Fairfax County polizei, whose last claim to fame was using SWAT teams to harass bar patrons, have taken to picking on school children. While investigating some gangland activity, a reporter for the high school paper dared to photograph the officers questioning a few students.

By the time an officer stopped their car and confiscated the camera, Smeallie had snapped six more photographs.

When the camera was returned by a second officer, the young men discovered that the photos had been erased.

"He claimed he deleted them by accident," Smeallie said. That would have involved multiple steps requiring deliberate actions. The officer allegedly threatened to have the principal remove them from the newspaper staff.

Fairfax Police claim that they deleted 12 pictures by accident and that hiding from the press is not police policy. Having used a digital camera, I don't believe that for a minute. The officer likely knew exactly what he was doing. As for being camera shy, their actions seem to speak much more loudly than their policy.