CO's

[alwaysonthemove]

Yeah Let them do there Job. Just seems to me that alotof people out there are whinners. What about my rights??? Hog wash!

The CO's should bust in and shoot the crimnals just like they used to do in the OL' West.

[gatorhunter]

i was stopped by a Conservation officer tonight... needless to say i was not written a citation.....

BUT....

do CO's really have the authority to drive off a public road, and down a narrow tractor trail between two corn fields nearly a quarter mile on PRIVATE land...just to check my archery license??

Yes!

[pushbutton]

The CO's should bust in and shoot the crimnals just like they used to do in the OL' West.

do the co's have a little more leeway that might infringe upon a few of our personal freedoms .....sure....but if i have bought a license, follow a few rules, and am not cooking up meth in the fish house or back forty.....who really cares?....ok, at least i don't. i frequent a couple of areas with rather zealous co's....i personally think they are are a little too much so...but that is from my perspective....have read countless reports of people breaking the simple laws most of us adhere to, and do not think you can really blame the co's for their initial mistrust. after you meet them and they get to know you....they are just ordinary people just doing their job with a fair amount of restraints put upon them as well.

[RumRiverRat]

Absolotely correct, they have no jursidiction issues inside state lines and don't need seacrh warrants or consent for illegal game posession searches in the vehicle or home.... Way more freedom.

Wrong, the 4th Amendment applies.

A CO cannot just come to your house and look in your freezer.

They need a warrant.

If a CO comes to your door and asks to see inside your freezer. Politely say no and close the door.

The CO has to leave at that point, if there is any attempt to gain entry into your home, dial 911 and report it, then defend yourself as needed.

[RumRiverRat]

Yeah Let them do there Job. Just seems to me that alotof people out there are whinners. What about my rights??? Hog wash!

The CO's should bust in and shoot the crimnals just like they used to do in the OL' West.

Good Luck with all that!

[Dave S]

If a CO comes to your door and asks to see inside your freezer. Politely say no and close the door.

The CO has to leave at that point, if there is any attempt to gain entry into your home, dial 911 and report it, then defend yourself as needed.

NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYONE ATTEMPT TO BE COMBATIVE WITH A LEO. A person should always be cooperative.

I don't even want to think what it is that you're implying here. Your post above almost seems like you've got a beef with COs.

[SkunkedAgain]

If a CO comes to your door and asks to see inside your freezer. Politely say no and close the door.

The CO has to leave at that point, if there is any attempt to gain entry into your home, dial 911 and report it, then defend yourself as needed.

Uhhh, RumRiverRat, were you the one who escaped from Waco, TX all those years ago? You have the most distorted view of how to handle yourself in that situation that I've ever read.

[nonteepical]

he never said anything about being combative, he said be polite. if anything, if the CO forced his way in (assuming if he needs a warrant by law) he would be infringing on the homeowners rights and forcing the homeowners hand. it would be the CO who is combative in that situation.

[RumRiverRat]

NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD ANYONE ATTEMPT TO BE COMBATIVE WITH A LEO. A person should always be cooperative.

I don't even want to think what it is that you're implying here. Your post above almost seems like you've got a beef with COs.

You are reading way too much into my post.

Being cooperative and giving up your rights are two different kettles of fish.

You are more than welcome to give up your rights but I refuse to do so.

[RumRiverRat]

Uhhh, RumRiverRat, were you the one who escaped from Waco, TX all those years ago? You have the most distorted view of how to handle yourself in that situation that I've ever read.

What are you implying?

CO's do not have some mythical power that allows them to circumvent the 4th amendment.

[Dave S]

By following RRR's advice, one would be leading themselves into more suspicion from law enforcement. Defending yourself in the courts is far better than trying to "defend" yourself in a situation that RRR implies. Unless you've done something seriously wrong, there is no reason to put yourself into the position of having to physically defend yourself.

Either way, cooperate with LEOs and there's no issues. People make it sound like we have a bunhc of rogue officers in this state that bully their way into writing tickets. Give me a break

[SkunkedAgain]

What are you implying?

CO's do not have some mythical power that allows them to circumvent the 4th amendment.

I'm not implying a thing. First of all, I agree that CO's can't circumvent the 4th but you're the one who brought up the situation of an "attempt to gain entry into your home." You're going off the deep end here, creating a hypothetical situation where CO's are raiding a house. Then you went on to say that in this conjured up situation one should "defend yourself as needed."

That's a nutty perspective on the OP's question about a CO coming down a private road into a corn field. Should the CO have done that, no. Could it have been a mistake, yes. Might the CO have knowingly done it, yes. In the end, should we all barricade ourselves in our homes and defend ourselves as needed!?!

I'm done.

[SartellMN]

I have never seen a CO knock on a door and ask to look in a freezer. If they are at your door, then they already have a search warrant (which is absurdly easy to get) and don't need your permission.

[goblueM]

good idea RRR, make a small issue of potential overlimits into a bigger one such as resisting search, violence against a LEO, etc. I'm sure that'll serve your best interests better than the perceived loss of rights if you let a CO look in your freezer. sheesh

[InTheNorthwoods]

Either way, cooperate with LEOs and there's no issues. People make it sound like we have a bunhc of rogue officers in this state that bully their way into writing tickets. Give me a break

Unfortunately, in my line of work I see some LEO's who think their power is unlimited and that citizens are subject to their every command. The fact is, about 300 years ago, a group of people moved away from a country where these same acts were being committed. Where the rights of individuals were being trampled on without just cause. Those same people fought wars to protect those inalienable rights that they felt should be inherent to every man. Eventually, those people won their freedom and created their own country. In that country they created a constitution that guaranteed those rights. That is the greatest country on earth, the United States of America.

Now, less than 300 years later, people are quickly forgetting that the government, and LEO's, are of the people by the people. The government and LEO's are often acting on their own volition and based on what they think is their power - not the will of the people and on the limited powers the people have given them.

Yes, if you have nothing to hide, it should be no problem to cooperate with LEO's. But that is not the point. The point is, that you as American citizens have certain rights. Those rights are sacred and should be protected at all costs. You should not have to succomb to anyone to prove you have done nothing wrong. It is their job to have reasonable suspicion that you have done something illegal. It is not enough that you could have done something wrong, and an officer's hunch is never enough. Sadly, over time, we have been widdling down some of those protections and sooner or later those will no longer be protected. We have tacitly accepted government control (and LEO's as a branch of the government) and begun to fear the government. Essentially, we have forgotten that the government should fear the people, and that the government should work for the people.

I am not saying the LEO's don't have a terribly difficult job, and that they don't deserve our utmost respect, or that they do a poor job. They have a very difficult job, they deserve respect, and most do an excellent job. But we as citizens need to expect that those individuals do their job properly. That those individuals respect the limits imposed on them so as not to infringe upon innocent people's rights. When LEO's (or government) are expected to do things properly and are held accountable to the people, they will do their jobs better. In the end, LEO's are just people, and they are not given a badge to infringe on personal rights at their whim. It needs to be remembered that people make lots of mistakes - the badge does not mean an LEO is all of the sudden not human. In the end, those officers are accountable to us as citizens, and telling them they cannot enter your house, or not responding to them at their whim or "beg and call" when you have nothing to hide, is not a poor way to handle the situation. It is the proper way. As a citizen you have no duty to prove you are innocent and you have many freedoms that those acts would potentially infringe upon.

Simply put, we as citizens need to demand that those officers will do their job properly so that our rights are protected and so that we encourage officers to do their job properly in the future.

[Dave S]

And in an attempt to look at this from a CO's point of view, imagine what goes through their mind when they do knock on someone's door only to be greeted by some whack job toting a gun and a twisted perception of their rights. With some of the mentalities shown here, I don't blame them.

But to keep things on track, the OP wasn't about our 4th amendment rights/lawful entry into someone's home.

[Red Miller]

Northwoods...very well put! Puts things in a very good perspective and context.

One thing has me scratching my head.....whats a LEO? I've never heard a CO referred to as that. (excuse my dumb@ssness)

[Dave S]

Law Enforcement Officer

[Red Miller]

Thanks LEP....I can be a little thick sometimes.

[harvey lee]

I have never seen a CO knock on a door and ask to look in a freezer. If they are at your door, then they already have a search warrant (which is absurdly easy to get) and don't need your permission.

Wrong

When I raised pheasants and did taxidermy work, they would come and ask to look into the freezer. No warrant needed. It a law that they have that right to check ones freezer. I also kept game I shot in the freezer and had to tell them where I got that.

[brrrr]

Quote:

resisting search

What statute is that again?

[Musky Buck]

I'm with the I'm happy he checked you, I wish I'd get checked especially if it doesn't bother your hunt at all, I'm also happy they are checking private property, what would you do in their shoes, just skip all private ground and flock to public ground.

[bigbucks]

Thanks for asking I was having the same problem connecting the dots...

[LightningBG]

And in an attempt to look at this from a CO's point of view, imagine what goes through their mind when they do knock on someone's door only to be greeted by some whack job toting a gun and a twisted perception of their rights. With some of the mentalities shown here, I don't blame them.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

That is some very dangerous, probably just plain bad advice. Your best bet is to say to the LEO/CO (and repeat, record if possible) "I do not consent to ANY searches (of myself or my property) as per my constitutonal rights". Beyond this, leave the guns (or whatever) alone, and let your lawyer do the talking. It will end VERY badly for you, and maybe your family, if you "defend yourself". You'll be front page of the newspapers, and the lead story at 5.

If the LEO/CO doesn't have legal grounds or a warrant for the search, it is highly likely that any evidence obtained during that (uninvited & unconstitutional) search will be thrown out, along with the case against you. But don't take my word for it, call any criminal defense lawyer in the phone book, and I can almost guarantee they'll tell you similar.