 11:56 AM
yankees368

PAPD was way out of bounds at Panera. Good to hear your interactions with NCPD. I have never had a negative experience with them in regards to spotting. Also helps that I live in this precincts jurisdiction, but they are never rude before they know that info, anyway.
2014-07-19, 12:40 PM
Gintaras B.

I had 3 times NCPD come to me @ Costco's and all I can say they're one of nicest cops around. We polite, always told me when leaving: "Have a nice day". They get calls from people who don't know about this hobby, they've to come to check, but always proceed in very professional manner.
2014-07-19, 11:07 PM
adscram14

Better that NCPD was okay with it and the Port Authority wasn't than the other way around. Good to hear that NCPD is friendly about it.
2014-07-26, 01:21 PM
Delta777LR

I've never had any issues with NCPD. Many of them don't really give a hard time. But from PAPD having the guts to do what they did. Way out of line.
2014-07-26, 07:29 PM
Gerard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta777LR

But for PAPD having the guts to do what they did.

Actually "having the balls" is a more appropriate (or inappropriate, depends how the monitors feel).
2014-08-18, 08:41 PM
Gintaras B.

Allied Barton made our day - best ever spotting experience

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Holzinger

Later in the evening we went up to the T5 parking garage. We were there for an hour and a half when an Allied Barton security officer rolled up on us and a Jamaican (I think) asked us that we weren't allowed to photograph and film from there. We asked to speak with his supervisor but he was hesitant to do so - heck we had a hard enough time understanding what he was saying but we decided not to chance it. Heading back to the car it was almost as if he was stalking us the whole way AND almost preventing me from backing out of my parking spot. I almost wanted to tell him if he's throwing us out that we were not going to pay for parking.

Yesterday, 8/17, me, Sergio, Jonathan(Florida spotter) & his GF - we spent almost half of a day spotting from T5.
Allied Barton drove by time to time. When we were about to leave, around 8:30pm...Allied Barton security officer drove to us...Then....well, it was about 10 minute chat. Allied Barton security officer performed in very high professional manner - did listen us what we were doing...about this hobby...about special planes...etc...

It was best ever experience...
2015-02-02, 10:32 PM
Speedbird1

I also was told to leave by Allied Barton security. They were very nasty; one was Sally. She said photography was forbidden. I was only on the T5 garage for 5 minutes when 2 cars approached me. I spoke nicely and explained our hobby but to no avail. I was also threatened by 2 traffic agents at T5 for taking photos. They refused to give their names & looked like they just got to this country. They work for Summit Security. Argenbright Security guards, mostly from Guyana, used to harrass me pre-9-11 at the old Delta Terminal (T4) so harrassment is nothing new to me. Strangely, I was never bothered by either PAPD nor by TSA agents. They seem to respect our hobby & are better-trained.
2015-11-20, 04:30 AM
meeps

NCPD is very... overzealous.

I was at Bayswater Point State Park for UN week. Thankfully, we met a planespotting cop there who saved us a load of hassle. We were spotting when the (NY Parks) police pulled up. He rolled down the window, smiled and said "I heard Air Force One is leaving around 1:30!" He wanted to see the Ilyushins from Cubana and Rossiya as well. Later on, NYPD was doing their rounds, saw us from a distance, and were visibly upset (hands on hips upset). They pulled up, saw us socializing with the NY Parks cop, and backed off. NCPD was patrolling the airspace with a helicopter. They saw us, and I took photos of their helicopter. They kept stopping and hovering to look at us in the middle of their rounds. I assumed they were upset, because they called the NYPD back. Once again, the NYPD saw the NY Parks police chatting with us and didn't approach us, although they did pull up next to him (the Parks cop) until after AF1 left.
2015-11-20, 03:54 PM
moose135

I've had almost universally good encounters with Nassau County PD. If an NCPD helicopter was eyeballing you before AF1 departed, I suspect they were carrying Secret Service - some years ago, we had a couple of young members here have an NCPD helicopter with SS on board land to check them out when AF1 was en route. My encounters with NCPD have been much better than those with NYPD - after NYPD checked me out at Howard Beach one morning, they actually filed a report with the FBI, who met with me a couple of days later to follow up.
2015-11-20, 03:57 PM
Mateo

Had an NCPD officer tell me (and two Brits) back in September at Panera that taking pictures of airplanes anywhere in the US was illegal after 9/11, and then asked us to leave. Name and badge# available upon request.
2015-11-20, 11:30 PM
Gerard

Quote:

Originally Posted by moose135

I've had almost universally good encounters with Nassau County PD. If an NCPD helicopter was eyeballing you before AF1 departed, I suspect they were carrying Secret Service - some years ago, we had a couple of young members here have an NCPD helicopter with SS on board land to check them out when AF1 was en route.

Yup you beat me to it!! They fly along with NYPD AU also.
2015-11-21, 08:19 PM
megatop412

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mateo

Had an NCPD officer tell me (and two Brits) back in September at Panera that taking pictures of airplanes anywhere in the US was illegal after 9/11, and then asked us to leave. Name and badge# available upon request.

The first in a long while I've heard of problem there, but never say never, right