I am hearing stories.

One is that teenagers were arrested for loitering in their own yard. Mother had to bail them out and pay fines. Source was mother.

Other story was an elderly man arrested for loitering while walking for exercise on his own street. Had to take a doctor's note to court to avoid penalties. Source was the man arrested.

WTF? Any perspectives on this are appreciated. These stories are from unconnected sources in the same city.

At the same time I have heard stories of property crimes and police basically refuse to get involved unless a report is needed for an insurance claim.

Other reports (many) of threats of arrest for asking about police behavior. Basically, "shut up and walk away or I will arrest you".

Years ago hollywood liked the line "I know my rights". I never knew my rights because I avoid legal issues of any kind. Do we have any rights anymore?

It's been going this way for some time. Remember the police cars used to say, "To Protect and to Serve"?? No more, It's more like, "To Harass and to Intimidate".

I'm aware of one city where the cops actually go into restaurants that serve alcohol around 7:00 PM every night to announce that they are going to have sobriety check points set up on the city streets and to "please watch your alcohol intake". This is a city that relies heavily on tourism dollars; as soon as the cops make the 7:00 PM announcement, the restaurants literally CLEAR OUT. Great for the restaurant business huh?

The charge was as simple as loitering? Don't the citations state what specific section of code was violated?

Sixto
87 300D

Let them try that here in Korntucky and see what happens.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

It violated the Behavior police code; i.e., I don't think you should be doing what you are doing therefore I'm going to write you a citation.

POLice
POLicy enforcement unit for POLiticians who change their minds ever so frequently. What constitutes legal behavior today will tomorrow be charged as a Class H Felony. Of course, you can sleep easy knowing that the politicians and the police are perfect angels and perfect examples of how we all should be living our lives......

Those stories in your head can get to a point where the black helicopters are landing in your front yard.

Be careful.

As far as rights, it might behoove one to pick up a few books on the law and read them. There are different types of rights, civil rights, inalienable rights, constitutional rights etc etc. best to study carefully so that you really understand the differences.

Glad I live in a neighborhood where it's normal to walk. As opposed to, say, Phoenix, where I've heard people say "zOMG, only Mexicans walk to the store."

A few years ago. Baltimore City police were arresting people who were sitting on their own porches drinking beer.
AFAIK, that policy has changed, and they no longer do that.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

MSfowler,

Drinking in Public IS Verboten in most jurisdictions.

I believe B.C. has interpolated the "Difficulty" correctly.

ALERT!!! Original POST is "Cat Poo"

Typical Recidivist Horse Pucky !
No one was or is Arrested in their own yard !

__________________
'84 300SD sold
124.128

Until now I never realized that when I visit friends and family in Phoenix, I'm a Mexican! :p

That guy does not live in AZ but loves to trash the rest of the country with generalist statements like this. Glad to have the ignore feature!

Same here. I've lived in other places where people assumed that if you were walking, something must be wrong.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Another way to raise revenue for the city. Politicians look at tax and fine revenue as THEIR money, NOT the money of those they take it from. When they don't have enough of THEIR money, they start looking for ways to steal more of it from the law abiding citizens.

Hassling with criminals is difficult. Harassing law abiding citizens is easy and safe.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Can you arrest people sitting in their car and eating donuts?

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman