Tip: Never ask a cop...

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Daniel Moore

Daniel Moore

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Apparently, there are a lot of officers out there who let their own feelings on knives (with regard to their safety) get in the way of what is really legal. In this thread, I am Ibach, and I tried to politely ask a question :eek: At least TexDep was a very cool guy and helped out my case at the end. I don't think I was out of line, but I admit I was getting a little frustrated.

http://www.masscops.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15599&page=1&pp=10
 
Yeesh, that's pretty disturbing.

You have not stated 1 legitimate reason for you having 2 knives on your person. If you can articulate 1 legitimate reason why you carry these knives then maybe we can understand.
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How about the fact that it's not illegal to carry 2 knives?
 
You should be frustrated. If I were in your shoes, I'm not sure I'd have the same composure.

I'm very surprised at the mountain of negative vitriol spewed at you.... wait, no I'm not. It is responses like these that cause me to be distrustful of police officers, much like it is the rowdy "gangbanger" wanna be teenagers that make them wary of teenagers like you, NeedleRemorse.

Who are you but a seventeen year old kid and why do you feel it necessary to carry a knife? Are you compensating for your lack of something? Sounds like it. How do you carry the knife when your pants are hanging down below your ass anyway. Just remember the guy who brings a knife to a gun fight usually loses.
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This is precisely what I mean. Due to the polite, well-structured nature of your posts, these officers have no reason to assume you are some sort of criminal. I recall one baiting you by asking about MA classes.

I have an inkling of understanding about why officers are so very suspect of edged tools. The kind of people that they deal with on a day to day basis are on the opposite spectrum of you and me, Needle. Nevertheless, this does not justify such harsh criticisms. I was particularly incensed at the "lock you up" comments, especially when no one even bothered to clarify why this would be done.

There was one overtly helpful and resonable officer that responded. I respect him for chastising the very confrontational posters. I would like to believe that all officers operate using his level of integrity and open-mindedness. I unfortunately hate the feeling that I have to default to believing otherwise.
 
Dude; Your best chance to get away with carrying multiple knives will come with time. Grow up (older) and at least LOOK (semi) respectable and mature. I have my good-ol'-boy look honed to perfection. I am sure I am not often operating within the limit of the law so I tend to drive a bit slower, drink less publically and avoid acting the bonehead. I also have a good reason for carrying what I carry (usually a 7" Blackjack Model 1-7 Randall wanna-be Bowie) under the truck seat is the worst of it). Usually invented on the moment, but it never lacks for the grain of truth that gives it merit.
Sorry you have so long to travel. Your posts tend to reflect a man on the right path. Be observant, careful and polite. The combination of those 3 will keep you out of many situations which could easily be worse.
Those guys seem a little harsh, but this world isn't always just the way we think it should be. Gotta feel for those cops though.... They deal with really nice people who are up to no good all the time. You just look like another one to them....
 
You showed great restraint and feel ok with you carring whatever. As for the other guy, I shudder he carries a badge and cannot comprehend you where polite and simply asking a question.

Do not get sucked in to that type thread. Just kill them with politeness.

You did great.:thumbup:


Paul
 
If this was W&C, I would be able to more accurately state my opinion.

Ignorance and paranoia combined with massive ego and general idiocy.

I wonder what they would say about the knives I carry. . . Then again, I wouldn't even bother visiting that state, much less choose to live there. But you can probably find similar morons anywhere you go. Good reason to learn the laws for yourself.

When I asked a local cop about the MN knife laws, he was level headed and admitted he didn't know of any restrictions, aside from it being a bad idea to carry a huge knife into a bar. I was not threatened, or blustered at in an attempt to intimidate. I also was not questioned as to why I would wish to carry such a large knife. (9-10" blade)
 
WOW....I just read the responses to your questions.....After many years in law enforcement I am ashamed that they are sworn officers and are allowed to enforce any laws any where. The officer who referred to "double tapping" you is either four feet tall or wieghts over 500 lbs......Their law ( as NY-NYC) has some wording that may allow them to have issue with any knife, but you were asking a question in a professional manner......I don't know how they handle guys like that were you live, but if an officer said those statements about shooting you here, he would be in psyc services in the morning, and with out his gun in drivers training for the rest of his carreer....
 
That is assuming the guys there are actually cops, and not just some wannabe security guards playing badass over the internet.
 
Wow . . . don't exceed the speed limit in MA . . . apparently, we'd all be considered "dangerous criminals" there!
 
Its a shame when the police don't know the difference between carrying a weapon and carrying a tool.
I carry a knife everyday I use it to open boxes, packages ect. the only person i've ever cut was myself when the knife slipped.

GENERAL LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS:
Whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his
person, or carries on his person or under his control
in a vehicle,.....having a blade of over one and one-half inches.

It seem like unless you carry a small Swiss Army knife it is against the law.:jerkit:
 
simple. they owe you an apology. you'll never get it, but...

i'm constantly having to educate fellow officers about what is and is not legal regarding knives. biggest example (here in NY anyway) is that outside NYC there is -no legal length limit-. and lately i'm having to explain the difference between auto and assist.

some officers really thrive on the 'us' vs. 'them'. meaning you against anyone who isn't a cop.
 
TBAUGH7 said:
GENERAL LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS:
Whoever, except as provided by law, carries on his
person, or carries on his person or under his control
in a vehicle,.....having a blade of over one and one-half inches.

It seem like unless you carry a small Swiss Army knife it is against the law.:jerkit:
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That is for automatics, I believe.;)
 
Thank you for posting this. I knew MA was knife-unfriendly, but this is disgusting. Good to know since I live here, and probably fit several profiles (large teen male w/ long hair).

IS there any way on that forum to get badge numbers, or any other information? I might know "Mr. Double-tap." If he's who I think he is, he's a high school cop in Brockton who looks like Samuel L. Jackson and is surrounded by numerous reports of misconduct towards the students. This is quite his style.
 
tom19176 said:
WOW....I just read the responses to your questions.....After many years in law enforcement I am ashamed that they are sworn officers and are allowed to enforce any laws any where. The officer who referred to "double tapping" you is either four feet tall or wieghts over 500 lbs......Their law ( as NY-NYC) has some wording that may allow them to have issue with any knife, but you were asking a question in a professional manner......I don't know how they handle guys like that were you live, but if an officer said those statements about shooting you here, he would be in psyc services in the morning, and with out his gun in drivers training for the rest of his carreer....
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:thumbup: tom19176

After linking to that thread, I can honestly say that was one of the most disgusting threads I have ever read. :mad: Some of those replies were downright bizarre. Of all the people posting there (except the single voice of reason), you are the most intelligent, the most reasonable, the most articulate, and...the most mature. Don't dwell on the cr*p they spewed at you; as my partner used to say: "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still." You handled yourself perfectly.
 
Jeez there should be a way to report those moronic responses to the police department. I mean honestly, I have never heard such ignorant responses.
Oh well, I guess i'm a criminal since i'm a teen and carry a knife.:(

Momma tried to raise me right.......
 
NeedleRemorse,

Next time you want to ask a Police Officer something, ask a professional, not those wanna-bes on that other forum. I find it very hard to believe that any or all of those idiots are Police Officers. I notice that one is listed as a "Masscops Deputy Chief" but lists his age as 22yrs old! (Perhaps there is some other rational for these "Masscops" labels that I'm not aware of?) Ask your questions here and you will more than likely get some decent advice.

I have been a Police Officer for 22 years and I'm currently a Sergeant. If one of my guys wrote a post saying that he might shoot you twice in the head I would be recommending that he get a new psych evaluation.

Since I work in CT I can't really offer you any advice on MA laws, but I do know that things are very screwed up in that state. As I understand it, you need a background and fingerprint check just to get a permit to carry pepper spray. Meanwhile "the swimmer" (Teddy Kennedy) gets away with drowning some girl in an accident and still has a license!? If your knives are legal, and it sounds like they are, who cares how many you carry? I suggest that you move out of that state at your earliest possible opportunity.
 
I know several police officers personally...I used to train with one on a regular basis. By and large, they aren't bad folks. They just deal with degenerate pieces of sh#t all the time, and some of them, after a while, start to forget that not everyone they meet in life isn't a piece of sh@t. It isn't right or fair, it's just human nature. They sometimes need to be reminded that not all people they run into are a$$h*&$s. Any of you work in retail? If so, I bet you fall into the same trap with customers sometimes.
 
Holy mother of......

I didn't read every post in the thread because I was so livid after the first page.

"Mods ban this tool, I don't think he can read. This anti-police child is wasting our time." - MARINECOP:barf:

I lived in Adams, MA into my 20s, then moved to NY for a job with IBM. I am so glad I got out of the Peoples Republic of MA. They are going the way of California, banning everything and anything that is considered dangerous to ourselves. I heard they banned aftermarket exhaust systems for cars. If you replace your rotted out exhaust, it must be OEM. You cannot buy, say, a Borla stainless steel exhaust, that will not rot out, because it's slightly louder than OEM. If I am wrong about this, someone please correct me.

But back to the thread at hand. These cops sound like Green Beret Navy SEAL Special Forces Mercenaries etc. etc. THEY ARE RANK AND FILE LEOs, FOR GOD'S SAKE. And if you are carrying 2 OR MORE knives, there is not a damn thing they can LEGALLY do about it. They may "slam your face to the pavement", but in court, they could end up loosing their jobs.

Goddamn motherf...... oh I could unleash such a vile stream. I'm mad!

BTW, I was stopped the other day for expired inspection in my "souped up" 90 Mustang 5.0. The cop came up to the window and very politely inquired "Well, nice car. You must take this thing racing..." I replied "No, I just got done doing a lot of work on the engine. It sat in the garage for a while, that's why the expired inspection." He quickly wrote out a ticket, said "Get it inspected, drive it safe and have fun with it." I said "Thank you very much officer". What a nice NEW YORK trooper.
 
By the way, N.R. you are one of the most intelligent, mature, upstanding 17 yr old's in...well, probably the whole world.:thumbup:
 
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