Sword fisherman BEWARE!!!!!!!

[The BEAST]

There is defintiely 2 sides to this. If they noticed you had fishing rods on your boat, you are probably either fishing OR wanting to appear as if you are fishing. If they turn on the lights and blue light you or hail you from a conservative distance you have opportunity to ditch contraband into a dark theater which would make retrieval almost impossible.

I agree that if the boat was truly only 2-3 boat lengths away and on a collision course then that was an unsafe condition. However, not many boats have rear view mirrors or a spotter looking rearward while running. Not many monitor Ch16 as required, either. I have a friend who was pulled over by a racing USCG "bumper boat" during daytime that they never noticed behind them, blue lights and all. They got close enough to shout at them before he or the crew ever realized they were there. They (USCG) assumed he was trying to elude them.

Mistakes happen on both sides because we are only human. Don't forget that when you chastize that LEO. Remember they do a job that most of us would never even consider doing. Cut them a break every now and then! I'm sure at sometime one of them has relaxed the law a bit on you.

[iriesoul]

I am a licensed USCG captain of course I had it on 16 on my run But in the panic of the moment and trying to save my life and other on board I had no time to react and pick up the horn to call a mayday or anything. I was trying to avoid a collision!!!!!!!!! There is no excuse for this. They definitely came across like they were just having fun at our expense. I have no problem with coasties or whoever wanting to see what we are up to out there but they must follow protocol and be safe in doing so. They had no reason to think we were acting suspicious I was holding my course and never altered. I was no t even running that fast. They could have easily hailed me on 16 or announced there presence on there loud speaker and asked me to slow my vessel so they could speak with us. I was very tired and they put my life and everyone else on boards in danger as well as there own!

[JahMussa]

We got checked the other night in front of Boca. Running in.. I look back and see a boat off my port side. Figuring it was the Costies... we keep running until they turned on the lights. They too asked what were were doing and wanted to check for fish.

This rigid I think had triple Verado's. The big question is WHY did'nt we see them on radar?? This is twice that we have had been stopped and can't find them on radar... before they stop us or after we leave. Sneaky!!!!

[The BEAST]

iriesoul,

I'm not saying things didn't happen exactly as you portrayed. Maybe there laughter was from nervousness. After all, in their minds eye, maybe, just maybe, they had no idea who you were... what you were really doing... why you didn't stop... if you maybe had weapons... etc... hence the drawn weapons. I'm sure you asked for names and badge numbers so you could address this problem, formally. Right?

Look, I'm not throwing stones, but rather trying to let eveyone know that they are human also. Very few on this forum have a job that is scrutinized and disliked as much as an LEO. We only love 'em when we need 'em!

TEK,

The rubber boats have very little reflective properties (solid mass). Kind of like a wooden channel marker as opposed to concrete. Most of us run our radar gain too low, preventing cluster interference, to effectively pick up these bumper boats. When drifting, as opposed to running, they show up much better.

[The BEAST]

We wanted enforcement for these illegal buoy guys and illegal Sword sales etc... Well get used to it Darkside Cowboys! It appears the Marshall's are in town!

[ameristrat]

That's just ridiculous... I agree with almost everyone here - I mean, it is important to hold up the law and really respect those who do that but to put someone else's lives in danger for... what? What exactly were there grounds for almost hitting you - that's corruption and its ridulous - I don't blame you, I would have s*** myself

[Boboe]

Originally Posted by The BEAST

You are from Houston Texas and don't risk a 99.9% chance that your boat will be stolen from your back yard or slip to make a smuggling run to our shores.

So this means that 999 out of 1000 people who have a boat in their backyard gets it stolen? Sweet. I can make up stats too.

Originally Posted by The BEAST

but c'mon, give them an edge by at least allowing them to sneak up without lights.

There's a difference in sneaking up without lights and hauling ass on a collision course without lights. Also, since you stated in your original that they are using night vision etc and there's just NO WAY that they could have collided, why wouldn't they have know that these guys were FISHING and not smuggling?

Originally Posted by The BEAST

How absurd a theory to think that law enforcement could be effective, being forced to obey all laws, while trying to apprehend someone who has no regard for any laws.

The cops need to follow the same laws we do. They are not ABOVE the law. That mentality is what gets you an abusive, overpowered police state.

Originally Posted by The BEAST

My daughter is a Miami-Dade police officer and according to her, people like YOU are the biggest deterent to her doing her job.

People like me. Oh, you must mean the law-abiding, self-protecting citizen. Right. I'm surely part of the problem.

Originally Posted by The BEAST

So! Since you feel this way, should I believe that you have had 911 service disconnected from you telephone? Riiiiight

My do you have a great way of simplifying an argument and entirely forgetting the relevant details.

I have 911 service. Shit, you must have won the argument! No, I forgot, there's more to it than that. Certainly you are aware that 911 connects you to more than just the police. It connects you to the fire department and EMS. For those reasons I maintain 911 service, not for cops.

As for where I live, I live part of the year in Houston and Austin, TX, and the other part in BFE Alaska. Cops? Right. If you need the cops--even in Anchorage--you're better off saving the time spent on 911 and using it to arm yourself. The reason I know this is because an Alaskan I dated for 2 years and all those who live near her have done just that. They do not pay for police protection, and are simply an armed populace.

We have all of 2 cops in the town I live in in Alaska, and you don't call them unless you just want them to clean up the crime scene. They're good for macing people (including themselves) after bar fights and removing dead moose from the road.

Originally Posted by The BEAST

BTW, it hilarious that you used the broken/malfuntioning speedometer excuse as an example. It is the #1 excuse used in court for speeding violations!

Yes, I understand that it's an often used excuse. But it's a laughable one also. It does not get you out of a ticket unless you can prove that your speedometer is indeed broken.

Defendant: My speedometer is broken, your honor. I didn't know how fast I was going!

Judge: Do you have any way to prove that?

Defendant: Uhm...no.

Judge: Guilty. Pay the clerk.

And lastly....
If you really do believe that the feds in their speedboat intended to turn on their light bar way before this, do you also believe that their spotlight was inoperative at that exact same time? There's way too much to indicate negligence and recklessness on the part of the feds on this one to believe their story.

[Big Squid]

If I had a small penis and did not know how to catch fish, I would ride around at night and harass lawabiding citizens also. When you can not go to college and some law enforcement agency gives you a badge to hide behind it makes sense to use it to have a little fun. It gets boring looking for the next boat load of Hatians approaching our coast line. These guys put their life on the line protecting us from terrorists. Osama and the Muslim crew are avid boaters and we need to be protected from them and the Cuban and Hatian refugees who are coming to take over our country. I could not think of a better way to spend tax dollars.

[Tunachaser]

But were your 471 DETRIOT'S 'bellerin'?????

[savanna lynn]

flir has a new hand held night vision gun armed with that you can have the same technology to us against them i get stopped every time i go across and am sick of it if i had 10 people on board i'd understand they just profile. with my name on my boat youd think they would do a radio check back to base and see if you really fit the profile. badges give the all the power in the world right!!!!! i don't think so .

[savanna lynn]

btw iresoul thanks for the heads up

[The BEAST]

savanna lynn,

have you forgotten? They are not allowed to profile. So that means they must stop Joe Q Public as well.

BTW. They don't stop to pull the names off the sides of stolen boats. It gives them the John Q. Public look. They did find a stolen 31 contender cuddy im the Mangroves a few weeks back. IT had been gutted to hold more people and fuel... below deck. You didn't think they would run them in plain view on deck? They look just like you running across from the Islands.

[iriesoul]

No worries just wanted everyone to know whats goin on. Also I saw a boat out fishing that was laying bouys on the north drift. They only had 3 bouys out that I saw. It was a big sport fish. Asked a few people about this and was told they were illegaly fishing with bouys. Just another heads up. Not sure myself but definately looked odd that they only had out 3 or 4 bouys

[Warbird]

You want to talk about a waste of tax payers money. Bso controlling port everglades. I work in the port everyday. where I go threw a check point to get in. 50 bucks for an id a year. This makes me feel real safe. Most of the time its not even a real cop, its a rent a cop. If you for what ever reason dont have your port id on you. they will not let you in. But if your a terrorist or a convicted felon you can tell them your going to get on a cruise and they will let you in no questions asked. This is great homeland security. What it comes down to is this a great revenue for them. oh yea you guys are gonna love this one. When you come threw gate they ask you if you have any weapons. How long and how much money did they pay someone to come up with that great tactic.

[reeltherapy]

iriesoul,

I appreciate your post. I had a near miss with the sub just outside PBI about this time last year. The cutter was at least 3/4 mile away and it (the sub)was so eratic in manuevers I figured it had to be a newbie with the remote in hand. It all the sudden turns at us and passed just behind my transom lines and under my outriggers without hanging either Seatow wasn't able to keep up with the thing that night and they came blitzing up only after they almost sawed me in half.

Anyway, We all understand the important role Law enforcement plays. We know we need to protect our borders shores and ports. These guys have a difficult job and I would say that the majority are top shelf.

That being said, an incident like this should be investigated. IMhumbleO, with the information you've given here, there's no excuse for putting the very lives in danger for which you are sworn in to protect.

Too many bad things can come from these type of actions. I for one want these guys out there but not clowning around like that.

ReelT

[The BEAST]

Originally Posted by Boboe

So this means that 999 out of 1000 people who have a boat in their backyard gets it stolen? Sweet. I can make up stats too.

Not made up, maybe embellished a little. Read the Florida Sportsman forum and take note that not a week goes by that someone doesn't report on there of a stolen boat. Someone quoted the stats for Palmetto Bay, a small community just north of the Marina. It was something like 400 boat thefts in the past year. My boat has been boarded and attempted theft 3 times in the last 2 months AT THE MARINA with security guards. We can't even leave a bottle of sunscreen onboard. I pay $6500 a year for insurance on agreed $125K. Only about 3 companies that will write insurance in Miami-Dade.

There's a difference in sneaking up without lights and hauling ass on a collision course without lights. Also, since you stated in your original that they are using night vision etc and there's just NO WAY that they could have collided, why wouldn't they have know that these guys were FISHING and not smuggling?

Were you there? Are you a trial expert in judging speed at night from 1500 miles away. This argument began by taking a shot at degrading Law Enforcement and you have no idea if the story was embellished a bit as seen through frightened eyes. Are you SURE it was 2-3 boat lengths? Could it have been 4 or 5, maybe 6? Things look much different at night especially when surprised and scared. He stated he was running in, not fishing, my man. How many lines can you run at cruise speed? Again. You weren't there?

The cops need to follow the same laws we do. They are not ABOVE the law. That mentality is what gets you an abusive, overpowered police state.

OK, When a 911 call comes in are they held to the same standards as you and I. I guess everyone is OK with seeing them run lights and sirens on an emergency call and doing the speed limit or waiting at a red light. Sorry Dude... I'll give them a bit of leeway so they can get to me or my family as quickly as possible. Let us not forget that rescue has less authority so they might as well not even have lights and sirens in your world. I can just imagine the complaints when someone gets shot and dies, 2 minutes before the cops and EMT arrive because they caught a couple of red lights.

People like me. Oh, you must mean the law-abiding, self-protecting citizen. Right. I'm surely part of the problem.

No! By you I meant people who automatically have a hatred for law enforcement until you need them. Then complain that they didn't get there fast enough or whatever the complaint de jours.

My do you have a great way of simplifying an argument and entirely forgetting the relevant details.

I have 911 service. Shit, you must have won the argument! No, I forgot, there's more to it than that. Certainly you are aware that 911 connects you to more than just the police. It connects you to the fire department and EMS. For those reasons I maintain 911 service, not for cops.

As for where I live, I live part of the year in Houston and Austin, TX, and the other part in BFE Alaska. Cops? Right. If you need the cops--even in Anchorage--you're better off saving the time spent on 911 and using it to arm yourself. The reason I know this is because an Alaskan I dated for 2 years and all those who live near her have done just that. They do not pay for police protection, and are simply an armed populace.

We have all of 2 cops in the town I live in in Alaska, and you don't call them unless you just want them to clean up the crime scene. They're good for macing people (including themselves) after bar fights and removing dead moose from the road.

And lastly....
If you really do believe that the feds in their speedboat intended to turn on their light bar way before this, do you also believe that their spotlight was inoperative at that exact same time? There's way too much to indicate negligence and recklessness on the part of the feds on this one to believe their story.

I haven't forgotten squat. I read his post 3 times and you know what. If I read it a 4th time it is still only one side of the story. Damn, he said they apologized and upon calling their supervisor he apologized and admitted they made some mistakes. Not good enough for some of you though. What do you want to come of this at this point? Some more degradation and "pig" talk?

You da man, Boboe. I hope you never need fire/rescue either because as I said your house will burn to the ground if they have to wait for those traffic lights and obey all street laws. God knows we don't want them running one stinking mile an hour over the speed limit. Screw your house or whoever is dying in a wrecked car in a ditch. God love you... you are tough! Would you be so tough if your kid needed police/emergency help?

Hopefully you will be able to defend yourself/family 24/7/365 and won't have to keep Andy & Barney from removing those dead moose. They like it better that way, I'm sure. Dead moose won't kill them and have their kids left crying tomorrow without their parent. You see the difference is that we live in S. Florida, a tricounty area of about 3 million people, not Mayberry.

And lastly... Do you really think he would've stopped for someone who is spotting him with a Q beam? Do you know that they didn't hail him on Ch. 16? Did he have his radio on Ch 16? If he did, was the volume up high enough to hear over the motors or was it down low while they were talking about the awesome night of fishing they just had? We only heard one side and not having been there we should not make assumptions.

Listen guys... I was indifferent, until I met several of the FWC, MDPD Marine, Customs, Border, Homeland, etc. LEO guys who run out of my marina. Then to top it off, my daughter is a MDPD officer for 4 years now. Sit down and have some small talk with them. You will learn that they are regular everyday people doing a job that no one else wants to do, just like the military. They put their lives out their to try and keep you safe. Not just guns, knives, fists, but the threat of dieases like Hepatitus C and HIV/AIDS just by making an arrest on a domestic violence call. They have about the same welcome in society that I got when I returned home from the Viet Nam conflict.

Talk to them and listen, just listen, to some of the shit that they have to put up with from some of the "upstanding citizens" not to mention the dregs that they deal with daily. Maybe you'll understand, then.

I UNDERSTAND NOW! I want my daughter to come home every night to my grandsons.

Good God, imagine if we didn't have these people to try and keep law and order! It's out of control... with them. The Old West would look like kindergarten class compared to today... without them.

[szarawani]

not taking any side but just pointing out some, legal stuff. The state cops are allowed ,to run red lights, depends on the circumstance, but they are allowed to do it. Infact, if i am not mistaken or unless the law changed, all federal vehicles are allowed to run red lights as well depending on the circumstance (yes even a mail truck can do it depending on the emergency). Please also remeber you guys are mixing levels of govt. Federal and state. What one can do sometimes the other cannot. Running red lights is for everyone, i am going to police academy. Now i am not going to research it, beast you can ask your daughter and she will be more accurate then i am. I am just remembering a lecture from law school, where i was hung over from the night before after driving home over the legal limit. (i have never been arrested for a dui so i am 1 up on the system).
Here in the UAE i get stopped all the time and allow myself to be stopped by uae police, but i run like hell from the iranians. And the driving mentioned about being run over is standard here, and i doubt they have had the training the US gives its officers, and i know their equipment is crap compared to the US. Then again I cant complain or i will go to jail. It is nice to be able to argue and speak your mind. You live in the greatest country on the planet. Now please continue the debate, makes me homesick.

[bajakian]

Sorry to pile on Beast. I am sure that there are some good officers, but my experience with Coast Guard and Fl Marine Patrol has also been pretty poor. I have been boarded in bad seas by ignorant officers who themselves dont know the rules, busting my balls for no reason and writing petty tickets that I appealed and had dismissed by their superior officer.
I have been pulled over and hassled for over an hour when returning from the Bahamas despite having all my papers and safety equipment in order, and having a legal catch.
I just got a "routine" safety check at midnight while returning from swording a few weeks ago. Even though he didnt ask for my safety equipment! In my opinion and experience, there are too many officers that are not well trained and get off on bullying and hassling the citizens that they are sworn and paid to protect. I am not saying that I dont want them out there doing the job that they are paid to do, but their hassling and abusing good citizens is NOT part of their job description. Helping and protecting them is-If they dont know the difference, then they should not be out there. And complaining when they are out of order is our right and responsibilty. They also have the right to defend their behavior if it is questioned and was appropriate.

[Sopla2o]

Originally Posted by The BEAST

Damn, he said they apologized and upon calling their supervisor he apologized and admitted they made some mistakes. Not good enough for some of you though. What do you want to come of this at this point? Some more degradation and "pig" talk?

Beast, that is not the purpose of the post... It is for awareness and a "heads up" to BE CAREFUL with these guys. Although the supervisor admitted there were "some mistakes" we do not know the extent of their involvement in other incidents.... Incidents unrelated to this one. Internal Affairs/Professional Compliance is run by (at least at MDPD) supervisors, (Sergeants and above), impartial and from another building unrelated to the daily troops. The fact that the supervisor is aware of the incident does not mean that these guys will not do it again and (maybe next time), with deadly results. Many times I would "quash" the daily complaint from a citizen on an officer's rudeness or his improper actions.

However, at no point can you allow an officers/agents agents to cross the line into dangerous or inappropriate behavior. If it was an isolated incident, then they have nothing to worry about. If its a continual pattern of complaints and incidents, internal affairs will have the documented incidents. All that is being requested by following up with the incident is not a "termination" or a "reprimand with days off"... Just a heads up on the officer's actions. Maybe it was an isolated incident or similar event or he got caught up in the heat of the moment. However, if its otherwise it needs to be addressed and proper action taken.

[Sopla2o]

Originally Posted by The BEAST

savanna lynn,

They are not allowed to profile.

Come on Beats ... Your Kidding right.....