Neighbors called the sheriff Dept. tonight while i was shooting

[rockhopper46038]

If you do shoot at home (and I hope you do), get a camera on the berm so when the neighbors show up with the police and a misshapen bullet that they claim they found on their land, in their house wall, by their animals trough, etc (and have a picture to "prove" it), you can show them prying it out if your berm in the dead of night or when you are gone.

 

[gglass]

The MAN wins again.

 

[mainjet]

IF you are very confident in your backstop, and I hope that you are because your shooting at it, then fire away. If the neighbors keep calling, fine enough, no bullets left your property and what you are doing is legal. So the police don't have much choice but to go away. Each time one comes out they will find out that you aren't doing anything they can do anything about. Eventually they will tell the neighbor that when they call.

If they want to press this in court, okay, on what grounds? no bullets left your property. So bottom line is - be dog-darn sure that you are 100% confident in your backstop. Lastly, for your sake you may want to have rule that you are the only one that shoots there. Because IF one of your buddies fires one over the berm by accident, you are the one going to court.

The cop was a jerk but think it over if you want to file that complaint. If you were not trying to get hired there then I would say do it. But since your trying to get hired on you don't want other officers bad mouthing you. it would be too easy to just pass over your application and move to another one.

 

[Icarry2]

Look up the laws in your county, in your township, etc.

If there is no law against your actions take your day in court and then counter and name everyone on your counter...

Just my thoughts.

As for the neighbors property being unkept, is there someone you can call on him? I thought cars without plates ment junk yard, can he have a junk yard where you all live?

Consult a professional, i.e. lawyer if in doubt.

 

[coltaceguy]

Its lawyer time, no more talking, only action.

 

[brian_a_mcmillen]

Man, I have a jackwagon neighbor exactly like yours. They have at least 10 cars without wheels on them around their house and call code enforcement and the police about every other neighbor about once a month! Interesting that the people who break the law the most call the police the most and usually ***** about the police the most too!

 

[theweakerbrother]

I bet somewhere out there on car forums are people complaining about their neighbors who shoot guns near their property.

 

[tsbolton]

BS

I'd contact the sheriffs office and get an explanation as to law or laws that I would be breaking and what DNR has to do with situation. We had similar issue in Danville recently 1 county and 2 city officers showed up only county office approached looked over property never ask to see stamp for full auto and said anything advised all looks good, be careful,and more importantly have fun and continue shooting.

 

[Expat]

I'd contact the sheriffs office and get an explanation as to law or laws that I would be breaking and what DNR has to do with situation. We had similar issue in Danville recently 1 county and 2 city officers showed up only county office approached looked over property never ask to see stamp for full auto and said anything advised all looks good, be careful,and more importantly have fun and continue shooting.

Maybe you should read the thread before posting.:roll eyes:

He met with the Sheriff yesterday.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

As has been said: Be 100% sure of your berm / backstop. (perhaps even hold off on more shooting until you can improve it a great deal)

if your neighbors keep calling the law on you...look into having harassment charges brought up on them.

As far as the Sheriff telling you about "negligent discharge"... I just don't know about that. Sounds like he's attempting to apply a round statute into a square-shaped real-life situation.

-J-

 

[mainjet]

I agree that negligence is going to be hard to prove. If you have taken the steps that a reasonable person would take in order to avoid bullets from entering the neighbors property.

I know that you, as a responsible gun owner, would not want bullets going past the backstop either. Accidents or unintentional things can happen but that makes them an accident or unintentional not negligent.

 

[mainjet]

The MAN wins again.

The "MAN" always wins. But, if the "MAN" is good, he makes us just feel glad that we are not going to jail so we do what "HE" says.

 

[Titanium Man]

Hmm. Normally Captains don't show up on your doorstep and push their chest out making smug remarks and making veiled threats. Sounds to me this house call was planned far before you started shooting your gun that day. My guess is this dude is a friend of your neighbor, and he's hoping you stop shooting, as this obviously bugs him.

Since you are out in the county limits, I'd make a visit to the County Prosecutors office and check on the local county ordinances. I wouldn't have anything to do with the Sheriffs office again, until the time comes, and he'll be miffed once you inform him you checked with the prosecutor. Nothing can happen unless the prosecutor deems it a worthy case. Above all, if the conclusions you come to are in your favor, have copies made of the laws and have them handy when officer jackwipe shows up again.

The big giveaway in his attitude was he threw DNR in your face, about enforcing the laws. I thought he's a law enforcement officer. He can arrest people can't he, and give tickets?

 

[The Bubba Effect]

By you doing what you feel is "perfectly legal", you may be infringing on your neighbors right to quiet enjoyment of his property.

LoL@ "right to quiet enjoyment".

 

[Rong]

I agree with inviting an officer or 2 to come shoot with you. That will put an end to your problem, some of them have fun toys too.
I also think maybe some Christmas cookies or something to build a relationship with your neighbors might be a good idea as well. Maybe even invite them over to shoot.
Worst case scenario just wait until they leave to shoot.

 

[canav844]

So did you get a CLEO signature for NFA items while you were there?

If it's a noise thing, see if the neighbor will reimburse you for the cost of the tax stamp. If it's a anti gun thing, then go the full auto route. To be fair, if I break out the G27 for some practice at the range I usually get complaints from the 9mm section, and even gotten comments from guys shooting shotguns; but those with the .50 cal muzzle loaders just get a smirk. So .40 S&W will make a bit of noise, and I can see that raising some neighborly issues.

By your description, your backstop sounds about half as tall as any range that I've seen that carries insurance; but there are many other factors that can factor in the determination of a safe backstop, and the fact it's not a public use site and the terrain is somewhat unknown, it may be plenty.Backstop is somewhere that overkill is an ok thing, as has been said all it takes is one out of millions of rounds to go astray and there's a whole world of trouble.

As to the fence, it's a separate issue entirely (but your neighbor is already hostile), get a survey crew out, have them mark the lines; photograph everything. If the fence is indeed over the line, take the photos and their report contact a lawyer, probably best to make an attempt with a letter through the lawyer first, then after a set reasonable amount of time advised by the lawyer, it's off to court to have it settled. Go through the right channels to CYA; and consider building a privacy fence on the line so he can't take photos of you on your private property as easily, and so that you can start to develop a reasonable expectation of privacy on your land.

 

[revolvers&w]

Like a Good Neighbor

I think I would have to take a week or so off of work and shoot a magazine or two Every Hour on the Hour for ten or so days.
Keep vidieo equipment at hand so you can review the "laws quoted you by friendly L.E.O.

 

[IndianaGTI]

Hmm. Normally Captains don't show up on your doorstep and push their chest out making smug remarks and making veiled threats. Sounds to me this house call was planned far before you started shooting your gun that day. My guess is this dude is a friend of your neighbor, and he's hoping you stop shooting, as this obviously bugs him.

Since you are out in the county limits, I'd make a visit to the County Prosecutors office and check on the local county ordinances. I wouldn't have anything to do with the Sheriffs office again, until the time comes, and he'll be miffed once you inform him you checked with the prosecutor. Nothing can happen unless the prosecutor deems it a worthy case. Above all, if the conclusions you come to are in your favor, have copies made of the laws and have them handy when officer jackwipe shows up again.

The big giveaway in his attitude was he threw DNR in your face, about enforcing the laws. I thought he's a law enforcement officer. He can arrest people can't he, and give tickets?

First off, you don't know this captain. He does stuff like that.

Second, I live in Lawrence County too, and I have dealt with corrupt Sheriff's Departments before. I am happy to say that I believe that the Lawrence County Sheriff's office is one of the most by the book Sheriff's office in the state. I have no affiliation with the Sheriff's office but I am just glad to have an above the board law office. That being said, there is always a goofball in every organization hence my first statement.

Third, the Prosecutor's office is not the proper place to check for County ordinances. Even though the county prosecutor is called the county prosecutor, she can only enforce state laws. County ordinances are actually civil violations which would have to be enforced by a civil suit by the county attorney.

Fourth, there is no copy of laws he can have. There are no laws that allow many things. The laws disallow things. Therefore, he cannot copy a law that says he can shoot in his yard.

 

[pops66goat]

I agree remove what is on your property! I would also do some research on the laws and if your obeying the law there is really nothing they can do

 

[IndyGunner]

he laughed and said so your one of those guys,

I would have told him to get bent and slammed the door in his face.