A local journalist has won an apology from a local police force after an officer threatened to seize his camera while he was photographing an arrest.

Daniel Jae Webb, editor of specialist title Wiltshire 999s which covers the work of the county’s emergency services, was covering an arrest in neighbouring Gloucestershire when the incident occurred.

He was initially told he was “obstructing” the police but has now received an apology from Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department.

The officer who threatened to seize Daniel’s camera also said she will “endeavour to do better in future”.

The photograph in question, showing officers handcuffing a suspect before putting him into a police van, is shown above.

Posting on Twitter, Daniel wrote: “For the first time in my decade-long career, a police officer threatened to seize my camera when I was photographing an arrest. It happened in Cirencester earlier this month.

“When I asked for her collar number, she repeatedly refused to provide it and told me I was obstructing. For clarity, she was not dealing with the detainee when I approached her. The encounter was evidenced on my body-worn camera.

“Today I received an apology from the officer involved via Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department. The officer also says she will “endeavour to do better in future”.

“I understand the force is looking to train its officers in relation to the public, and the press, taking photographs at incidents or of police personnel. This occurrence will be used as a case study, I’m told.

“It is completely lawful to take photographs of anyone in a public place without permission, provided the photos are not indecent. Police can only seize cameras in circumstances where evidence may have been captured and they should not be using that law to prevent photography.”

College of Policing guidance for officers makes clear that the media should not be prevented from filming or photographing police incidents as long as they are in a public place.

It states: “Reporting or filming from the scene of an incident is part of the media’s role and they should not be prevented from doing so from a public place. It is for the media to determine what is published or broadcast, not the police.”