Hey COPS!

Originally posted by Raden
I hate to tell this one. I took a Halo III off a guy I arrested for DUI. I told him he wasn't getting the knife back because it's illegal and if he wanted to make a case of it I could charge him with carrying a concealed weapon. He said he wanted the knife destroyed instead of me keeping it..... I thought for a minute opened it placed the tip to the pavement stepped down and broke it in half.:eek: I wasn't going to keep it I would have turned it in as evidence but he asked and after all I there to SERVE the public:D



FLAME ON:p
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Holy OUCH!

Hey Raden

Now if that had been a Busse?...;) :p :D
 
Thank you AlphalphaPB, very well stated. This thread was getting out of hand and too much hypothetical and what if's.
 
tisk, tisk.

I sincerely apoligize if I seem like I'm taking a harsh tone. It's just how I speak. Please read as if spoken in a calm voice. I'm talking TO yo, not AT you. I'm asking questions, not making insults. THIS IS a legitamate post... a sincere post. I don't see any reason for ANY personal or harsh comments.

Prof.. lets see here... someone with a few beer cans in the car, but not drunk or drinking... coming back from fishing with an "illegal" felet knife in the glovebox would fall into your category of "dumbass." A dumbass in jail. Paying fines for NO criminal action. With a CRIMINAL record. Forever. For recycling and fishing.

Alpha.. Not that there is ANY co-relation between the two, BUT
Nazis were "only doing their job." Period. END of story. "I'm only doing my job" is NO excuse. It HAS to be THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!!

ILLEGAL. believe it or not, it is ILLEGAL for a woman to wear a RED DRESS on a sidewalk in TEXAS. It simply is not enforced. Can you imagine WHY it is not enforced?

LAW.

I guess if LAW is the reason to the rhyme... then WHAT is the reason behind that law? ARE there THAT MANY MORE crimes due to switchblades and 6" blades? There are probably more crimes and accidents with screwdrivers.
 
[edited because Archie would have been burned beyond recognition]

To answer your question, yes, I have and will confiscate. Very very rarely solely because the possession was against the law. Most of the time because the possession was against the law AND the guy was being an A$$HOLE or doing something very stupid.

Oh yeah, and guess what? Open alcoholic containers inside the car DOES = Dumba$$.
 
hi all. i am a defense attorney in chicago. i get quite a few weapons cases as a result. most are part of the rather draconian firearms laws. i even had a correctional officer as a client who was arrested while coming from the range with his firearm secured in the trunk. the officer thought it was "easily accessible" because the rear seat had a fold down armrest with a locking panel that would allow access to the trunk. hence the gun was deemed "easily accessible" by the officer. guy was arrested and the gun was taken and now he has to go to court.

i have not come acros many "knife" case. i did have one where there was a knife with about a 1.5" blade where the knife looked like a lighter and was also a keychain ring. guy was arrested for Unlawful Use of Weapons.

i see a LOT of BAD police work come through my court rooms. much of it is as a result of good people (officers) trying to do what they feel will reduce overall crime rates by "hassling" people who they think are criminals for pretty much anything they can. a lot of oficers also work on a quota system. this gives them an incentive to write traffic tickets, and as a result, gain access to the car as well as the occupants. such as pulling over cars for not using a turn signal at least 100' before turning. even if the car is stopped at a stop sign and then decides to turn. having loud mufflers. having an "air freshener" hanging from the rear view mirror.

all in all, the officers are good people having to make crappy decisions. they get hassled from their bosses, and then they have a genuinje (usually) desire to do a good job. BUT, they also have incentives to do more. because of quota systems. becuase there is really no oversight. because they are scared.

none of this petty enforcement is effective. the problem is, many mayors, governors, state legislators and police chiefs DO believe that petty enforcement leads to reduction in violent and serious crimes. i don't see it. i don't believe it.

in general though, if you are polite and reasonable well behaved to an officer, he will not go out of his way to mkeyour life more miserable than it already is with whatever more serious infraction he has arrested you for already.

the only way we can change this, is to make sure WE make intelligent and well informed decisions when we vote. that we ALL vote. and that we make sure the children understand that they also have an obligation to vote when their opportunity arises. don't blame selective enforcement as much as we should shoulder the blame collectively for not mandating more effective, and less REACTIVE law making.
 
archieblue,
As police officers and we have to justify every action we do in uniform and half of what we do out of uniform. Your tone sounds a bit like someone trying to bait officers into something (we get that a lot). This tends to make me and most other officers defensive.

I am not speaking for other officers, just my point of view.
When I take a weapon from a suspect it is because it is illegal, for my safty, or because the moron lied. Understand that we do not make the laws, we enforce them. If you don't like a particular law, then its a congressman you have a beef with, not the police. Most officers are given training explaining just how quickly a person with a knife can kill you. Every situation, officer, supect, and given circumstances are different. Just my 0.02
 
Arch, here's a flash for you, if you aren't doing something illegal to begin with, chances are very good that you will never have an encounter with the police. Unless things are really different in Texas from when I was there, I doubt you will get "patted down at a ballgame", nor stopped for driving sober and at the speed limit.
 
Back to the original topic.....

I had a balisong taken from me once, about 15 years ago...I later went to the desk sargeant on duty, pleaded my case with him that it wasn't an auto, and was under the legal blade size limit and was therefore legal ... He had me demonstrate how it was opened, and gave it back to me. :D Boy was I happy, I had spent months filing, sanding, and polishing an ugly design off of the solid brass handles until they were mirror polished (all by hand). {sigh} I miss that knife, lost it a couple years later. :(
 
"You're talking to me like you have too many teeth in your mouth..."

Sam... I'M the dumbass, and youre the one with threats in your tag!
Go Fight Win!!!

Please keep all the personal comments and insults to yourself. It's not very impressive. I'm NOT going to sit here and defend myself for having a legitimate question while getting my head bitten off. I gurantee that this thread is informative for ALL those interested in knives. You who have lost your cool have given my thread a black dot. I'm not exactly thrilled with that. Look at my other posts. INFORMATION. That's WHY were here! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE... lets keep our cool!
 
I fear that SOON the day will come where Law Enforcement will be forced to confiscate ALL knives outside of the home and campground. ...this being BEFORE it will be illegal to leave cities... It will tick inside your brain. . . . . . . Do I take this camper to jail? Do I let him go? Was he really camping? SHOULD I consider the guy peeling an apple a criminal, or not?

The general public is terrified of ANY blade and usually even the WORD "knife." Even as we speak, the laws are being written, re-written, addressed to committees, finalized, and some are ready to go. Now they just need to convince rich people it will make them richer. Most people will just keep on whatching to TV as rights are stripped. As Law Enforcement, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Most companies go on strike when they are made to do something they don't like. Is there NO UNITY or even a POPULAR IDEA of right and wrong?

I still BELIEVE that we are all good people here.

Lets talk!
 
Archie, what do you want to hear. For ten years I held the keys to the entire evidence room, the password to the database, and the power to make things disappear. Having said that, I know of NO Police Officer who ever confiscated a knife who kept it for himself. I have not and will never tolerate this type of abuse of power and authority.

In New Hampshire the law allows Police Department's to dispose of their "contraband" by any means they deem appropriate. We type up a list of confiscated weapons and ask the Court for permission to dispose. I have personally chucked both high-end custom and production autos into the fire but it was RARE. In ten years I might have seen three or four non POS illegal knives destroyed. Most of the knives confiscated are junk. Police Officers apply DISCRETION when dealing with the people they are chaged with protecting. While I am sure it happens, especially post 09/11, most cops who run into a gentleman/woman carrying a top-shelf auto knife who presents in a respectable manner gets treated exactly the same and leaves with his knife still clipped to his pocket. A$$HOLES on the other hand are different..........DISCRETION..................

Good cops are like good Lawyers and good Doctors. While it is tempting to know that one can take the property of another, call it contraband and keep it, it is highly unethical and it's not doen as regularly as you are attempting to imply....HONOR, INTEGRITY

Less than One percent of all illegal knives may find themselves in the hands of a "cop", but never in the hands of a true Police Officer.


I have no clue why you started this thread. There are more high quality knives found in movie theaters and parking lots than are found or taken by a police officer. Ya ever wonder about folks who find high-end knives in the isle of a movie theater???????????????
 
I never implied, nor have I even thought about confiscating and keeping it for themselves. That being said... good post!
 
Archie, get that chip off your shoulder. I EDITED my last post because I found myself flaming you (read what SOX said) so, instead, I answered your question and made a simple observation. I could give two sh1ts on whether or not I'm impressing you. You may have had a legitimate question to begin with but, since then, your follow up comments, insinuations, and questions have pretty much shown what you're all about. Stop hating and stop being PARANOID!

1. I never called YOU a dumbass. I just said that anyone having open containers of alcohol in his/her car IS a dumbass. If you did that, then I'm sorry, you should have exercised better judgment.

2. I've had that quote in my signature probably longer than you've been around. It is NOT a threat, NOR is it directed at anyone in particular. It is a humorous saying in the vein of "For Every Battle, There Is A Price To Pay. Now Pick Up Your Teeth And Go Home." (A NO FEAR T shirt regarding playing football).

RE - LAX.

No one is forcing me to confiscate every knife I see. No one is forcing me to arrest on every little violation of the penal code. No one is forcing me to write tickets to everyone exceeding speed limits by 1 mph.

The day that The Powers That Be take away my discretionary powers is the day that I pick another career.
 
Originally posted by archieblue
I fear that SOON the day will come where Law Enforcement will be forced to confiscate ALL knives outside of the home and campground. ...this being BEFORE it will be illegal to leave cities...
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.
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Is there NO UNITY or even a POPULAR IDEA of right and wrong?
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Many times it's useful to use extreme hypothetical situations to argue for your point, but sometimes it's all too easy to get carried away and believe that the hypothetical situation is actually happening. Remember that each extra draconian law is one step in the direction of a dictatorial state, but does the enactment of that one law mean that the "reaction will go to completion" (to borrow a chemical phrase)?

Do you really think that there's no popular idea of right and wrong among the police force? You might hear of one or two crooked police officers on the news, but aren't these exceptions? I would tend to believe that police officers have an even greater sense of morality, since they joined the force to serve the public. I don't believe that they're the mindless slaves of our society, as some might make them out to be.

This world is a complex place, and it's very easy to get caught up in the simple explanations that hypothetical extremes offer. I would just like to say that we need to think very carefully about what's really happening to the world, rather than latch on to blanket statements and cry, "Armageddon!"
 
I think I love you, man. Well spoken. I'm embarrased with yer' not wanting to impress me though... with me whipping out all my big words and stuff...

Now that I have the attention of 1st hand intelligence, here's the deal:

Sm. reg. Sebenza... I carry/use it every day. When I take it out, people usually freak. I never use it for anything out of the ordinary. I cut a box... eyes jump out of their heads. I slice my bagel at my desk and hear "Archie's got a switchblade!" I was rolling it in my hand while reading a report and a woman looked at me like I was NUTS!

So?

Why do I feel like slicing an orange in public COULD one day leave me sebenzaless?
 
You can slice a orange in public, or cut a bagel without making a spectacle of ones self. There are right ways and wrong ways to do things. Most people I see that take a knife out and use it and get attention from it have done so in a manner to draw attention to themselves, maybe they do it with realizing it or maybe they do it because they like to draw attention to themselves. I have sat in public places and used large 5-6 in bladed folders to cut a steak or open a package ect. And have never had anyone look at me like I'm nuts, of course I don't jerk it out of my pocket throw my arm out all over like I have turretz syndrome, flick it open with so much force it makes a loud snap either. Use some common sense when using a knife and I doubt anyone will ever pay any attention to you using it. If you get allot of strange looks when you are using a knife you are most likely doing something that deserves a strange look or just have a sub-conscience need for attention.

As far as confiscating knives: Sure I've taken who knows how many knives out of people pockets when arresting them, I turn these knives in with all their personal belongings at the jail. I have many times searched people removed knives from their pockets or car and secured them while dealing with the people, once this is over I return the knives to them or turn them into the jail if they are arrested I never have or ever will keep them. Right now I have a cheap bali-song on my desk that was used to punch holes in someone’s tires a few years ago it was left sticking out of one tire, No one was ever found or charged with the crime and the knife has laid around for several years now as evidence if ever someone should be found. I flip around sometimes when I am bored but other then that it's here for all time.

I have never seen a knife in my life that I wanted so bad that I would steal it, If I want one I'll save my money up and go buy one or put it on layaway at the store. That's the difference between good, honest people and crooks/thieves; we will work for what we want.
 
In the spirit of this exchange, i guess what i would like to know is the following. To you police officers out there. You pull someone over for speeding, not too fast, but maybe 10 over the limit. When you look inside his car, you see a Microtech Halo on the passenger seat. Assume this is an illegal knife in your jurisdiction. Assuming he has broken no laws other than mild speeding, has a valid registration and insurance card and no warrants. Do you arrest him for the knife, take it from him, or send him on his way with it and his speeding ticket? Is the mere presence of the knife enough to make a normal speeding ticket stop into something more?
 
Archie, I hope you weren't being sarcastic/facetious in your last post. If so, then ignore the following reply.

Now that you've come out and flatly stated the situation and your concern, I understand where you are coming from.

1. Most people are pretty effing stupid. You know how stupid the average person is? Well half of them are STUPIDER (or More Stupid, whichever you prefer). AND they are breeding and passing legislation! No other society caters to the ignorant, the stupid, the irresponsible, and the criminal like ours does. Hey, I'm no genius either, but puh-lease!

2. People have a tendency to fear what they don't understand. I'd say most people have no real familiarity with knives (we're not a bladed culture). As long as your Sebenza hasn't been used by a Bad Guy in a movie, I'd say you're still ok. Cause you know that the stupid people believe 100% what they see in the movies and on TV. Maybe they're just jealous that you even HAVE a Sebenza. It's not like you were performing ordinary cutting tasks after flipping around a Balisong for 5 minutes or were using a Rambo or Crocodile Dundee sized bowie...

3. Current laws are often very poorly written. Many are unclear; some just don't make any sense. E.G. If you borrow something from someone with the intention of returning it but later change your mind and keep it, it's not "theft" (even though the bottom line is that you've deprived someone else of their property )(CA PC). Another, why are M-16's and Franchi SPAS on the banned list and Mini-14's and Benelli's not? They are basically the same. Why would you ban certain types of AK-47's and not other types of AK-47's (differences being as little as having or not having bayonet attaching hardware)?

Like NGK is saying, if you (we) use our tools in a discreet manner, you (we) will most likely never have a problem. When people's actions start causing fear or apprehension in others, and it happens often enough, then stand by to stand by.
 
Originally posted by veritas
Now if that had been a Busse?...;) :p :D
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Well I must admit if he wasn't already going to jail, or maybe if he wasn't a "supreme *******" I'd probably have let him keep the knife. Busse.....What Busse.....What's that;)
 
Megalobyte, depending on the person, IE: lying, attitude etc... Their are circumstances were I might charge him, but assuming this speeder is not being a Tool, I would just have him put it on the passenger side dash while I was back near the rear of the vehicle, then go on with the drivers speeding issue. I have had a driver put the knife on the roof and I held on to it until I let him go, but he was acting strange (funny feeling about him). Most of my weapons charges came from finding the weapons after an arrest. I have taken possession of many knives after an arrest, but they were entered into prisoner property and returned to them when they get out of jail. I can't give you a definate I would do this in this situation, because they are all a little different, just my standard safty proceedures.
 
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