Sargeant Kenneth Becker is a police officer at the Wilmington Police Department in North Carolina. He is the officer who infamously told attorney and Uber driver Jesse Bright to turn off the camera on his phone, or else he would go to jail.

On February 26, 2017, Jesse Bright was pulled over by the police in Wilmington. ^[0]The car was stopped allegedly because the police were under suspicion that someone left a drug house and that someone in the car may have had possession of drugs. ^[1]

Bright filmed the encounter.

^[1]While filming, Officer Kenneth Becker told him to stop recording and threatened to take him to jail if he didn't stop recording.

After Jesse Bright told Sgt. Becker that he's an attorney and that he knows his rights, Sgt. Becker walked away.

Afterward, a K-9 Unit searched his car and found no narcotics. Becker told Jesse Bright that he'd get arrested if he continued recording walked past Bright telling him, "Funny how [the dog] is really interested in your car, huh?" implying that Bright might have been hiding something from the police.

Officer Becker: Hey, bud, turn that off.

Okay?

Jesse Bright: No, I'll keep recording.

Thank you.

It's my right

Officer Becker: Don't record me.

You hear me?

Jesse Bright: I will-- look, you're a police officer on duty.

I can record you.

(Officer Becker moves around to the driver's side of the car.)

Jesse Bright: And if you come to this side of the vehicle, I can keep recording you.

Officer Becker: Careful.

(inaudible) turn it off.

Jesse Bright: I can keep recording you.

Officer Becker: Turn it off.

Turn it off or I'm taking you to jail.

Jesse Bright: For recording you?

I'm sitting in my car holding my phone.

Officer Becker: You're not allowed to record me

Jesse Bright: What is the law?

Officer Becker: (steps back) Step out of the car.

(inaudible)

Jesse Bright: What are you arresting me for?

I'm sitting in my car.

I'm just recording in case anything happens.

I'm surrounded by 5 police officers--

Officer Becker: You're being a jerk.

Jesse Bright: I'm scared right now-- No, I'm not being a jerk.

I'm recording it in case anything happens.

Officer Becker: Well, you better hope we don't find something in your car, okay?

Jesse Bright: You're not searching my car--

Officer Becker: (on walkie talkie) (inaudible) Roll a K-9 this way please.

Jesse Bright: Bring the K-9s.

I don't care, man.

Like, I know my rights.

Officer Becker: I hope so.

I know what the law is.

Jesse Bright: I know the law.

I'm an attorney, so I would hope I know the law.

Officer Becker: And an Uber driver?

Jesse Bright: (looks into his wallet) Here man.

(pulls out bar card) Do you want my bar card?

(Officer Becker walks away)

Jesse Bright (Attorney)