Other Activities > Shed Hunting
Shed hunting trespassers and rule breakers
bornhunter:
--- Quote from: LDennis24 on May 07, 2024, 09:10:58 AM ---
--- Quote from: bornhunter on May 07, 2024, 09:07:08 AM ---Rainier you ever need someone to hang out and keep eyes on your property give me a shout. Would just be there to let people know where they can and cant go. I am the guy who sent you that photo of a no trespassing sign on my property with a BPA easement. Took me about ten years to finally get the point across to people that BPA lines run across private land. Spent a lot of time sitting at access points on opening days and talking with people. Of course it helped being in a Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle from where I was employed for 31 years. :chuckle:
--- End quote ---
So do you still have the vehicle? That would help! :chuckle:
--- End quote ---
Nope, had to turn it in darn it.
bigtex:
--- Quote from: Rainier10 on May 02, 2024, 11:13:49 AM ---We need more enforcement of the rules we have and need to prosecute those that break the rules.
--- End quote ---
I've said it many times before, the problem with WA's trespassing laws is that they are actually too tough. Now before you erupt let me explain.
In WA any misdemeanor (or gross misdemeanor) requires a mandatory court appearance. Up until 2012 many natural resource misdemeanors could be handled by paying a fine (known as bail forfeiture) without appearing in court, and the vast majority of people simply paid their fine. Going way back (decades) many misdemeanors could be handled by paying a bail forfeiture. When bail forfeiture went away in 2012 (thank you WA Supreme Court) it meant you had to get prosecutor support (and time) for every misdemeanor case, so is the prosecutor going to take the fish snagging case or the DUI? The closed season deer case or the DV assault case? Thru the years WDFW has gone to the legislature and asked that they decriminalize many wildlife offenses turning them from crimes into infractions (similar to a traffic ticket.) Infractions don't go to a prosecutor and instead are directly filed with the court.
Just this year the timber industry went to the legislature and asked that most dumping offenses be turned from crimes to infractions. Reason being a guy who litters a pop can got a $103 ticket but the guy who emptied 30 garbage bags on the side of the road didn't get prosecuted because it's a misdemeanor. That has now changed.
So back to the original point of this response. Since criminal trespass 2nd degree (trespassing on someone's land) is a misdemeanor, most prosecutors don't even consider filing charges in these cases. Because again, are you going to spend the time on the DUI prosecution or the dirt biker trespassing on Joe's property? What needs to happen is the legislature needs to enact a trespass law that is an infraction that allows LEOs to simply cite someone with a ticket, and not have to deal with misdemeanor charges. :twocents:
2MANY:
Cool story.
The problem is getting the LEO to show up timely in the first place.
b0bbyg:
Bigtex, thanks for the background info.
Rainier10:
Great info bigtex, I appreciate it.
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