Second time out, cops roll up

[Silver Saver]

Just wanted to share my experience..First of all I live in a city of 60k population and in my 26 years of living here I've never seen anyone metal detecting so they are a rare sight and not something people are used to seeing.
I was at a public school, on a Sunday, and a teacher called the cops on me. When I was first asked what I'm up to I laid out all my good points right away so it would be harder for them to ask me to leave. I had a nice plug opened at the time with extra dirt on a laid out towel and briefly explained/showed what I was doing. I said I was picking up nails and garbage. And said I read all the local ordinances and there is nothing against it. Which he agreed and mentioned filling the holes back so no kids trip or anything and I said that is one of my biggest concerns too because I don't want to get in trouble. And the younger of the 2 cops said it would be dumb for anyone to have a problem with what you're doing, if I'm cleaning up nails and garbage in the process. So that was defiantly a good sign. I was extremely respectful and polite and said I understand that they are just doing their job and need to check it out. Then they just let me be and keep doing what I was doing. If they had asked me to leave I would have stressed the point that if I have to leave this public area then that means I would have to leave every public area I go to when people make a call to LEO, then where would it stop. Being respectful of course and not pushing too hard but stressing the importance.
It probably helped that there was a mom and her young boy there that I had met and made conversation with and let the boy follow me around and see what I was finding and what not. And the mom stuck up for me to the LEO. I ended up finding a clean/newer toy car which I gave to the young boy.

 

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[TerryC]

Good story... good attitude on both sides. Tnx. TTC

 

[RTH]

As a retired Officer, that is exactly the way you should handle it. Most of the time, people cause their own problems by being confrontational right off the bat. I always said that I didn't know if I was going to write someone a ticket until I talked to them. An unbelievable number of people talk themselves into getting a ticket. Be respectful, don't argue, and if you are asked to leave, simply leave. Verify with the town administrator that there are no ordinances prohibiting your activities. This way, you have all your bases covered. Good luck hunting!

 

[releventchair]

Well done.
Looking for evidence of the recent past is no cause for alarm. Usually....

 

[SWFLA]

Great job, next time they get a call they'll know you aren't doing aunt nothing wrong and not bother you.

 

[Skifisher]

Well done, respect, knowledge and educating goes a long ways. Once most people know what your doing, there's rarely a problem. I used to detect many of the local parks after they were closed at night and the park rangers would often stop to see what I found and offer to open the restrooms for me if I need them. I once showed an officer a handful of nails, a razor blade, and half of a tree trimming saw blade I pulled out of the woodchips and he said carry on we'll swing by and check on you later. Even some of the beach patrols over look detectors after curfew, not Huntington Beach tho.

 

[RustyGold]

Very well done. Good story.