Fricke cops with nothing better to do!

So the Burly Guys were cleaning out the basement of a school in Detroit today. Went to a local scrap yard to take in some metal items when in pulled the local constabulary. Turns out you have to have a City of Detroit scrapping license to sell scrap in Detroit. Who knew?

Yes we got a ticket. Frickin' tax collectors! Go arrest a criminal somewhere!

I remember being told as a child how the police were our friends. As an adult, I avoid the police at all costs as it seems I never come away unscathed.

I a SO pissed!

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Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

So the Burly Guys were cleaning out the basement of a school in Detroit today. Went to a local scrap yard to take in some metal items when in pulled the local constabulary. Turns out you have to have a City of Detroit scrapping license to sell scrap in Detroit. Who knew?

Yes we got a ticket. Frickin' tax collectors! Go arrest a criminal somewhere!

I remember being told as a child how the police were our friends. As an adult, I avoid the police at all costs as it seems I never come away unscathed.

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That would require work, and well, they just aren't interested in that.

Not their fault. Its not their job to educate you as to the local laws. Thats your responsibility.

Not saying the cops couldnt of had a little bit of a heart and let yall go with a warning or whatever. Just saying, if youre going to put the cops down, find a better reason.

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Turns out you have to have a City of Detroit scrapping license to sell scrap in Detroit. Who knew?
Yes we got a ticket. Frickin' tax collectors! Go arrest a criminal somewhere!

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Look on the bright side, you just contributed to the police pension fund.

How much was the ticket? Can you get a licence and then make the ticket go away? You could have taken all the metal away to your yard and not supported a local Detroit business!

That sucks man sorry to hear that I'm sure you need a license because f the high metal theft, it's everywhere. Criminals sure know how to ruin it for the honest g try a make a $. Yard I go to no license or I'd needed to sell scrap w.o. A limit

A couple of questions and points regarding this incident-1. if you are conducting business in an area shouldn't it be your responsibility to know the local laws? 2. Did you already unload and then get the ticket if so, then the yard should have something posted about accepting scrap from licensed people only? 3. If you did unload and get paid then I think the yard should have been fined as well for accepting the load from an unlicensed scrapper. 4. If you didn't unload then why the ticket, according to your op you stated you pulled in and then the police showed up, you could have said you were checking prices and werent selling. 5.Unfortunately as we have all read here on this forum the few bad apples always spoil things for the rest of us. I am sure if you asked around, the local p.d. probably have had some problems with people stealing and then selling to the yards. Dont be surprised if the local p.d. do random checks like they do here at auto body and junk yards, looking to see if the books are straight and all inventory is accounted for.
Maybe I am a bit biased since I have police officers in my family as well as many friends who are in the department, but give them a little slack. These people are out there when most of us are asleep dealing with people you never want to meet. Unfortunately they have to enforce laws that seem trivial to us, but remember most would rather be catching the bad guy instead of getting numbers so the higher ups can toot their own horns.

Unfortunately Burly, that is the result of a simple minded politician, if there is a problem with something, they make laws. It's their answer to everything. Dont blame the police for it. WE should be responsible enough to know the rules and regs when we are doing business in the different towns, villages and cities. Thats what makes us professionals. Example: I did not know it was illegal to take recycleables (ie. scrap metal) once they were placed at a curb in a town next to mine. I would always stop, knock on the door and ask the homewoner/renter if the item was for trash and once given the ok, I would load it up. Guess what? One day, while doing a Google search for the number of a scrap yard in that town, a bunch of articles popped up about how that town town that I scrap in placed a law into effect TWO YEARS PRIOR that it is illegal to remove scrap metals from the curb!!! What an ass I felt like! You get a summons for $300 your first offense. It made my blood boil, but I was greatful it only took me two years to find out and I not a $300 hit. LOL. Bottom line, know what your doing no matter where you are. If you dont know, call the local town/city hall and ask. If you drive past a cop in that town or city, ask him or her. It may be worth your the effort.

PS, the next time you drive past someone doing something obvioulsy illegal (scrap related of course) punch him in the nose. He's the reason those types of laws have been placed ;)

But when you do "punch him in the nose", remember that is against the law also.....lol

I am glad to see that the police have crime so well under control in Detroit ( with only 17006 Violent Crimes so far this year ) that they can start concentrating on people selling scrap metal at the local scrap yards.
What happened to Free Trade if You are Not allowed to drive into the City of Detroit to sell Your scrap from outside the city limits ?
Detroit crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout
Sounds Like Policing For Profit NOT Policing For Safety to Me.

Bandit...you hit it right on the head...there is no profit in prosecuting criminals...but there is profit in writing tickets.

this a result of to fricking much Government!!

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Originally Posted by scraptologist

Bandit...you hit it right on the head...there is no profit in prosecuting criminals...but there is profit in writing tickets.

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Especially if the cop works nights and has to go to court to testify , wouldn't that be ( 1 1/2 ) time and a half with all the unions they have now ?

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Originally Posted by msearl3244

But when you do "punch him in the nose", remember that is against the law also.....lol

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Yeah, probably not the best advice,lol.

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Originally Posted by Bandit

Especially if the cop works nights and has to go to court to testify , wouldn't that be ( 1 1/2 ) time and a half with all the unions they have now ?

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Unions are to ensure fair labor laws and wages are paid, everyone is entitled to both. Lets not blame the cops for enforcing laws, support them Whats with all the cop bashing?? Why not bash the yard for taking the scrap without requesting to see some ones permit or license?

As much as I would be teed off myself at the cops in the heat of the moment, they are just enforcing the asinine laws that the politicians invent. I feel for you man.

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Originally Posted by TheHoss

Not their fault. Its not their job to educate you as to the local laws. Thats your responsibility.

Not saying the cops couldnt of had a little bit of a heart and let yall go with a warning or whatever. Just saying, if youre going to put the cops down, find a better reason.

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The problem with that is they've made it **** near impossible to even attempt to know the laws. Just this past January, 40,000 laws went into effect. If we split those evenly between all 50 states, you would have to read and understand a little more than 2 laws per day for the entire year. Then turn around and do it all over again next january, this doesn't include any laws that take effect between January 2012 and January 2013.

40,000 new laws to go into effect in 2012 - US news - Life - NBCNews.com

Unforgiving,the men in blue are just the gate keepers,the real proublem is city hall, all they do is over spend the hard working, middlie class taxes.And then they pay people hudge salarys with a retirement plan that no scrapper could afford to offer his help ,to figure where they can sqeeze every single penny they can get out of you,let the demo's keep going pretty soon comeing a mileage tax for miles driven hope in 99 days we have a new President.

Here is the official procedure for obtaining a junk dealers license in the city of Detroit.

Junk License Procedure

• Obtain a Surety Bond (for the value of $2000) from an insurance or bonding agency.
  
• Have the agency call us at 224-3179 to have our bonding form emailed to them. Note: the agency must print the form on legal size paper.
  This form must be completely filled out.
  
• Bring the Surety Bond form to CAYMC Rm 105 Business License Center.
  
• You will be sent to the Law Department (First National Bldg Rm 1650) for law department approval.
  
• After Law Dept approval, return to the Business License Center for license $50 cash and a valid drivers license.
  
  
  You will be sent to the Police Department for vehicle inspection, $25.
  The button will cost $20.
  Inspection questions call (313) 596-5584

Here is a better explanation from one of the local yards. 2012 Detroit Junk License Procedure

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How to acquire a Junk License
Posted on February 25, 2012 by Admin

2-25-2012

As you probably already know, the City of Detroit has been dealing with a scrap metal theft problem. In an effort to fight this problem, the city wants everybody selling scrap metal to obtain a junk dealer’s license. While we do not require customers to have a Junk License to sell their material at our yard, it is definitely worthwhile to have one if you scrap on a regular basis. Having a Junk License could save you time, money, and aggravation as police officers in Detroit have been regularly pulling over and ticketing vehicles hauling scrap metal that do not have a junk license.

Junk licenses can be obtained at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center through the Business License Center which is in room 105. Before you go there however, you will have to obtain a surety bond through on of your insurance providers or a bonding agency. You are required to have a surety bond for the value of $2000, of which you will have to pay up to 10%( $200). The bonding agency must also fill out a bonding form that you must bring with you once completely filled out to the business license. Your bonding agency can receive this bonding form via e-mail by calling the Business License Center at (313)224-3179.

After you have obtained a surety bond and turned the bonding form into the business license center, they will send you to the law department in the First National Building where you must receive law department approval. Once you are approved by the law department, you will return to the Business License Center with $50 cash and a valid driver’s license to obtain your Junk License. The final step in the process is passing a vehicle inspection at the Police Department. The cost of the inspection is $25. Once you have passed the inspection you can obtain your junk plate and button for $20, and you are ready to start scrapping.

Junk Licenses expire every year at the end of March. We strongly suggest you start the process for this year’s license as soon as possible as the Business License Center will be very busy once they expire. Also, we plan on instituting a rewards plan where bringing scrap metal to our yard with your valid 2012 Junk License will earn you reward points which can be redeemed for reimbursement for the $95 cost of the license. We will post more details on this program at the beginning of April. The City of Detroit also has a downloadable form on their website with step by step procedures for obtaining a Junk License with all of the necessary room numbers and phone numbers.

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