Weapon confiscated at Gary steel plant

[esrice]

In a 'normal' place of business is a good question. The question then becomes in my mind what they sign. If they sign a release or agree to certain policies then it would be based on those policies. I know I had to sign an agreement that gives them the right to search my vehicle whenever I am on company property. My question is this: can't a security guard hold someone for the police to arrive? How can a LP person hold a shoplifter til the police arrive? I think the same reasoning would apply in this case as well.

Greg

As former LP myself, I am familiar with what you're talking about. It falls under a pseudo 'citizen's arrest' or 'merchant's arrest'. But, we were able to hold them for the police because they just committed a crime, namely THEFT.

But in this case, the OP did no crime, nothing illegal. He just broke an apparent company policy. Therefore why would they need to call the police if no law had been broken?

Now, if the OP has at some point signed a company document consenting to a search, then that certainly muddies the waters even further.

 

[JNG]

Can't change the past . . . what's done is done regarding your decisions at the time of the incident.

What you can affect is how this plays out going forward.

I think your best play is not to call on Monday. It's to have your lawyer call for you. I'll bet that simple step will expedite the return of your weapon significantly.

 

[Bigum1969]

Who would've known you had a firearm in your car? Who could've given an anonymous tip?

 

[txgho1911]

If security is going to be so tough park off property.
Never consent.
If they want you to stay and talk refuse.

Ignorance of what was meant by the policy is laughable.

Was there any grief over the seatbelt ticket? Maybe the security guy decided you are to confident or smooth and decided to call a friend in who has a dog that alerted to your gun's case.

If you are getting busted for gun at work then STFU and leave. If you return the supervisor may want to talk to you. But do not not give away your gun.

If you do not understand what I am saying. If you are getting busted for a gun at work that you know you are not supposed to bring to work with you then your job is probably over. Do not make it worse for yourself.

Monday have your lawyer call about the misappropriated personal property.

 

[minuteman32]

So, did they illegally transfer a handgun across state lines? If they were not LEO's, I would think that this might be agood angle to take, too.

 

[chasekerion4]

Why does everyone always assume everyone else "has a lawyer" ????

I see it over and over.. "Call your lawyer"... Who has lawyers on stand-by?

Very few of us here have a lawyer in waiting...

Anyway...

Where I get confused here is whether or not this is the OP's place of employment. I saw the word "orientation" which leads me to believe it is, but then he states he "just wants his gun back" (or maybe I just missed where he said "my job")

Forgive me, but if I accepted a job in Gary, IN and came from Michigan I would assume this job means quite a bit. If the job IS important, unless you're talking about a $3,000 gun, I'd be saying screw the gun; I just wanna keep my job!

I can't weigh in anymore than everyone else; probably shouldn't have let them search, but hindsight is always 20/20. It's easy to say "don't let them search" from the comfort of my home as I sit at a keyboard. Nothing you can do about it now. Do the dance, kiss some ass, and try to get your gun back, and hopefully, your job as well.

 

[Joe Williams]

All were plant security. I called Gary PD and asked about the confiscation and they said, If it is in their policy to confiscate then they can and if it was not I could file a police report and have them investigated. I am pretty much at the mercy of the Captain of the security firm when he comes back Monday. I have to drive back 260 miles one way just to see if they are gonna give back my gun and if they are going to bar me from the company for life. They will probably want to fine me also.

Oh, horsecrap. YOU don't have to do ****. Call a lawyer, and HE'LL tell the plant what THEY have to do, including paying his fee, to keep you from suing them into the ground. Also, have your lawyer contact Gary Police, express his displeasure, and have him make sure a criminal complaint gets filed with the state police re: the theft of your weapon.

Private companies don't get to steal your property, and they don't get to "fine" you without your consent. They can certainly bar you from their property.

 

[Joe Williams]

Fast forward, They were waiting at the turnstyle checking everyones badge until they got to me. Guard says we have an anonamous tip you may have a fire arm. he then says we are gonna tear your truck apart looking for it unless you cooperate. I say yeah I have a gun locked in a case secured under the seat with a cable lock. We go to my truck I give them the keys they take the gun and say talk to the captain Monday and you are barred from the property until further notice call this number monday. I did sign a consent paper during orientation, I thought the no weapons meant in the plant but I learned they meant their property period including the parking lot.

They watch you on cameras as you enter the plant they can clearly see what you are doing in your vehicle as you drive in. They seen on camera that I didnt have my seatbelt on and had a cruiser waiting up ahead to talk to me about it.

"We are going to tear your truck apart looking for a gun."
"No, you aren't. I'm leaving your property. You are not permitted to search my vehicle, and you are instructed that I do not consent to being detained any further."

If they insist, you are within you legal rights to defend yourself and your property.

 

[Joe Williams]

Why does everyone always assume everyone else "has a lawyer" ????

I see it over and over.. "Call your lawyer"... Who has lawyers on stand-by?

Very few of us here have a lawyer in waiting...

I do, in this case my brother in law.

If you carry a gun, you need to have the name and number of a lawyer handy. If you intend to stand for your rights, the same is true.

 

[dman424]

That's completely ridiculous! If I lived near one of the most dangerous parts of the country in terms of gang violence I would exercise my legal right to carry a concealed weapon always bar none. What those officers did was un-excusable and unconstitutional.

 

[chasekerion4]

I do, in this case my brother in law.

If you carry a gun, you need to have the name and number of a lawyer handy. If you intend to stand for your rights, the same is true.

Well, sure, name and number handy.

But I don't have someone I'd call "my lawyer"

That's pretty much what I was getting at. It almost sounds like we've all got them on retainer just waiting for that "rainy day"

 

[GhostofWinter]

"We are going to tear your truck apart looking for a gun."
"No, you aren't. I'm leaving your property. You are not permitted to search my vehicle, and you are instructed that I do not consent to being detained any further."

THAT Joe more than likely would have resulted in you eating asphalt in cuffs at gunpoint while they waited for GPD to come pick you up. It is my understanding that they are not just security guards, but actual police officers. I'm telling you they have guards at the gates toting shotguns. It's all well and good to say what you are going to do on here, but I can assure you that if you were to try and leave you WOULD be held at gunpoint.

That's completely ridiculous! If I lived near one of the most dangerous parts of the country in terms of gang violence I would exercise my legal right to carry a concealed weapon always bar none. What those officers did was un-excusable and unconstitutional.

And HOW is it unconstitutional? by signing the waiver that I am SURE he signed. (EVERYONE entering one of the mills has to sign even employees) he has given them the right to search him as well as his vehicle. As for not parking on company property, yeah well you could do that, but do you want to lug all your equipment and such a couple of miles just to get to where you are working? These places are not small by any means. They are several miles or more wide and long. We are talking about 3,154.57 acres. (
http://www.in.gov/ibtr/files/45-004-01-1-3-00002.pdf) That's a lot of land and a long way to walk if you don't want to accept the rules that they have in place. They have their own police force IE security, their own fire department, their own hospital as well as their own post office and telephone exchange. You could say that it's a separate city within the confines of the fence.

All I can say is unless you work there or have worked in such an environment you can't understand how things are there. Its almost the same as a military base or so I have been told.

Greg

 

[Field King]

Traveled to Gary from Michigan, I have a valid CCW and carried onto steel mill property. Driving in they pulled me over for no seatbelt and warned me. I apologized and went in to work leaving my gun locked up and in my vehicle. Upon leaving several officers/ security personnel were waiting for me asking if I had a weapon. fast forward they confiscated my weapon and told me it was illeagal to have in the parking lot also. I figure they ran my plate, seen I had a CCW and decided to shake me down. It happened on a saturday and they said I would have to wait until Monday to talk to a superior about getting my weapon back and soforth. Anybody here dealt with this type thing and what are my chances of getting my weapon back. Thanks.

I assume you are union a member? If that would have happened at a non-union company lot they would have been fired as most companys do not allow guns on their property!

 

[striker1]

"We are going to tear your truck apart looking for a gun."
"No, you aren't. I'm leaving your property. You are not permitted to search my vehicle, and you are instructed that I do not consent to being detained any further."

If they insist, you are within you legal rights to defend yourself and your property.

To what end? Are you suggesting that the proper course of action is to brandish said weapon and hold the security guards at gunpoint as you drive away? Or exchange gunfire? Over a truck and a gun? The OP's life was not threatened.

???

 

[JNG]

Why does everyone always assume everyone else "has a lawyer" ????

I see it over and over.. "Call your lawyer"... Who has lawyers on stand-by?

More people than you might think. If you are ever so unfortunate as to have to use your weapon in self-defense, you're going to need one. A few phone calls and visits to get a lawyer at least tentatively lined up in the remote event you're ever forced to defend yourself is a small cost in time and treasure compared to everything else you do to prepare against the worse (weapon, holsters, mags, ammo, practice time etc).

 

[jedi]

TAG (what to know what occurs on Monday)
It appears that DogHead lives in MI (aka resident of MI) and that he is a contractor working at the steel mill??

 

[00BlasterResto]

To what end? Are you suggesting that the proper course of action is to brandish said weapon and hold the security guards at gunpoint as you drive away? Or exchange gunfire? Over a truck and a gun? The OP's life was not threatened.

???

striker that's just funny, that is pretty much what I was thinking when I read it. Like many Action movie loving americans, I do like the shootout idea, Definatly not the plan of action I would suggest though.

Who would've known you had a firearm in your car? Who could've given an anonymous tip?

Not that it matters at all at this point and you'r probly better off not knowing if you dont but......
WHO IN THE WORLD, could have known???
I Don't know the legal aspects and all of this and meritime BS.... But I think you handled it as well as you could have and if it were me I'd just call the number Mon. be nice and see what they say. If they are "mean" to you then hang up and call a Leagal dog if It's important to you.
you calling shouldn't get you in any extra trouble, they know your name I'm guessing and they have your gun, mabey they'll give it back and call you a bad boy and you won't have to drop the $$ for someone else to make the call because I know my Attny. wants $500 just to say Hi.
I think I'd try the appoligetic route first.

 

[stony]

I don't think there any guards at our Mill under the age of 60, so I'm confident I can out run them. Really though armed guards with shotguns. I work at a SBQ Mill where we have tons of high dollar material laying around (Nickel, Moly, and so on), just never heard of armed guards at a Steel Mill. Like others have said they were probably off duty cops, but I would sure as hell call and try to get my gun back.

 

[Doghead]

Yes I am an outside union trades contractor employee. I think when they ran my plate after the seat belt when I arrived at work and the info came back later after I was in the mill. They saw that I was a ccw holder and just decided to shake me down and see what falls out.

 

[Griffeycom]

Yes I am an outside union trades contractor employee. I think when they ran my plate after the seat belt when I arrived at work and the info came back later after I was in the mill. They saw that I was a ccw holder and just decided to shake me down and see what falls out.

How does a private security firm have access to the state police database? Did I miss something?