Park Ranger Cites Militia Leader, Seizes His Gun

The Arizona Daily Star ^ | Monday, January 27, 2003 | Tim Steller

[Spiff]

Park Ranger Cites Militia Leader, Seizes His Gun

By Tim Steller
© 2003 Arizona Daily Star

A National Park Service ranger cited militia leader Chris Simcox Sunday for carrying a loaded weapon and operating without a permit at Coronado National Memorial in southeastern Arizona.

The chief ranger at the park south of Sierra Vista, Thane Weigand, said it appeared Simcox and William Dore were conducting a patrol of the border. "They were doing a special activity inside the park that's not sanctioned by the park," Weigand said.

Simcox, founder of the Tombstone group Civil Homeland Defense, has been conducting citizen patrols of the border area, but he said that's not what he was doing Sunday afternoon. He said he was simply hiking with Dore.

They were driving along Border Road when they came to a fence with a sign that said no vehicles were permitted, Simcox said. So they parked the van and walked past the fence along the road, not knowing the fence was the park boundary, Simcox said.

"Next thing I know, there's somebody waiting in the bushes for us," Simcox said.

It was a park ranger, who said she had been watching the pair, knew who they were and what they were up to, Simcox said. He and Dore were detained for about 3 1/2 hours, and some belongings were seized, Simcox said. Those belongings included a scanner, two two-way radios, his camera, a cell phone and his pistol.

Weigand said the charges against Simcox and Dore are misdemeanors.

[Spiff]

Ping accordingly.

[Fred Mertz]

It was a park ranger, who said she had been watching the pair, knew who they were and what they were up to, Simcox said.

I didn't realize the Park Service was on such a power trip all over the nation, including Arizona.

[dirtboy]

I think the border patrol groups should stay on private land for the time being. They're raising enough of a ruckus and drawing attention to the issue just doing that.

[dirtboy]

I'm glad to see the Park Service is paying so much attention to two citizens while illegals are probably streaming through the park and damaging the environment.

[Procyon]

I wonder how many dozens of illegals wandered by while she was hiding in the bushes waiting for her real game?

[fogarty]

Standby. These type of events will occur more frequently. Look for the Bush administration to come down against these citizen patrols. More citizens will have their firearms seized and be themselves thrown in jail.

My prediction is that Bush, through Ashcroft, will soon start cracking down on these citizen patrols that dare to try to protect the border. The ranchers will be next.

[freddy]

Everyone that works for the government in any way what-so-ever has been given
instructions to "turn in their neighbor" for the slightest suspicion of anything...

Now, someone is gonna ask me to prove that...sorry, I can't as it was done...
"off the record" in the name of "Homeland Security"...

[HangFire]

I didn't realize the Park Service was on such a power trip all over the nation, including Arizona.

Obviously a CRB holdover from the last administration.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Baloney.

[Spiff]

I think the border patrol groups should stay on private land for the time being. They're raising enough of a ruckus and drawing attention to the issue just doing that.

I'm not sure what the park service was doing watching two harmless hikers. I'm not sure what law the park service thinks these hikers broke. If I went into the Coronado National Memorial Park, like I did 1 week ago, and I happened to hike with my legal, licensed firearm on my belt, would I get arrested too? Or were these two hikers singled out because of political affiliation? Is this a new policy that the park service will now monitor pairs of hikers who they think may be carrying legal, personal sidearms, harassing them for carrying them (and not firing them), and then seizing the weapons? Knowing the amount of harrassment from illegals and drug runners some hikers, campers, and picnickers have experienced in that park, is it policy now that you are no longer allowed to carry personal firearms with which to protect yourself?

[Spiff]

I think the border patrol groups should stay on private land for the time being. They're raising enough of a ruckus and drawing attention to the issue just doing that.

Wrong. They should go on private land if invited, but stick to public land for the most part. The park service has arrested none of the whackos that haul water tanks onto the land to aid and abet the border intruders - why should they arrest the hikers that tend to hike to those same water tank areas?

[dirtboy]

Knowing the amount of harrassment from illegals and drug runners some hikers, campers, and picnickers have experienced in that park, is it policy now that you are no longer allowed to carry personal firearms with which to protect yourself?

It's my understanding of Park Service regulations that you're not allowed to carry firearms AT ALL. I'm not agreeing with the rules, I'm simply citing them. And if a particular Park Ranger doesn't like the border groups, they can use the regulations against them.

[freddy]

Baloney.

Oh ye of massive faith in your government...

Would you like that with a little CROW on the side for a snack later..??

[dirtboy]

My prediction is that Bush, through Ashcroft, will soon start cracking down on these citizen patrols that dare to try to protect the border. The ranchers will be next.

Quite frankly, the feds would have a hard time legally justifying such an action against citizens on private land. Since the groups are for the most part simply notifying the Border Patrol of suspicious activity on private land, outlawing their activity would be tantamount to the feds outlawing every Neighborhood Watch group in the country.

[SJackson]

If I went into the Coronado National Memorial Park, like I did 1 week ago, and I happened to hike with my legal, licensed firearm on my belt, would I get arrested too?

If I'm not mistaken possession (think unloaded, in your car trunk) of a firearm has been illegal in National Parks and Monuments for years.

[dirtboy]

If I went into the Coronado National Memorial Park, like I did 1 week ago, and I happened to hike with my legal, licensed firearm on my belt, would I get arrested too?

I'll see if I can look up the regs for Coronado. Having been in several national parks and monuments in my life, as I recall just about every one prohibited firearms.

[Spiff]

It's my understanding of Park Service regulations that you're not allowed to carry firearms AT ALL. I'm not agreeing with the rules, I'm simply citing them. And if a particular Park Ranger doesn't like the border groups, they can use the regulations against them.

Really!? I'm wondering what part of "shall not be infringed" the Park Service does not understand.

[azsportsterman]

She confiscated a scanner, two two-way radios, his camera, a cell phone and his pistol? I didn't know they were illegal. We'd better warn all the hunters not to carry guns; other visitors better not carry cell phones or cameras. I carry most of these items with me every time I go through the forest; I've run into groups of illegals many times while there. I've talked with the rangers and the Border Patrol several times, and they've never questioned my having the items with me. I wonder if this ranger has an ulterior motive? Could this be called arbitray and capricious enforcement of the law?

[dirtboy]

Here's the firearms guidelines for Capitol Reef:

Firearms are prohibited (firearms transported in vehicles must be unloaded, broken down, and out of sight)

And I think that holds true for just about all of the National Park Service jurisdictions.