Soccer "coach" threatened me with "Citizen's Arrest" and forced me to leave park! *update* Post 69, I got the last laugh!

[MadTownScoop]

I would have done what you did for the first part. Once I changed locations on the property to an area completely away from the soccer field and she came after me,, Thats called harassment and I will not tolerate that. I have every right to be where I am just as they do playing their game. I would have told her its a public park, I moved when you asked me to (even tho she didnt ask you she ran you off) and now you are harassing ME while I am in a PUBLIC place. Back off or Im calling the police on you miss. I've had confrontations but not like that. Just two old guys, One either crazy as hell or just acting the part trying to scare me off the park. I persisted and kept swinging until they left me alone. I will "dig" ball fields up until the time I know there will be lots of matches going on. I will leave as soon as ANYONE shows up thats wearing a players uniform as that means many more are impending. I have stopped scanning my local highschool ball fields now for two reasons. First off the "lined" them a week ago and secondly its just to dang dry back there to find much of anything. I'll wait for snow melt and spring thaw as that area will get FULL sun and probably thaw out before any of the parks do or before the water warms up a bit. I'll scan it when there is LOTS of moisture in the ground. I know there are silver coins back there and I've never found a silver coin with dry conditions. Only in springtime when its almost muddy.

Would I go back to that park..> ABSOLUTELY < I would go between 6am and 9am or weekdays after work. Or just wait till spring thaw next year. Either way she was harassing you when you had every right to be there. You did what YOU Felt was right and no one here including myself can tell you that you were wrong. YOU were the one there, Not us. We are just giving our ideas of how we might have handled it. Most of us, when IN the situation would act differently than when we have time to think about "What would I do in this situation" Thing. Keep scanning and dont let it discourage you.

 

[ohiochris]

I disagree. Stay there and detect (not on the playing field though if they came to use it) . Be calm and call police. In the end it wont be like that stupid person won and lives to tell others negitive stuff about us.. but instead someone above her putting her in her place wether it be police or school board. Like other post above mentions, its a public place and I pay taxes.

It dont matter whether you pay taxes or not when because you were hard headed this busybody wound up successful in getting metal detecting banned there. In many places we can still detect but only because it has managed to stay below the radar so to speak. But start drawing attention to the fact that you are there doing it and that you are breaking no rules in doing so and watch how fast they come up with rules against it. Nowdays are being able to hunt many places is only because people have no idea we are doing it , that can change easily if you draw attention to yourself.

 

[RMP91]

Apologies for the Political side-banter.

 

[towzilla]

I would not have been so nice. Sorry I have a right to be there as much as anyone. I can promise you I pay more taxes than she does. Had a coach jump me the same way. Till I told him to call the grounds keeper who had given me permission Shut him right up.

 

[Surf Master]

My Thoughts

I have never been harassed at any school yards,why,you stay away from the activity,i would have left wright away, went over to the other field,of coarse you asked for it, never go during school hrs, it's best to avoid confrontation, hunt were there isn't any people, period, happy hunting Earl

 

[beachhog]

I think you did the right thing ...........The B@$#H definitely had PMS or NFE syndrome or both .What is NFE syndrom? Well not cared enough with here other half So no sense fighting someone like that , although u could if you really wanted

 

[Dreadnox]

Perfect setup

Ok here is what you do, you have a friend go with you to the park when this umm Lady is there and let your friend record what is about to take place from a distance. You start MDing and make sure she can see you but donot acknowledge her. If she approaches you act as if she is not there no matter what she says or how loud she gets just completely ignore her as even being present. This will make her take the next step of physical contact and then she has by law assaulted you even if she pokes you with her finger or more so if she grabs you by the arm or whatever. Now you call the local authorities and fill a report they have no recourse but to at the very least have her appear in court and pay the court costs possibly even arrest especially if you have it on camera and can show the officer answering the call. Now you have taught her as well as her friends a valuable lesson in life. And you don't even have to say a word to her. She will think twice before harrassing any one else.

 

[mountain digger]

It dont matter whether you pay taxes or not when because you were hard headed this busybody wound up successful in getting metal detecting banned there. In many places we can still detect but only because it has managed to stay below the radar so to speak. But start drawing attention to the fact that you are there doing it and that you are breaking no rules in doing so and watch how fast they come up with rules against it. Nowdays are being able to hunt many places is only because people have no idea we are doing it , that can change easily if you draw attention to yourself.

So any bully with an agenda can run a MDer off which results in NO METAL DETECTING? Might as well just have NO METAL DETECTING rules in place as I can't really see a difference. And, I also don't agree that we are allowed to detect only because we stay below the radar...stealth like. Might as well have NO METAL DETECTING rules in place because I'm a stealth MDer and you can't see me breaking the no MD rule. ...but

 

[mountain digger]

And now that I've thought about it some more:

Might as well just tell the soccer coach to go ahead and enjoy kicking my two around the next time she sees me MDing legally

 

[ohiochris]

So any bully with an agenda can run a MDer off which results in NO METAL DETECTING? Might as well just have NO METAL DETECTING rules in place as I can't really see a difference. And, I also don't agree that we are allowed to detect only because we stay below the radar...stealth like. Might as well have NO METAL DETECTING rules in place because I'm a stealth MDer and you can't see me breaking the no MD rule. ...but

I dont know how long you have been doing this but detectorists as a whole have been made to look bad by a lot of negative publicity. More and more places people have traditionally been allowed to hunt are being declared off limits , rules set in place or redefined to disallow metal detecting. If you go mixing it up with soccer coaches and the like , let them have the police show up for bystanders to see , its dont matter if you are right or wrong you have attracted some pretty negative attention and you are part of the problem of making us all look bad.

And if you behave this way to enough people , or to certain people , dont be surprised if you start seeing "no metal detecting" in the list of rules.

So many are saying they have a right to metal detect , well heres the thing .......its a privaledge not a right. You can lose a privaledge pretty easily , especially if you tick off the wrong people. Nobody has a "right" to metal detect , so staying under the radar is the best way to secure your hobby for the future.

 

[HarveyH48]

Yeah, I pay taxes, I have rights, just like 300 million other American citizens, where the majority rules. What percentage of the population engages in this hobby? Right and wrong, aren't the same as laws and legal rights either. How many interesting news stories do we see, but never find out how they were resolved?

We have a lot of freedom to enjoy this hobby, mostly because it hasn't come to rules or laws in most areas. The more it gets resolved on paper, the less ground we have to hunt, because we are a very small minority, and it would be so much easier to simply ban the activity, then try and regulate the where and when. Some parks, are more like gardens, and obviously, no kind of recovery would be allowed. Sports fields during season wouldn't go over too well either. It's better to be courteous, respectful, use a little commonsense for ourselves, rather have the majority define it for us on paper.

The woman coach was wrong, has some problems. Maybe she is the reason her team is practicing in their own city. Her problems will catch up with her eventually. Most people know she was acting badly, it won't be tolerated for long. She bullies strangers, thing of how she probably treats her players. Don't think most parent tolerate their kids acting like that, and certainly would tolerate such a role model.

I'm out hunting, just for fun. Arguing with nut-jobs, over a piece of ground, isn't fun. I'd rather be hunting, rather than listening to that sort of garbage, or explaining myself to the police, if the arrive. It's a public place, a shared place, just a small scheduling conflict... I would have left as well, just wouldn't have been fun to continue. Fortunately, I've never had the problem. I have left, and avoid areas, which are populated with chatty people, just not much into conversation, some people could care less, they keep talking anyway...

 

[mountain digger]

I dont know how long you have been doing this but detectorists as a whole have been made to look bad by a lot of negative publicity. More and more places people have traditionally been allowed to hunt are being declared off limits , rules set in place or redefined to disallow metal detecting. If you go mixing it up with soccer coaches and the like , let them have the police show up for bystanders to see , its dont matter if you are right or wrong you have attracted some pretty negative attention and you are part of the problem of making us all look bad.

And if you behave this way to enough people , or to certain people , dont be surprised if you start seeing "no metal detecting" in the list of rules.

So many are saying they have a right to metal detect , well heres the thing .......its a privaledge not a right. You can lose a privaledge pretty easily , especially if you tick off the wrong people. Nobody has a "right" to metal detect , so staying under the radar is the best way to secure your hobby for the future.

And having a pair is a privilege too. One that no bully is going take from me without me standing up for my rights! How dare you question how long, maybe if you would have fought for your rights, this would never occur. Rights, privileges...just word games. You do things your way, I'll do things my way. After all, you've been doing this a long time and I have to bear the consequences of how it's turning out doing it your way.

 

[scout23]

To make a "citizens arrest" you had to commit a crime. What crime did you commit? None. The best thing you could have done is start recording her and call the police. With all the witnesses watching you walk away they now think she was right and you were breaking some law. By calling the police and showing them how she was acting could have got her charged with disorderly conduct. Then all the witnesses would have seen that you (the metal detecting guy) was legally allowed to detect.

PS bet when you started recording her, she would have shut up and left. If not I would have informed her that you are recording her actions to show the police when she calls them. We love video!!!!

 

[U.P. Detecting]

I've never been harassed by anyone but women. Especially 50+ women.

 

[SageGrouse]

First citizens arrest is a REAL thing and if someone tries to use that power they better know what they are doing and if what they think they are doing is safe!!! But you are right as if she called the police and a officer came out that was tired of her being a busy body then she may be ticketed or arrested for harassment or disorderly conduct.

EXACTLY!! People threaten a Citizen's Arrest all the time. They have NO idea... *none*... of what an actual C.A. entails. First, you must warn the arrestee of your intent to perform a C.A.. THEN you must read the arrestee their Miranda Rights WORD PERFECT! (this is *why* LEOs read from a *card*!) Then you mus display or posess a means to restrain the arrestee, such as handcuffs. If they walk away, you cannot legally make the arrest "stick". Then YOU must either summon law enforcement or drive the arrestee physically to the police station and THEN write up a report detailing the law or rule broken - CHAPTER and VERSE - and when/how the arrestee violated the law or rule.

THEN you must get the police to deputize you to make the arrest legal, and then you turn the prisoner over to the police, THEN fill out all the "Arrest Report" paperwork!

And there's a LOT of it. *In Triplicate!*

THEN you must keep tabs on the court dockets to see when/if the case comes to the judge and you MUST take time to BE there, EACH time, as the arresting officer! And to do ALL of this, you had BETTER have *all* your legal ducks in a row with all their feathers in place BECAUSE if you mess up in *any* detail... the defendant will now be able to bring charges against you for false arrest!

I've been threatened with citizen's arrest twice. Both times I calmly explained to the person what was necessary to do so. They declined! Heck, making a Citizen's Arrest is more complicated, and takes more time, than jury duty! And you see how many people volunteer for *that*!

Just once... I'd LOVE to have some idiot threaten a C.A. ... Follow THROUGH, just so I could run them through the courts a couple times and take everything they HAD!! *I* know the police procedures - THEY don't! I could do them some very enjoyable damage!

SageGrouse
PS Here's the Miranda Rights verbatim
Every U.S. jurisdiction has its own regulations regarding what, precisely, must be said to a person arrested or placed in a custodial situation. However the points MUST be recited completely. The typical warning states:

You have the right to remain silent when questioned.
Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law.
You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future.
If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning, if you wish.
If you decide to answer any questions now, without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney.
Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present?

 

[1948-SilverDime]

Simmer down

And having a pair is a privilege too. One that no bully is going take from me without me standing up for my rights! How dare you question how long, maybe if you would have fought for your rights, this would never occur. Rights, privileges...just word games. You do things your way, I'll do things my way. After all, you've been doing this a long time and I have to bear the consequences of how it's turning out doing it your way.

Man you and your pair need to simmer down. Reread his statement he's not questioning you, it said "I don't know how long you have been detecting" not How long have you been detecting? Ones a statement the other is a question.
Would I have let her run me off? No! But I also agree that it is a privilege and not a right to detect, and when push comes to shove a detectorist will lose the war against soccer players by being banned all together, after all the park deliberately had a soccer field put in not a detecting field. Also your statement about bearing the consequences of the way the older generation is handling things is false. You never saw no detecting signs until recently and that is mostly due to the newer generation not taking the time to handle things properly, like clean plugs, filling holes and taking out the trash. I'm from that newer generation but I was fortunate enough to have the fellas that have done it for years show me the proper way.

SD

 

[wolf-n-wa]

Dude, I've heard of those soccer coaches. they are not really females.

 

[wolf-n-wa]

Do i hear a "group hunt" in yer future?

 

[ohiochris]

And having a pair is a privilege too. One that no bully is going take from me without me standing up for my rights! How dare you question how long, maybe if you would have fought for your rights, this would never occur. Rights, privileges...just word games. You do things your way, I'll do things my way. After all, you've been doing this a long time and I have to bear the consequences of how it's turning out doing it your way.

Just pointing out a side of it that usually dont get brought up. There is a difference between rights and privaledges and we have never been guaranteed the right to metal detect anywhere even if we do pay taxes , so no , its not word games. Sorry you feel offended by what I am saying. AND I didnt suggest that you back down ALL the time , I used the words " most " and " usually" meaning it depends on the circumstances. Few realize that with the negative way many in the public see metal detecting it dont take much to get a park or other place declared off limits to detecting , one complaint to the right person from one of those nosey busybodies and the board will probably decide to make a rule banning it. But you do what you feel is right.

And calm down , no need to get mad.

 

[itsaring!]

I dont know how long you have been doing this but detectorists as a whole have been made to look bad by a lot of negative publicity. More and more places people have traditionally been allowed to hunt are being declared off limits , rules set in place or redefined to disallow metal detecting. If you go mixing it up with soccer coaches and the like , let them have the police show up for bystanders to see , its dont matter if you are right or wrong you have attracted some pretty negative attention and you are part of the problem of making us all look bad.

And if you behave this way to enough people , or to certain people , dont be surprised if you start seeing "no metal detecting" in the list of rules.

So many are saying they have a right to metal detect , well heres the thing .......its a privaledge not a right. You can lose a privaledge pretty easily , especially if you tick off the wrong people. Nobody has a "right" to metal detect , so staying under the radar is the best way to secure your hobby for the future.

This is actually somewhat true. Hate to use this as a comparison. But we used to have a racetrack here. Weekends we could bring our cars to the track. Do some burn outs. And have a good safe time. Well a lady with a lot of power later moved by the racetrack. She'd call 911 and complain about the noise every freakin' weekend! They'd shut the racing down early. Well the police got tired of it. Long story short. We no longer have a racetrack. Have to do illegal street racing now. Just like street outlaws on television. When detecting gets banned in your area you either have to give it up or do it illegally. All it takes is some old hag with money who knows the mayor and you can kiss detecting goodbye in your area. Hate to say it. But that is todays reality i'm afraid