That Cop Is About to Snatch a Cellphone From a Man Recording Police Search His Car — and the Sheriff Has Quite the Defense for It

A Florida sheriff reiterated Monday that one of his deputies was justified in snatching a cellphone from a detained individual who was recording officers search his car, insisting that the phone could have been used as a weapon.

“The probable cause traffic stop, K9 alert, presence of a firearm, and (name omitted)’s lack of candor created a scenario where the potential for (name omitted) to summon others to the scene via his cell phone was an officer safety concern,” Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott initially told WFTX-TV in an April 1 email.

The sheriff was offering his thoughts on an incident that occurred when an unidentified 25-year-old with a concealed carry permit was stopped by deputies. The individual, who says he has been targeted by police, wanted to document authorities search his car and started recording officers with his cellphone. That’s when a deputy snatched it out of his hands.

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