First visit from the police in my new town !

[MaineRelic]

I could not stay in town today after work so after I came home and took care of the dog I headed to a nearby park lawn that I have worked twice before scince I moved here 3 months ago ! It is a big ash dump covered over with anywhere from 4 inches to a foot of top soil over it . I can punch through the soil in places and I have picked up a few nice relics out of here already ! I was in plain site to the road and saw the cop car pull up ! Here we go I thought ! She walked over and I had a pretty big deep hole going and she told me there was a complaint about me digging there ! I proceded to fill the hole in while I asked her if there was an ordinance against Metal detecting on city property . She said it was one thing to find a coin on the ground and pick it up and digging a good sized hole in the lawn ! I explained to her that I was not really looking for coins per say and certainly not modern coins on top of the ground . I told her about the ash dump underneath the top soil and that I was looking for items in the ash and I asked her if she could find any evidence of damage to the lawn ! I also showed her all the trash I had put in my bag and explained to her that I leave the place cleaner than before I hunted there ! She said ok that should satisfy the complaitant and told me to have a nice evening and went on her way ! Only 3 wheaties and some clad today ! MaineRelic.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Cool story, I'm happy you talked some sense into her and got to keep the site !!

Keep @ It and HH !!

 

[watercolor]

Cool, you handled yourself well. . .

(busy-bodies. . . I hate 'em)

 

[crazyjarhead]

I wonder if you have heard the last of it yet Some people have no idea what we do I asked a guy this year if I could metal detect his property and he just didn't get what I was trying to ask him I could do. He just said, "No, let's not go there" and hung up on me.

 

[HISPAN]

U.S.A every day that passes is more like Spain.
up writing for permission to detect and paying taxes of $ 2000 per month.
Nice finds....
Greetings!

 

[GioTheGreek]

You handled yourself well there man... Feather in the cap for that cop. She'll be able to handle nosy watchers without bugging you next time.

Can you tell me a bit more about ash dumps?

I have been in an area where I found an old coin, and noticed 6-9 inches down, I hit a layer of greyish dirt ... seemed ashy to me. lol

 

[IWillFindTheGold]

Well played, sir. You're a great metal detecting ambassador.

 

[63bkpkr]

Well Done! If one does not try to do something positive then it will not happen. You'd done a clean job on the hole, showed the trash you were taking away and were not rude to the officer, how could she not trust you.

63bkpkr

 

[Mr Tuff]

seems to happen more n more nice finds all the same MR TUFF

 

[DPBOB]

I know the feeling..
In the last 4 years I have had the police called on me detecting at least 10 times.. All say good luck and leave....
Happy Hunting

 

[KRAZYHORSES]

been there! the trooper was more interested in the finds than the complaint and drove away. even the person that called got real interested innocent hobby krazyhorses

 

[Tuberale]

Way to handle a sensitive situation.

In my area, using a shovel or knife to cut a plug are usually off-limits, just because too many people have tore up parks here and not replaced their divots. Lawns difficult to mow when there are foot-deep holes in them.

The best thing you did, IMO, was show the policeperson your junk finds: recognizing you are doing a public service by removing trash. Especially helpful locally is showing police a hunk of lead, like a wheel balance weight, and mentioning the toxicity of the lead to the environment. Here in Portland, it gets 'em almost every time!

 

[Tnmountains]

Way to handle your public servant Good job on the finds sir. So today was Ash Wednesday

 

[Mr.T]

I agree with all the above.

luck

rory

 

[Brian(upstateNY-Central Fla.)]

Sounds good too me MR

 

[txconservative]

Neat story ! Good thing for me, I live in a small town and know all of the officers around here.....

Most of them want to go with me on hunts !

Nice finds

 

[RJGMC]

WOW!!!!

A police officer with at least some common sense and a detectorist who covers their holes very well.

Thanks for making us look good and thanks for digging nice "invisible" holes. I just wish more people tried to do just that.

Bob

 

[jcooking]

Good job, wish all cops had the ability to think on their own.