Trespass by Projectile is a felony in the State of Florida. You can look it up and provide the information to your local Sheriff's Office if they're not aware of this law.
This is taught in every Hunter's Safety Course statewide. Ask me how I know.
Statute does not fit these circumstances, at least not without some creativity.
Let's say for the sake of argument that identifying the specific idiot who is doing it is hard or impossible. A proactive LE agency is going to respond to this anyway, and some very firm explanations and directions given. If you or the neighbors can get photos, that will help of course, but the idea that the deputies are not even going to the house and delivering a pretty unpleasant warning and posterior chewing is simply unacceptable. The deputies are not performing the mission, and their supervisors are derelict.
I have found that people, LE incuded, prefer to take the path of least resistance.. It's not THEIR property and it's "only" .22.
A visit by local law enforcement doesn't take much effort on their part. I would call now and speciifically request they pay a visit. Regardless of who's been firing the shots, it just might come to a screeching halt.
If not, it's time to submit a lawsuit...in addition to whatever charges you and your neighbor have pressed criminally. Small claims court for the damages.
There is no doubt that lazy, sorry azz, worthless slug of deputies exist. But that is the minority although the slugs can be hard to get rid of.
Yeah, a simple visit to the dirt bags doesn't take much time. However the days when an azz chewing or implied or even direct threats from a deputy changed dirt bags behavior are mostly long gone. I doubt many deputies are willing to assume the liability of getting the message across in more direct ways, as was done in years past. I won't elaborate on that. However being on the deputies good side might encourage such behavior on the deputies part.
Sure try a civil suit, why not.
If the Sheriff won't adequately respond, call the Highway Patrol.
Good luck with that. Great people but mostly if it's not traffic related it's not their thing.
When I was in LE. A citizen filed a complaint. We investigated the complaint. We delivered our findings to the States Attorney. (They determined if the case could or should be prosecuted.)
It wasn't self-service LE. You didn't have to bring proof in. Or a name. Or deliver the suspect to the court hogtied like in the old west. We investigated. Someone is disinterested or lazy.
Well yeah that's basically how it works. However, in most places these days, the deputies are running from one call to the next with supervisors calling them asking when they'll be 10-8 because calls are holding. In most cases, road deputies don't have much time for investigations. Also, in many places the D Bureau doesn't investigate misdemeanors as they don't have the manpower. It stinks but that's reality.
I suspect the road deputies are interested but don't have the time to take on a project.
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I'm a prosecutor, assigned the civil division of my office for the last 4-ish years. Most of my experience was criminal, so I have a lot of criminal justice agencies as assigned clients. That right there is unacceptable, and would justify some pretty brutal discipline. I'd have a hard time merely being polite while pointing out to the Major that had the SO done it's job in the first place, I would not have to use my First Amendment right seek redress of grievances in some other fashion. It would take a me a couple of drafts of a letter pointing out just how improper that was without being a raging A-H. That's embarrassing, and he is not of my tribe. Even the dullards that infest the top of our state agency aren't usually that far off the mark.
You obviously live in a different reality.
Sheriffs, the chief law enforcement officials of the County and the most powerful elected official of the County. Most FL counties still function, at least to some degree, on the "Good Old Boy" system. The Major didn't get that job without being very tight with the Sheriff. Butting heads will not help. Being VERY polite while being persistent is the ticket. Yeah, probably not your tribe. Not likely a dullard but an effective politician which isn't the same as being an effective major, but it probably works for him. I'd guess he's probably also very good at "networking".
So the Major got his butt chewed by the DA and didn't like it and I would have told him he wouldn't have if his department was doing their job properly .. and then would have asked him what he was doing to rectify the situation ..
Keep hounding them .. sometimes its the only way to get any thing done ..
Yeah, that'll work. NOT! Yes, be persistent but be a citizen police friend.
Update: They are charging the 19 year old seen by eyewitness with rifle with criminal mischief
That's great. I hope it works. However, based solely on what you've posted I don't see it flying if it goes to trial. Hopefully there is more. Hopefully it will persuade him that his actions aren't worth the aggravation.
Your mailbox is protected by FEDERAL LAW and is enforced by the US POSTAL POLICE. Contact your Post Office,fill out the report, and you will get prompt action from them.
US POSTAL Police have absolutely no sense of humor.
Destruction of Federal Property is what the perps are doing.
We had some stupid Hi-Schoolers going around with a baseball bat and smashing the boxes. All were investigated, jailed , convicted, and served time in a Federal Lock-Up.
No mail boxes have been touched since then!!!
You've obviously had different experiences with them than I have. Was that a very long time ago? I know I've been called by them to investigate suspected thefts by postal employees.
Up Date as of Yesterday: went and hadsit down meeting with state attorney. State attorney wont press charges. Even though two eyewitness. Attorney refuses police to bring this person in for questions.
That stinks but what I expected. Try to develop a new relationship with the deputies. Some situations really do require some creativity on their parts to resolve.
I am doing that on three individuals that live there should be done with all and filed by mid next week.thats the goal.
I don't think that's going to accomplish what you want.
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I have great sympathy for you. These situations are frustrating for all concerned and most especially the victim/complainant. It's amazing the frustration and grief a few dirt bags can cause. I sure wish I had some miracle answer for you, but I don't. It's very unfortunate that you have to work with the less than optimal legal, bureaucratic and political system. But it is what it is. Profound huh!
Try to be patient, polite, persistent and careful. I pray the situation is resolved satisfactorily and quickly.
