Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Gummit Paranoia Message-ID: <10880@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 14 Aug 90 18:16:22 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: John Higdon Organization: Green Hills and Cows Lines: 66 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 570, Message 10 of 10 "Scott D. Green" writes: > Some official (their tech consultant, no doubt) did mention that the > tone generators were readily available elsewhere, but (get this) the > possession of such an instrument could be construed as probable cause! A J Annala writes: > devices include ATT Craft Test Set, Progressive Electronics 200B > Inductive Amplifier, Dracon D814 Impact Tool, and a Progressive 77M > Tone Generator. The police claim is that such devices are telephone > access devices which should not be in the hands of the public. We have a problem here. Taken ad absurdam, having a computer with a modem attached could be contrued as a telephone access device. After all, look how much crime is perpetrated these days with such equipment. The other question concerns the definition of "public". Does one have to be an employee on definite assignment by a bona fide telephone utility to legally carry and use telephone test equipment? I, and a number of my friends, do a heavy amount of telecom consulting. We routinely use line analyzers, punchdown tools, and butt sets. None of us "work" for anyone but ourselves. Is it time to register our dangerous "weapons" with the police? > I am curious about whether any other technical people have > been challenged by the police and what answer has satisfied them > to go away without hassle. Some years ago, I needed to perform some audio measurements on a small FM station in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos cops are jokingly referred to by the locals as the "Los Gatos Metropolitan" police. I have personally seen repeated instances where the LG Fuzz act as if they are NY wanabees, having about as much small town finesse as a bulldozer and a wrecking ball. Anyway, shortly after midnight I was carrying equipment (distortion test set, monitor receiver, etc.) from my truck into the studio. Suddenly, an officer pulled up and demanded to know what I was doing and wanted to see "ID". I produced my license and explained that I was making tests on the radio station. This wasn't good enough. While he was eyeing over the equipment, he asked things like, "How often do you do this?" "Who 'authorized' this?" "How much is this equipment worth?" "Where are your receipts for it?" Finally, with the evening moving on apace and a lot of other things to do that evening, I told the officer that I had identified myself and explained my purpose in being at that location. All of his other questions were irrelavent and none of his business, that I had work to do, and invited him to either arrest me or leave the premesis. He considered that for a moment and decided that he would leave, but not without giving me some friendly warnings about doing "suspicious" stuff in his jurisdiction. The next day I called the Los Gatos Town Hall and informally complained about the incident. I got the expected "we're only doing our job" and then was told that the officers would be advised that midnight to six work would sometimes take place at the radio station. From the way things are going these days, my challenge to the officer would now result in my arrest. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !