Sunday, June 24, 2012

Circumnavigation

At this moment I'm driving around Lake Superior in an Odyssey (a Honda, that is). It's a research trip to test the feasibility of a plot line involving Sheriff Steve Martinez tailing a murder suspect through Ontario.

He's outside his jurisdiction—way outside—and this will pose complications. His revolver, for instance. So long as he is in the United States, a law enforcement officer can legally carry his service piece across state lines in the execution of his duties. But does such reciprocity extend to Canada, which has stringent laws against concealable firearms? I'll have to find that out. Can't see Steve haring after a dangerous bad guy without protection.

Maybe Steve locates an old Gulf War I chum in the Ontario Provincial Police who doesn't mind bending a rule or two for a brother officer. But did Canada send troops to that war? I'll have to find that out, too.

Steve is tailing the suspect with the help of a GPS locator affixed to the bad guy's car bumper. Is this legal? Did Steve have to get a warrant? Or does it really matter? LEOs sometimes will break laws if they think preventing another crime trumps building a legal case against a killer.

Lots of things to research while on the road.


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