Has Anyone Helped Law Enforcement w/ Metal Detecting?

SaginawIan · Jul 12, 2008

A guy I met recently helped the FBI and the local police department when they were searching under a swimming pool for missing teamster president Jimmy Hoffa's body (that's a big mystery here in Michigan near where I live). A couple years ago another guy was telling me that the police stopped by his metal detecting shop and bought 3 detectors and enlisted him to wade with them in a river looking for a pistol that was used in a murder - they never found it.

This is the coolest thing I can think of as a way to help out. Just wondering if anyone gives their local law enforcement their number in case they need help finding bullets or guns etc. It would be a good way to help out, ya know?

I'd love to hear more stories like this. This must be fairly common.

Ian

Keppy · Jul 13, 2008

I was detecting one morning years ago at Geneva on the lake and the police asked me if i would look in a certain area for some shell caseings or even the bullet . So i said sure spent about 2 hours never did find what they were looking for. It was a small area. I guess some one got shot that morning there in the early hours.

Tin Nugget · Jul 13, 2008

Our club has a group that completed a course and field training by Garretts and registered with local police departments if they are needed.

SaginawIan · Jul 13, 2008

That's great stuff. I might go over to the local departments and just drop off my card and let them know I can help if needed. I also imagine that they would need one on a moments notice - like if there was a shooting.

Ian

eathabs · Jul 13, 2008

Not yet but three local PDs have my number if needed.

Great way to get on the good side when detecting in those towns. I think if more of us would be proactive and offer our services we might not have as many problems with "run ins".

Hal

Tom_in_CA · Jul 13, 2008

I've helped out law enforcement a few times, having been referred from the local dealer.

And there's a club in San Jose, CA (1 hr. north of me) that has a whole roster of volunteer hobbyists, who do it quite frequently. As I understand it, they have gone to each law enforcement agency in a 3 or 4 county wide area all around their part of CA, and given each agency their cards, info, etc... (police, sheriff, highway patrol, etc...). They get called, and have been successfull in finding murder and crime weapons over the years. One even made it on TV's "Cold Case Files" show, where they made reference to the use of our services. There is a passing glance staged scene of of us metal detecting, and a snippet of interview with the md'r fellow who found the weapon

(yup, we're all movie stars now! haha)

Jim McCulloch · Jul 13, 2008

Yeah. Sad case. Am not permitted to give full details, but it involved a creep who murdered little old ladies for their money, the gun he used, and my metal detector. Net result: He cut a deal, so he wouldn't get executed, but he did get several life sentences, without the possibility of parole. Sorry, can't reveal more, even privately, but am super glad his crime spree was stopped. HH Jim

Tom_in_CA · Jul 13, 2008

Jim, thanx for doing your part

Shortstack · Jul 18, 2008

In the early 1980s, while stationed at Vandenberg AFB, CA. Lompoc police, VAFB law enforcement, and Air Force OSI were investigating a local gang of teenagers doing home burglaries. Three pukes were spotted coming out of some base quarters just off the main base and chased. While running, they threw a bunch of jewelry into some bushes and high grass. The Major I worked for knew I had a MD and asked if I'd help the teams recover the jewelry. Two other guys and I met the OSI agents on site and did the search. Whenever we got a signal, we had to call an officer to recover it. WE were not allowed to touch the items--chain of evidence thing.

As a side note; there were armed agents keeping watch at the deep brush and gully areas to protect us from any roving wild pigs. This is NO joke. Those little suckers were all over the area. You see, this area of the Central Coast was heavily infested with the Pacific Rattlesnake and some idiot figured that wild pigs would clean out some of that population. WRONG. They not only were up to their eyeballs in rattlers, but also got infested with those little wild pigs (with their 3 inch tusks)..

mike in pa · Jul 19, 2008

I have many times over the years been called on by the police to go look for weapons in all kinds of weather,I tell them if they need me to call and I will haul,I get about 2 calls a year to help,on 2-15-06 I was asked if I would attend the police dept awards banquet for my time served to the dept and I said sure,well as you can guess up on the stage I went and got a nice award from the dept,and it means a lot to me to get something like this....it does help our hobby......mike

Bum Luck · Aug 2, 2008

Good for you guys. :icon_sunny:

You are"giving back" to your community.

Your Law Enforcement officers are a dedicated group that deal with sometimes very nasty situations to keep you and your family safe, and I am sure they are thankful for your help.