Florida Law Enforcement ie; FWC

[a64pilot]

In Panama City Fl., FWC has a very fast maybe 80ft cutter type of vessel, for wildlife I guess

[bletso]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

In Panama City Fl., FWC has a very fast maybe 80ft cutter type of vessel, for wildlife I guess

That is where I watched a FWC boat swerve out of its way at full throttle to go into the middle of a flock of brown pelicans. If you did that, you'd be in jail!

[woodymr]

Folks I believe life is a school with lessons to be learned such as karmic stuff and such and I make school hard some, well a lot of the time! But as I am alone with no family or maritme lawyer friends I will and do suggest others when planning a cruise or spending any time in a state with anamosity towards boaters as Florida is that we find and log phone numbers to the appropiate county agencies just in case needed. Phone service for internet searches can be spotty. I know folks need jobs in this economy and gov. jobs are coveted by some for sense of belonging to and performing community service but it is so easy to lose yourself in this movie and these people.are being trained with religious fevor "fear"...it's a mad world....without.going totally philosophical what can I say?

[woodymr]

More....Google Boot Harbor Key Fed. boardings to see article on Cruisers.net

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by woodymr

Folks I believe life is a school with lessons to be learned such as karmic stuff and such and I make school hard some, well a lot of the time! But as I am alone with no family or maritme lawyer friends I will and do suggest others when planning a cruise or spending any time in a state with anamosity towards boaters as Florida is that we find and log phone numbers to the appropiate county agencies just in case needed. Phone service for internet searches can be spotty. I know folks need jobs in this economy and gov. jobs are coveted by some for sense of belonging to and performing community service but it is so easy to lose yourself in this movie and these people.are being trained with religious fevor "fear"...it's a mad world....without.going totally philosophical what can I say?

mr woody, sorry to hear of your unfortunate encounters with the FWC. I have been boarded 3 times in the last 5 years and was always treated fairly. I had all my documents, licenses, and safety equipment readily presentable before they arrived. I did not try and tell them what they could or could not do and allowed them to do their job without interference.
Perhaps some boaters project an attitude that they are above reproach and this just serves to irritate the officer. They are commissioned by the state of Florida and have the authority to board, search, confiscate and arrest if an infraction is committed.
Do they overstretch their boundaries? Yes, I believe they have the capability of abusing the power entrusted to them. But, I would not be surprised to learn an arrogant boater quoting all sorts of laws and constitutional rights provoked the officers ire.
It is what it is, obey the rules and regulations, show them a little respect, act in a non aggressive manner and you will be treated in a similar fashion.

OutOfControl

[AnchorageGuy]

There is a contact for reporting abuse or complaints against an FWC Officer The email contact is Mike Troelstrup, Inspector General at, Mike.Troelstrup@MyFWC.com . I would urge anyone that considers an interaction from any FWC Officer less than professional, to report the incident. Chuck

[woodymr]

Thanks for complaint info sir. In reply to showing respect it sure as hell works both ways in my world! I am captain and operator of my vessel and refuse to relinguish control to anyone in a close quarters situtaion as in navigating the draw of a bridge. Case in point: any vessel operator worth thier salt will realize the hazardous situation and not request you give up control of your vessel until safe conditions exist! Speaking of yahoos...today while awaiting my last bridge opening some guy on the other side of bridge comes on channel 9 from a yacht saying he had the tide at his stern and that made his vessel have right of way. I came back saying clearly current was at my stern but that I would yield per his request. He got smart and said he said had electronic charts that showed him which way the tide was going (his very words! ) and that gave his vessel right of way. OMG! So I entertained him with FYI, the current is clearly at my stern and me being a deep draft single screw vessel of limited manuerability as opposed to his twin screw yacht with electronic navigation intsrumentation made me the burdend vessel but that I could handle it and would still yield to his request which I did as he commented about me being such a most honorable depressing gentleman! I just find it difficult dealing with arogant ignorance and the fact that people will then defend their ignorance with such disrespectful zeal. Not to say mind you that I've never personally gone there but I'm just sayin......

[irwin28]

They are the same here in Mississippi, I was coming from offshore in o the sound and the Hancock county sheriff's Dept and DEA boarded me without permission, and while some guy with a beard and what looked like citizens militia atire was striking up a friendly conversation with me while the others sliced open 4 bags of Mexican "huastec Indian" coffee that was meant for various members of my family and dumped them out all over the counter, went through all of my bags "again with no permission" and left clothes, coffee grounds and other crap all over the floor of my boat. I wasn't sailing from Mexico but just flew into where I left my boat in Florida and made my way home to Ocean Springs 12 hours away. During this time of having my things thrown around I missed the curfew for the drawbridge and had to anchors in Biloxi bay where I cleaned up the mess and was late as hell getting home. Came to be these guys had a hard on from busting a vessel filled with coke 3 weeks b4 and forgot their place. I was advised to make a formal complaint but didn't have the time nor the need to waste my energy. Next time I will go whatever length to make them just as miserable.

[Pelagic]

For quite a few years I would get arrested every time I entered the US.
….. Turns out my name was a favorite alias for a most wanted IRA terrorist, Bank robber and Gun/Drug runner.

Since his description included tattoos on his buttocks it always included strip searches and the occasional anal probe.

This really impacted on my profession as a super yacht captain, especially if I had guests on board.
But I found it was best to keep a polite sense of humor and wait till they realized I was OK.

People often confuse the operating principals of Law and Order.

By Law you are innocent till proven guilty whereas those out there in the field have to assume you are guilty in order to protect themselves and find something.

Best to chill out and realize it could be much worse!

[blewett_john]

Originally Posted by woodymr

Oh by the way, the "label" of my boat (which is not painted on the boat, drives bridge tenders batty) is "42" The answer to the Ultimate question, of life, the universe and everything. I can tell you what is really going on but you would'nt believe me so....onward thru the fog...

Ah, a reader of interesting books. Did you have your hitchhikers guide with you? I bet there is a chapter on FWC

[spraygun]

There are some really good short stories on this thread. I'm enjoying them. Keep em coming.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Argyle38]

Originally Posted by blewett_john

Ah, a reader of interesting books. Did you have your hitchhikers guide with you? I bet there is a chapter on FWC

Something about a wall and a revolution perhaps?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

For quite a few years I would get arrested every time I entered the US.

….. Turns out my name was a favorite alias for a most wanted IRA terrorist, Bank robber and Gun/Drug runner.



Since his description included tattoos on his buttocks it always included strip searches and the occasional anal probe.

:

This IS a joke, right?

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

This IS a joke, right?

No joke. They always came on very heavy and it would take a lot of calls before getting released.
It took meetings with State Department (under Freedom of Information Act) and interview with FBI before they modified that computerized alarm.
This was in the mid 80s and I guess their electronic warfare systems were not that reliable

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[lorenzo b]

There are other parts of the world, some just a hop, skip, and a jump from dear old Florida, where you will never see a cop and you can actually afford to see a doctor and live on a SS check.
It's an axiom of the sailing world that anyone that has ever been within 1000 miles of either coast of Florida has noticed that white trash floats, and a great deal of it is wearing a police uniform.