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Caching next to a police officer.


Coldgears

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He the "killjoys" just likes to leave fodder for more threads.

 

(I thought we were having this discussion anyway)

 

I once grabbed an LPC and when I was about to sign it a cop pulled up right in front of the cache. There was no one else around. I slowly signed it, put it back and slowly walked away, being sure to walk in front of his car rather than in the bushes (which were my other option). Not a word out of him. He didn't even ask to sign it.

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Somepeople like knowschad killjoys have stopped a thread from going off topic. I have personally geocached less then 10 feet from a police officer in his car, he didn't say a word to me.

 

This about sharing your experiences.

:lol: OK... I can wear that t-shirt.

 

I have ridden to caches next to a cop. So, there. And I wasn't even handcuffed.

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Somepeople like knowschad killjoys have stopped a thread from going off topic. I have personally geocached less then 10 feet from a police officer in his car, he didn't say a word to me.

 

This about sharing your experiences.

 

I have not past experiences to share, but if the opportunity ever came up I think I'd enjoy geocaching alongside Clan Riffster.

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I once found a film can hanging from a hook inside a hedge in a cemetery. I took it over near the entrance to sign it because there was a flat surface at the welcoming sign. As I was getting ready to return it, a police car rolls out from the back and parked right next to the hedge. I took a walk around the cemetery, but he was not going to leave.

 

What a quandary I have found myself in! I can't wait too long, since I am on a lunch break.

 

I came back around and I was thinking of just telling the guy what I am going to do. But he did not look at me, so I just replaced it and he did not stop his computer work in the police car. Guess he had more important things to do.

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I once found a regular size cache hidden in front of a police station. It was hidden by officers who work at the station, and the initial trade items included baseball-style cards with information about the officers.

 

Friends of ours retrieved a cache once that was at a police station. The container was an ammo can made up to look like a police car.

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I once found a regular size cache hidden in front of a police station. It was hidden by officers who work at the station, and the initial trade items included baseball-style cards with information about the officers.

 

Friends of ours retrieved a cache once that was at a police station. The container was an ammo can made up to look like a police car.

A friend of mine retrieved one from a police station, too. The container was made to look like an old-fashioned coffin. He was only allowed to pick it up after the charges against him were dropped.

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Never a police station, but I found one at a fire station once. We told the firemen what we were doing, and while I was wandering around looking for it, one of them asked if we needed a ladder to get on the roof. No, didn't think so. We did find it under a bush. One of the firemen remembered someone in the department ask permission at a meeting to put it there. Interesting discussion we had.

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I once found a regular size cache hidden in front of a police station. It was hidden by officers who work at the station, and the initial trade items included baseball-style cards with information about the officers.
Friends of ours retrieved a cache once that was at a police station. The container was an ammo can made up to look like a police car.
A friend of mine retrieved one from a police station, too. The container was made to look like an old-fashioned coffin. He was only allowed to pick it up after the charges against him were dropped.
Hmm. . .

 

A friend of mine had a similar experience, except his was a simple Altoids Tin.

 

These are the events that led to the forming of the Granite State Geocachers.

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I once found a regular size cache hidden in front of a police station. It was hidden by officers who work at the station, and the initial trade items included baseball-style cards with information about the officers.

 

Friends of ours retrieved a cache once that was at a police station. The container was an ammo can made up to look like a police car.

 

Fun. I know some people like to tether ammo cans to a fixed object using a chain. They could have done it using a pair of handcuffs.

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I have walked by police cars and waved en route to caches that were kinda near police cars, but never right next to it. One was in a guard rail like 100 feet from one, so I figured, why not? My friend Joe once had the chutzpah to walk past a police officer to get a cache, realized he forgot a pen, went up to him and asked if he could borrow a pen...which the officer complied with.

Edited by lamoracke
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Never a police station, but I found one at a fire station once. We told the firemen what we were doing, and while I was wandering around looking for it, one of them asked if we needed a ladder to get on the roof. No, didn't think so. We did find it under a bush. One of the firemen remembered someone in the department ask permission at a meeting to put it there. Interesting discussion we had.

I suspect that is what happens to explicit permission, more often than not. "Oh, YEAH!! I remember now. This guy came and talked to somebody about something and..."

 

Not saying that asking isn't a good idea. Just that it is no guarantee that there won't be future problems.

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My wife and I were looking for a cache at a rest area on Route 80. I was concentrating my search by laying on the ground and checking out a sewer grate and my wife was poking under a picnic table. A state trooper pulled in and I thought, "He is going to have some questions". He observed us for about 2-3 minutes then without saying a word, pulled back onto the highway and was gone.

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Somepeople like knowschad killjoys have stopped a thread from going off topic. I have personally geocached less then 10 feet from a police officer in his car, he didn't say a word to me.

 

This about sharing your experiences.

 

I have not past experiences to share, but if the opportunity ever came up I think I'd enjoy geocaching alongside Clan Riffster.

 

Gotta add a resounding

OH YEAH!

here.

 

If I ever make my way to his territory...

 

Lots of folks I would be honored to cache with in here...

of course there are a few I would rather not.

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A friend of mine had a similar experience, except his was a simple Altoids Tin.

I don't care which side of the "bombsquad vs. geocache" fence you're on... that was just plain wrong!

 

Now Lord, 48, of Rochester, is wanted for questioning by police after his box was confiscated Sunday from an electrical panel outside the Shaw’s supermarket at Southgate Plaza.

They confiscated it, so they didn't think that it was a bomb, obviously.

 

McQuate said while police knew quickly that the box posed no public danger, it’s important for Lord to own up to his actions.

Huh? No public danger, yet the cacher has some actions to own up to?

 

Judging by some of the other things mentioned in the article, apparently its been a few years. Were charges ever brought?

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I cache with an awesome friend who is a police officer. He has over 3000 finds. I often think how funny it would be if he happened to be near a cache he's signed before while he's in uniform if he were to drive up next to the cacher just to cause problems. ;) He also tells a story about how there was a cache he wanted to get at and there was someone loitering right on top of a cache (he could see the cache). After waiting him out for a little while, he put on his police officer voice and said, "all right, buddy, time to move along." The guy got up and left and a few minutes later he had the cache. :D Police officers are fun. :)

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McQuate said while police knew quickly that the box posed no public danger, it’s important for Lord to own up to his actions.

Huh? No public danger, yet the cacher has some actions to own up to?

Another part of the article states:

Shaw’s has filed a complaint that the box was there.

Shaw's is the property owner.

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McQuate said while police knew quickly that the box posed no public danger, it's important for Lord to own up to his actions.

Huh? No public danger, yet the cacher has some actions to own up to?

Another part of the article states:

Shaw's has filed a complaint that the box was there.

Shaw's is the property owner.

 

Yup. I noticed that. But to me, it sounds like McQuate is trying to shame the cacher by that statement. That isn't his place.

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A police officer will only take notice if you are trying to hide what you are doing or are acting suspicious. If you are speeding a little bit over the limit and do not brake when you see him, he may not really care. If you suddenly jam on the brakes in a panic or show fear, then you are more likely to get pulled over. They do not really notice actions as much as emotions.

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A police officer will only take notice if you are trying to hide what you are doing or are acting suspicious. If you are speeding a little bit over the limit and do not brake when you see him, he may not really care. If you suddenly jam on the brakes in a panic or show fear, then you are more likely to get pulled over. They do not really notice actions as much as emotions.

 

That doesn't explain why I got pulled over last time I sailed past a squad car at 85 mph. I wasn't trying to hide anything. I didn't even slow down... why should I? I wasn't ashamed. I was speeding, and I knew it. Personally, I think he was just having a bad morning. He probably could have used a donut and some coffee.

 

signal_donut.gif

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That doesn't explain why I got pulled over last time I sailed past a squad car at 85 mph. I wasn't trying to hide anything. I didn't even slow down... why should I? I wasn't ashamed. I was speeding, and I knew it. Personally, I think he was just having a bad morning. He probably could have used a donut and some coffee.

 

Or why I got stopped exactly in front of a virtual cache (that was my destination) after going 65 in a 55 zone along a country road with no other traffic. The officer was not impressed with either my gpsr or my confidential driver's license.

 

I have cached around officers in parks and other locations -- although the last time I remember, they were busy arresting somebody nearby. I considered offering the suspect some free legal advice (don't say anything) but thought better about it. Other locations or caches might make me a little more cautious around officers -- like the cache that warned visitors not to attempt it if they were nervous about encountering officers when climbing through a hole in the fence with a sign above that was meant to discourage people from doing just that; the cache that is a large piece of pvc pipe within the parking lot of transit authority police headquarters; or one at a fire station where the CO states that you should not to tell the people inside the building what you are doing. But if asked, I always explain the game and have never been arrested . . . over that.

Edited by mulvaney
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The one at the transit police station was placed by one of the officers (since retired). Funny story about that one. One of the people trying for the FTF on that was looking at night. One of the officers came out of the station and asked what he was doing. The cacher hadn't found it. the officer made him open his trunk and got frisked, but was let go. The next day the officer was discussing what happened with another officer. It happened to be the cache owner! That officer became a cacher too.

A year later the officer and the cacher he frisked meet up again at night for another FTF. They had a good laugh about it then.

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I've had several encounters with officers. The latest was last summer trying to do a webcam cache. Officer running radar close to were I had to be. So there I sat on the bumper of my car waiting for the camera to update. He kept watching me put left me alone. I should add the place was closed and I was the only person in the parking lot. Then I went down the road a ways to do a guardrail micro. While I was looking I heard a car approaching so I went into CITO mode. Of course it was a different officer who asked me what I was doing. I decided not to bs him and explained to him about geocaching. He thanked me for telling the truth, then told me about an encounter with another cacher who was doing the same thing I was and lied to him about the whole deal. He was not a happy camper. He did let me find the cache before sending me on mey way.

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I walked by a parked police car and hid a cache 50' away from it without a problem. The long chain of zzzzzzzzz's coming out the open window assured me that I hadn't been seen. I was going to pound on his hood when I left the area, but decided not to!

 

You must have heard about not poking a stick into a bear's den huh?

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The long chain of zzzzzzzzz's coming out the open window assured me that I hadn't been seen.

A slightly off topic, but otherwise amusing tale:

I worked as a police officer for the city of Mascotte Florida many decades ago. There was a guy in our department would would go into nap mode on a regular basis, then try to BS his way out of it when he got caught. Early one Sunday morning, (after the dew fell), I got a Sunday newspaper, then enlisted the aid of a state trooper buddy. We found the guy snoozing in a popular radar running spot and covered every square inch of his patrol car with newspaper. Because the car was covered in dew, the paper stuck really well, and in places, soaked through enough that we were able to make multiple, overlapping layers. We eased down the road a piece, then the trooper called him asking for immediate assistance. Watching him scramble about, tearing newspaper off his car in a panic is a memory that still gives me the giggles. :lol:

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I've met several officers over the years while I was caching. I've always been up front about what I was doing and I've never had a bad experience with an officer. In one case the two officers in the car got out and help me search for an ammo can on the side of a road! There's nothing like having an armed escort while searching. :D I also cache with off duty officers from time to time. They're all great guys and gals.

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I was out with my sister a few weeks ago, looking for one on a sign on the side of a highway, which runs through bushland, so 'miles' (kilometres, I'm Aussie lol) from any town, and while I was behind the sign looking, a police car pulled over to make sure we were ok, he had actualy driven past, and had to turn back the other way, pass us, and turn around again to park on the side of the road we were on lol. We just explained what we were doing, he had heard of Geocaching but needed a bit of an explanation, which he was fine with, just wanted to check we were ok, 2 females parked on the side of the road :)

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I have no idea about other states, but something to think about in Texas. If you are engaged by an officer, and carrying your concealed handgun, you must advise the officer and give him/her your CHL. When I hand over my ID or my ID and insurance verification card, the CHL is right on top.

 

Interesting, in Florida there is no such requirement. Though when they run your ID it will alert them in their computer system that you are licensed to carry. I don't believe I have ever informed a officer I was carrying. More because it doesn't occur to me to do so then because I choose not to.

 

But to stay on topic I have an uncanny affinity for being stopped by cops when I am caching, maybe because I'm a 30 something male, maybe because I mainly get time to cache after dark, but I've been stopped 2 or 3 times in a night. I've always been honest, and always been allowed to finish caching after I explained what I am doing. I try to keep some of the brochures in my car to give them and that helps.

 

One time I did stretch the truth a little though to a young officer who gave me a vibe he thought I had to be a wacko for looking for "film canisters" in a bush around midnight. Told him about geocaching, and that it was kinda a scavenger hunt with GPS, he gives me a funny look so I quickly added that many kids played on Saturdays, and being Friday night I was checking some of the caches to make sure they were still there and had dry log sheets so the kids tomorrow wouldn't be disappointed. Immediately I could see that made more sence in his mind that it was doing it "for the kids" instead of because an adult found this as a fun activity and he let me continue on my way.

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On a couple of occasions where my hubby & I were caching, a cop came by & asked us what we were doing. We told them, they pulled out their iPhones and verified the cache was where we were looking. They too were geocachers, & signed the log along with us.

 

So folks... Don't forget.... Some police officers & even FBI agents geocache as well!

 

WNT

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I went for a cache in a park, where a policeman was parked 100' or so away on his lunch break. Found the film can in a tree, but had left my pen in the truck. I started walking back to my truck, film canister in hand. Policeman met me halfway to the truck.

 

"Whatcha got there, buddy? Drugs?"

 

*heart leapt into throat*

 

"No sir, it's a container for a log for a GPS game called geocaching."

 

"I know, I was just messin' with you." He watched me sign and return the log, chatting the whole time.

 

I didn't think it was funny, but I didn't tell him that.

Edited by DLSeeAmerica
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I have never intentionally cached next to the police, but I have more than a few occasions where they have snuck up on me. Most simply wanted to know if I needed assistance. One Nevada State Patrol Officer engaged me in rather lengthy conversation on Geocaching. I also had a California Fish and Game Officer pull up behind us and say, "I know what you're doing. It's that geo thing, right?" He was interested in becoming a cacher and prodded us for advice.

 

The only bad encounter I have had was with a female CA State Park Ranger. She was solo. I had already found the cache and was outside of the bushes. She came to check on me and was obviously freaked out when four grown men emerged from the bushes. After the situation was diffused, I asked, "do you know what Geocaching is", and she replied in a very gruff and stern voice, (hand still on gun), "No, explain it to me". I was not impressed with her professionalism. She asked us to contact the owner to remove the cache because it was on State Water Resources property, which we knew was not true. We decided not to press the issue.

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...After the situation was diffused, I asked, "do you know what Geocaching is", and she replied in a very gruff and stern voice, (hand still on gun), "No, explain it to me". I was not impressed with her professionalism....

 

obviously since you had not explained to her yet what geocaching was, it was very professional of her to keep her hand on her gun. and to speak in a no-nonsense kind of voice. four guys doing something she had no clue as to what it was, how do you think she should have acted? and how would a male act under the same circumstance. cop doesn't know anything about what you are doing, there are 4 of you and only 1 of them ... male cop would have kept his hand on his gun and rightly so. proper procedure.

 

rsg

Edited by RedShoesGirl
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I've only had one experience with an officer while caching. It was on 10/10/10. I was pulling to the very back of a long, empty parking lot and there was a cop car just sitting there. My first instinct was turn around and leave, but I knew that would only arouse his suspicion, so instead I pulled up next to him and explained what I was doing there. He didn't seem interested in what I was saying, but thanked me and told me to do what ever it was I needed to do. The find was a false magnetic utility box on a lamp post, but I thought it was going to be a skirt lifter, so it took me a good minute of fumbling around before it hit me. I can only imagine what he was thinking watching me. Signed the log and drove off.

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I went for a cache in a park, where a policeman was parked 100' or so away on his lunch break. Found the film can in a tree, but had left my pen in the truck. I started walking back to my truck, film canister in hand. Policeman met me halfway to the truck.

 

"Whatcha got there, buddy? Drugs?"

 

*heart leapt into throat*

 

"No sir, it's a container for a log for a GPS game called geocaching."

 

"I know, I was just messin' with you." He watched me sign and return the log, chatting the whole time.

 

I didn't think it was funny, but I didn't tell him that.

Even if you didn't think it was funny at the time you should by now. :lol:

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...After the situation was diffused, I asked, "do you know what Geocaching is", and she replied in a very gruff and stern voice, (hand still on gun), "No, explain it to me". I was not impressed with her professionalism....

 

obviously since you had not explained to her yet what geocaching was, it was very professional of her to keep her hand on her gun. and to speak in a no-nonsense kind of voice. four guys doing something she had no clue as to what it was, how do you think she should have acted? and how would a male act under the same circumstance. cop doesn't know anything about what you are doing, there are 4 of you and only 1 of them ... male cop would have kept his hand on his gun and rightly so. proper procedure.

 

rsg

 

As I wrote, the situation was diffused. She had no reason to fear us. If she was truly afraid, then she has no business patrolling rural state parks and campgrounds. My statement "I was not impressed with her professionalism" was actually just a nice way of explaining what all of us really thought of her.

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