> I thought that filming crime and police was solidly legal.

Filming anything from a public space (street, sidewalk, etc) is legal, even if it's of a private space that is visible from public space. For example, if I'm on a public sidewalk next to your private residence, and you have the blinds open walking around naked - you have no reasonable expectation of privacy and can be filmed even though you're on your private property. Just like if you're driving on the public street and I have a ring doorbell camera, you have no reasonable expectation of privacy driving down the street, or walking on the sidewalk, and I can record you.