Florida Law Enforcement ie; FWC

[woodymr]

Oh and I did try to call supervisor while waiting for next bridge opening but phone wouldn't get signal!

[woodymr]

Snore...That's so not.... too funny!

[woodymr]

Another round for all, on me!

[woodymr]

OK, One more Fla. police boater abuse story before bed.... A Green Cove Springs City police officer actually pulled a sailors kayack out of the water at the public dock and drug it down the long pier and hooked it up to his car bumper and drug it across the pavement to the station where the guy went to complain about it being stolen when he came back from the store, spending money in thier po-dunk suburb of Jacksonville, claiming to be a township just to tax the hell out of ya..The guy is a real sweet person, he just finally had enough of the abuse and left the area, which is what all of us liveaboards have the ability to do when the need arises. Just reminds me of the awful human condition on the Outer Banks as well as Newfoundland where shore dwellers would fly signal lamps purposely guiding sailing ships aground to plunder thier cargo. Nothings really changed expect making thievery legal in some circles ie; politicians.

[Nicholson58]

couldn't help myself At least they are causing no harm.

[OnTour]

The FWC has been getting a lot of bad press in Florida lately...Killing bears for no reason and harassing boaters...What does FWC stand for anyway ?? I thought it was Fish and Wildlife but must be something else..

[woodymr]

FWC- Florida Wildlife and Conservation

[woodymr]

Interestingly enough? When I used to go Rainbow Gatherings in the National Forests with my hippie friends, a task force of LEO's ie; Law Enforcement Officers who by the way used to be park rangers then started wearing guns and being trained in "terrorist" crowd control, actually followed us from year to year,state to state taking our photos and such. Giving harrassing, federal mind you, tickets for illegal camping in the woods. Of course your average TV dinner citizen would say "them naked hippies smoking them drugs and frolicking through the forest should be locked up!

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by woodymr

FWC- Florida Wildlife and Conservation

Huh.---- I always thought Florida Water Cops.

If its Wildlife & Conservation, why do they harass you for non-wildlife or conservation items? Just saying. This is interesting. Are they really chartered to screw with life jackets, flairs, extinguishers etc. or are they stretching their boundaries?

[OnTour]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Huh.---- I always thought Florida Water Cops.



If its Wildlife & Conservation, why do they harass you for non-wildlife or conservation items? Just saying. This is interesting. Are they really chartered to screw with life jackets, flairs, extinguishers etc. or are they stretching their boundaries?

That's what I say....Seems like they do everything but preserving fish and wildlife.

[a64pilot]

It's been a long time ago, but they boarded my Brothers 45 ft Sportfisherman for a un asked for safety inspection. The opened everything, pulled open every drawer and dumped the contents in the floor looking at the bottom of the drawers, when they had stripped everything and dumped it all on the floor and didn't find anything illegal, they left without any explanation or apology.

[Hudson Force]

I respect freedoms and I am always disappointed when I hear of people who are burdened by harsh treatment from over zealous bureaucrats; however, I am also starting my 43rd year of living aboard, cruising and anchoring throughout Florida without having yet been unfairly treated by any authority. Once in 1986 I did receive a citation in Volusia County when I was returning from the Bahamas with an expired registration. I recevied the appropriate fine an was treated professionally. Since that time in 1986 I was cautioned by a law enforcement officer in the harbor of St. Augustine to slow my dinghy near the docks. I slowed and showed him my life jackets upon request,- no real event. I've anchored in locations within every 35 miles from Fernandina to Tarpon Springs for as long as three months at a time without ever being approached by any authority. I'm not saying this to refute different accounts, but only to share my experience. I don't know if I'm doing anything different from some others. It can't be my behavior in response to authority because I've just not had the events of interaction. Maybe it's just chance, but I've had decades of cruising in Florida without hassle of any kind.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

It's been a long time ago, but they boarded my Brothers 45 ft Sportfisherman for a un asked for safety inspection. The opened everything, pulled open every drawer and dumped the contents in the floor looking at the bottom of the drawers, when they had stripped everything and dumped it all on the floor and didn't find anything illegal, they left without any explanation or apology.

In Michigan & Ohio, Non-fed cops need probable cause. They can't board without permission unless they can reasonably speculate probable cause. Mind you, they are good at making stuff up.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I lived in Florida for seven years, the vast majority of my encounters with FWC were great, though I've heard some horror stories.

I had one threaten to ticket me for violating this law:

68B-4.0086 Hook and Line Gear: Tending Requirement.
Beginning January 1, 1993, hook and line gear used in or on the waters of the State shall be tended. The term “tended” for purposes
of this rule means that the person fishing the gear is physically present at the terminus of the gear.
Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 11-26-92, Formerly 46-4.0086.

I was on the other side of the pier from where my rod was (about 20ft) watching a buddy fish. I laughed out loud, as did everyone present. He saw some other imagined violation down the pier and took off.

Another friend of mine got a ticket for snorkeling without a dive flag even though she was snorkeling right next to someone who did have a flag. It wasn't "her" dive flag. She almost went to jail over that, she went ballistic on the pig.

[a64pilot]

I wasn't there, and this was about the time the Fl beaches would have square grouper wash up. I can only assume he fit the profile?