Annoying encounter with BLM Rangers

paradox_puree · Post by **paradox_puree** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:34 am

I thought I'd share this annoying situation that came up on Tuesday morning just after dawn with one of the BLM rangers, I believe.

My friend and I were out walking back from the giant Rubik's Cube, when she took a drink of water from her Camelbak. Suddenly, a BLM ranger car pulled up next to us and asked us to stop. He walked in front of my friend and asked if she was smoking. Bewildered, she responded in the negative. He repeated the question, pressing for her to answer. She again said no. He then said, "You're seriously going to stand there and tell me that you're not smoking? I saw you wave your pipe at me." At that point, we realized that they had mistaken her Camelbak spout for a pipe, indicated as much, and excused ourselves.

Nothing really bad came of it, but it was a really annoying run in with authority that had no business occurring. Even if we had a pipe, smoking a pipe isn't illegal on the Playa, as far as I'm aware, so long as it contains legal substances. But we weren't even doing that. We were just out for a dawn walk and were drinking water. We filed a report on the incident with the BRC rangers (AWESOME folks!) and that was that. I hope our report helped out, as folks really shouldn't have to have their experiences interrupted by annoying run ins with authorities for no reason.

Grazelda · Post by **Grazelda** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:49 am

Maybe he just wanted a hit?

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:47 am

is your friend hot?

those BLMers are hony..

BigTony · Post by **BigTony** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:56 pm

Several years ago we had a similar situation in our camp:

Having a conversation under our big parachute watching traffic go by, my firend smoking a cigarette. He finishes up and is putting his butt away in a big cookie tin he uses for the butts, just as a Pershing Sheriff pulls by.

Suddenly the Sheriff car stops and he approaches my friend asking what he just "hid" in the cookie tin.

My friend opened it showing him the contents, and replied "Camel Lite.... you want a hit?"

*Luckily* the officer had a sense of humor as well. As good a memory as this tends to be, I can't say I would ever actually recommend mouthing off to a cop like that!!!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:10 pm

BigTony wrote:Several years ago we had a similar situation in our camp:

Having a conversation under our big parachute watching traffic go by, my firend smoking a cigarette. He finishes up and is putting his butt away in a big cookie tin he uses for the butts, just as a Pershing Sheriff pulls by.

Suddenly the Sheriff car stops and he approaches my friend asking what he just "hid" in the cookie tin.

My friend opened it showing him the contents, and replied "Camel Lite.... you want a hit?"

*Luckily* the officer had a sense of humor as well. As good a memory as this tends to be, I can't say I would ever actually recommend mouthing off to a cop like that!!!

Having seem many old hippies stash there rouches in little boxes.. As a passer by, I would assume your friend was doing just that.. Also my sence of hummor would show the cop the tin and ask if he wanted a hit..

tapeta · Post by **tapeta** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:26 pm

The solution to the roach police is....edible cannabis.

Crissa · Post by **Crissa** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:51 pm

Hum, friends of mine were hassled by BLM guys about drugs, too. Weird, they aren't supposed to care about drug law enforcement normally.

I wonder if it was something like the uniform trading that ICE is in trouble for doing (doing raids masquerading as local police or federal marshals).

-Crissa

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:07 am

You can bet that f you were growing opium or cooking meth on BLM land, they'd care. As I recall the numbers of actual arrests are tiny for an event of this size. And yes, there are a lot of BLM rangers out there. But there's no need to allow your paranoid thoughts to take over. DHS and ICE are kind of whacked out agencies. BLM is just better at cattle then they are with people.

Actually, I wouldn't even say that. The ex=BLM ranger I know hwas fewer personality problems than I do.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:02 am

theCryptofishist wrote:You can bet that f you were growing opium or cooking meth on BLM land, they'd care. As I recall the numbers of actual arrests are tiny for an event of this size. And yes, there are a lot of BLM rangers out there. But there's no need to allow your paranoid thoughts to take over. DHS and ICE are kind of whacked out agencies. BLM is just better at cattle then they are with people.

Actually, I wouldn't even say that. The ex=BLM ranger I know hwas fewer personality problems than I do.

I would like to see a full report on just what they do with "cattle"

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:14 am

unjonharley wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote:You can bet that f you were growing opium or cooking meth on BLM land, they'd care. As I recall the numbers of actual arrests are tiny for an event of this size. And yes, there are a lot of BLM rangers out there. But there's no need to allow your paranoid thoughts to take over. DHS and ICE are kind of whacked out agencies. BLM is just better at cattle then they are with people.

Actually, I wouldn't even say that. The ex=BLM ranger I know hwas fewer personality problems than I do.
I would like to see a full report on just what they do with "cattle"

Start here.

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:42 am

Sounds like a case of "Paranoid Cops On Roids"

peace · Post by **peace** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:20 am

I got the creepy feeling that we were being hunted from the blm rangers. I witnessed them penetrating dance crowds in packs of four- paramilitary style (wearing el wire and blinkie lights -like some fucked up camo). Caught them eyeballing me intensely twice - once having a cig and the other a snack.

When did "protect and serve" become "hunt and destroy"?

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:01 am

Abductor - please, please relate your observations to the folks who are working hard to gather such info. There is a lot of effort going into communicating with the various law enforcement agencies.

IMHO, there are some tactics used generally on the playa that are not typically used elsewhere unless you are already suspected of something. The issues of probable cause and tactics that walk on the edge of entrapment are worrisome. I personally overheard a BLM officer say to another while patrolling at a big party, "But I can't find anybody doing anything wrong".....

It may be that tactics used on the playa are less agressive than what you may be used to at home. All I can say to that is YIKES!

We saw lots of busts of people coming in on the entrance road - both before and after the Greeter's station.