imported post
Also from the non-lawyer, limited knowledge of local laws...
While I was in the Coast Guard, the first thing we asked someone when boarding their boats was "Sir (or Ma'am), Without reaching for or touching them, Do you have any weapons on board?" When they answered in the affirmative, we would ask about type and location. We would then send a boarding team member to make the weapon safe (unload the weapon and put the ammunition somewhere else in the boat away from the weapon). We would assure the boat owner that it was not illegal for them to have the weapons aboard, but we needed to secure them for OfficerSafety. In 22 years, I never had a problem with a boater unless theyhad an outstanding warrantor BG's with a record. Law-abiding boaters didn't have a problem with our methods. When leaving the vessel, we would tell the master of the vessel where he could find the weapon(s) and ammunition.
In the case of a landlubber police officer ignorant about the law, I would go with discretionbeing the better part of valor. Ask politely ifitis department policy to voilate the Second Amendment Rights of citizens and ask if thereis a supervisor available. Chances are, his sphincter is already tight enough to make a diamond from a lump of coal and he has called for backup because of the situation.
I seriously doubt a young inexperienced officer is going to make the call on his own. Hopefully, you have a digital voice recorder (as everyone has suggested I purchase ASAP) and have recorded the conversation. In this situation, you're most likely already staring down the muzzle of a .38 or 9mm that looks like the mouth of the CBBT from where you stand.
I would comply with task direction and ask questions later.
When a hardened criminal was aprehended by the Coast Guard and turned over to the FBI, he was asked why he didn't try to shoot it out with the Coast Guard boarding team. His response was chilling: "I was afraid of getting shot. These Coasties are all very young. I know how a veteran cop or fed is going to react to catching me. I'm afraid of getting killed by one of these kids that isn't even old enough to buy a pistol and has a fraction of the training the rest of the law enforcement community has!"
I was an 18 year old "kid" at the time. I was authorized to carry a fully automatic
M-16, a 12 gauge riot shotgun and the .45 ACP pistol. I always wondered why people were so polite when we came aboard their boats... :shock: