imported post
A little note on something I've been through...
I have already been 'arrested' for defying the Democrat Agenda, and owning guns.
There is a lot of good information here for dealing with cops who are the perfect henchmen of big brother. How to assert your rights, how to sue the crap out of them later. All good stuff.
But what happens when they threaten to Baker Act you? I faced this one and was ignorant. I was hauled off to the funny farm for owning guns and vocally stating that democrats are change for the worse.
I was told that I would sign myself in voluntarily, or I would be baker acted. How dare I not be a Democrat... As usual, most of the documentation no longer exists, there is only my experience, and several witnesses.
I retrospect, I should have let them baker act me. At the time, I was afraid of having my guns confiscated, as in Florida, you can't own guns if declared mentally incompetent. Baker Acting someone is exactly that. And anyone can do it, even a total stranger. I've come to learn that smart cops, in states where this practice is allowed, often realize they have made a shaky or false arrest, and just cop-out by taking a person to be baker acted instead of prison. The rules governing it are far more subjective, and often allow personal beliefs, including the political, as grounds for the matter.
Had I known then what I know now, I would have forced their hand and had them Baker Act me. They wouldn't be able to destroy the records then, because they would have to retain them to justify holding me at all. Without the records of the event, there could be no way to justify the matter. Now, I'm faced with total denial and have no recourse. It's as if it never happened.
Having done research on this tactic now, I see that it has been done in other countries that surge for gun-control. Can it be coincidence that this occurred just a month after the election, and only days after I protested at a Gun Buy Back event?
They're pulling out all the stops now. Perhaps I'm at a disadvantage, living in a vehemently blue state. They get away with anything here.
IANAL, but could I go back and do things differently, I would have let them Baker Act me. Consider this if it happens to you.