Only FFLs at Austin Shows?!?

[country_boy]

It all makes since now. I still wanna know why cant they have show closer to round rock/cedar park area.

 

[Texan2]

Quote from above post:

"Later on Friday, I was able to visit on the phone with an Austin police officer who acted as the door guard for SAXET for many years. He explained that BATF agents are in plain clothes at every gun show, nothing new in that. He also explained that BATF agents do not have "peace officer" status in Texas. When the agent is working, local law enforcement is required to be close-by to act as back-up. After years as gun show security he knew of three or four in all, not one a month." End of quote-

Whoever told an APD Officer that a Federal agent has to have a Texas Peace Officer nearby is clueless...while the FEDS often try not to step on the toes of locals, they in no way shape or form NEED to have a Texas cop with them when they perform their duties. And while they are not considered "peace officers", they are considered "special investigators" Read Texas CCP 2.12:


Art. 2.122. SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS. (a) The following named criminal investigators of the United States shall not be deemed peace officers, but shall have the powers of arrest, search and seizure as to felony offenses only under the laws of the State of Texas:
(1) Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(2) Special Agents of the Secret Service;
(3) Special Agents of the United States Customs Service;
(4) Special Agents of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms;
(5) Special Agents of Federal Drug Enforcement Agency;
(6) Inspectors of the United States Postal Service;
(7) Special Agents of the Criminal Investigation Division and Inspectors of the Internal Security Division of the Internal Revenue Service;
(8) Civilian Special Agents of the United States Naval Investigative Service;
(9) Marshals and Deputy Marshals of the United States Marshals Service;
(10) Special Agents of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service; and
(11) Special Agents of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
(b) A person designated as a special policeman by the Federal Protective Services division of the General Services Administration under 40 U.S.C. Section 318 or 318d is not a peace officer but has the powers of arrest and search and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state.
(c) A customs inspector of the United States Customs Service or a border patrolman or immigration officer of the United States Department of Justice is not a peace officer under the laws of this state but, on the premises of a port facility designated by the commissioner of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service as a port of entry for arrival in the United States by land transportation from the United Mexican States into the State of Texas or at a permanent established border patrol traffic check point, has the authority to detain a person pending transfer without unnecessary delay to a peace officer if the inspector, patrolman, or officer has probable cause to believe that the person has engaged in conduct that is a violation of Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code, regardless of whether the violation may be disposed of in a criminal proceeding or a juvenile justice proceeding.
(d) A commissioned law enforcement officer of the National Park Service is not a peace officer under the laws of this state, except that the officer has the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state committed within the boundaries of a national park or national recreation area. In this subsection, "national park or national recreation area" means a national park or national recreation area included in the National Park System as defined by 16 U.S.C. Section 1c(a).
(e) A Special Agent or Law Enforcement Officer of the United States Forest Service is not a peace officer under the laws of this state, except that the agent or officer has the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state committed within the National Forest System. In this subsection, "National Forest System" has the meaning assigned by 16 U.S.C. Section 1609.
(f) Security personnel working at a commercial nuclear power plant, including contract security personnel, trained and qualified under a security plan approved by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, are not peace officers under the laws of this state, except that such personnel have the powers of arrest, search, and seizure, including the powers under Section 9.51, Penal Code, while in the performance of their duties on the premises of a commercial nuclear power plant site or under agreements entered into with local law enforcement regarding areas surrounding the plant site.
(g) In addition to the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under Subsection (a), a Special Agent of the Secret Service protecting a person described by 18 U.S.C. Section 3056(a) or investigating a threat against a person described by 18 U.S.C. Section 3056(a) has the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to:
(1) misdemeanor offenses under the laws of this state; and
(2) any criminal offense under federal law.

 

[Burt Gummer]

The way I am reading your highlighted info above, is to act as backup. Surprisingly, some folks do not respond well to a guy with a windbreaker that says "Special Agent" or something similar. Simple folks like the uniform and car with all the flashy lights. I get called to backup Marshals and other agencies often. It is also a professional courtesy to have the local PD involved.

 

[Texan2]

The way I am reading your highlighted info above, is to act as backup. Surprisingly, some folks do not respond well to a guy with a windbreaker that says "Special Agent" or something similar. Simple folks like the uniform and car with all the flashy lights. I get called to backup Marshals and other agencies often. It is also a professional courtesy to have the local PD involved.

I agree it is courtesy to advise local LE, and that often folks dont respond as well to plain clothes agents as they do to uniformed officers. My only points was that the writer said local law enforcement is "required" to be close by....making it sound like since the BATF aren't Texas Peace Officers, that they NEED us in order to do their business, which would be incorrect. They can arrest people just as fast with no Texas LEO present as they can when we are

 

[Dallas239]

They can arrest people just as fast with no Texas LEO present as they can when we are

For federal crimes and state felonies, maybe. But not for state misdemeanors. Trespassing along with many state weapons offenses are such misdemeanors. So in addition to acting as familiar-looking backup, having Texas peace officers as backup allows arrests for a much broader range of offenses.

 

[Texan2]

For federal crimes and state felonies, maybe. But not for state misdemeanors. Trespassing along with many state weapons offenses are such misdemeanors. So in addition to acting as familiar-looking backup, having Texas peace officers as backup allows arrests for a much broader range of offenses.

There is no "maybe"...they CAN arrest for Federal crimes and state felonies, but BATF is at gun shows looking for Federal gun violations (felonies), they typically aren't looking for misdemeanors or trespassers...that's what APD is there for.
My original post was in reference to this line:
"When the agent is working, local law enforcement is required to be close-by to act as back-up."

My only point was that Feds dont need locals present to do their job.

 

[Burt Gummer]

There is no "maybe"...they CAN arrest for Federal crimes and state felonies, but BATF is at gun shows looking for Federal gun violations (felonies), they typically aren't looking for misdemeanors or trespassers...that's what APD is there for.
My original post was in reference to this line:
"When the agent is working, local law enforcement is required to be close-by to act as back-up."

My only point was that Feds dont need locals present to do their job.

I guess not technically but it is smart too. I can technically question on immigration status etc but we do not do that by policy.
The Feds will sometimes go do an investigation solo but I assure you they much prefer to have uniform on scene, at minimum so that we can do the dirty work or them .

 

[Texan2]

I guess not technically but it is smart too. I can technically question on immigration status etc but we do not do that by policy.
The Feds will sometimes go do an investigation solo but I assure you they much prefer to have uniform on scene, at minimum so that we can do the dirty work or them .

I agree...

 

[Oldfalguy]

Until they can pack in the same vendors, or better, that SAXET had I really don't think its worth the cover charge to go to the show no matter where its located in Austin.

 

[majormadmax]

Until they can pack in the same vendors, or better, that SAXET had I really don't think its worth the cover charge to go to the show no matter where its located in Austin.

On the bright side, the crowds are a lot smaller than they are at the SAXET shows!

 

[TexasRedneck]

On the bright side, the crowds are a lot smaller than they are at the SAXET shows!

So are the pickings!

 

[majormadmax]

So are the pickings!

Compared to the TGS shows? Not the one I've been to in Live Oak, or the ones they had on Evers Road, or the ones they had at the SA Event Center before they bugged out.

I rarely saw anything worth buying at any of their shows. Maybe the Austin ones were better, but compared to the TGS shows I've been to down here in SA, I've yet to go to a TGS show that had a lot to offer...

 

[hard shot]

austin city pretty self center politics always wonder how many is from komifornia my family quit going when vendors started being rude by cussing
out others in front of others and being loud in front of kids and i am hard of hearing the last time i was there i was rude to by some of the vendors
that was two years ago have not missed it since i kept my mouth shut the whole time while i was looking