Pretty sure I had the cops called on me... slight rant

[Rothman]

I was in a local park today doing a bit of detecting and after an hour or so a truck pulls up outside the fence about 50 yards away from me. The older fella inside of it just stared at me for a while and then made a rather lengthy call while continuing to watch every move I made. Mind you that there are no regulations against metal detecting in the park as expressed to me by the local borough representative over the phone. No posted signs, rules, nothing.. Been there several times for several hours without issue.

This guy was making me a bit uneasy so I started walking towards his truck to see what was going on and he turned his head away and drove off. I was wrapping up anyway so I walked back to my car and stowed my gear. Wouldn't you know it... as I was driving out of the park there was a police cruiser entering.

Now, this could have been pure coincidence but I rather doubt it. I thought maybe he'd seen my Lesche and thought it was a knife but after thinking about it for a while, I hadn't even dug a single target while he was there. I was in cherry picking mode and there were no good signals!

I guess my biggest problem with all of this is, why not just talk to me if you have an issue? Even if it is okay to detect in the park I'd rather not have to deal with explaining everything to the police, having them investigate, and make calls only to find out that there really is no issue. Furthermore, I'd rather not pull the police away from their duty for something so insignificant. I'm sure it would have soaked up over an hour of the officers time for no good reason.

The whole situation gets me a bit heated AND there were no worthwhile finds to boot!!

 

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[Gare]

I was in a local park today doing a bit of detecting and after an hour or so a truck pulls up outside the fence about 50 yards away from me. The older fella inside of it just stared at me for a while and then made a rather lengthy call while continuing to watch every move I made. Mind you that there are no regulations against metal detecting in the park as expressed to me by the local borough representative over the phone. No posted signs, rules, nothing.. Been there several times for several hours without issue.

This guy was making me a bit uneasy so I started walking towards his truck to see what was going on and he turned his head away and drove off. I was wrapping up anyway so I walked back to my car and stowed my gear. Wouldn't you know it... as I was driving out of the park there was a police cruiser entering.

Now, this could have been pure coincidence but I rather doubt it. I thought maybe he'd seen my Lesche and thought it was a knife but after thinking about it for a while, I hadn't even dug a single target while he was there. I was in cherry picking mode and there were no good signals!

I guess my biggest problem with all of this is, why not just talk to me if you have an issue? Even if it is okay to detect in the park I'd rather not have to deal with explaining everything to the police, having them investigate, and make calls only to find out that there really is no issue. Furthermore, I'd rather not pull the police away from their duty for something so insignificant. I'm sure it would have soaked up over an hour of the officers time for no good reason.

The whole situation gets me a bit heated AND there were no worthwhile finds to boot!!

Some people think they make the rules and only they can decide what is right and wrong
glad you had no more interference

 

[villagenut]

I think coincidence. Cops often will pull into a park to catch up on paperwork or just to monitor the area...that's what they're paid to do. If he was called on your account he wou.d have stopped you. I have had cops pull up on the curb before a watch me for a bit and then scoot.I have had them approach me and ask questions and watch me detect for a few...but I have also had them tell me to leave. I would go back.

 

[Rothman]

I think coincidence. Cops often will pull into a park to catch up on paperwork or just to monitor the area...that's what they're paid to do. If he was called on your account he wou.d have stopped you. I have had cops pull up on the curb before a watch me for a bit and then scoot.I have had them approach me and ask questions and watch me detect for a few...but I have also had them tell me to leave. I would go back.

I don't think it was a coincidence because of the way he was scowling at me, the phone call, and then driving off when approached. I was well on my way out of the main road of the park when the cruiser came through so he wouldn't have known I was the guy who was detecting. Never seen police in this park before either. Just too many things lining up that make it seem like it wasn't a coincidence.

I get where you're coming from and it makes sense. I hope I was wrong.

 

[villagenut]

Don't let it deter you, keep at it and maybe you can show the officer just what you are up to.

 

[ARC]

That was me.... and i wasn't scowling ... i was sad...

I was texting / updating to treasurenet.... saying how there was this guy in the park detecting and he wasn't finding anything and it was starting to make me sad.

:P... j/k

 

[Terry Soloman]

Yes, I think he called the police. My buddy and I were detecting a local high school at 5:30am on a Sunday. We had been detecting about an hour when a "Karen" came by walking her dog. While Fluffy is taking a crap on the ballfield, Karen whips out her cell phone - I could actually see her hit three-numbers (had to be 911)! Cops showed up 5-minutes later.

I told them my friend and I were looking for my daughter's wedding ring, gave the officer my American Legion business card, and said we had been there for an hour before Karen called. She told them we were "golfing" on the football field. They laughed, we laughed, then said we could stay.

 

[Rothman]

Yes, I think he called the police. My buddy and I were detecting a local high school at 5:30am on a Sunday. We had been detecting about an hour when a "Karen" came by walking her dog. While Fluffy is taking a crap on the ballfield, Karen whips out her cell phone - I could actually see her hit three-numbers (had to be 911)! Cops showed up 5-minutes later.

I told them my friend and I were looking for my daughter's wedding ring, gave the officer my American Legion business card, and said we had been there for an hour before Karen called. She told them we were "golfing" on the football field. They laughed, we laughed, then said we could stay.

Now that's funny, golfing?!! Geese..

 

[boogeyman]

Yes, I think he called the police. My buddy and I were detecting a local high school at 5:30am on a Sunday. We had been detecting about an hour when a "Karen" came by walking her dog. While Fluffy is taking a crap on the ballfield, Karen whips out her cell phone - I could actually see her hit three-numbers (had to be 911)! Cops showed up 5-minutes later.

I told them my friend and I were looking for my daughter's wedding ring, gave the officer my American Legion business card, and said we had been there for an hour before Karen called. She told them we were "golfing" on the football field. They laughed, we laughed, then said we could stay.

Made a funny picture in my head... A couple old farts swatting golf balls with expensive metal detectors. Only thing funnier would've been if you told her you guys were the county fluffy eradicator team.

 

[Heavygold4me]

I’ve had plenty of police stop at the park while I was detecting. None have ever engaged me in any fashion. i think most are doing paperwork or its just part of thier regular patrol. I’ve gotten to know several of the guys that keep the park clean, they usually stop to talk and let me empty my trash into the can they have on the golf cart.

 

[Ziggy-Grimm]

I've been kicked out of a township park by local Robocop police officer. He had a fairly common police officer "holier than thou" attitude and said: "Who gave you permission to metal detect here?"

I responded with: "Well, no one but the township that owns it is maintained with my tax dollars so I figured it wouldn't be a big deal to...." He paused a little bit and then stated: "Even though you are filling your holes in and being neat, it still eventually sinks in and leaves divots in the ground that kids trip over and get hurt on."

I'd love to obtain "official" permission and run into him again. I respect cops and would never want to do their job but boy can some of them be real A-Holes at times.

 

[Riverbum]

I've been stopped by the BORDER PATROL as I was unaware they were watching me arrowhead hunt close to the Mexico/New Mexico border. They were friendly enough but were concerned "about me" being all the illegal activity along the border, and they suggested I move to another area. I listened to them but did not move from the area I was hunting around.

 

[boogeyman]

I've been stopped by the BORDER PATROL as I was unaware they were watching me arrowhead hunt close to the Mexico/New Mexico border. They were friendly enough but were concerned "about me" being all the illegal activity along the border, and they suggested I move to another area. I listened to them but did not move from the area I was hunting around.

Funniest? Stopped by a city park ranger. After some conversation he left me with a job offer a handful of contact info & an appointment. I came to the conclusion park rangers don't make squat & that might be why they always come off with an attitude. Yup! I was making way better sitting in an air conditioned control room writing reports with waaayyy better benefits. For awhile after that, I'd hit the pastry shop before going to that park. When he'd show up, I'd wave him over & hand him a bear claw saying "left overs from work" . If looks could kill...........

 

[Rothman]

Funniest? Stopped by a city park ranger. After some conversation he left me with a job offer a handful of contact info & an appointment. I came to the conclusion park rangers don't make squat & that might be why they always come off with an attitude. Yup! I was making way better sitting in an air conditioned control room writing reports with waaayyy better benefits. For awhile after that, I'd hit the pastry shop before going to that park. When he'd show up, I'd wave him over & hand him a bear claw saying "left overs from work" . If looks could kill...........

That's awesome. A good retirement position!

 

[DigToChina]

That sucks man. Sorry to hear it. I’ve had it happen only in my case, I considered it more of a SWATting since the guy told them I was yelling at people (never encountered a soul in conversation). Changes the dynamic for sure. Don’t let it deter you. With the world’s population as large as it is, there’s bound to be some asshats.

911s a Joke in my town

Flava Flav was right. 911 is a joke in my town [emoji53] I went out last night to get some detecting in and went to the park that is under construction where I've found older coins. They still aren't done but the fence was open so I figure that's an invitation. Pull my car up, get out and start...

www.treasurenet.com

Dig

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

I was in a local park today doing a bit of detecting and after an hour or so a truck pulls up outside the fence about 50 yards away from me. The older fella inside of it just stared at me for a while and then made a rather lengthy call while continuing to watch every move I made. Mind you that there are no regulations against metal detecting in the park as expressed to me by the local borough representative over the phone. No posted signs, rules, nothing.. Been there several times for several hours without issue.

This guy was making me a bit uneasy so I started walking towards his truck to see what was going on and he turned his head away and drove off. I was wrapping up anyway so I walked back to my car and stowed my gear. Wouldn't you know it... as I was driving out of the park there was a police cruiser entering.

Now, this could have been pure coincidence but I rather doubt it. I thought maybe he'd seen my Lesche and thought it was a knife but after thinking about it for a while, I hadn't even dug a single target while he was there. I was in cherry picking mode and there were no good signals!

I guess my biggest problem with all of this is, why not just talk to me if you have an issue? Even if it is okay to detect in the park I'd rather not have to deal with explaining everything to the police, having them investigate, and make calls only to find out that there really is no issue. Furthermore, I'd rather not pull the police away from their duty for something so insignificant. I'm sure it would have soaked up over an hour of the officers time for no good reason.

The whole situation gets me a bit heated AND there were no worthwhile finds to boot!!

There are always SOMEONE to show their authority, bigness in the organization, enough to stretch the rules/laws, just to hassle innocent citizens, perusing a harmless hobby...!
After all, WE aren't out there, trying to make a bad name for the hobby..., are we...?

 

[Rothman]

That sucks man. Sorry to hear it. I’ve had it happen only in my case, I considered it more of a SWATting since the guy told them I was yelling at people (never encountered a soul in conversation). Changes the dynamic for sure. Don’t let it deter you. With the world’s population as large as it is, there’s bound to be some asshats.

911s a Joke in my town

Flava Flav was right. 911 is a joke in my town [emoji53] I went out last night to get some detecting in and went to the park that is under construction where I've found older coins. They still aren't done but the fence was open so I figure that's an invitation. Pull my car up, get out and start...

www.treasurenet.com

Dig

Yeah, that's ridiculous. What's with people hating detectorists?

 

[Rothman]

After all, WE aren't out there, trying to make a bad name for the hobby..., are we...?

I know I'm surely not. I'm very good at taking care of the spots I dig and getting rid of the trash I find. Heck, I even clean up other peoples trash I find laying around. I always have permission for where I hunt.

And yet we have those people with the thought process of "How dare he clean the trash from my park while enjoying nature and a hobby! I'll call the cops!"

 

[crashbandicoot]

Get one of those reflective vest and in reflective tape put across the shoulders big letters like MPCC,if asked tell them you work for Municipal Park Cleaning Company. Any thing like that will work,use your imagination.

 

[Rothman]

Get one of those reflective vest and in reflective tape put across the shoulders big letters like MPCC,if asked tell them you work for Municipal Park Cleaning Company. Any thing like that will work,use your imagination.

Not a bad idea!