Just clad today and a visit with the police.

[Larbear2]

Got out for an afternoon hunt, had trouble deciding where to go. My regular hunts are giving sparse returns because I have hammered them so much. Decided to go to a grade school a short distance away in another town.
I was nearing the end of my hunt, was searching for another 26 cents so I could go home with at least 3 dollars in clad, no jewelry or relics. Heard a muffled voice thru my headphones and caught some movement off to my left. Looked up and there was a police car and an officer was out of the car and standing on the other side of the chain link fence.
He motioned me over and said that he had a report that someone was digging holes in the grass. I said yes, I had dug a few holes to recover a few targets but I made sure to fill the holes back in when I was done.
We talked some more and then he asked for my drivers license and got in his car and ran my info. He finished and gave my license back and said that if I wanted to do more detecting in that school district, that I would have to get written permission from the superintendent or the assistant superintendant. Neither one of us got angry or upset with the other, he was just doing his job. I figure that most detectorists go thru something like this sooner or later, especially if you have a lot of years in the hobby which I do.
After I left I headed to a park several miles away and found another 26 cents to meet my goal for the day.
No gold for the year yet, a few small silver items. Mostly just clad and trash so far. I might have to travel a little farther away to reach some areas that I havent hunted much before. GL &HH

 

[Odanscoils]

Congratulations on a some what Eventful day.
Glad it wasn't a cop having a bad day and looking for someone to push his frustrations on.

 

[John 71]

I had written permission to hunt a place and the police made me leave. Sometimes they are just looking for something to do I guess.

 

[Ronstar]

First, nearly all school districts have a person in charge of grounds and facilities. That is the person you need to contact. Request written permission, but if in a smaller area most likely verbal is given and they simply take your name. Going to the Superintendent is like going to a Head Surgeon and asking to have a sliver removed. The officer had someone complaining and pretty much has to make the contact, sending you to the Super took care of the situation at the moment. Obviously there is no City Ordinances being violated or he would have had the authority to issue a citation or make an arrest. Do the inquiring, get the permission, and go back.

Second. If a person has permission to be on property that trumps anything the officer can do at that moment. If a Super wants to over ride the Grounds guy, well thats between those two and has nothing to do with you at that moment. You can not be held legally liable for something that you have written permission to do from a person who has authority over the property. That becomes a civil matter and not a criminal matter, police have no further interest now.

Officers are always contacted to cover calls they have absolutely authority to enforce but they have to go to it and try and find a compromise to fix it at that very moment. Trust me I know. But, not knowing the local ordinances I cant speak with certainty. Just remember the Blue Line is there to enforce the laws, not someone else's morals. I would look into the school property and find out whats what and go from there.

 

[Ronstar]

Sorry, above should read “calls they have absolutely NO authority to enforce…”

 

[C.J.M.]

Got out for an afternoon hunt, had trouble deciding where to go. My regular hunts are giving sparse returns because I have hammered them so much. Decided to go to a grade school a short distance away in another town.
I was nearing the end of my hunt, was searching for another 26 cents so I could go home with at least 3 dollars in clad, no jewelry or relics. Heard a muffled voice thru my headphones and caught some movement off to my left. Looked up and there was a police car and an officer was out of the car and standing on the other side of the chain link fence.
He motioned me over and said that he had a report that someone was digging holes in the grass. I said yes, I had dug a few holes to recover a few targets but I made sure to fill the holes back in when I was done.
We talked some more and then he asked for my drivers license and got in his car and ran my info. He finished and gave my license back and said that if I wanted to do more detecting in that school district, that I would have to get written permission from the superintendent or the assistant superintendant. Neither one of us got angry or upset with the other, he was just doing his job. I figure that most detectorists go thru something like this sooner or later, especially if you have a lot of years in the hobby which I do.
After I left I headed to a park several miles away and found another 26 cents to meet my goal for the day.
No gold for the year yet, a few small silver items. Mostly just clad and trash so far. I might have to travel a little farther away to reach some areas that I havent hunted much before. GL &HH

If you want to be be noticed while metal detecting just carry a BIG SHOVEL and people will panick .

 

[Wild Willy]

Larbear, if you were not breaking the law why would you let him run your drivers license? Now you are probably on one of three national data bases, among others. Cops have an absolute obsession wanting to run I.D's. If there was a law, then I understand.

 

[david bull]

I had a concerned citizen tell me that I shouldn’t be detecting at an abandoned school.I asked them to write down their mailing address so I could have my property tax notices sent to them.They left in a huff…

 

[Ronstar]

If a police officer has reasonable suspicion to believe you may be breaking a law then they have a right to ask for identification. You would be astonished how many people with warrants get identified and arrested by simple contacts such as above.
If you were not driving a motor vehicle at the time you do not have to produce a drivers license, go get a state issued ID card. In most cases you only need to produce a drivers license if stopped while operating a motor vehicle or if involved in a motor vehicle collision (in that case the other driver has a right as well to ask for license and registration as do you).
If you have a drivers license then you are in a system nationwide that tells whether you are valid, suspended, or revoked. Your history of offenses is generally included in the check.
Get a state ID card, I hate it when some punk checker demands to see my drivers license when purchasing alcohol. Game on. If they ask simply for ID then its up to you if you produce your drivers license.

 

[Larbear2]

Larbear, if you were not breaking the law why would you let him run your drivers license? Now you are probably on one of three national data bases, among others. Cops have an absolute obsession wanting to run I.D's. If there was a law, then I understand.

Hi Wild Willy, I don’t remember if the police officer asked me for some identification or if he specifically asked for my drivers license. I didn’t really give it a second thought, I just handed over my drivers license. I wasn’t aware that giving him some other identification other than my drivers license was an option. I guess I could have given him my Costco card, it has my picture on it.