Maryland "storm-troopers" harass innocent gun owner

[Archangel M]

The "Assault Vest" thing...many plainclothes officers/detectives dont wear vests. So when they go to a house where say..a warrant suspect may be, they go to the trunk of their car and put on an external vest. And since wanted people are known to bail out of backdoors or windows when they see the cops coming, cops try to position themselves to see possible escape routes...

Just saying.

And in terms of vetting/verification...I have been following this one closely and all thats been verified is that this "Don Curtis" exists and this IS what he is saying. Ive seen nothing regarding an LE statement to the effect that there was really LE contact at this guys home. Let alone why the cops are saying they were there.

 

[Archangel M]

There is always another side to the story, but my concern is why would the law concerned over ammo purchases come to your home that late at night like a tactical team. From the one persons point of view, the law showed up ready to take someone into custody.

Exactly, and since they didnt arrest anybody, THAT kind of adds a ? to the story doesnt it?

 

[Jimi]

I was neither convicting the MDSP or saying they had no right to ring this guys bell at midnight. For the only info I have on this issue from the guy complaining, the law at that time did not get the guy who had a bench warrant out for him or did they really settle any ammo issue. I agree there is something else to it, maybe the brother was using that house as a base for some crime, or hide out, and I can understand why they would want to have a handle on things. It just sounds like the opinion is, I trust this guy is not telling the truth about the incident so I take the laws word for it (Insert rank, years in force, promotions etc...), and since they have said nothing means no-one was in the wrong. Just you friendly nieghborhood ammo detection squad. LOL. Things like this are probably uncommon, but I also doubt that if the law spent time and tax payer money for LEO's to come up with a near miss, they would not report it to the local media. Lots of doors get knocked on and even kicked in Maryland, DC & VA. People in that area like to gripe about LEO's if they feel they are hassled by it. I agree the Law was just doing its job, just see my point that in this case they probably were not doing a great job or it would not be an issue to one private citizen who did answer to the law's calling on his door. Not agruing with anyone, just stating my opinion

 

[Archangel M]

Same here. Im not "defending" the SP's...as Ive said Md firearms laws are going south quick...but having been involved in some situations like this Im of the opinion that this isnt the entire story here.

 

[K31]

The "Assault Vest" thing...many plainclothes officers/detectives dont wear vests. So when they go to a house where say..a warrant suspect may be, they go to the trunk of their car and put on an external vest. And since wanted people are known to bail out of backdoors or windows when they see the cops coming, cops try to position themselves to see possible escape routes...

Just saying.

And in terms of vetting/verification...I have been following this one closely and all thats been verified is that this "Don Curtis" exists and this IS what he is saying. Ive seen nothing regarding an LE statement to the effect that there was really LE contact at this guys home. Let alone why the cops are saying they were there.

I've had police show up at my door looking for people wanted for bench warrants who used to live at the address. The police show up alone, and in the middle of the day, not in the middle of the night. A bench warrant is usually for failure to appear, it does not convey any meaning as far as the nature of the offensive, the risk of flight, nor nature of the person being sought. I find it interesting that you place great credence in this one item, that the victim himself offered up, but nothing else. The story was vetted by people who are are part of a local firearms group and the existence of the police unit and the incident were verified by a LEO known to the same group. They as a matter of fact went out of their way when the story was first printed to tell people to withhold judgment until they could further vet the story.

 

[Archangel M]

Trust me..I know where of I speak. Ive served bench warrants on known violent gang members and on teenagers that didnt show for their shoplifting arrest. A bench warrant for failure to appear on a violent felony is different from failure to appear for a petit larceny and will be treated differently. A bench warrant for a petty offense on a person with a known violent past will result in a different approach. Its about the person being sought, not the piece of paper. Dont think your experience is the rule.

Ive read the MdShooters threads too. Its far from 100% verified on the details.

 

[K31]

I was neither convicting the MDSP or saying they had no right to ring this guys bell at midnight. For the only info I have on this issue from the guy complaining, the law at that time did not get the guy who had a bench warrant out for him or did they really settle any ammo issue. I agree there is something else to it, maybe the brother was using that house as a base for some crime, or hide out, and I can understand why they would want to have a handle on things. It just sounds like the opinion is, I trust this guy is not telling the truth about the incident so I take the laws word for it (Insert rank, years in force, promotions etc...), and since they have said nothing means no-one was in the wrong. Just you friendly nieghborhood ammo detection squad. LOL. Things like this are probably uncommon, but I also doubt that if the law spent time and tax payer money for LEO's to come up with a near miss, they would not report it to the local media. Lots of doors get knocked on and even kicked in Maryland, DC & VA. People in that area like to gripe about LEO's if they feel they are hassled by it. I agree the Law was just doing its job, just see my point that in this case they probably were not doing a great job or it would not be an issue to one private citizen who did answer to the law's calling on his door. Not agruing with anyone, just stating my opinion

What it is speculated they were trying to do was see it the victim in this case had an illegal sub-machine gun because he purchased a (according to them) a lot of pistol caliber when he had no firearm (known to them) for that caliber. They tried to pressure him to allow them to inspect his firearms but he held his ground and pointed out in every case that he had done nothing wrong. They even went so far as to tell him that he should register his firearms so that they "didn't have to come out here".

 

[Archangel M]

PS: Im one of the biggest 2nd amendment guys out there. Im just saying that yall better be careful before making this Curtis guy a standard bearer. This could prove embarassing to make a big hype over nothing. The internet is notorious for that.

 

[Jimi]

I agree 100%. There must be something more to it. On a side note, about a year ago at 3:00am in the morning I was awoke by pounding on the front door of the rental home my wife and I live in. When I answered the door there were 3 men in BDU's vests & well armed. The small one with the clip board demanded where is Chris. I said no-one named Chris lives here. He responded angrily, then why did he put this down as his address?! I said I don't know. I asked what is the issue? He said we are serving a warrant for Chris (BLANK). Again I said there is no Chris here. that is when I noticed a Badge hanging around his neck. It said Fugitive Retrieval Squad. Again he asked why did he put this address? Again I said I don't know. One of the other larger guys standing behind him said, Is there anyone else in the house? Another said may we search? I said my wife was alseep upstairs, and yes you can search if you show me the warrant for my address. The guy handed it to me and I read the address as 3022 not 3020. I said this is not for my house. They seemed to brace themselves to rush the door until I said this is for 3022 which is the other zero lot kinda townhouse unit attached to our left. I pointed to the other adrress and entry. They did apologize for the bother and even thanked me for the correction. Though I realize people make mistakes, it does not take away how wrong these guys were at first even if they are just doing their jobs. This was near Nashville TN by the way. But that is just my side of it, and if no-one can find the Fugitive Retrieval Squads statement on this means there must be more to the story. Just playing devils advocate.

 

[K31]

I kinda think it's not standard procedure to mail bench warrants to the address were you expect to find a fugitive you want for a violent felony before you show up in the middle of the night. If it is well, I don't have you experience but it would seem to be kind of tipping your hand...

 

[Archangel M]

What it is speculated they were trying to do was see it the victim in this case had an illegal sub-machine gun because he purchased a (according to them) a lot of pistol caliber when he had no firearm (known to them) for that caliber. They tried to pressure him to allow them to inspect his firearms but he held his ground and pointed out in every case that he had done nothing wrong. They even went so far as to tell him that he should register his firearms so that they "didn't have to come out here".

And for that they show up in the AM and surround the house? Thats a routine investigation...there is something more to this story Im telling ya.

 

[Archangel M]

I kinda think it's not standard procedure to mail bench warrants to the address were you expect to find a fugitive you want for a violent felony before you show up in the middle of the night. If it is well, I don't have you experience but it would seem to be kind of tipping your hand...

Depends on how many various warrants from various agencies are out for a guy. Its not unheard of for one person to have multiple warrants and agencies looking for him. And its also not unherad of for one agency to be looking for someone who was already locked up by another agency. It depends on a depts warrant admin system..sometimes you wind up wasting a lot of time looking for a guy who is already in the poeky.

 

[K31]

PS: Im one of the biggest 2nd amendment guys out there. Im just saying that yall better be careful before making this Curtis guy a standard bearer. This could prove embarassing to make a big hype over nothing. The internet is notorious for that.

I don't see this as just a 2nd amendment issue. An ex-Governor of Maryland used to button-hole people who wrote things critical of him at their homes with his state police escort and I didn't think that was right either.

 

[K31]

Depends on how many various warrants from various agencies are out for a guy. Its not unheard of for one person to have multiple warrants and agencies looking for him. And its also not unherad of for one agency to be looking for someone who was already locked up by another agency. It depends on a depts warrant admin system..sometimes you wind up wasting a lot of time looking for a guy who is already in the poeky.

You sure are reaching really far to make this into about the brother-in-law for a guy who says he has an open mind.

 

[Archangel M]

I don't see this as just a 2nd amendment issue. An ex-Governor of Maryland used to button-hole people who wrote things critical of him at their homes with his state police escort and I didn't think that was right either.

And the "Spy" thing inst helping matters either. Im not saying the SP's can do no wrong by no means, just to be careful before jumping on Curtis' bandwagon here.

 

[Archangel M]

You sure are reaching really far to make this into about the brother-in-law for a guy who says he has an open mind.

From the guys first description it sounded like a classic warrant service VS. some investigation into ammo purchases. You seem pretty set on the SS/Stormtrooper, this is all about ammo story yourself. And Ive stated before (a few times), I think this brother/warant issue is a FACTOR here. Not that that is what the visit was ALL about. Just a factor.

 

[Jimi]

Who is on Curtis's Bandwagon. I am flying no banners here. Putting that much weight on my opinion or others is a little overstating that you think there is something more to this. Even if someone's opinion is not that of someone who has served bench warrants

 

[Archangel M]

Who is on Curtis's Bandwagon. I am flying no banners here. Putting that much weight on my opinion or others is a little overstating that you think there is something more to this. Even if someone's opinion is not that of someone who has served bench warrants

Wasnt talking to you in particular sir. Just trying to explain my stance on this story. There are plenty of possibilities here and without more Im not going to jump...

 

[K31]

And the "Spy" thing inst helping matters either. Im not saying the SP's can do no wrong by no means, just to be careful before jumping on Curtis' bandwagon here.

I'm not on anyone's bandwagon. He doesn't even seem to be very interested himself in the lime light or there are other avenues he could have used. I believe the guy has a lot more to lose than to gain by going public. If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to admit it, here.

 

[K31]

From the guys first description it sounded like a classic warrant service VS. some investigation into ammo purchases. You seem pretty set on the SS/Stormtrooper, this is all about ammo story yourself.

For the record, I never called anyone an SS/Stormtrooper.