A group photo of approximately two dozen officers in tactical gear was taken with escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante shortly after his capture on Wednesday. The photo, captured by a KYW-TV television news helicopter, showed the officers and federal agents gathered around the handcuffed escapee for a photo opportunity before transporting him in an armored vehicle. Policing reform advocates and some members of the public criticized the celebratory moment, deeming it inappropriate and dehumanizing. According to experts, this moment should not have occurred after a grueling 14-day search for the armed suspect. However, one leader of the operation expressed no concerns about it.
When asked about the criticism at a news conference on Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens focused on the impressive work of the officers. He stated that “those men and women work amazingly hard through some very trying circumstances” and that he was not bothered by the fact that they took a photograph with the captured suspect. Taking photographs after a successful arrest is not uncommon and has become more prevalent with the use of smartphones. While some law enforcement agencies have established guidelines for social media use, including restrictions on posting while in uniform or during on-duty activities, these rules are inconsistent across different locations.
According to Adam Scott Wandt, a public policy instructor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, taking photos on the street and sharing them on social media, whether as a celebration or a form of retaliation, is not acceptable from a policing ethics standpoint. From a legal perspective, it also raises concerns as it creates potential evidentiary problems. The Pennsylvania State Police has a conduct policy regarding social media use, which prohibits the posting or forwarding of images related to state police investigations or operations without authorization. However, it is unclear if the photo taken on Wednesday falls under this policy.
Photos of Cavalcante after his arrest, with a police dog holding him down, circulated widely on social media. These photos were taken within the secured perimeter, where only law enforcement officers were allowed. Niles R. Wilson of the Center for Policing Equity and a retired police captain expressed their concern about these celebratory photos, comparing them to images from the Civil Rights era that depicted police brutality. Public affairs expert and former officer Leonard Sipes acknowledged the desire to celebrate after capturing an armed and dangerous individual but stated that he would have discouraged the photo if he were in the role of the public affairs officer representing a law enforcement agency.
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