Interesting encounter at the DNR shooting range

[Griffeycom]

I am not trying to start a fight here, but I see all these posts about what "I woulda done" and "I woulda butt-stroked him" etc, and I have to ask:

You DO realize this DNR officer is also a Police Officer, yes? Do you really think that if you hit the guy, even if he was wrong, you wouldn't be in jail for assault and battery of a police officer?

From what I gather from these posts, the "I woulda done" people are talking about reflexes. Which seem pretty normal to me.

 

[Roadie]

From what I gather from these posts, the "I woulda done" people are talking about reflexes. Which seem pretty normal to me.

..and I understand that. I was just curious if some people didn't realize that this isn't just some random RO, it's a DNR Officer with police powers.

 

[cce1302]

I am not trying to start a fight here, but I see all these posts about what "I woulda done" and "I woulda butt-stroked him" etc, and I have to ask:

You DO realize this DNR officer is also a Police Officer, yes? Do you really think that if you hit the guy, even if he was wrong, you wouldn't be in jail for assault and battery of a police officer?

Yes, it's possible, but after the fact, if it was indeed a trained reaction, not someone turning around, looking at and recognizing the RO, and cold-cocking him, it would probably be defensible in court.
all of it does remind me of a joke though:

A couple of kids in the South get pulled over for speeding. When the trooper approaches the car, the driver says 'What's the problem, sir?'.
The trooper takes out his machined aluminum flashlight and whacks the kid across the head saying 'You don't speak to a state trooper unless you're spoken to'.
The trooper writes out the citation and gives it to the driver who responds 'Thanks a lot'.
The trooper again gives the kid a dose of the flashlight and says 'When you address a state trooper, you finish your sentence with the word sir'.
He then walks over to the passenger side and whacks the other kid with the flashlight.
The kid says 'What was that for, sir?'
The trooper says 'I was just fulfilling your wish.
Y'all wouldn't have gotten 100 yards down this road before you'd have said to your friend, "I wish he'd have hit me with that flashlight", so I fulfilled your wish.'

 

[Rotor Talker]

I am not trying to start a fight here, but I see all these posts about what "I woulda done" and "I woulda butt-stroked him" etc, and I have to ask:

You DO realize this DNR officer is also a Police Officer, yes? Do you really think that if you hit the guy, even if he was wrong, you wouldn't be in jail for assault and battery of a police officer?

I went back in the OP, didn't see anything about it being a Conservation, or any other type of officer in uniform???? I got the impression it was some overzelous Range Nazi, probably a police wanna be that washed out.

If this "John" is a uniformed Conservation Officer, we need to be really screaming at Daniels and Mike Crider who heads up DNR Law Enforcement.

CC, can you help clear this up?

If it was indeed a uniformed officer I agree with your statement about assault + battery of an officer, 100%. But if it's some powertripping Range Nazi, who cares what happens to him,? so long as he's gone

Let's see what the OP says.

 

[MoparMan]

I understand the DNR officer is a LEO. I have a friend that is one with Johnson County. I also have a few other LEO friends. I talked about these situation before with them and they agree. If someone comes behind unrecognized, pulls your pistol, it would be justified to defend yourself. Now having said that if they identified themselves as such you would have to refrain from further action. The previous post about PTSD was just a joke although there are many vets with this and this situation could have been ugly for that gentlemen.

 

[El Cazador]

I don't think RO's are Conservation Officers. They are employees of the DNR, probably Fish and Wildlife Division, but they aren't officers, thus have no police powers. I'll ask some CO acquaintances to make sure, but I'm pretty confident in this.

By the way, CO's have police powers equal to Indiana State Police, and actually a bit beyond in a few examples.

 

[Passive101]

I'm glad both of you are alright.

What type of holster did you have? This is why I wouldn't do security or open carry without at least a lvl 2 holster.

 

[agentl074]

I'm glad both of you are alright.

What type of holster did you have? This is why I wouldn't do security or open carry without at least a lvl 2 holster.

A lot of security agencies recommend a good retention holster

 

[hc4sar]

just talked to a couple of friend about this and the contention was 100% 1 RO at the very least would be on the ground wondering WTFH . we all carry and if he pulled that idiot stunt while we were together watching 1 of us shoot the results would have been MOST UGLY for him!!! what a royal DA. RANT OVER

 

[Passive101]

Did you at least learn something about weapons retention and why multiple locking mechanisms is recommended?

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

I am not trying to start a fight here, but I see all these posts about what "I woulda done" and "I woulda butt-stroked him" etc, and I have to ask:

You DO realize this DNR officer is also a Police Officer, yes? Do you really think that if you hit the guy, even if he was wrong, you wouldn't be in jail for assault and battery of a police officer?

Why should a badge and powers of office protect someone even if they are in the wrong? I'm not condoning making a concious decision to start whaling on a law enforcement officer (or equivalent), but if the person were in the wrong in doing what they did, why should it make any difference whether they were acting in an official capacity or not? If anything the fault would lie MORE with the officer in that circumstance, IMHO. They ought to know better.

Again, I say this assuming that any violent reaction would be instinctive, rather than calculated. If you decided to kick his *** after the fact, it would be a different story.

 

[Agent 007]

Do you think the PD is even going to take this report? This is a DNR Officer that felt he was acting within his duties. (he wasn't obviously)

I can see a complaint filed with the DNR, but I wonder if the police would(could?) even get involved. I know DNR officers in Indiana are given full police powers, but at what level? (and does that matter?)

Unless they've changed things in the last year, range officers are simply DNR employees, they are NOT police officers. Only DNR conservation officers have full police powers, and I highly doubt that they are being stationed as ROs at state ranges.

No prosecutor in Indiana is going to file conversion charges for something like this. It's obviously a serious breach of safety, but there's no criminal intent. In reality, the charge of conversion is simply the misdemeanor equivalent of D felony theft....usually used to plea bargain theft charges down to a misdemeanor in shoplifting or minor theft cases. In order for a conversion charge to be filed, a person must exert unauthorized control over another person's property.

It could be successfully argued that, although the range officer was an unsafe idiot and improper in his actions, the range staff is authorized to control the range, and the persons using the range are bound by range rules. The improper implementation of methods used to control the firearms on the range don't seem to rise to the level of criminal conduct. In any event, citizens cannot "press charges" in the state of Indiana. The sole discretion for filing of charges is with the prosecutor of each county.

The range officer still needs to be fired. He has no business being anywhere near a shooting range.

As an aside....does anyone else think it's funny that the guy in charge of the DNR conservation officers is "Major Hunter?"

 

[ChalupaCabras]

The DNR LEO that I spoke to, Major Hunter, is supposedly the chief DNR conservation officer. From what he told me, this John fellow is not a conservation officer, but rather just an employee of the Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area.

 

[elliot454]

I have had nothing but problems with the D&R shooting range in Mongo IN. Everytime you go, there is an officer sneaking up behind you to make sure your signed in ,have a carry permit and pretty much eyeball everything you have in your vehicle and on your person. Always a power trip with those guys, and never a kind word. Save your money and buy 40 acres in the middle of no-where, fence it in and put a lockable gate on it to keep out the sherrif. Then you can become the crazy guy down the road that nobody ever messes with. Trust me it is great!

 

[Serial Crusher]

It would be a lot funnier if his name was "Major Poacher".

Glad to here you got some traction on it, CC.

 

[Roadie]

The DNR LEO that I spoke to, Major Hunter, is supposedly the chief DNR conservation officer. From what he told me, this John fellow is not a conservation officer, but rather just an employee of the Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area.

Well if he isn't a LEO then I would think that changes everything, IMHO

 

[indyjs]

Went to Atterbury today. All the staff were courteous and professional

 

[finity]

I have had nothing but problems with the D&R shooting range in Mongo IN. Everytime you go, there is an officer sneaking up behind you to make sure your signed in ,have a carry permit and pretty much eyeball everything you have in your vehicle and on your person. Always a power trip with those guys, and never a kind word. Save your money and buy 40 acres in the middle of no-where, fence it in and put a lockable gate on it to keep out the sherrif. Then you can become the crazy guy down the road that nobody ever messes with. Trust me it is great!

That's surprising that you've had issues at Mongo. I go there with my family quite a bit & have never had any issues with any employee or CO being rude.

They do approach you to make sure you've signed in & legal but that's their job. I even forgot to sign in once & he just asked me to do it & reminded me of the rules. He was pretty polite about it.

The CO's are a little more stern but, hey, they're cops. What else could you expect? j/k (kinda, ).

Maybe their eyeballing your stuff just to see what kind of "neat toys" you've got? I wouldn't think it would be for some nefarious intent.

 

[joslar15]

I have had nothing but problems with the D&R shooting range in Mongo IN. Everytime you go, there is an officer sneaking up behind you to make sure your signed in ,have a carry permit and pretty much eyeball everything you have in your vehicle and on your person. Always a power trip with those guys, and never a kind word. Save your money and buy 40 acres in the middle of no-where, fence it in and put a lockable gate on it to keep out the sherrif. Then you can become the crazy guy down the road that nobody ever messes with. Trust me it is great!

Love it!

 

[Jeffrey]

Glad to hear that you filed a formal complaint. Don't let up on it. He could have very easily tried the same stuff when your attn. was not on the front site, and things would have turned out very differently. Let us know how things turn out when/if you get a response.