Cops Called During Flashlight Test

[nuggett]

theway it happens here

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/115923

 

[magic79]

I'll disagree with some and say I think you handled the outdoor part well. I would have happily cooperated with that as well.

However, there is no way I would have let them in my house.

We so easily and voluntarily give up our rights these days! They had no business going in your house. You'd been there all evening, you knew there was no burglar. Why let them into your private dwelling, protected by the Bill of Rights?

I've had police at my door when a prowler has been in the neighborhood. They asked if they could search my house. "Not unless I can come over and search yours!"

 

[hank]

Hey, you must have Quest instead of Verizon or ATnT -- or else you're lucky.

Good thing the police didn't get a helpful volunteer call from the National Security Wiretaps Database telling them that you'd purchased something called a "Blaster" -- imagine if the NSA database of all phone calls had red-flagged yours for suspicion, and then they'd decided to be helpful after your number got called by the local police.

This country's gone nuts. We can hurt ourselves WAY worse than anyone else can.

 

[Tacfolder]

Yes, you handled the incident safely (and probably with more class than I could have).:goodjob:

But I find the problem to be that you were held at gunpoint, or that your house was searched at all.

While the argument "Well, if you don't have anything to hide,..." sounds reasonable, the point is before you are treated this way, the police must have proof of your lawbreaking.

I'm glad that all is well, but it is not ok for the police to treat someone this way just because someone else is worried.

They can ask for id, but most all else requires a warrant.

If we voluntarily give up our legal rights for convenience, it will be said by some that we don't need them, and everyone should have a problem with that!!

 

[cheapo]

i wont be using my lights late at night anymore... my parents would get really angry if the police came because of my "stupid flashlights."

-David

 

[beezaur]

I can see the cops wanting to see you ID or something, but not the big pat down while your neighbors watch through darkened windows, wondering what you've done.

I'd have told them to "Go to Heck, darn it! You may not touch me! Gosh." Or words to that effect

Scott

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I'm glad I followed this thread. Some interesting issues have bubbled up and it's turned out to be more complicated than I originally thought. This sort of thing can (and does) happen for reasons other than flashlights and even though I'm not at all sure what course I'd take if it happened to me, it's a good thing to think about it a little before it happens.

 

[Vizzini]

... even though I'm not at all sure what course I'd take if it happened to me, it's a good thing to think about it a little before it happens.

Well put. In my wildest imagination I never thought I could be the subject of interest to law enforcement officers armed with M4 carbines. Even without them being pointed directly at you, it certainly has an effect on your thought processes.

 

[TonkinWarrior]

I'll disagree with some and say I think you handled the outdoor part well. I would have happily cooperated with that as well.

However, there is no way I would have let them in my house.

We so easily and voluntarily give up our rights these days! They had no business going in your house. You'd been there all evening, you knew there was no burglar. Why let them into your private dwelling, protected by the Bill of Rights?

I've had police at my door when a prowler has been in the neighborhood. They asked if they could search my house. "Not unless I can come over and search yours!"

------------------------------------------

That is a huge +10.

Unlike other nations, the U.S. has a Bill Of Rights that amends our Constitution. And the BOR's 4th Amendment spells out certain privacy/search-and -seizure protections that are unique to Americans. Certain organizations and forces would find their jobs easier-to-do (and agendae easier to implement) if that nasty old 4th Amendment was gutted, but that ain't gonna happen if alert/aware citizens prevent it.

Rolling over to "authority" for The Common Good (*cough*) -- while often pushed by those of a certain stripe -- is NOT the way to exercise and preserve our hard-won INDIVIDUAL liberties.

NEVER consent to a search of your person, home, or auto... even when practicing Flashaholism for purposes of personal safety.

 

[DonShock]

There's nothing wrong with law enforcement investigating reported suspicious activity. Looked at from the LEO's point of view, this could have just as easily have been an armed burglar and they need to take certain precautions, to protect themselves and to do their job protecting the public. When guns are drawn is not the time to start arguing about what constitutes a violation of your civil rights. If necessary, that can be sorted out in court later. Complying with LEO requests lets you have your day in court, if needed. "I know my rights, and I don't have to ........." is likely to get the heirs to your estate their day in court. But once you have de-escalated the situation, exercising your rights to refuse to be searched or to let your home be searched is perfectly reasonable. And I think most LEO's, if it is done in a calm and polite manner, would understand. And if they don't, still remain calm and polite. The worst that can happen is that they search anyway. And if you don't lose your cool, you're almost guaranteed to win in any subsequent court fight.

I have known many LEO's. The vast majority are great people who genuinely want to help the public. However, since the majority of their time is spent dealing with the less law-abiding members, they do tend to be a little suspicious when dealing with unknown people or situations. They have to be if they want to go home alive. That's not something most of us have to deal with. If you cut them some slack if they are a little gruff at first, you will generally find that they are very understanding once they know that you are not one of their "usual customers".

 

[hquan]

Perhaps the officers were having a slow night and it was a chance to break out the new guns? Kinda like us with flashlights - except bullets hurt a lot more than photons! Seriously, maybe they used it as a training exercise for some rookies - not that it was right for them to do so...

 

[tsask]

You are lucky you were not injured. I realize a lot of cops post here and my hat goes off to them. Occasionally on the street I have discussed EDC lights on/off duty etc with local law enforcement (Streamlights seem popular and of course Mags).

there are unfortunately cases where mistakes are made and in some cases with little accountability. sounds like they mishandled the call: " step outside so they don't shoot you" ?!?!?!? WTF!?

 

[jclarksnakes]

To me it sounds like you have good neighbors and good police. Burglars are successful because so few people do watch out for their neighbors.
jc

 

[Alin10123]

haha! that's awesome.

 

[carbine15]

What would have happened if you just told the dispatcher to F-off and started shining your brightest lights out the windows and shouting. If they shot you, your neighbor would feel so bad.

 

[maverick]

Oh man.... you shouldn't have gotten out of your house. You should've cut the power to your entire house, wait for them to bust through your front door. Then grab your tactical flashlight and your pistol to try out some of these tactics:

http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main/co_disp/displ/strfnbr/10/pgname/Home

If you don't get fatally wounded by the cops, or maybe even manage to take out a cop or two yourself, go write a testimonial for the Surefire website.

 

[HonorKnight]

I can see the cops wanting to see you ID or something, but not the big pat down while your neighbors watch through darkened windows, wondering what you've done.

I'd have told them to "Go to Heck, darn it! You may not touch me! Gosh." Or words to that effect

Scott

The pat down would have been to see if he was armed before checking his ID. There have been numerous incidents where felons have cooperated to get close to an officer before attacking him/her. Refusing a lawful order is a crime. On the other hand, I would have been reluctant to let them in the house. Still I can see their point of view. There are such things as home takeover robberies. They can hold a loved one hostage and tell you to "get rid of the cops". I have been a hostage in a takeover robbery, although it was at a work place and not at home.

 

[eebowler]

But next time I think I'll put an illuminated "Flashlight Test In Progress" sign up before I play in the dark again

Maybe some glow in the dark paint? LOL

 

[RadarGreg]

How about just inviting a LEO over the next time you get a new light? We have CPF meetings in Germany and have a great guy who works for the German Politzei. His collection of Surefire lights is incredible and the other guys also have a superb collection of rare and modified lights. The other people at the restaraunts where we meet often give us strange looks when we start pulling out the lights, but as flashlight collecting is a pretty low threat hobby, I don't think they worry about us too much. Now, if we brought in a HID light or the famous tank light, then that might be another story, hehe.

 

[a99raptors]

I think that the US has one of the most professional police forces and its a privelege to have them. Of course, other countries have great police forces too. I just think that the ones in mine could take their jobs a little more seriously.