fscottdahlgren
New member
imported post
Dear All,
This afternoon I went to pick my truck up from the dealership via train and bus. In route, I was stopped by multiple MARTA officers[sic]. They encircled me, one officer[sic] placed his hand on my firearm, and another demanded my GFL.
ME "Am I free to go."
OFFICER[sic] "No."
ME "For what am I being detained"
OFFICER[sic] "You are not being detained"
ME "Who is your commanding officer?"
OFFICER[sic] "I'll tell you when I'm done with you."
After being threatened with arrest, I informed them I was involuntarily giving them my licence, and I believed their demands to be illegal. After giving over my GFL and state ID, I was not allowed to go on my way. Instead, they retained my identification and demanded I exit the train. However, I was encircled and could not attempt to exit without running into a MARTA officer[sic]. I simply asked "Am I free to go" while he demanded I leave the train. Eventually, he stepped right up to my face and said, "I'm going to ask you one last time to get off the train." To which I replied, "Sir, there is no free path to exit the train."
After leaving the train, they finally answered "Am I free to go" with a "Yes", but they had not returned my identification to me. And, they refused to return my identification to me until I pulled my coat over my firearm; however, this was the first time they asked me to do so. They behaved as though this were the source of the issue all along. They told me they had removed me from the train because my firearm was scaring the people.
Note, I never, ever place my hands anywhere near my firearm while in public, especially to continually pull the waistband over my firearm. I was standing straight up, with my hands on the square of my back, chin up the entire train ride. I smiled and nodded at anyone who made eye contact, and addressed everyone as "Sir" or "Ma'am". I kept a close tally on everyone entering and exiting the train, but other than that I made my absolute best effort to avoid any suspicious behavior.
They finally told me I had been detained "for openly carrying a firearm you must carry concealed". They provided me with the name Sergeant Hodges, returned my ID, and left me in peace.
I had to wait another 20 minutes for the next train. I missed my connecting bus, and had to wait an additional 40 minutes for the bus. No big deal. After I picked up my truck, I called the headquarters. The Officer informed me there was no record of removing me from the train, and this is against their policy. I went to the station to file a formal complaint and obtain a written copy of their policy, but was given a witness statement which I left blank and took home. The Lieutenant on duty refused to give me a copy of the policy under which I was detained, but insisted they had the "right" to detain anyone carrying a firearm. She explicitly stated they had this right because they want to take all the gangsters' guns away, implying I was a gangster. She told me to "google it".
I am posting this largely because I want to know what I should do, if anything. I'm tempted to hire a lawyer, but I would really just like an honest apology for the rudeness, inconvenience, and being treated like a thug. More important than that, I want to make sure my record stays squeaky clean for my security clearance. I'm tempted to call Sunday from work and work my way up the chain of command until I get a reasonable Officer. I'm thinking when their caller ID says "US Government" I might get an ounce of respect.
Thanks,
Scott
Dear All,
This afternoon I went to pick my truck up from the dealership via train and bus. In route, I was stopped by multiple MARTA officers[sic]. They encircled me, one officer[sic] placed his hand on my firearm, and another demanded my GFL.
ME "Am I free to go."
OFFICER[sic] "No."
ME "For what am I being detained"
OFFICER[sic] "You are not being detained"
ME "Who is your commanding officer?"
OFFICER[sic] "I'll tell you when I'm done with you."
After being threatened with arrest, I informed them I was involuntarily giving them my licence, and I believed their demands to be illegal. After giving over my GFL and state ID, I was not allowed to go on my way. Instead, they retained my identification and demanded I exit the train. However, I was encircled and could not attempt to exit without running into a MARTA officer[sic]. I simply asked "Am I free to go" while he demanded I leave the train. Eventually, he stepped right up to my face and said, "I'm going to ask you one last time to get off the train." To which I replied, "Sir, there is no free path to exit the train."
After leaving the train, they finally answered "Am I free to go" with a "Yes", but they had not returned my identification to me. And, they refused to return my identification to me until I pulled my coat over my firearm; however, this was the first time they asked me to do so. They behaved as though this were the source of the issue all along. They told me they had removed me from the train because my firearm was scaring the people.
Note, I never, ever place my hands anywhere near my firearm while in public, especially to continually pull the waistband over my firearm. I was standing straight up, with my hands on the square of my back, chin up the entire train ride. I smiled and nodded at anyone who made eye contact, and addressed everyone as "Sir" or "Ma'am". I kept a close tally on everyone entering and exiting the train, but other than that I made my absolute best effort to avoid any suspicious behavior.
They finally told me I had been detained "for openly carrying a firearm you must carry concealed". They provided me with the name Sergeant Hodges, returned my ID, and left me in peace.
I had to wait another 20 minutes for the next train. I missed my connecting bus, and had to wait an additional 40 minutes for the bus. No big deal. After I picked up my truck, I called the headquarters. The Officer informed me there was no record of removing me from the train, and this is against their policy. I went to the station to file a formal complaint and obtain a written copy of their policy, but was given a witness statement which I left blank and took home. The Lieutenant on duty refused to give me a copy of the policy under which I was detained, but insisted they had the "right" to detain anyone carrying a firearm. She explicitly stated they had this right because they want to take all the gangsters' guns away, implying I was a gangster. She told me to "google it".
I am posting this largely because I want to know what I should do, if anything. I'm tempted to hire a lawyer, but I would really just like an honest apology for the rudeness, inconvenience, and being treated like a thug. More important than that, I want to make sure my record stays squeaky clean for my security clearance. I'm tempted to call Sunday from work and work my way up the chain of command until I get a reasonable Officer. I'm thinking when their caller ID says "US Government" I might get an ounce of respect.
Thanks,
Scott
