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FWC and the regulation/LAW

deepsea diver

Well-known member
I asked questions below

Are FWC airboats and motor boats(M/V) required to follow and obey the Florida laws for the general public.

1. While at the air boat races in Melbourne Fl on 14 Oct 06 I saw a FWC officer operating an FWC airboat with no flag. Which I find strange because it's a new requirement.

2. Night lights. Do you require your officers to use Navigation lights while underway at night? Red/green on the bow and a white ligth on the stern. I recently witness a FWC craft traveling at a high speed at night without the required navigation lights on Lake Washington.

Is this common practice for FWC to operate a M/V on the public waterways of Florida and not be in compliance with the general public boating regulation?

FWC response:

In the performance of their job, Law enforcement officers may deviate from the laws that regulate the public in regard to boating safety and vehicle operation. This can only be done when it is safe to do so. example. Speeding to overtake a Traffic violator.

Kind of a gray response, but thay can do it if it's safe. HUMMMMMM
 
The US Supreme Court has rules time & time again that law enforcement officers can break/violate the laws to enforce the laws.

Catching up to a speeder while running radar, pacing a speeder when radar is not on board, running car/boat blacked out.

Every law enforcement department in the USA covers this in their DGO/SOP's.

If FWC wants to sit brushed up in a willow head to catch a poacher or other type of violation or local leo paces a speeder, more power to them.

It is what is is, no grey area about it.

It's sad, what really amazes me is how many anti-law enforcement folks we seem to have on this site. :?:

W/O LEO's & laws we'd have anarchy!!!
 
Anarchy would be an excellent way of life, but it has 2 major drawbacks.

1. Who is going to enforce it?

2. Anarchy will only work in an intellectual society and we certainly do NOT live in any kind of intellectual society.

Therefore we have to settle for rule of law.

Scotty
 
You can only have an anarchy when people can take care of themselves and be responsible. And if you haven't noticed very few people in today's world have that ability. The working middle class has become the new American slave!
 
Waterthunder":14ensbkw said:
The working middle class has become the new American slave!

Isn't that the truth!!!

Funny story for you.

When I was down in the Keys last month I was reading a story on what's considered "affluant" in todays society & they defined it as a person who makes $70,000 a year.

That was the gauge on whether you could afford a house in the Keys.

Well I don't feel affluant & still can't afford a house in the Keys. LOL
 
I am not against the law or law enforcement officers. I just scratch my head when I am driving down I-95 doing a little over 70mph and I get passed by the FHP going about 80 to 85 mph with no lights on. No big deal. But when I pull off to get gas I see the same FHP and 2 to 3 other officers going into Mickey DEE's to get some free food. Must have been really hungry. The same thing happens at the Brevard Farm when some training evolution ia about to happen. Somebody is always late and exceeding the speed limit to make the training.

The things you see and the preceptions that are formed from these common and minor abuse of power are like a Shi# sandwich. Not good.
They deminish the good work of the majority who protect and serve the public.

Its about goverment serving the people, and protecting the people, not about abusing the power and breaking the law for somw chicken shi# minor violation.

By the way, I saw the fight at the races. I think the officers did a great job on taking controll of a situation that could have got out of hand in just a few seconds. That was good police work. If those kuckleheads went at it for a few minutes that small section of dirt road could have turned into a fire fight.

JMO, I think "LE" should set the example, meet the standards, and obey the Law. Thats all.
 
How do you expect "we the people" to respect laws that leo's won't abide by themselves. Kinda like a double standard in my book. "Do as I say, not as I do. No Offense, I was in LE myself a few years back and our sheriff would tork us if he caught us breaking the law "unnecessarily".
 
CAPT. JEFF WROTE:
"It's sad, what really amazes me is how many anti-law enforcement folks we seem to have on this site."

MEEE TOO Jeff I am shocked and may just have to resign myself.
 
LEOs are just like every one else, some are A-holes, but most I've
known are great guys just trying to make a living, and not a great
one I might add. Lots of times theese guys are enforceing laws
they may not agree with, but they have a job to do. and in a civilized
socioty we have to deal with laws. Spend a little time getting to
know your local game warden, He is likely a good guy.
Way back years ago there was about five or six of us, all in our
late teen and early twentys we would go dove hunting every
evening after work in the marsh north of the ranch, We always
seen the GW in and out of the ranch all the time but did'nt know
him that well.anyway one day he asked if he could go with us
since we thought we were hunting legal and he seemed like an ok
guy we said ok. Just by chance one of the guys that lived in Orlando
did'nt have his shotgun and being the nice guy i am said I got an
extra one. we would line up about 50 yds apart in about waist high
switchgrass and just before sundown the birds would come in to
roost in the willows, shooting was good and we would keep feeding
the guns as we shot, anyway the GW was next to me and I failed to
remember there was no plug in my new shot gun. the GW never said a word untill the next day but my buddies gave me hell seems there
was a few of them 4 and 5 round flurries , Thats what he ment
when he said ( that sure is a fast loading shotgun ya got there)
we turned out to be preaty good friends after we had a good laugh.
 
I'm not trying to bash LEO by any means, They are really mostly a great bunch of guys. But it's seems to me that every time I see a LEO going by in his car, he is either speeding for no apparent reason or tail gating somebody relentlessly. It just seems to me that the LEO should lead by example for everybody to see.
 
hmgm123":1s9sto74 said:
They are really mostly a great bunch of guys. But it's seems to me that every time I see a LEO going by in his car, he is either speeding for no apparent reason or tail gating somebody relentlessly.

Maybe he's trying to quickly get to a call that falls into the grey area between Code 2 & Code 3.

Not quite an emergency yet but policy dictates he can't run Code 3.

It's funny how some make judgements w/o all the facts.
 
Most are good no doubt, but her ein amantee county a few years back Charlies angels, his delta squad, got caught plantin eveidence, stealin drugs and I forget what all.

just in the last weeks some more got caught bying stolen booze and sellin it and servin booze in a strip club after hours and all sorts of other stuff.

God knows if one wants you he will get you all of them carry alibi guns in case they screw up and shoot an unarmed person. I have been given tickets and the cop told me I would beat it easy but at least I had to go to court to do it and he had screwed up another one of my days so he was happy.

A bad cop and even a cop with a bad attitude is a very bad thing for a law abiding citizen. Most of the new younger cops are so scared they got to act like a billy bad ass trying to intimidate everyone they meet. They all want to prove they are the man and demand your respect instead of commanding your respect with their actions. and there is a difference between demand and command.

But thankfully thre majority are still good until sopmething like new orleans happens then see what happens it will be a dark day indeed.
 
I agree with you Capt. Jeff, I run into people all the time who are quick to judge a cop, but who you gonna call when you need help?

I'm not saying cops are above the law, but do something that nobody seems to believe in anymore - give them the benefit of the doubt. If for no other reason do it because the job really sucks sometimes.
 
THE ONLY DEAL I SEE IS YOU NEVER HEAR ABOUT THE GOOD ONES !ALWAYS THE BAD ONES ! JUST LIKE THE THEM DAM AIRBOATERS ONLY THE BAD SEEMS TO DRAW ATTENTION ! :D :D :shock:
 
I like to fly under the radar,do the speed limit follow the laws after all whens the last time you seen a citizen pull over a police car and write them a ticket ?Follow the laws you won't get a ticket that you will have to use airboat gas money to pay for :!:
 
I pulled one over a few weeks back....was coming back from eating out with wife and daughter...on country road just before home, came up behind deputy going slow, so not being in a hurry I fell back and followed. Soon a car coming toward us refused to dim lights, deputy and I both had to leave the road because we were blinded. Deputy drove on like nothing happened. This kinda pissed off this dumb redneck, so I proceded to flash my lights till cop pulls over (wife and daughter just knew we were all going to jail) anyway I pulled up beside cop car and politely gave them a piece of my mind. They said they were looking for someone and didn't have time to take care of the dangerous driver. I let them know I thought this was bull and drove on. Wife and daughter says only a redneck would go out have a few drinks and pull a cop over on the way home!

Grant
 
I like your style, Grant. Good story.
The same guy would have probably pulled you over if you had a tail light out.

olf
 
when law enforcement doesn't have to follow the law themselves isn't it called a police state? Or is it Marshal Law? :shock:
 
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