got into it with a cop yesterday

[killerclown]

I was out at a small park messing around.....mind in my own business.....and this guy walks up in normal clothes...says he's a cop...I say "I don't belive you...lemme see some id " he shows me a really shiny badge and card. ( very pretty)...anyway conversation goes like this.....
Cop- what are you doing here son?
Me- - I'm just messing around with my metal detector
Cop - your not allowed to do that here
Me - well sir it isn't posted that I can't. It says nothing about it in the county laws. Why can't I do it here?
Cop - cause my kids play here and I don't want them seeing people like you....
Me - people like me? What the hell do you me people like me?
Cop - people digging up public property for no reason. It makes the city look bad
Me - dude...your telling me I make the city look bad but the f%&#in crack heads hanging out around the parks doesn't?!?!?!
Cop - my kids don't see that crap. You need to leave now.
Me - well I don't need to since there is no law about it....and your not in uniform...or in your cop car...so you really have no authority over me at the moment....
Cop - you better be gone when I get back...I'm going home to get my " citation book" ( whatever the hell that is)
Me - where do you live dude... imma run my detector in your front yard....( thinking I'm being funny)
Cop leaves I continue on my path to riches.....
He comes back!!!!!!!!!! And writes me a damn ticket!!!!!for tress passing ( which I will be fighting) and for arguing!!! I didn't know they can do that....what is this world coming to.....butt head cop.

So the moral of the story...I guess.....is I'm not as funny as I thought I was....really rather depressing if you think about it. Oh and now I'm going to be short $142.57 this week cause I can't keep my big mouth shut!

End rant.

 

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[seekandfind]

Some people (cop) just have too much time on their hands. He was probably jelous his kids were paying more attention to what you were doing than to him. Good luck in court, hope it works out, we have to stand up for our rights or they will walk right over the top of us. Keep us posted. HH

 

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[scotty544]

Some people (cop) just have too much time on their hands. He was probably jelous his kids were paying more attention to what you were doing than to him. Good luck in court, hope it works out, we have to stand up for our rights or they will walk right over the top of us. Keep us posted. HH

PLEASE READ this thread! He already had it threw out by the cops superior. Lol pay attention people! How is that for keeping you posted ;-)

 

[killerclown]

PLEASE READ this thread! He already had it threw out by the cops superior. Lol pay attention people! How is that for keeping you posted ;-)

Lol. Yea I put that a few times.....I was trying to be polite

 

[wainzoid]

Two yrs ago a local state cop inherited 3 old houses. I've been waiting to bump into him to ask permission. I didn't know him, but we have mutual friends. Last weekend he was out in the yard so I stopped and scored.
Just thought I would mention it....

 

[Mortamus]

Good idea CALL THE NEWS STATIONS MORE THEN ONE

 

[Jeremy S]

Good idea CALL THE NEWS STATIONS MORE THEN ONE

And do what??... brag about how the cop was wrong and you can go metal detecting and DIG in the parks anytime you want? May as well roll onto your back and yell "BOOM Baby!". The next news story would be about the city having a new rule that outlaws detecting all together. "Out of sight, out of mind" works well when dealing with city bureaucrats and power happy city officials or cops. Passing a new law is easier for them than us trying to get a anti-detecting law removed.

I think there is another side to this story that we aren't hearing. How close were you detecting to this guys kids or other people? Were you digging big nasty looking holes, leaving a mess, etc? Obviously you attracted attention somehow, then argued/mouthed off to the cop (egotistical type who was angry because you challenged his authority).

If I were approached like this by a cop, on duty or not, I would have been very polite. yes sir/no sir, the usual BS talk. If the guy gave you an attitude first and wanted you to leave, I would have simply moved to a different park of the park where he wasn't at, or gone to a different park all together. Chances are you wouldn't run into him again if you returned at a different time or day. Just by making him mad and going through this, now he will remember you and definitely hassle you in the future. So who really won here? You got out of a ticket, made a cop mad, and "those people metal detecting and digging holes" may be brought up at the next city meeting.

 

[CANUDIGGIT]

in this society of court systems....I bet u could even take to cop to court for $$ for discrimination for you being a metal detector or for him discriminating you on the way u look...I know like other metal heads that I pick up more trash and sharp metal than anything else when I hunt so you are doing the kids a favor by making their park a safer place to play......

 

[cudamark]

That was my thought too. I'm glad you beat the ticket but you may have made a powerful enemy. We all hope this badge wielding numskull is now contrite and will behave himself but that hasn't been my experience with people on a power trip. They usually want revenge in one form or another so you may have painted a target on your back as well as on other detectorists in your area. I'd keep a low profile for a while if I were you.

 

[southmsfiveo]

First, KillerClown I am glad it worked out for you. The cop was a douche. Every profession has bad apples. Law enforcement has plenty.

I am a cop (almost 30 years, and a second generation cop at that) I want to offer some "Tips" for dealing with cops.

NEVER try to argue with one on the street. Far too many ways for you to loose right there on the spot and most of the time, especially on misdemeanors he wins in lower level courts.If he can't extract himself in a dignified he may very well pay you back later on. Some guys call that "holding court on the street" problem is the cop is the prosecutor, judge, jury and jailer.

In this case, move along like the jerk asked, call the supervisor on duty and verify the cop's claim, authority and law. When you found out he was full of crap then return and go about your business. If he approached, politely (hard to beat up a guy that's being polite) tell him, "Ah, excuse me Officer but I called Captain so and so he said it was okay and told me to enjoy my day in the park".

Second. The man with the title police officer has on duty and off duty hours. However, the "police power" is never off duty. Many agencies do not allow officers to take action on misdemeanors which they observe when they are off duty.

Third. There is no law that indicates an officer has to be in the proper uniform in order to exercise the authority.

Fourth. A lot of people think cops can't "hide" to catch someone breaking the law. They can hide.

Fifth. You can record a police officer doing his job. The US Supreme Court recently struck down a law (Chicago, I think) that prohibited citizens from record law enforcement activity. Remember don't try to hold court on the street.

If you are ticketed or arrested ALWAYS go to court if the officer got it wrong. In this case, take pictures of the park, pictures on the day of the arrest or ticket that prove there was no sign present forbidding your activity. Most parks have a sign some where that has some rules or hours of operation or "no alcohol", "no skateboards". Take pictures of them, because they DON't say "no metal detecting".

In court, even the lower courts, you NEVER have to testify. The cop has to prove certain facts to make a basic case against you. DO NOT help him. Simple things like in this case; he has to prove it was in the courts jurisdiction. He has to prove the date and time of the violation. He has to tell the court exactly what you did on how that violated the law.

Make bail as soon as possible! Jails all over this country are cesspools of germs. Tuberculosis and staff infections are very common in jails. Get out of there fast! After you win your case, petition the court for the return of you bail money. 1) bail is to assure your appearance in court and you showed up so the cause for bail is satisfied. 2) most states charge a "bail tax or bail fee" you generally do not get that back and you don't get it back if you use a bondsman.

The cop has no obligation to answer or comply with any request you make of him. Especially like, "hey city cop, ya'll are crooks call a Sheriff down here and let him/her handle this". His only requirement is to identify himself. You do not get to decide if his badge is enough or if he has to have a uniform on to take action. Remember DO NOT HOLD COURT ON THE STREET. The cop is prosecutor, judge, jury and jailer. You will loose.

Most law enforcement officers know the constitution and the laws of the jurisdiction. The good officers honor and respect the constitution and laws.

I hope someone find this useful. Sooner or later we all will run into bad apple. He will continue to be a bad apple especially if the command staff don't know.

 

[scotty544]

This cop watched judge dredd to many times. I AM THE LAW! Doucher.

 

[spartacus53]

This cop watched judge dredd to many times. I AM THE LAW! Doucher.

Was his name office Cartman

 

[Mortamus]

Let it go and learn from it

that's what it is...a lesson for all of us..

 

[spartacus53]

killerclown, I wonder if is wasn't officer Sackett you ran into

 

[Sackett]

Now, Now, Sackett, That's not nice, get real... did'nt you read, No Sign posted does not make it open season enforcing and running people off and give a ticket for tresspassing at a public park durring normal hours. Off duty officer "O" for enforcing/un-legal self made rules, Metal detector guy "1" for having rights.

<Update> To Killerclown:
(I just read the out come from contact by supervisor. Kudos to you, I knew you were in full letter of the law with your legal rights on a public park!...I am Happy for you. No one especially our good citizens/ Metal Detector friends need to be hastled this way.
I am glad to help and give you an avenue for recorse. The City would have lost a lot of money for a case they couldn't win not counting some news show or TV show like TMZ who would swoop up the action because of popular interests.
Have a great tomorrow without the ticket & fine hanging over your head, Peace my friend.

DUH signs do get stolen, an officers verbal request works even more so than a sign!!! This must be a little one horse town....Any dept where a supervisor can act as a judge and throw a ticket out is a joke!!!! I did hear of that happening back in the 1970's when law enforcement had a bad name for playing favorites.....I guess this is a town in Ga, maybe near Hazzard and Boss Hogg and Sheriff Roscoe P. Coetrain are still in charge and play favorites!!!! Cop should go to County Prosecutor about his supervisor, in fact what the supervisor did is illegal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's called case tampering and a felony!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[scotty544]

Sackett do you really think that is what should happen? That's probably why your not a supervisor. Total waste of court time and money. I can see you now, what a travesty of justice throwing this case out. You must NOT be from the south, that crap doesn't cut it here. Go hassle the punks with the drugs, guns and pants hanging off their ass, they are REALLY hard to spot.

 

[TerryC]

Sackett do you really think that is what should happen? That's probably why your not a supervisor. Total waste of court time and money. I can see you now, what a travesty of justice throwing this case out. You must NOT be from the south, that crap doesn't cut it here. Go hassle the punks with the drugs, guns and pants hanging off their ass, they are REALLY hard to spot.

Sackett is right.... in a way. NOBODY can cancel a ticket except the person (cop) who signed it or a judge or city attorney (state). BUT a supervisor can SUGGEST the writer of the ticket cancel it.... especially if the supervisor points out that the law was not violated. There are a certain number of BAD COPS that become supermen when hiding behind the badge but I still have a very deep respect for the work required of today's cops and firefighters. TTC

 

[cudamark]

I respect all the police officers until they show me no respect. The ones that abuse their power deserve to go to jail themselves.

 

[Northern Lights]

Never mind posting it in just on Treasure Net, get it on Twitter or Utube, send it viral, the cop and the dept won't know what hit them, is his name or badge # on the ticket, make sure the town's name is included too, they will be issuing all kinds of appologies to you and the world wide web . if you don't have any photos of him, just send the story with a photo of the ticket.