Having your boat searched?

[Bubba1235]

Was on the water on a friends boat a couple days ago at one of the local lakes. We were sitting in a small cove under the shade of a some nice trees when the local DNR (Department of Natural Resources) came by, tuned in and said they wanted to check the saftey gear. No problem, the boat has everything in place.

Once done with that, they decided they wanted to search the boat. My friend said sure, knock yourself out and they went through every available cubby hole looking for who knows what.

My friend is an easy going sort but had it been my boat I don't think I would have been nearly as gracious. The DNR is not the police nor do they have any right to search anything (other than a safety check). No I don't have anything illegal to hide, but I am getting fed up with how all our rights to privacy are being ran over.

Just a show of hands, how many of you would allow an unwarranted search of your boat and everything on it or your person? Speaking for myself, I would have told them to go pound sand.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Having your boat searched?

you best back up, DNR, Coast Guard, Marine patrol, local water police, have the authority to board you boat at any time. you refusal will get you arrested, and boat confiscated. a marijuana seed in a boat will get your boat confiscated. it is a '0" tolerance law, here.

 

[angler53]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Probable appropriation of funds for the entire spectrum of law enforcements.
Find a seed, plant a seed if you don't play well. Boat truck and usable gear for the bottom feeders. Money to stuff the pockets of trial lawyers on the way to the top.
It's a sad day for once free Americans.

Sarcasm at full throttle

 

[10 FOOT INVADER]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Never give permission for a search. If they have pc they will search . If they are asking just say no.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Having your boat searched?

When your friend was asked to search the boat, he said "knock yourself out". What did you expect the officers would do then? They can search wherever they want when they have the owner's permission. How was his right to privacy violated?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Having your boat searched?

You could have just said no.

I'm sure it varies by jurisdiction but around here DNR has the right to request to see safety equipment and look in any cooler, fish box, etc. for game violations. If they request further inspections it's your derogative to grant that privilege or not.

Since your friend said "sure go ahead the knock yourself out" they did.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Not in my state, (Missouri) ALL law enforcement MUST have probable cause to search your car, boat, home, whatever.

And on this point, you are terribly misinformed. Federal waterway laws are the same everywhere in the country. State owned lakes and rivers are one thing, but interstate waterways (of which MO shares several) are another.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Having your boat searched?

If they are respectful about it...why not. I personally wouldn't have anything to hide so I would let them knock themselves out.
What I respond to more than the matter at hand is the delivery. If they are abusive or provocative etc I might push back a bit more. However if they are just doing their job, polite, reasonable...then no problem.
On the flip side, if you push back just because they asked then you might find yourself a search target every time you move out there. Usually you get what you give or what comes around goes around
BP

 

[199675hpforce]

Re: Having your boat searched?

If i said no your saying you can be arrested lol? I thought if you said nothing your ok and go deef mute. If you say no thats not probable cause.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Having your boat searched?

It seems as tho in Missouri the DNR has pretty extensive powers. Also in Florida DNR is looking for violations of fish and wildlife quotas and will look anywhere to find them if granted permission. Check this out...

State Park Rangers' authority and jurisdiction is derived from Chapter 253.065 RSMO. Each park ranger employed by the director of the Department of Natural Resources shall be certified by the director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, as provided in Chapter 590, RSMO. Each person shall take an oath of office to perform his/her duties faithfully and impartially and shall be given a certificate of commission as a peace officer for state parks. The commission shall grant him/her the same powers as other peace officers to maintain order, preserve the peace and make arrests for violations of law on all land and property under the jurisdiction and control of the director and on all state and county highways within the boundaries of state parks

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Having your boat searched?

I wouldn't put up with it. I'd be polite, and if they demanded a search, I wouldn't interfere, but I'd make it absolutely clear that there was no consent granted.

I don't have anything to hide either, but I shouldn't have to PROVE I'm not a criminal.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Can't imagine the DNR in Missouri not being able to search your boat. Sure would be nice to load up on an illegal/over limit catch and just throw it in the cooler without having to worry about the game wardens!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Here in NJ we have CG, Municipal Police and State Police patroling our waters. If a town has water touching it, they have their police out in boats. You therefore have multiple towns checking you out, along with teh state and federal gov't.

My town has police patroling lagoons on weekends. I asked what they were looking for, and was told expired stickers. I think that is a monmental waste of taxpayer funds, ($50K for a boat plus officer overtime) to get a few residents for expired stickers!!

Some years ago I was flounder fishing with a neighbor. We were anchored in a group (25+) of boats. A CG patrol boat weaved thru the boats to board/inspect us. I suspect because it was the largest (35') boat in the group. We passed the inspection, but I wonder what was the purpose in singling us out.

Another neighbor's kid joined the CG. He quit after a year or so citing that he wanted to help people, but the CG wanted to hassle people. I hope this is not true of all CG groups.

 

[sunaj]

Re: Having your boat searched?

I'm with you Bubba, I think it sucks, and frankly the attitude among citizens is what has allowed it to happen. "I don't have anything to hide?" Bull, in this puritan culture everything fun IS against the law, but certainly not against the Constitution, and almost everyone DOES have something to hide. Let's be reasonable here, there isn't a freaking thing wrong with lots of what is illegal and will get you fined, taken to jail etc. Part of the idea of putting up barriers to police powers is to allow you to live in relative peace unless you are really doing something that is truly against the public good. I swear, people have become Pharisees when it comes to laws, as if we were meant to live by some of the ridiculous codes on the books.
There isn't any reason for a cop of any kind to search your boat unless they have a good reason, they work for us, they are paid by our taxes, citizens ought to retake their society back

 

[chicknwing]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Here even if you are not in your boat, say you are in your truck and your boat is still trailered. The officers here hassle you before you ever unload. I always tell him no. I see no reason for him to check my stuff while it is still attached to my truck. He always wants to call it a courtesy inspection. Slowly we are becoming a communist country. We will have no rights, the state will decide what is in our best interests. Unless the great people of this country will unite and tell the government to shove it. This is suppose to be a government of the people, for the people, by the people. All our government is, is a way for lawyers to get rich. Just my $.02.

TC

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Having your boat searched?

Here in VA, DGIF (Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries) officers have as much power as the state police in certain areas, but that is beside the point IMO. Your friend did as I would have. These guys have to put up with azzwipes all the time. Why not make their life a little easier? They are understaffed and underpayed while trying to keep trouble off of the water and out of the woods...cut them some slack.

 

[redfury]

Re: Having your boat searched?

I really can't imagine what they were looking for specifically, but I do have a question. Did the lake you were fishing on have slot limits?

 

[biscayne]

Re: Having your boat searched?

I would have no problem letting them search. If they were rude or disrespectful in your opinion, then well, I would focus on the positive side of things. They will probably employ the same rude, disrespectful behaviors when they stumble upon a batch of drugs on someone else's boat that once removed from their owners hands may possibly save your life. I will suffer for a few minutes if it may save my life later. Just my two cents.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Having your boat searched?

the way I see it, im hiding nothing, I have all the proper equipment. they are free to check it out

 

[RisqueBznss]

Re: Having your boat searched?

It's a no win situation. There are plenty of napoleon complex patrolmen on the water. My lake has one that is really bad that harrasses most everyone. I am respectful but will not back down when treated unfairly. I had a run in with him and ended up in jail and eventually in court. He didn't know I got affidavits from 4 people nearby on shore. The judge reprimanded him for no cause. Now I am a marked man.

The best way is to avoid being targeted in first place. In my case he was over 300 yards away when engaging in stopping me, verified by 4 witnesses I did not know. But do what you can do. Keep people seated while underway, watch no wake zones etc.....They will take any little opportunity to search a boat in order to find something bigger.