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So toward the end of October, I was in Dallas and decided to take my camera to the opening of the Klyde Warren Park. I was carrying with my CHL. As I approached the entrance, I noticed there were two people using hand held metal detectors on everybody entering the park, so naturally, I hung back and looked around for any 30.06 postings (even though I'm assuming this was city property). I didn't see any, so I attempted to get the attention of the Dallas Police Officers standing about 20 feet inside the park to inform them of my CHL and (hopefully) get around the metal detectors, but couldn't get their attention.

So here was decision time, yell out to the officers to get their attention, disarm at my car, talk to the guys hand wanding people, etc. After watching a few people go through, I realized a few things. The guys hand wanding people weren't very close to people's bodies, they were very accepting of anybody's reason for an alarm (no pat-down and usually didn't even ask for proof of what alarmed) and they intentionally avoided things that would set the detector off (like my Nikon around my neck). So I opted to walk on through with my camera slung over where my XD was on my hip. Sure enough, no alarms, no questions, etc. and I walked right on in.

So now for discussion. First, I can't see anywhere in the statutes where this was illegal (no posting, no verbal notice, etc.), but if it was, please point that section out. Second, which choice would you have taken? After thinking for a while about the reaction I may have received from the police had it alarmed and I had to show them my CHL after the fact, I possibly could've either attempted to get their attention longer or tried another entrance where they were being more observant. I was pretty confident, having some experience with metal detectors, that I could get through without incident.

I dont know if this park is like a normal city park (Playgrounds, etc) or an amusement park,or other type of park, so I cannot state the legality of them doing it.

However, I will say the following that it was just a city park type (playgrounds etc, and no 30.06 postings)
If that is the case, I would have carried through.
if they dinged on my weapon and wanted to search, then I would have told them they have no right to search me, and they needed to bring the police over.

It is a park built over a freeway in Dallas. It appears it is city owned. From their website:

Who runs Klyde Warren Park?
Klyde Warren Park is operated through a public-private partnership. The City of Dallas owns the amenities and the land it is built upon while the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation will be responsible for raising the estimated $3 million annual operating budget each year and will manage all programming, operations and maintenance.

From the OP this was for the opening of the park, which has been under construction and "joyfully anticipated" for some time now.

I don't believe it could be properly posted.

According to an acquaintance who is a Dallas cop, the whole point of the (private) security wanding people was to keep out the riff-raff from nearby rundown neighborhoods.

jimlongley wrote:From the OP this was for the opening of the park, which has been under construction and "joyfully anticipated" for some time now.

I don't believe it could be properly posted.

According to an acquaintance who is a Dallas cop, the whole point of the (private) security wanding people was to keep out the riff-raff from nearby rundown neighborhoods.

If you want to keep local citizens out of the park, why build it? While I am somewhat understanding of the reason, it does not justify the actions. It is a government owned facility and giving up your Fourth Amendment protections should not be required for entry. I do not buy in to the theory of, "The end justifies the means".

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

i8godzilla wrote:

jimlongley wrote:From the OP this was for the opening of the park, which has been under construction and "joyfully anticipated" for some time now.

I don't believe it could be properly posted.

According to an acquaintance who is a Dallas cop, the whole point of the (private) security wanding people was to keep out the riff-raff from nearby rundown neighborhoods.

If you want to keep local citizens out of the park, why build it? While I am somewhat understanding of the reason, it does not justify the actions. It is a government owned facility and giving up your Fourth Amendment protections should not be required for entry. I do not buy in to the theory of, "The end justifies the means".

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

It was just for the "grand opening" the metal detectors are long gone.

City / state owned property you are free to go; they can't stop you unless there is a school/scholastic function happening in an enclosed area. Someone will correct me if I am wrong

barstoolguru wrote:City / state owned property you are free to go; they can't stop you unless there is a school/scholastic function happening in an enclosed area. Someone will correct me if I am wrong

Yes, if you are a CHL holder, but if you are carrying without benefit of a CHL, those metal detectors can be a little intimidating.

I would have taken out my license and showed it to the guards before they had a chance to use the metal detector