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Issue.... Last wednesday I was stopped by a constable in the Heucos. Problem.... This was a off duty constable in his personal vehicle! He pulled up behind me and just yelled at me to stop! No lights, no ID, nothing! What do you guys know about laws of harasment in Texas? Around El Paso, even undercover cops have to have some sort of sign on there car stating they are police, due to fake cops robbing people! Could I have just drove off since he was off duty? He could have been a thief! Have any of you had this issue? Thanks

Sounds like a case for Mr Forks. Did you get his name?

Last wednesday I was stopped by a constable in the Heucos. Problem.... This was a off duty constable in his personal vehicle! He pulled up behind me and just yelled at me to stop!

Stop what? Hunting or just stop your car?

I would probably have turned east and headed up to the BP station at the top of the mtn. You could sort out the details there and tell them you didn't stop earlier because he failed to identify himself as a police officer. In case it was bogus or a robbery attempt, you would have the BP officers as backup.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

you can pretty much yell at anyone you want although there are times when that isn't the best idea.

next time push the issue and see what happens. Insist that you have a legal right to be there providing you do not break any laws. Looking and taking photographs is completely legal.
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Herp Conservation Unlimited
Conservation through captive propagation
Mexicana Group Directory
Photography by Joseph E. Forks

In respect to personal safety I would go with ChrisH's plan of heading to the BP checkpoint. As a bonus now he has federal officers listening to why he wanted you to stop in the first place.
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___________________________
Herp Conservation Unlimited

If people really learn from their mistakes, I should be like the smartest guy in the world

Forgive me if I'm missing something but, why did you stop? It could have been anybody by that account? The last thing I would ever do is stop for an unidentified party in the middle of nowhere. Matter of fact, I'm very shy on the road and try to be in my car moving before any vehicles approach.

Last year in AZ a friend and I were cruising and three vehichles pulled up behind, they followed my pace whether I slowed-up or sped. Very spooky! Finally after miles we passed a stopped vehicle, presumably other cruisers, and they stopped there as I sped off. We later turned-back and found out they were BP.

I would call this incident harrassment as we were in a small, late model pickup with no shell, camping supplies obvious in back, heading southbound. If they were so curious I would prefer they would have turned-on the lights and pulled us over to question. I don't have a problem with that as I'm doing nothing illegal and I understand there job is important and difficult.

I stopped because I was shinning cuts in the Heucos. When cars approach, I turn off my candle and wait till they pass so I dont get any complaints about blinding anyone, as any of you that have ever shinned the Heucos would know, there are alot of turns and cars seem to come out of nowhere sometimes. Next time I will head to the border patrol checkpoint! Thats a good idea.

...didn't get that you were out "walking", key point. Gotta wonder what kind of life the off-duty LEO has? For one, he's obviously not a herper, so that scores a big 0...for two, wtf is he doing hassling people at night in the middle of nowhere? Maybe you shoulda asked if he'd been drinking. Or, who knows, maybe you were getting in the way of something he was up to, like protecting a drug run or waiting on a rendevous...don't mind me, just rambling...