Laws & Jaws: Pig Bites Shark

[XLFD]

If you thought your December has started badly, consider this fish story.

One of Ludington's finest was cruising north in his normal patrol on Washington Avenue near Danaher Street around 2 AM this morning when he saw something fishy along the side of the street.  Very fishy, a shark to be exact.  But Washington Avenue is quite a ways away from the nearest body of salt water, and they don't generally do a lot of walking on land, so he quickly figured out that it was someone in a shark costume.  After notifying dispatch that he was going to make a citizen contact, he stopped and approached the shark impersonator.

Now we don't know the full story, only that part which the arresting agency has told us, so we don't know whether Mr. Shark had just dislodged himself from the Sand Bar or whether he was coming back from a costume party with some of his chums, but the officer apparently thought he was gill-ty of something, because at some point Sharky was asked to provide his ID to the officer.  

Perhaps he didn't chews his words wisely or made a great white lie or two to spur the officer to action, whatever happened, the shark suit apparently had pockets because he gave his ID to the officer for him to sea.  For some reason not revealed, the officer had dispatch run his name and found out that shark-man had a bench warrant out of Kent County for unpaid child support.  

The man was lodged in the Mason County Jail with a cash bond of $735.  A poor way to fin-ish the night.  

All bad puns aside, this shark got a raw deal.  People aren't walking around in shark costumes in order to commit crimes-- it's pretty conspicuous, it's hard to move quickly, and fins are hard to pick pockets with.  When the cop decided to make contact without having any reasonable suspicion that a crime had been (or soon would be) committed, they should have figured out that they had no rationale to detain the man or ask for the man's ID.  We can be sure that Sharky didn't volunteer his ID to the cop; most likely he was threatened with arrest for the felony of opposing if he didn't-- it's a regular tactic by the cops here in Ludington.   

In Michigan, as it is in most other states, one is not required to 'show your papers' to police on demand when you're minding your own business walking lawfully down the street (in a shark costume or not).  Being forced to produce identification in situations where the police may be unable to prove reasonable cause for suspicion is more than just a procedural error. Being illegally forced to show your ID is a potentially significant legal issue, one that may be used to invalidate criminal charges, to have a legal case dismissed, or to be a basis for a lawsuit, especially when that cop throws you in jail as a result.

Finding outstanding warrants on a whim by running somebody through dispatch when reasonable cause for suspicion does not exist is a misuse of the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) and so the officer may face misdemeanor charges.  Felony charges if this is a regular occurrence for them. 

If Ludington police continue to trample over the rights of people, even those who may identify as sharks, they will need more than the donation-supported PR efforts of Shop with a Cop and Pigs for a Cause to earn the general support of the community.

[Willy]

Mr. Sharky made a big mistake by being netted in Ludington. He's lucky the cops didn't hoist him up and put him on display to show how they are saving us from some poor shmuck who owes money to an ex who probably only let's him see his kids 4 days a month. I feel sorry for  Mr. Sharky and shame on the cop who doesn't seem to have much to do. Don't look now. Nothing to see here in Ludington.

Love your fish jargon and picture X.