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Got Kicked Out of a Local Park I've Been Detecting in For Years - What Would You Do???

I would not get the cops involved, or written "permission" involved (as if it was needed to begin with), etc... The reason is: the minute you start down that path, you stand the chance of simply getting a rule written, where none previously existed. I mean, let's face it: If you go down to the parks department, or police station for "permission to dig in the park", you're going to get told NO! I don't care how good you are at leaving your place perfect, the minute they hear "dig", the easy answer for them is "no". And what's odd is, this can quite often happen in places (parks and schools) where no one previously gave a hoot UNTIL you asked! So my advice is, when faced with guys like this, is to just go when he's not on shift, or put off that one place for a year (odds are he moves on to a different department, etc...). This is why I do most of my detecting at night, is to avoid busy-bodies!

I had an experience where my friend and I were told to leave a park by a lady cop, where we had never...... for 15 yrs. of detecting, ever been bothered. This was an out-of-town park that I only got into a few times per year (when travelling), so it was no biggee to just give her lip service and leave. But when I made the acquantance of a hunter in that town, and told him of my booting, he couldn't believe it! He had also hunted that park for years, multiple times per month, and never heard a peep from anyone! So with that, I therefore assumed it was a fluke, from a bored cop. And so now, for the past few years, whenever I'm passing through that town, I'll hit the park. Have never had a problem since then. However, if I were to have gotten technical and litigical (seeking to confront, "get permission", etc...) it might have back-fired and only caused a rule to be written. You know, to "address this pressing issue". D/T situations like this, I've come to realize that detecting is kind of like nose-picking: you're ok, as long as you're discreet. But the minute you ask someone "can I pick my nose?" they'll tell you "no".
 
Well I had something like that happen to me. One guy out the bunch of Park workers that wants to start something. However, I ended it before he got going, I told him that the Park Director has given me permission and stated his name, he stormed off stating "I'll see about this" and never heard from this guy again. I am glad I checked first so that I could be in the right. The one thing that the guy said that really tickled me, "Well there are sprinkle heads all around" , like the big trucks driving around on the grounds taking down tents wouldn't bust them. I talked to some other park rangers and they told me not to worry about it, the guy is trying to feel important. Unfortunately, we have to put up with some power hunger idiots looking to show their position means something to themselves.
 
Hi Tom, With all due respect I have to disagree with you. You are converting your "Nose-picking" over to Butt-picking". Most people pick their "Butts" in private where no one can see them. If we as detectorists only go at night or on holidays we may avoid a situation or two but what does that say about us? It says, "Hey, we're going to let a peckerwood peon on a power trip push us around because we don't want a confrontation".As for little miss, I'm a female cop and I'm going to have myself some fun pushing this guy around because I have a chip on my shoulder, What I would have asked her is, "Would you happen to know what law or ordinance I'm violating"? At that point if she stood her ground I would have apologized, put my detector away, asked her name and her supervisors name and then went about my business. You would be very surprised how bad supervisors want their officers to get along with the public. Thanks for letting me express my opinion and HH
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I've come to realize that detecting is kind of like nose-picking: you're ok, as long as you're discreet. But the minute you ask someone "can I pick my nose?" they'll tell you "no".

This quote made me laugh. Anyway, regarding getting the police or someone else to give me permission I tend to agree with you in that the answer will probably be NO. I know the cops think this guy is a jerk, but they are careful not to get on the wrong side of the borough administrator since this probably means answering to the Chief of Police who will probably get a call from the BA. No one wants to stick their neck out. I went down to the park tonight and took some pics of where I was digging to show that there was no damage just in case I get a ticket in the mail - I'd want to challenge it in court. It's not as if this park has a manicured lawn - there are lots of bare spots and I took pics of them too.

I took a look at this town's web site and they do in fact have as part of their titles one regarding parks and that you are not allowed to dig or disturb the grass, etc. I know the spirit of this law was regarding digging with a regular shovel, but they could easily apply it to a hand shovel or knife if they wanted to. If I don't get a ticket in the mail - I think I will just let it cool down and maybe try the park when the DPW idiot probably isn't around.

If I do get a ticket, I will probably use one of Thomas Jefferson's preferred tools when attacking the Federalists - the press. I will probably write a letter to the local paper about what happened and who is behind it. I will get in contact with the mayor of the town as well.

Anyway, an ironic thing happened this evening at the park when I went to take pictures - I briefly started chatting with a guy who happened to work for the DPW in the next town - real nice guy. He knew the DPW idiot from ths town and said he'd put in a good word, he was also telling me places in the town he works in where I might want to try. Boy - it was like night and day compared to the other guy. Too bad there are such narrow-minded scoundrels out there that just want to feel that they are important and ruin things for others.

I will keep you guys posted on what happens with this.
 
You've given me a lot to think about in terms of how to handle this situation.....I'll post here as things develop, hopefully I can find some better places to detect and not worry about this little dictator.
 
Go back to the Park, dig a Huge Hole, wait for that idiot again and then club him over the head. Then just role him into the hole and cover. DONE! Seriously, you could check with the Park Board and see if there is anything stated about rules and regulations about digging in the Park and also check into the City Ordinances about such matters. It seems though that you will most likely have trouble with this guy until something is done and some form of Proof that digging in the Park is allowed such as a document from the City Park Board or some other means. Hope you can get this figured out. Good Luck and HH.
 
It's a dead issue, I was never contacted back by the park officials. I will continue to hunt out there whenever I want and continue to insist that I have every right to do so IF in the unlikely event I'm confronted again by misinformed people. Other people continue to hunt out there with no problems, so that incident was a fluke.
 
I AM TRIED OF BEING HASSLED BY PEOPLE, 3 times the cops after I had premission to hunt there, 2 times by neighbors, the beach is free and I printed the laws on that one if I do get hassled I keep the paper work in the truck with me Plus I called the TXPWL to be sure, they gave me a green light, So I bought a Excalabur II 1000 and to the surf I go. Nothing free here in Texas anymore, got to have a beach sticker.
 
You might also want to keep a sample of the junk you pull out of the ground. I always make sure I grab any trash I see visually and well as any thing I dig up (I might even have some stuff from a previous hunt, but not too much), this way, I show them that I am not just digging up gold ring after gold ring. It would be a lot more difficult for someone to argue with your cleaning up the park than it would be for someone to argue with you just digging holes :) I also try to make sure I have at least one fairly sharp object in my pouch so I can always play the "Would you rather I found this or a 5 year old kid that was playing around?" card ;)

If you do go to court, or the papers, see if you can give them an idea of how much trash is removed in relation to the good finds. (Unless you are using disc that does let you only pull out the gold rings.)

Jeff
 
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