Wilmington officer demoted after telling man not to record video
WILMINGTON, North Carolina (WTVD) -- The Wilmington Police Department has demoted an officer involved in an incident where an Uber driver was told recording video of them during a traffic stop was against North Carolina law. It isn't.
WWAY reports Sgt. Kenneth Becker has been demoted to corporal, according to a public records request.
The Wilmington TV stations says WPD spokeswoman Linda Thompson could not say whether the demotion was a direct result of an internal affairs investigation into the video incident. The demotion, which went into effect Wednesday, also lowered Becker's pay.
The incident happened when Uber driver Jesse Bright, who's also an attorney, recorded video of police on his cellphone after he was stopped last month.
Both the Wilmington police chief and the sheriff in New Hanover County are confirming that people have the right to record videos of police officers.
RELATED: Wilmington officers tell man not to record video of them
Bright said after a deputy with a search dog was called, he also asked the deputy if recording was illegal and says the deputy also told him it was.
Both the Wilmington police chief and the sheriff in New Hanover County issued statements earlier this month that the officers involved were wrong when they told Bright he could not record them. They confirmed that people have the right to record videos of police officers.
Bright was stopped after leaving with a passenger from a home. Bright says he and his passenger and vehicle were searched under protest and officers found nothing. No one was arrested.
Both McMahon and Evangelous say they welcome public video recording of their officers.
Read more from WWAY.
