more encounters with law enforcement.

ok, i'm convinced. there's a obvious explosion here in new mexico and arizona concerning the numbers of law enforcement of all kinds.
during this last series of romps in the southwest i had 4 different encounters.
i will begin with the first one.
i was camped out in the mountains about 20 miles west of las vegas new mexico. hanging out reading a book my dog alerted me to movement up on the ridge, about a 1/4 mile away.
i knew it was human just by the growl she made.
once she quit i took a nice hike down along the small spring fed creek. she constantly kept looking back and growling. i knew i was being followed.
after returning to my r.v. after about a 5 mile jaunt, my dog was just looking at the same spot as before, watching the spot with her i noticed a flash, assuming it was the sun on a pair of binoculars, i retrieved my pistol and yelled up the hill.
'who ever you are, show yourself, now!
nothing happened so i walked up the hill and found the obvious abandoned spot where someone was watching me.
about an hour later 3 forest service law enforcement rangers pull into my camp and surround my motorhome.
all exited their 4+4s with hands on weapons.
i exited my r.v. with empty hands, walked towards them with hands in obvious site and said, in exact terms,
'what can i do for the 3 of you, and why the f*ck have i been watched all day?'
one replied that they need to search my motorhome.
i asked what they were looking for.
illegals, marijuana and drugs, weapons etc.....was the basic answer.
i replied that since i seriously don't trust any of them i'd consider it if they called their supervisor, i may consider it once he was there.
after telling them i didn't care if it would take an hour or more, they agreed.
there was more back and forth to the conversation, and basically it was them convincing me that i needed to let them search everything or i'd go to jail.
an hour later he arrived, i explained to him why i wouldn't consent to a search by any of them, pulled out the little tape recorder from my pocket and clicked play.
the rangers all turned red in the face, gave me an evil glance and walked towards their trucks. i then called my lawyer friend, let the supervisor talk to him, my friend explaining what i do for a living and that we would consent if they put in writing that they were responsible for any breakage or theft and the search would only be conducted by the supervisor.
anyhow, they didn't search me.

about a month ago i posted about an encounter over picking apples.
i've been in the woods and living off the grid for 25 years. as time goes by i notice more and more law enforcement in my travels. it's almost to the point these encounters are becoming normal.

Could it be because of the area of the country you live in, due to all the "immigration" flap that's been going on?
Maybe the cops have been told to (finally) start cracking down on illegals a bit more?
Anyway cheers for standing up to them and making sure if they were going to search you or your property it was going to be "by the book"....

reply to post by Skippy1138


i'm a gringo, yet have hispanic and indian friends, all as american as myself. they seem to claim less encounters.
i'd love to say i think that is part of it, yet seriously i have my doubts.

I wasn't trying to imply you were Hispanic- I was just theorizing that they might be shaking down everybody a little more than usual, regardless of race..........
So, do have have any theories then why this might be happening? Do you feel like you are being targeted personally for some reason?

reply to post by Skippy1138


well sure, i've always had long hair, drive funky old vehicles etc....
i've always been targeted to a point, but the times i was were usually after being stopped for a tail light out or something similar.
i don't think they are after illegals in the slightest, i think they mostly leave them be.
they are after those of us americans who still enjoy a high level of personal freedom.
cracking down on those enjoying public lands, those who choose to live off the grid etc.....

Good for you! Your actions deserve a pat on the back.

We all must stand up each and every time we have an encounter and hold the Police feet to the fire. That is the only way we will have the America we deserve.

Everytime someone fails to stand up for our civil liberties we all lose.

IMO you are not who you want others to believe. You have your own personal lawyer and been living off the grid for 25 years and lets not the motorhome you call your residence.

reply to post by brokedown

Everytime someone fails to stand up for our civil liberties we all lose.

excellent.

reply to post by flycatch


i belive he stated that he had a lawyer firend not a personal lawyer two very different things props for standing up and who cares what he broadcasts him self to be?

Originally posted by flycatch
IMO you are not who you want others to believe. You have your own personal lawyer and been living off the grid for 25 years and lets not the motorhome you call your residence.

i'm not sure what you mean by this.
as far as the lawyer, i said in the op that he is a friend. have known him for years and have called him on more than one occasion to ask for advice.
am i a bad man for knowing a lawyer?
i also know a doctor/ surgeon who has been with doctors w/o borders for years, does this also make me bad?
i also have property and a cabin here in new mexico, yet spend most of my time traveling around the west.
what is it that you believe i want others to believe about me?
what am i not being truthful about?
who am i trying to deceive?

here's the thread from a month or so ago. i handles it quite different.
sometimes for me it's just a matter of respect. i have plenty as long as it is likewise.
almost arrested for apples

Originally posted by brokedown
Good for you! Your actions deserve a pat on the back.

We all must stand up each and every time we have an encounter and hold the Police feet to the fire. That is the only way we will have the America we deserve.

Everytime someone fails to stand up for our civil liberties we all lose.

Well .... yes .... and no.

The good:

The OP stood his ground in the face of state-sponsored criminals willing and able to kill or main him.


The bad and ugly:

There are 5 criminals still running around, armed and carrying badges, who remain anonymous. We have no licence plate numbers, no pictures, no names and no addresses. Major fail. When you have an infestation, you have to shine a serious light on the insect life so you know who/what you're dealing with.

The crimes committed by these miscreants today need to met by concrete, real-world consequences tomorrow. Time's almost up people - the system is collapsing because of systemic long-term corruption. This is not the time for empty posturing.

reply to post by praxis

We have no licence plate numbers, no pictures, no names and no addresses. Major fail.

i have all the badge numbers.

Originally posted by rubbertramp
i have all the badge numbers.

Post 'em! Do you know the specific dept they were with ??

reply to post by praxis


i'm not sure i want to go there yet. if ever.
i will say that they were carson national forest law enforcement rangers.

Originally posted by praxis

Originally posted by rubbertramp
i have all the badge numbers.

Post 'em! Do you know the specific dept they were with ??

No. Do not post them here. There is absolutely no reason to post them except probably for reasons that are against ATS Terms & Conditions Of Use:

1e.) Recruitment/Solicitation:

i) You will not use your membership at The Above Network, LLC site(s) for any type of recruitment to any causes whatsoever. You will not post, use the chat feature, use videos, or use the private message system to disseminate advertisements, chain letters, petitions, pyramid schemes, or any kind of solicitation for political action, social action, letter campaigns, or related online and/or offline coordinated actions of any kind.

Originally posted by rubbertramp
i'm not sure i want to go there yet. if ever.
i will say that they were carson national forest law enforcement rangers.

You silence today virtually guarantees more victims tomorrow.

Suppose these uniformed cowards kill someone tomorrow for simply protecting their rights? Can you live/deal with that?

Originally posted by praxis

Originally posted by rubbertramp
i'm not sure i want to go there yet. if ever.
i will say that they were carson national forest law enforcement rangers.

You silence today virtually guarantees more victims tomorrow.

Suppose these uniformed cowards kill someone tomorrow for simply protecting their rights? Can you live/deal with that?

it was a completely non-violent encounter. it would be different if it wasn't
your comparison to an illegal attempt at a search and killing is a bit much.

You are my kind of citizen

I also never allow any law enforcement to search me or my vehicle except at border crossings...

They often think people are frightened and don't know the laws and will let them search vehicles or people think they must submit to it, but it just isn't that way... They don't always have probable cause to search vehicles like in your case...

I usually hear them say they will get a court order , but then I say: when they get one to wake me up... They have never gone through with it.. If for some reason I knew they had probable cause then I would say yes to a search...
I have never been arrested or charged with a crime in my life thankfully..

When people don't stand up for their rights, they will not be afforded any... Sad truth