Stockton CA militia being formed

They can't pull someone over, they can't forcibly detain anyone (a citizen's arrest doesn't mean you can handcuff someone and lock them up somewhere or hold them at gunpoint), they can't claim self defense if they chase after someone.
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Just one of the great reasons I will remain in florida!!! It is fully legal to do all of the above if a "Violent Felony" was witnessed by the Florida legal citizen!
Heck, they can't even legally carry guns. Just going on patrol while armed could land them in jail.
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And another of the many reasons I live in the "Gunshine" state!:cool:
The incredible "eyecandy" ranks right up there too!:D
Brent
 
Gbro said:
Tennessee Gentleman, You the one with the BFR???
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No, I took the picture.;)

chris in va said:
Militias aren't formed by government.
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Absolutely wrong. Any miltia in the US is by definition called and controlled by the government; state or federal. Absent that, the group in question is nothing more than an unauthorized paramilitary organization and probably illegal.
 
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Just one of the great reasons I will remain in florida!!! It is fully legal to do all of the above if a "Violent Felony" was witnessed by the Florida legal citizen!
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That's part of my concern. Breaking into a car, trespassing on someone's lawn (looking in the window), or wandering down a street with your hood up are all things that the militia group might try to stop someone for, but they are not violent felonies.

You'd have to catch someone just after seeing them kill someone in order to arrest them.
 
I wouldn't be surprised that most of the members of these militia groups are against the taxes that pay the police. In other words, they don't believe in government performing the functions that goverment exists for to begin with. Mind you, plenty of people, sometimes quite logically, are perfectly willing to eliminate lots of things that governments do. Schools? I don't have children; why should I pay taxes to support schools?

Eventually, with this line of reasoning, you will have private schools, private roads, and private security services. We have had all of those things at one time or another in one place or another.

Then there's military service. Everyone here probably loves the military and thinks, well, who knows what, but nobody thinks there ought to be a draft.
 
Without getting into the validity of this militia, it's an interesting quandry when the gov't simultaneously refuses to provide services in an area and refuses to allow the people to perform the service for themselves.
 
Pettet, a midtown neighborhood activist who has a Desert Eagle pistol,...
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Is owning a "Desert Eagle pistol" supposed to be a one-phrase commentary on the mans character or mental stability or something? How is that even relevant.
 
it's an interesting quandry when the gov't simultaneously refuses to provide services in an area and refuses to allow the people to perform the service for themselves.
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First off, Stockton is not "refusing" to provide police services - they had to make budget cuts, like most municipalities in this trying economy.

As for what people can do, people can facilitate the remaining law enforcement by being vigilant and reporting crimes to the police. Of course that would require more than a dozen or so extreme "militia" forming nutjobs to actually give a flying crap what happens in their community...

I understand these folks are frustrated, but this really isn't the way.

I also can't get over the audacity of attempting to bill the city for their "services"...
 
Is owning a "Desert Eagle pistol" supposed to be a one-phrase commentary on the mans character or mental stability or something? How is that even relevant.
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Desert Eagles are generally seen in media as garish, over-the-top, and "extreme". Countless films and videogames reinforce this.

It's a way for the media to invoke a subtle connotation. Basically, to the average reader it's a euphemism for "power-crazed nutjob".

To me, it just means the guy has really poor taste.
 
Ag assault, Mugging, purse snatching after a slap to the face are but a few in florida considered violent felonies, as are home invasion and car jacking...
Brent
 
Being white and calling yourself a militia does not make you less of a thug.
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Nor does being black, brown, yellow or red and calling yourself a militia make you less of a thug. When you think about it, there are plenty of thuggish "militias" already on the streets of Stockton... they call themselves gangs.

Now I agree that these guys are approaching this the wrong way, but I understand their frustration.

BTW: I'll bet the city maintains lots of useless services while cutting law enforcement... the thing they need most.
 
What this is here is a group of people unsanctioned and incommisioned by any form of government fulfilling the role of law enforcement.
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I do not believe they gave an explanation of exactly what they plan to do. I did not see claims of detention and chasing people. If they patrol their neighborhoods and report to the real police I can not see what they are doing being illegal or immoral. I also believe if they confront people it will be legal as long as they do not pursue and they do not initiate the threat of force.
Many of us have neighborhood watch programs that are simply not armed. Legally carrying a gun does not intrinsically change what you are otherwise doing to be illegal. Being an organized group of citizens does not limit your rights as citizens, at least as far as I know. If I want to go out in my car and patrol my neighborhood armed I can do it. If 3 others ple in my tiny civic and go with me it isn't illegal as long as we all have CCWs. I think most would agree this is how the law SHOULD read everywhere and I commend anyone OPENLY challenging ANY law. It is the ones trying to get around the law on the sly that bother me.

There are a lot of people on here making assumptions. I don't see anywhere in the article where the "militia" members

Where does it say the militia is limited to white people? How do you know there aren't already non-white members?

We don't want armed citizens out there...
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Big surprise there.

I just don't know if that's in the best interest of these gentlemen, from a safety perspective
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Nanny state?

Desert Eagles are generally seen in media as garish, over-the-top, and "extreme".
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Only in media? I tend to agree with the media on this one, I just appreciate your right to own one. I met a guy who has a F1 car for fun, I thought that was pretty over the top too. Spent quite a bit on it, but if it is his thing he should go for it. That isn't even constitutionally protected and a much bigger "waste" of money.
 
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If these guys are going to break any laws of course they shouldn't be there. Then again they may be just trying to make a point and getting publicity because they think the city should make cuts some where else due to the crime level in their city. It is far more effective than just complaining to the deaf ears of city government who will do what they want even if you vote against it.

Why are they out of money? Stupidity? As long as people spending our money are not held accountable this constant waste will continue.
 
BTW: I'll bet the city maintains lots of useless services while cutting law enforcement... the thing they need most.
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Why are they out of money? Stupidity? As long as people spending our money are not held accountable this constant waste will continue.
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I'm uncomfortable with the assumptive leap being taken that the city is blowing it's police budget on graft and waste. I have seen no evidence of this and feel this assumption is outside the scope of the discussion anyway.
 
Absent that, the group in question is nothing more than an unauthorized paramilitary organization and probably illegal.
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Illegal. You mean against laws put forth by the government?

The gentlemen in the picture, was that considered 'illegal'? Probably.

I have seen no evidence of this and feel this assumption is outside the scope of the discussion anyway.
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Again, do you live there? Have first-hand experience living in the city?

I don't live there either. But I do know what my friend in Lodi tells me, and it really makes me fear for his well being.
 
Again, do you live there? Have first-hand experience living in the city?
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I have not, which is EXACTLY why I refuse to entertain allegations of corrupt and/or irresponsible governmental management.

If I lived there and knew from experience everyone who ran the city was a crook, I might feel differently. Until I've seen evidence otherwise, however, I will assume they're more or less on the up and up.
 
I thinks its a great idea. They should be allowed to do anything (with in the confines of the law) that they feel necessary to protect their neighborhood. I highly doubt that these men are going to go out of their way to try and prevent crime. More than likely they will patrol the streets with a cell phone in hand and report crime. Personally, I would love to have neighbors that cared enough about my neighborhood that they were willing to patrol the streets making sure me or my property wasnt being victimized.
 
I'm uncomfortable with the assumptive leap being taken that the city is blowing it's police budget on graft and waste. I have seen no evidence of this and feel this assumption is outside the scope of the discussion anyway.
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The motivation for the militia's threat to begin operations is the city's threat to lay off law enforcement personnel when they're running one of the most dangerous cities in the country. How the city manages it's revenues is clearly germane to the discussion.

BTW, I looked at their budget and IMO, there is spending that's inappropriate, given the circumstances.
 
I thinks its a great idea. They should be allowed to do anything (with in the confines of the law) that they feel necessary to protect their neighborhood. I highly doubt that these men are going to go out of their way to try and prevent crime. More than likely they will patrol the streets with a cell phone in hand and report crime. Personally, I would love to have neighbors that cared enough about my neighborhood that they were willing to patrol the streets making sure me or my property wasnt being victimized.
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Yep, the line between "concerned citizen looking to reduce crime" and "vigilante" is often whether or not they do so within the confines of the law. Assuming these guys get permits and use their weapons only within the confines of California law (which I'm guessing would largely turn them into a roving neighborhood watch who are armed only as an absolute last resort for self-defense) then super.

The article in the OP doesn't give me much hope that this is or will be the case, though.

And talking about billing the city? Probably the most asinine thing I've read all week.
 
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