One of the challenges I have come across reporting is Hunting Park is trying to get man on the street interviews. People are very unwilling to talk to me. I am a white male. I do not think it has anything to with racism. It is more like racial profiling. I have found on numerous occasions, the people thought I was an under cover cop. Four times this semester I have had that question asked to me as I took pictures for various projects. I have had people come up to me and ask me why did I take a picture. Why am I down here. The funny thing is I tell them the truth, yet they still will not believe me. I say my name is Jerry Brennan I go to Temple, I am doing a story for Philadelphia Neighborhoods which is my capstone for my major. The response I get is Why you doing a story on this corner? Are you a cop? I asked one man, why do you think I am a cop?
He responded
"If I ask you if you are a cop, and you are a cop and you say no it is against the law, you have to tell me you are a cop if you are one."
I do not know if an undercover police officer actually does have to state if he is a police officer when asked, I will be sure to ask when I do my police ride along this Sunday. I personally find the people thinking I am a police officer funny, when I started doing my stories in the neighborhood I did expect people to be unwilling to talk to me, but I thought it would be because I was different from that not because I look like a police officer.
by: Jerry Brennan
(extra credit blog)
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