Run in with Park Ranger

He might be a detectorist ......want to keep you off his site...

Nah...

Sound's like he overstepped then was to embarassed to say sorry....alot of people like that in the world ...they can give orders but cant give respect or praise or a nice word..

they have their own issues to deal with....

In was arrested and put in jail for metal detcting one time and I was in the right...Spend 2 day's in county lock up in another state then they decide there is no wrongful conduct taking place....so they let you go after the judge decides so...

No one ever said sorry .. or man I hate this happened or nothing..

Be glad you did not push the guy...you would of got the same outcome in the end...but spent a night in jail to boot.

I forced the issue because I knew my rights were being violated..I got some satisfaction inth end though .Somone else went to jail :-)

I also know enforcement officials who go out of their way to help and even detect to boot..so dont let it get you down...

Keith

Seaweed and DrJoe. If you have ever experienced discrimination you would know what I am saying. I have more than once as it is called reverse discrimination and very prevalent in this area. He was way out of bounds in the way he spoke to me, the tone of his voice and the way he looked at me. He was real close to getting physical until someone showed up that would witness his actions. All the time I was polite and only asked to tell my point as I walked toward my truck and show him the copy of the park rules. I was doing as he asked and quit detecting. No need to follow me to my truck but yet he did and right on my tail as if I made one wrong move he would be on me. Guys you had to be there. Lately it seems worse because of the Trayvon Martin saga. Would not have brought it up if I didn't feel that it was part of his motivation. I'm 60 and not a large person. so he had no need to be so rough on something so trivial. I have no witnesses to his actions so I suspect it will go in one ear and out the other with management. Will be dealing with it Monday and get back to everyone to let you know how it goes. Maybe he has done this in the past with someone.

Thanks ozzie. I appreciate the kind words. This whole thing just set me off, as I've been in ShovelNose's position before. It's real, it exists, and the fact that some would want to accuse SHOVELNOSE of being the one with racial motivations in that situation, pushed my buttons...it's basically twisting things around to "blame" the "victim." If there was any racism in that situation, it was NOT ShovelNose's post...

But, maybe it was the tobacco...

Keith -- sorry to hear about your situation; that stinks. But, I'd be curious to know if the person who ended up going to jail later on, was the guy who harassed you...that would be JUSTICE.

ShovelNose -- glad to hear you are following up with Park Ranger management...I look forward to hearing the outcome and I hope you get a fair hearing and appropriate actions are taken, but I'm not holding my breath...

Steve

I personally think you have not lived unless someone with darker skin than you have calls you a Anglo! Looked me right in the eyes and said "You Anglo's are all-alike! Felt like a slap in the face at the time think its funny now years later? Wouldn't racism be like bullying not much you can do about other than try not to be a part of it? HH

Well put Steve...I have a short fuse,especially with all the stupid p.c. crap going on. Man,cant believe more white people here havent been discriminated against! I went to a high school in Columbus ,Ga called Carver high. It was predominately black. I had plenty of black friends,but honestly cant even remember all the times me or a friend have been attacked.My best friend was hit in the face with brass knuckles,another friend thrown off a 20 foot hill and knocked out,another hit in the face with a bat resulting in coma,Ive been jumped 3 times and harassed by a black cop. I heard "white cracka mutha f'er so often,thought it was my name,lol. That was by the time I was 18,Im 47 now. Before anyone assumes Im racist, my nieces fiancee is black and I love the guy like a son, my little sister is Chinese(adoption),my stepmom is Korean, and my wife is Mexican/Italian.Now Im done venting,cant wait to detect tomorrow!!

So here are the results of the visit to Parks and Rec. They stated I violated 2 ordinances. Civil Penalty or Violation $50.00 SECTION 5: No person shall willfully and intentionally remove, destroy, cut down, scar, mutilate, injure, take or gather in any manner any tree, flower, fern, shrub, rock, artifact or other plant or mineral in any park unless authorized by permit.he results of the trip to Parks and Rec. Scar being the key word even if I fill the hole back and the plug is neat.
$ 50.00 SECTION 38: No person in a park shall willfully and intentionally disobey a lawful order of a law enforcement officer, park personnel or volunteers authorized to enforced this Ordinance, nor use abusive, profane or insulting language; nor unreasonably disturb or annoy others; nor be under the influence of intoxicants; nor do any act tending to or amounting to a breach of the peace nor conduct himself in any disorderly manner whatsoever. All in interpretation. Theirs not mine. Also the Para-military outfit is not required dress. If you had seen him he looked just like the Black Panther that made the news in Chicago during the elections 5 yrs ago. Dressed to intimidate. So the next ranger may be nice about it or he can be unreasonable. They stated I was lucky I didn't get a ticket and fined. I told them I was polite and he was out of bounds in the way he spoke and acted toward me. I can file a complaint but I have to have name and truck number as they have several black rangers that patrol that park. I mention he had no name badge on the outside of jacket and when asked he got even more belligerent. They knew who I was talking about as soon as I mention what he was wearing but would not confirm it to me. Could tell by look on her face. So a little leg work will be required in order to continue on. Not sure worth it. Could stir up more than it will be worth unless I get legal representation. Just need to stay away from big parks and hope no one never calls them for me detecting in the parks. Next time it will get nasty I'm sure if he shows up.

Your rationale sounds quite logical/level-headed/normal.

I'd ask for a park permit so I can 'scar' some minerals. Apply for a permit just to see what happens.

unfortunately,its probably a no win situation for you. Often this just leads yo "no detecting"signs.

I HATE when this @#$%& happens! Excuse my French, but, nonsense like this gets me all riled up. While what transpired with the 'cop' is just awful (and you should follow through & try to make his life miserable IMO), what REALLY irks me is the no digging B.S. Here we go again. An innocent hobbyist out looking for coins gets ensnared in a dragnet right outta Miami Vice or something. What's next, shutting down a kids lemonade stand for a lack of work permits?!?! I've said it before, and I'll say it again...

FIGHT IT! You don't even need a lawyer. Use the media as your mouthpiece. Contact your local news station or paper and give'm the rundown. They LOVE stories like this. The classic David (you) versus Goliath (douche bag cop & city hall). Shame them in the public square.

Aside from the morons who dig recklessly, the majority of folks in this hobby are honest, law abiding citizens who leave the ground BETTER than it was prior to our digging (can anyone say "trash removal"?). Can't we enjoy an innocent hobby?!

Sorry you had to go through this. Maybe we should all just take up stamp collecting or ultimate frisbee instead of detecting, what with the way we're under attack, lol.

Fight it

Joe

We have over 200 parks in my county and some are shared by school and only be used by public after school hours. I have spoken to several other club members who have had the same occurrence happen to them. Surprised at how many. One pattern we are seeing though is that when we encounter by a white Ranger its "fill in holes and did you find anything. When run off its by the black Rangers EVERY time. Just saying it is something we are going to discuss and how to approach it. I would like to approach it in the way to see if we could do as I have heard from other folks that you can get a permit for say 10.00 and not only would it benefit the parks it would make the person aware they have to be good stewards of the park grounds. We have to approach this with kid gloves so as to not have the no detecting signs pop up. Don't want to ruin it for everyone. The schools here have no trespassing signs around them yet the police told me to stay away from buildings and they won't have a problem. Its to stop loitering by kids that are up to no good. A new adventure continues and will keep you guys up on the news as it happens. Thanks to everyone for there input.

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