Are Utility Pole-Mounted Cameras Unlawful?

Mon 13 Jun, 2016 / by Cable Huston / General

The recent occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Oregon produced no shortage of unusual scenes. Among them was occupier Levoy Finnicum scaling a utility pole near a power transformer and prying open a white box attached to the top. Inside the box were two video cameras — apparently used to monitor the activities of the occupiers. The cameras were tossed to the ground and denounced by the occupiers as further evidence of the invasion of their freedom and privacy by a government unmoored from its Constitutional limitations.

In this instance, the Malheur occupiers actually may have had a valid point. At least one federal court has held that the government may not — without first obtaining a search warrant — use utility pole-mounted video surveillance cameras…..Read More