Warning to any BITOGers who find themselves in the police state of NYC.
I found myself in NYC for work for a construction project and decided to drive to the train station and took a train into Grand Central Terminal very early in the morning. I was walking into the Subway in Grand Central to catch the 6 train to head downtown and I was approached from behind by an undercover NYPD officer who showed me his badge and asked me if that was my knife in my pocket. I looked at it not sure what was happening and I confirmed it was mine. (the knife is a 3.5" folding knife with lockable blade). I always carry a knife with me since I routinely need one for the nature of my work. The officer told me not to move and removed it from my pocket and three other undercover police officers surrounded me. They then proceeded to question where I was going and asked for my ID. The police officer tried to open the blade and was checking to see if it would open with one hand. Regardless they told me it was against the law and basically they could arrest me despite not being able to open the blade with one hand after trying 10-15 times with all their force. I explained I was not from the city which they confirmed with my ID. Long story short I apologized and explained I wasn't aware that a simple folding knife was against the law. The officer took a photo of my driver's license with his phone (apparently to file some kind of report) and sent me on my way.
Anyways, 60,000 New Yorkers have been arrested over the last decade over "gravity knives" which NYC defines as a knife that can be opened by gravity or "centrifugal force." Apparently they don't understand that you could apply enough centrifugal force to anything and it would open or come apart. Then again, I wasn't about to argue physics with a man who could throw me in prison for 1 year.
Lesson to those poor working souls who travel into NYC and work in an occupation where carrying around sharp tools is a crime. If a police officer sees a clip on your pocket which could be a knife you will be potentially arrested.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/arti...rticle-1.155163
I found myself in NYC for work for a construction project and decided to drive to the train station and took a train into Grand Central Terminal very early in the morning. I was walking into the Subway in Grand Central to catch the 6 train to head downtown and I was approached from behind by an undercover NYPD officer who showed me his badge and asked me if that was my knife in my pocket. I looked at it not sure what was happening and I confirmed it was mine. (the knife is a 3.5" folding knife with lockable blade). I always carry a knife with me since I routinely need one for the nature of my work. The officer told me not to move and removed it from my pocket and three other undercover police officers surrounded me. They then proceeded to question where I was going and asked for my ID. The police officer tried to open the blade and was checking to see if it would open with one hand. Regardless they told me it was against the law and basically they could arrest me despite not being able to open the blade with one hand after trying 10-15 times with all their force. I explained I was not from the city which they confirmed with my ID. Long story short I apologized and explained I wasn't aware that a simple folding knife was against the law. The officer took a photo of my driver's license with his phone (apparently to file some kind of report) and sent me on my way.
Anyways, 60,000 New Yorkers have been arrested over the last decade over "gravity knives" which NYC defines as a knife that can be opened by gravity or "centrifugal force." Apparently they don't understand that you could apply enough centrifugal force to anything and it would open or come apart. Then again, I wasn't about to argue physics with a man who could throw me in prison for 1 year.
Lesson to those poor working souls who travel into NYC and work in an occupation where carrying around sharp tools is a crime. If a police officer sees a clip on your pocket which could be a knife you will be potentially arrested.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/arti...rticle-1.155163
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