The law and photography - some useful documents
The lastest RPS Journal indirectly identified a document that may sometimes be useful. It is a PDF file called "Practice Advice On Stop And Search In Relation To Terrorism, 2008", and describes police powers (and sometimes the lack of them) under the Terrorism Act 2000. Apparently, sometimes police have claimed powers they don't have to prevent photography, or to delete digital images or destroy film.
Here is the relevant section (out of a 63 page document!) Section 43 is "Search of persons" and section 44 is "Authorisations" (for stop and search).
2.8 PHOTOGRAPHY
The Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place. Officers should not prevent people taking photographs unless they are in an area where photography is prevented by other legislation.
If officers reasonably suspect that photographs are being taken as part of hostile terrorist reconnaissance, a search under section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 or an arrest should be considered. Film and memory cards may be seized as part of the search, but officers do not have a legal power to delete images or destroy film. Although images may be viewed as part of a search, to preserve evidence when cameras or other devices are seized, officers should not normally attempt to examine them. Cameras and other devices should be left in the state they were found and forwarded to appropriately trained staff for forensic examination. The person being searched should never be asked or allowed to turn the device on or off because of the danger of evidence being lost or damaged.
Downloads
The above document is available from: National Policing Improvement Agency: "Stop and Search in Relation to Terrorsim" [sic].
Another useful PDF file "Photographer's Rights in the UK" (Linda Macpherson) is available from: "UK Photographers Rights". (I carry a print of this single-page document in my camera bag).
An equivalent document for the USA, "Your Rights and Remedies When Stopped or Confronted for Photography", is available from: "The Photographer’s Right".