Posted on 11/24/2010 4:08:37 AM PST by marktwain
“Now you’re either going to conceal it, or I’m going to take you off here or I’m going to lock you up. I’m not going to play games.”
The threatening speaker is a Philadelphia police lieutenant, coercing activist Mark Roote, who attended a weekend “End the Fed” rally open carrying—as is his right and in accordance with Pennsylvania law.
Indeed, in the accompanying video (see sidebar), we see the initial “officer” who approached Roote actually REFUSES TO IDENTIFY HIMSELF upon a legitimate citizen request that he do so. Apparently, in the city of Independence Hall, secret police wearing full length black coats and red arm bands can rely on intimidation to infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms—and are confident from experience that they can get away with evading personal accountability for it.
Roote’s description of his encounter:
After we started "marching", an "officer" told me I had to conceal my weapon because I was in violation of Philadelphia law. When I declined (reference 18 PACS 6120 - Cities, towns and municipalities are prohibited by PA law from enacting laws prohibiting concealed or open carry), he went and got his lieutenant to "enforce" his rule (this is when I started recording, video linked below).
The LT (Consick?), after being summoned by the other "officer", told me that I had to conceal "it" or he was going to "take it away" and "lock me up". He told me I was in violation of Philadelphia law, and when I cited 18 PACS 6120, he changed his story to say that I was violating PA law and he pulled out a piece of paper that had 18 PACS 6102 at the top
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
You mean, liberal police departments? The size and location are irrelevant.
It is the liberal that is the criminal.
The executive branch is the enforcement branch of the federal government, and the chief enforcement officer DEFINITELY thinks he’s above the law... as do all his various appointees and czars.
So why shouldn’t his admirers in big city police departments emulate him?
LLS
Sue the city. There are tyrants at every level. The cop is a putz.
ping
The way to fight liberal cops in liberal cities is to elect sheriffs who believe in the constitution. The game plan should be to surround liberal cities by electing constitutional sheriffs in every county that abutts a liberal city. This contains the liberal virus. If left wing cops try to push their jurisdiction beyond the liberal hellholes, the sheriff can throw these thugs back into their cesspool.
The only proper peace officer for a free people is an elected sheriff who is accountable to the people via the ballot box. This is a another necessary step to take back our country from the Marxists. Clean up your neighborhoods.
“Many big city police departments think that they are above the law. “
Government at all levels.
I don’t know Philly well. Isn’t the chief of police there above the sheriff? I am pretty sure it is the only jurisdiction in PA where the chief of police issues licenses to carry instead of the sheriffs department.
These officers need to be removed from the police force.
Period.
It’s much easier to arrest an honest, law-abiding citizen because he doesn’t have hordes of “civil rights” attorneys who will defend him. Since he respects the law and authority, he will not put up a fight, and the administration will crow about locking up another “criminal.”
“Isn’t the chief of police there above the sheriff? “
I don’t know, but it’s a good question.
The common law power of the sheriff goes back to medival times, and the sheriff was recognized as the chief peace officer of his jurisdiction, above wardens, night watchmen and constables. Liberal courts rarely ever recognize our common law traditions. Nor do legislatures. What power the sheriff has in Philadelphia would be interesting to research. This is why I suggest constitutional sheriffs be elected and surround liberal cities. Sheriffs need to take back their constitutional powers from the Marxists.
Sue them all.
LLS
I used to live in Philadelphia. The Police Department and Sheriff’s Department are separate entities. The Police Chief is appointed by the Mayor. The Police Department is responsible for law enforcement in the City. The Sheriff’s Department is really an adjunct to the Court System. It is responsible for serving court papers, court security, and enforcement of court orders. I believe the Sheriff is elected, but I am not 100 percent sure of that. I left Pennsylvania before the concealed carry laws were passed, so I don’t know who issues those permits. My guess is that it probably is the Chief of Police.
Putting my non-Philly hat on (and excluding Allegheny County/Pittsburgh too, I believe), Pennsylvania is one of the few states that still respect this tradition. Sheriffs only have the power to enforce warrants and tend the jails, and I believe arrest powers if a crime is committed in front of them. They don't do road duty and cannot run radar (local police cannot either).
Of course, Sheriffs want to change this, and it was proposed in House Bill 2585 this session. Fortunately, the powerful State Police lobby killed it.
>PA Constitution- Section 21
>The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.
Sadly I can imagine the defense for the officers reacting thusly in court:
“Objection! My client was not questioning, he was repudiating*!”
*repudiate
–verb (used with object), -ated, -ating.
1. — to reject as having no authority or binding force: to repudiate a claim.
2. — to cast off or disown: to repudiate a son.
3. — to reject with disapproval or condemnation: to repudiate a new doctrine.
4. — to reject with denial: to repudiate a charge as untrue.
5. — to refuse to acknowledge and pay (a debt), as a state, municipality, etc.
BFLV to keep my bllod pressure up.
In PA it is the Sheriff and generally the carry permits are easy to get {I don't know about Philly} since I live in Westmd, County and have had a carry permit since the 70s.
It needs to be renewed every 5 years but that's just a visit to the Sheriff's office, small fee, a new pix and out the door.
I notice that in the last 10-15 years, there are a lot of women when in the past, I never saw any getting permits.
That's a good thing, if the bad guys think that women are carrying then there is going to be better behavior in the public square.
Happily, there are some civil rights attorneys now drooling at the possibility of filing such suits, as not only can the plaintiff receive triple damages in such cases, but the attorney representing that plaintiff can receive 1.5 times their usual fee- a pretty fair chunk of change if that attorney charges in the usual $495/hiour billing rate.
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