ScubaDetector
Silver Member
I received a PM concerning a comment I made about having the police called on me over 20 times while detecting. I thought instead of answering in a PM, I would explain some of the situations here.
The first time it happened I was hunting curb strips in Utah at night. A guy came out of his house and told me to get off his property. I told told him I was on city property. He moved his coat aside to show me a badge on his belt. I said Are you a cop? He said yes. I said you better learn the laws then. I went to reach for my badge and he said keep your hands where I could see them. I said, you have no idea what you are taking about and I wasn't moving. I went back to detecting. He yelled somebody is going to jail and went into his house. About 15 minutes or so later two SLC police cars pulled up, one in front of me and one behind. I put my machine down and put my hands out and told the one in front that I was armed and I was a state cop. He was very polite and asked for my ID. I took it out and we talked and I told him what transpired. The guy who was renting the home was absolutely right. Somebody went to jail. They arrested him for impersonating an officer.
The rest of the times were here in Michigan. 9 times in one lake alone. I found legal access to a lake that nobody else had apparently. This lake is surrounded by million dollar homes and is very clear. It also had a very old association park on it that was full of silver and gold. The first 6 times the police were called, the residence were told I was within my rights. One of the residence thought I might be a child molester and was diving under their kids to watch them. I assured them I had absolutely no interest in what was going on over top of me. I was on a drop-off in 20 - 35' of water. Well the 7th time the officer decided I was trespassing and I had to leave. I told him he needed to call his Sgt. He came and also said I was illegal. I told them I was not going to leave unless I got a citation. The Sgt. said they really didn't want to give me one. I said I was going back into the water then. I got one. Called the prosecutor the next day. Within a week it was dismissed. Two times after that the police were called again. The last time three officers showed up. Two were Sgt's. The residents were told that I was absolutely legal and within my rights. If they ever called the police again they would be cited for harassing me. This lake is over an hour away from where I live. I talk to a lot of the residence now and get along. They really do not like any strangers in their neighborhood. I was told by an officer that lives on the lake, there used to be a sign on the road in the 50's. No blacks or Jews allowed
That was the first citation I received. The second was in a lake in Pontiac MI. I was diving at dusk. Anybody that dives knows the light is magnified underwater and you can see past sundown. I came up, only to see a sheriff boat moored about 100' from my boat. I got in my boat and they came over. Asked me a bunch of questions. THEN decided to give me a citation for not having an anchor light on my boat at night. They said they thought somebody would have to come down and get me because I was underwater a long time. That citation was also dismissed. An anchor light is ONLY required on a boat that is in waters navigable to the great lakes. NO inland lake unless connected by rivers is.
The third citation was in a very small bowl shaped lake surrounded by woods. It had a public swim area less that 55' across on it and no other access. No boats with motors are allowed. I dove without my dive flag. I came up to an officer on the shore. He was rude. He said where is your flag. I told him no motor boats were allowed and no boats could stay 200' away from me if I had it so I left it in my truck. He decided I needed a citation. That one I actually went to court on. He didn't show up. But I told the prosecutor everything and it got dismissed.
I was going in another lake near Detroit when a Hummer drove by. He pulled into his driveway and walked toward me and told me to leave. I said no, this is a public lake. He was really rude and again I don't remember everything that was said. I got ticked and told him to go play with himself. THREE officers showed up and went to talk to him. The Sgt came to talk to me. He asked me if I really said that (the guy told them what I said) I said yes. The Sgt couldn't stop laughing. The Sgt called him a pompous jerk. We had a good laugh and they left.
Last year I was in a lake with my friend in a boat and we anchored outside a marina. I went to dive in the roped off swim area for stuff. A lady on a float pulled on my dive flag rope. I came up and she said, I wasn't allowed to be in the swim area and we couldn't anchor our boat there. I said she was wrong on both counts. A guy on the dock yelled, you ever hear of riparian rights? I yelled yes, and you don't have them. I told the lady I wasn't leaving and she was wrong. I was polite about it but I do stand my ground. I went back to detecting. I don't know how long later I hear the BAM BAM BAM underwater. I come up to an officer on the dock. He said I was trespassing. I said no I was not. He said now that you are standing up you are. I said no. I told him that the lake was a public lake. It had a public boat launch and park. Anybody that owns property on the lake only owns the land to the high water mark. He said he thought I was right, he was reading the laws while watching me. I told him I knew I was right and told him my experience. He asked my name. I gave him my DL# and said now you have everything. We talked a little more and he left.
I enjoyed the rest of my dive.
My very worst experience went like this. I found an empty lot for sale on a lake. I called the realtor and told him I wanted to get into the lake to dive. He said go ahead. I will contact the land owner and make sure but if he has a problem I will call you back. LOL Great for me!! I was coming out of the lake to a sheriff officer with a flashlight in my face. i told him I was armed with two knives. He said you are trespassing. I said no, I had permission. He asked from who. I told him the realitor. The officer said that wasn't good enough, the owner called. I said the owner didn't call, he is in Florida. I said the realitor has permission to let anyone on the property. The officer argued with that and I really don't remember all he said. I told him I was a state cop in Utah. He said so you know all the laws then. I said no, but I know the trespassing law. He was really ticked for some reason and I don't know why. He told me he was going to give me a citation for a bent plate as soon as I left. I straightened the corner out. He then said he was going to have my vehicle towed. I said go ahead. I am on a public street. I will sit here till after the tow truck driver leaves. He got in his car and slammed the door. I took my gear off. After I got it off, he rolled down his window and said, Mr. Grattan, come over here. he apologized to me and said that most people wouldn't have even gone as far as to call anybody. Told me to have fun and enjoy my evening.
My very last experience was about a month ago. Hunting a park near Detroit. We are swinging away when an officer pulls up. I shut off my detector and approach him. He said, SOMEBODY called the police stating we had SHOTGUNS. We all had a laugh, talked, and he left.
I have other stories but you get the idea. Don't break the laws, KNOW the laws so you don't get pushed around. I know officers have to appease someone. Who will it be? Well with people that don't know their rights the person that called. With me, I won't back down. I have a copy of the riparian rights in my truck to give any officer.
There are a lot of private lakes in Michigan with very rich people on them. Some are absolutely wonderful. Some think they own everything.
Sorry for the long post. I really could write a book on my experiences. I have only called the police four times. Two for guns I found, one for a WW1 bomb I found and one for live grenade fuses I found. This was all in Michigan
The first time it happened I was hunting curb strips in Utah at night. A guy came out of his house and told me to get off his property. I told told him I was on city property. He moved his coat aside to show me a badge on his belt. I said Are you a cop? He said yes. I said you better learn the laws then. I went to reach for my badge and he said keep your hands where I could see them. I said, you have no idea what you are taking about and I wasn't moving. I went back to detecting. He yelled somebody is going to jail and went into his house. About 15 minutes or so later two SLC police cars pulled up, one in front of me and one behind. I put my machine down and put my hands out and told the one in front that I was armed and I was a state cop. He was very polite and asked for my ID. I took it out and we talked and I told him what transpired. The guy who was renting the home was absolutely right. Somebody went to jail. They arrested him for impersonating an officer.
The rest of the times were here in Michigan. 9 times in one lake alone. I found legal access to a lake that nobody else had apparently. This lake is surrounded by million dollar homes and is very clear. It also had a very old association park on it that was full of silver and gold. The first 6 times the police were called, the residence were told I was within my rights. One of the residence thought I might be a child molester and was diving under their kids to watch them. I assured them I had absolutely no interest in what was going on over top of me. I was on a drop-off in 20 - 35' of water. Well the 7th time the officer decided I was trespassing and I had to leave. I told him he needed to call his Sgt. He came and also said I was illegal. I told them I was not going to leave unless I got a citation. The Sgt. said they really didn't want to give me one. I said I was going back into the water then. I got one. Called the prosecutor the next day. Within a week it was dismissed. Two times after that the police were called again. The last time three officers showed up. Two were Sgt's. The residents were told that I was absolutely legal and within my rights. If they ever called the police again they would be cited for harassing me. This lake is over an hour away from where I live. I talk to a lot of the residence now and get along. They really do not like any strangers in their neighborhood. I was told by an officer that lives on the lake, there used to be a sign on the road in the 50's. No blacks or Jews allowed
That was the first citation I received. The second was in a lake in Pontiac MI. I was diving at dusk. Anybody that dives knows the light is magnified underwater and you can see past sundown. I came up, only to see a sheriff boat moored about 100' from my boat. I got in my boat and they came over. Asked me a bunch of questions. THEN decided to give me a citation for not having an anchor light on my boat at night. They said they thought somebody would have to come down and get me because I was underwater a long time. That citation was also dismissed. An anchor light is ONLY required on a boat that is in waters navigable to the great lakes. NO inland lake unless connected by rivers is.
The third citation was in a very small bowl shaped lake surrounded by woods. It had a public swim area less that 55' across on it and no other access. No boats with motors are allowed. I dove without my dive flag. I came up to an officer on the shore. He was rude. He said where is your flag. I told him no motor boats were allowed and no boats could stay 200' away from me if I had it so I left it in my truck. He decided I needed a citation. That one I actually went to court on. He didn't show up. But I told the prosecutor everything and it got dismissed.
I was going in another lake near Detroit when a Hummer drove by. He pulled into his driveway and walked toward me and told me to leave. I said no, this is a public lake. He was really rude and again I don't remember everything that was said. I got ticked and told him to go play with himself. THREE officers showed up and went to talk to him. The Sgt came to talk to me. He asked me if I really said that (the guy told them what I said) I said yes. The Sgt couldn't stop laughing. The Sgt called him a pompous jerk. We had a good laugh and they left.
Last year I was in a lake with my friend in a boat and we anchored outside a marina. I went to dive in the roped off swim area for stuff. A lady on a float pulled on my dive flag rope. I came up and she said, I wasn't allowed to be in the swim area and we couldn't anchor our boat there. I said she was wrong on both counts. A guy on the dock yelled, you ever hear of riparian rights? I yelled yes, and you don't have them. I told the lady I wasn't leaving and she was wrong. I was polite about it but I do stand my ground. I went back to detecting. I don't know how long later I hear the BAM BAM BAM underwater. I come up to an officer on the dock. He said I was trespassing. I said no I was not. He said now that you are standing up you are. I said no. I told him that the lake was a public lake. It had a public boat launch and park. Anybody that owns property on the lake only owns the land to the high water mark. He said he thought I was right, he was reading the laws while watching me. I told him I knew I was right and told him my experience. He asked my name. I gave him my DL# and said now you have everything. We talked a little more and he left.
I enjoyed the rest of my dive.
My very worst experience went like this. I found an empty lot for sale on a lake. I called the realtor and told him I wanted to get into the lake to dive. He said go ahead. I will contact the land owner and make sure but if he has a problem I will call you back. LOL Great for me!! I was coming out of the lake to a sheriff officer with a flashlight in my face. i told him I was armed with two knives. He said you are trespassing. I said no, I had permission. He asked from who. I told him the realitor. The officer said that wasn't good enough, the owner called. I said the owner didn't call, he is in Florida. I said the realitor has permission to let anyone on the property. The officer argued with that and I really don't remember all he said. I told him I was a state cop in Utah. He said so you know all the laws then. I said no, but I know the trespassing law. He was really ticked for some reason and I don't know why. He told me he was going to give me a citation for a bent plate as soon as I left. I straightened the corner out. He then said he was going to have my vehicle towed. I said go ahead. I am on a public street. I will sit here till after the tow truck driver leaves. He got in his car and slammed the door. I took my gear off. After I got it off, he rolled down his window and said, Mr. Grattan, come over here. he apologized to me and said that most people wouldn't have even gone as far as to call anybody. Told me to have fun and enjoy my evening.
My very last experience was about a month ago. Hunting a park near Detroit. We are swinging away when an officer pulls up. I shut off my detector and approach him. He said, SOMEBODY called the police stating we had SHOTGUNS. We all had a laugh, talked, and he left.
I have other stories but you get the idea. Don't break the laws, KNOW the laws so you don't get pushed around. I know officers have to appease someone. Who will it be? Well with people that don't know their rights the person that called. With me, I won't back down. I have a copy of the riparian rights in my truck to give any officer.
There are a lot of private lakes in Michigan with very rich people on them. Some are absolutely wonderful. Some think they own everything.
Sorry for the long post. I really could write a book on my experiences. I have only called the police four times. Two for guns I found, one for a WW1 bomb I found and one for live grenade fuses I found. This was all in Michigan
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