After receiving complaints from photographers who claimed they had been prevented from taking photographs at city ponds, pools, lakes, and beaches, ACLUM has asked the Worcester city manager to clarify the city's policy on public photography.

Following several attempts to obtain information about the city's position, ACLUM today made a formal request under the state's Public Records Law seeking copies of any policy, memorandum or rule concerning photography in public places, including pools, ponds, lakes and beaches under the control of the Worcester Parks Department.

The request follows a series of incidents which took place over the course of the past three years at city-run pools and beaches. On each occasion, park personnel informed individuals who sought to take pictures at the facility that photography was prohibited by city policy. In several instances, the photographers were threatened with arrest. The incidents took place at the Camp Street Pool, the Crystal Park Pool, the Beaver Brook Park Pool, Mill Pond Beach, Bell Pond and Crompton Park.

Although there have been numerous informal requests to city officials for the policy, it has yet to be made available.

Ron Madnick, director of ACLUM's Worcester chapter, said that he hoped the request would result in prompt action by the city. "Photography is an activity which enjoys very strong protection under the First Amendment. It is not something which can be restricted, if at all, at the whim of a police officer or a lifeguard. If there is a policy, and at this point we don't even know whether there is one, it should be available to the public. On the other hand, if there is no policy, we believe that the city needs to make it clear that these kind of arbitrary restrictions are not allowed."

We also gave the manager some research which has been done on this issue.