Silver & the Law Dog

[rainorshine]

Today I started out detecting at a public park right down town on main street. I was sweeping really slow listening for the squeakers. I managed to dig a 1913 barber and a 1941 merc. Both were about 8 to 9 inches down. A little later, after digging a wheatie, I look up to see a police officer aproaching me. I calmly take off my headphones and ask him whats up. Very politely he explains that someone has complained about me digging holes in the park. He told me he had no problem with it and knew I was on public property but suggested I get moving on. Not wanting any problems I figured it would be best to move along. I just wish the people with a problem with me detecting would just talk to me about it instead of instantly calling the cops. At least that way I could try to inform them on metal detecting and show them how much care we take on not damaging anything. Anyways, I moved on to a park a block away and found 14 wheats, 10 being from one spill. Thanks for looking

 

[WHADIFIND]

Did you ask him what kind of detector he uses in there?

 

[basque-man]

Sad!!! People just don't spend anytime talking to anyone and just call law enforcement. I know when we get these calls I always take them from the guys so I can see what people have found!! Then I get to BS with them and give them hints on other places that produce!!! Great job on the finds!!!!

 

[MrBlueSkyNM]

Seems these days, most people either commit crimes, or complain about everything under the sun. Depressing...

 

[Chizzy]

Nice finds.........
Hope you took the time to get the officers' name and was able to exchange a pleasant word or two..........never know when you may need an assist............

 

[deershed]

Congrats on the silver!!
The last time I was hunting a public park my boy and I each scored on gold rings then somebody made a call and we were run out by the local cops??

 

[kcm]

Sometimes I just shake my head. Why doesn't the cop tell that to the person making the complaint, rather than just feeding the machine.

Wow...

...Assuming it's someone who spoke to the officer personally. Most people, I would think, would call it in. Then it should be up to the operator/dispatcher to at least mention that it is legal to detect on public grounds. Maybe that would stop a lot of the callers/complainers. Instead, they just take the info and pass it on. The officer gets the info and passes it on. We at the end, well, we just get to move on.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Great job on the silver dimes.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on the silver

 

[WHADIFIND]

Sometimes I just shake my head. Why doesn't the cop tell that to the person making the complaint, rather than just feeding the machine.

Wow...

I'm thinking that the reverse claim should be that someone has turned in a false report to the police. There were no laws being broken. There are "legal" repercussions of that ya know. Maybe, if a few of the reporter(s) caught a few tickets their own selves, this trend would slow. IMHO, of course.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Sorry to hear about the hassle..it's even worse here as there is a city park detecting ban in place...I guess a while back a bunch of sloths were not filling holes in...repeatedly...so no detecting for us good guys...even though our tax dollars support them...so take joy in hunting the rest of the parks where you live, just remember to repair your plugs..lol..DDF

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... Very politely he explains that someone has complained about me digging holes in the park. He told me he had no problem with it .....

rain-or-shine, what does this tell you ? It tells you that if this VERY SAME cop, had been happen-chance driving by, he'd have probably paid you no mind. Right ? And that the ONLY reason he was there, was because of a lookie-lou griper. NOT that you were "breaking a law".

And unfortunately, if you go to try to "get this clarified" (ie.: prove you were doing nothing illegal), you can BET it will devolve down the wrong track. And could become a semantics battle of "dig" or "deface", etc.... So the LAST thing you want to do, is try to go to city hall and get this over-turned or clarified. Lest you end up with a bigger problem that didn't exist before .

So I hate to say it, but often-time, the best tactic in a case like that, is to avoid that one-lookie-lou in the future. Ie.: hunt at different time, or avoid that one vantage point in the park (where their kitchen window overlooks ?).

It's gotten to where I do most of my park turf hunting at night nowadays. So peaceful. So serene.

 

[rainorshine]

I totally agree. I had hunted that park a few times in the past with no problems at all. It only takes one person to ruin it for everybody. I also agree with not going to the city. No need to draw attention to something that is not currently under question. I'll just keep my head down and keep swinging

 

[Tommy G]

The really sad thing is most likely the ones complaining don't even use the park! That happened to me one time. The person called and said "this guys is digging up the park and leaving big holes everywhere" (according to the officer). Of course, he looked around and could not find a sign of a hole anywhere. I then showed him my pouch full of bottle caps, pull tabs, and assorted trash. He picked up his mic and called the dispatch. "If anyone else calls, this guy is just picking up trash"!

 

[against the wind]

Nice job on the silver and wheats,
Congrats

 

[tanz 82]

I was across the street from a cemetery in my town someone called the fuzz . The cop said as long as i didnt go in the cemetery i was fine !!! Then three weeks later there was a front page story about me metaldetecting in the cemetery !! People need ti get a life

 

[WHADIFIND]

I was across the street from a cemetery in my town someone called the fuzz . The cop said as long as i didnt go in the cemetery i was fine !!! Then three weeks later there was a front page story about me metaldetecting in the cemetery !! People need ti get a life

"Slander" also has some repercussions.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Great silver finds! Congrats!

Thats why i do my detecting early Sunday mornings...less people around to complain about nothing. Even when we're right...we're wrong!

 

[rainorshine]

I live in a small town and everything reported or called in to the police is posted in the weekly paper. I'm waiting to see what it says about me. I might have to cut it out and tape it on the fridge. Don't make the paper too often