rodbuster said:
I just had to share what happened to me a few weeks ago. I looked forward to the weekend to get here and made my plans on where to hunt. I decided on a school that was built in the 20's that I had not hunted in years, most of the grass playground looked the same but a little smaller do to the school add on. I had found a few clads .and been hunting about a hour when a police car pulled up and asked what I was doing. With a big smile on my face I showed him the coins I found, no expression on his face. He talked on his radio, two more police pulled up and I was placed in the back of his police car. I was afraid and not sure what I did. I have been hunting since 1972, I am 60 years old and not much of a threat. They came to the car and said I was trespassing and unless I had written permission I was breaking the law. I said I was sorry ( for enjoying my hobby) they told me to get in my truck and leave. I was thankful I didn't go to jail or loose my detector, when I got home I told my wife I wanted to give up. I am still detecting but looking over my shoulder, I know times change but each year places get more limited. I hope in the years to come things don't get worst, after what happened to me it's not the same and not as much fun.
The same happened to me, although I was spared a tour of the police cars' interior.
The police I encountered said there had been break ins, as justification for their ejecting me.
'When has a school NOT had break ins,' I wondered?
"Am I a suspect?" I asked.
"No."
"Then I have as much right to be here as that guy over there doing push ups." I pointed. "...are you going to force him to leave?"
"No, but you'll have to. We've had calls about you."
Ah-ha... Bingo. Some nosy citizen had turned me in by cellphone. The cops told me they had to respond. And that's how it is with cops.
If they are called, they are forced to do SOMETHING. Cops don't show up without considering the Hard Way as an option.
In my case, it was easier to be asses, than run the risk of repercussion from THEIR BOSSES for NOT getting the "suspicious detectorist" out of the school.
Both officers admitted I was doing no wrong, and was actually another set of eyes against intruders (as it happens, I knew one of them.)
But they had to respond in a way that showed they were doing their job, i.e., in a manner befitting expectations.
So it goes. No offense to cops, but they serve many masters... Often, the least of these are the citizens whose rights they supposedly protect.
I contacted both the police department and the school district later and was told that I was, indeed, within my rights to be there. They had no restrictions (at that time) against detecting.
However, both departments were siding with the officers and their decision to push me off.
"For the public good, of course. Surely you'll understand that."
"Bureaucracy is a giant machine - operated by pygmies" - Honore d'Balzac
We've reached a day and time where permission to do ANYTHING is now on everyone's mind. Detectorists are seen as pirates, plunderers, or thieves, without the all important approval. TV shows may help, or not. The ones Ive seen are still about finding "treasure" and tossing it in YOUR pouch; aka, "finders keepers." In this time, that is anti-social and viewed as suspect if not criminal. All we can do is try to build transparency into our actions and take our lumps when we must.
Good thing you got sent packing home and not to the Big House! Can you imagine? "whaddar ya in here for?" ...tresspassing? No, you would have to concoct a better tale to get by than that!