On Wednesday, July 19, the Dearborn Police Department held a press conference to address the murder and abduction that was committed on July 15 at the Family Dollar store in downtown west Dearborn. Unfortunately, The Arab American News was not allowed to attend, because this reporter did not have any “press credentials.”

“My tape recorder and notepad are my credentials,” I told officer Villemaire (#464) impatiently, as I was already late to the press conference, because I had only been made aware of it right before it started.

The officer brushed me off disrespectfully with a smirk.

The truth of the matter is that there shoud not be such thing as “press credentials” that a police officer can legally request.

A state license is required to practice many professions. A doctor has to receive a medical license from a state agency or government-approved professional association, before practicing medicine. Teachers, mechanics and even hairdressers need the approval of the state before they work professionally. Their licenses are their credentials.

 Journalists, however, do not need anybody’s permission to report and write. Basically, anybody can be a journalist. The free practice of journalism is a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,” reads the First Amendment of the Constitution.

I tried to explain to Villemaire that I could be writing for my own blog, and I would still have the right to access any City event, or press conference.

 “Write for your blog out in the parking lot,” he said, sounding increasingly arrogant and insulting.

 A government-sponsored press conference could be attended by anybody, as long as no security or disturbance risk exists. Government may require the pre-registration of reporters who want to attend a conference, but may not deny anybody who wishes to attend from signing up. There was no registration list at that particular conference, where I was denied access, regardless.

 A press pass could be required to attend a private event, such as a campaign, or corporate press conference, so as to ward off unwanted people. However, Dearborn has citizens. It is a city, not a party.

By demanding my press credentials, as a requirement, to attend the press conference, the Dearborn police officer did, not only violate the U.S. Constitution, he also denied The Arab American News’ 35,000 readers access to information that may help solve the crime.