THE LAW AND YOU 1
BY BONES AND DAVID
I have decided to start another column to publish called THE LAW AND YOU because I don’t have enough to do. Dave Stilwell and I have come to the conclusion that we are tired of the law in Nevada getting away with terrorizing the local biker community and getting away with it. Don’t get me wrong, this is for the avrage rider that finds him or herself being continually hasseled by the local law enforcment. Each article will contain a little bit of what you should know to protect your rights and some of the rules that govern the police when it comes to interacting with the public, YOU.
We had some discussion about the little altercation that happened at one of the local motorcycle shops which we didn’t think was quite right so we did some simple research into the actions of the police. It seems that one of the Metro secret squads raided the shop under the guise of “an ongoing investigation” and told the owner that if he didn’t comply with the police and allow them to search the shop they would remove every item from the shop and haul it away to look at. This is wrong and is addressed in the Nevada Revised Statutes under coercion by law enforcment and is against the law, but we will address that another time.
This is a little excerpt from the metro police handbook and I think that everyone needs to carry a copy of this in their pocket;
It wasn’t too long ago that some of the minorities were using these tools to stop metro from discrimination and profiling and now they are being treated with the utmost respect when being stopped. The last time I was stopped I was treated like a convicted child rapist that had just shot up a church full of nuns and it was for a lousy speeding ticket but because I had my Colors on I was treated differently than someone in a car. Had I known then what I know now I would have immediately filed a complaint with the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department and had Internal Affairs discuss that particular officers behavior with him and the next time he felt like harassing someone I am sure that it would not be me.
We are now using the law to stop the law from targeting us and you will find that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. The biggest reason for the cops to hassle us as bikers is because we allow it to happen. We never fight back when things are unjust. You need to know that because you chose to live a different lifestyle and ride a motorcycle the law is there to protect you same as anyone else and the law is there to stop tyrant cops that attempt to coerce you at every turn. You don’t need some high priced lawyer on retainer you can save the attorney for the heavy stuff. Learn the laws that have been put in place to protect you and use them as they were intended, it has worked in the past and it will work again. If every biker in this state knew the laws that protect them we would become invisible to the police. The police use lack of knowledge to their advantage and for intimidation, so let’s take away the advantage and wise up.
We have been reading a lot of case law and we are getting a grip on the procedures and rules. If you have a particular situation you want to address in this column then send me an e-mail, we’ll do our best to come up with a solution.
WHEN INJUSTICE BECOMES LAW
RESISTANCE BECOMES DUTY
BONES