Ostensibly, it's to prevent attacks, according to the author of the bill:
“At 25 feet, that person can’t spit in my face when I’m making an arrest,” Fontenot said while presenting his bill in a committee earlier this year. “The chances of him hitting me in the back of the head with a beer bottle at 25 feet — it sure is a lot more difficult than if he’s sitting right here.”
But it's very easy to see how it will also make it harder to record videos of the police. I bet that's at least part of the reason why they're doing it, even if they won't say so.
(I assume that Fontenot is speaking in the first person because he's a former law enforcement officer.)
In the real world, the police officer will arrest you for recording him, charging you with:
1) interfering with official duties.
2) Resisting arrest.
3) Felony assault on a police officer.
Remember, in a criminal trial, you have to prove your innocence. How do you prove you did not do something that a police officer, testifying under oath in a court of law, says you did?
> in a criminal trial, you have to prove your innocence
No you don’t, at least not in the USA. The state has to prove you’re guilty. Granted, I gather the word of an officer will usually trump an ordinary citizen, but that’s a great use case for the filming of Officers! It’s hard to prove interference with official duties when you’re quietly filming an officer from 25+ ft away.
So, if I have a constant video recording where the officer is clearly at a distance, wouldn't that be great for my defense? Much better than if that same video showed me walking right up to them, within touching distance, with the video not showing where my limbs are at all times.
If you're worried about unlawful arrest, stay away from the cop and record them -- and if you do that, great, this law wouldn't affect you.
“At 25 feet, that person can’t spit in my face when I’m making an arrest,” Fontenot said while presenting his bill in a committee earlier this year. “The chances of him hitting me in the back of the head with a beer bottle at 25 feet — it sure is a lot more difficult than if he’s sitting right here.”
But it's very easy to see how it will also make it harder to record videos of the police. I bet that's at least part of the reason why they're doing it, even if they won't say so.
(I assume that Fontenot is speaking in the first person because he's a former law enforcement officer.)