DCF protects children from guns and.....nothing else

Having just had my own DCF inquisition for custody of my granddaughter, It seems their investigations run just like every other aspect of this state- at the whim of the bureaucrat running it. Do you own guns? Yes. May I see your LTC? Yes, sure, can I see the safe? sure, here it is. How may guns do you own? Dunno, maybe a dozen- they're like cars, I can only shoot (drive) one at a time, what's it matter? Can I see inside? No. why? they are obviously inaccessible to a 3 YO. If you need to see locked up guns, come back with a warrant.

Last it was ever brought up or mentioned in any of the hearings or reports. Well, that and DCF got their ass handed to them by the judge in the initial hearing....their incompetency fell well below even my expectations...
 
I would tell DCF what they want to hear and then do what the hell I wanted to.

This, except at some point they will show up for a surprise inspection. Carry all you want, but they will want to see those miracle-causing trigger locks on the guns in your safe. Even after I demonstrated how they didn't work on my lever action, they still thought they were the end all be all.
 
Ok so I have done some digging on my own because I know this guy doesn't want to make waves and chance losing his grandson.

I had to talk to 5 different DCF workers in various departments before someone could actually send me their exact policy on firearms.
Here it is:
Any firearms located in the home shall be registered and licensed in accordance with state law. All firearms shall be trigger-locked or fully inoperable and stored without ammunition in a locked area. Ammunition shall be stored in a seperate locked location.

The person who finally gave it to me even stated that it is very vague and left to their interpretation and they then make recommendations based on that interpretation. Sooo they basically make up whatever they want.

So the way I see it if you are carrying a gun, it is not being stored and does not need to abided by this rule. I agree with everyone else though, tell them what they want to hear and then do what you want to do.
 
Ok so I have done some digging on my own because I know this guy doesn't want to make waves and chance losing his grandson.

I had to talk to 5 different DCF workers in various departments before someone could actually send me their exact policy on firearms.
Here it is:
Any firearms located in the home shall be registered and licensed in accordance with state law. All firearms shall be trigger-locked or fully inoperable and stored without ammunition in a locked area. Ammunition shall be stored in a seperate locked location.

The person who finally gave it to me even stated that it is very vague and left to their interpretation and they then make recommendations based on that interpretation. Sooo they basically make up whatever they want.

So the way I see it if you are carrying a gun, it is not being stored and does not need to abided by this rule. I agree with everyone else though, tell them what they want to hear and then do what you want to do.

That's how it was when we went through it. The woman who did the home evaluation had a completely different interpretation from the woman who was our resource worker. DCF workers are like police officers and gun store employees, some don't really KNOW, they just go on what they've heard and assumed rather than educating themselves.

They are not going to frisk your friend. But they can do spot checks of the home and gun safe.
 
I wonder if you could tell them that you have removed all firearms from the house. Then say that you have personal items in there that are none of their business. If they demanded the safe be open, tell them to get a warrant.?
 
I haven't read all the replies. So my response is to the original post.

The welfare of a child is at stake. I would agree to do anything they asked. Until the child was in my custody.

And then I would do NONE of what they asked. Period.

Yes those sons of b1tches until the cows come home. THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS.

Then do what is right.

Don

p.s. They are just making this 5h1t up as they do it. I know someone who took custody of a relatives child in a similar way. His experience was very different. The DCF person asked if he had guns, then asked to see the safe. My friend showed it to him, just the outside of it, and the guy signed off on the situation. THERE IS NO FORMAL PROTOCOL. LIE LIE LIE. Get the child then do what you need to do. Do what is ethically right, which is to do whatever is necessary to get the child into a good home. Then do what ever is necessary to keep that child safe. (loaded gun on your person, all others locked up, double locking not necessary, and loaded as you see fit)

Agree 100% Also, on the point you made about showing the OUTSIDE of the safe, that can't be stressed enough! There is no way in hell the door would get opened without a very specific warrant if I were in that situation. What is inside your safe is only your business, and as far as DCF is concerned, you only need to demonstrate safe storage - NOT show them your entire collection. In the OPs post, the guy literally showed them every safe he had, which was completely unnecessary inmo. Showing one safe to demonstrate the safe storage is all that was needed there, and showing off his CCW - even more stupid. People need to use common sense here. The more information YOU volunteer, the more they can and WILL use against you, just like when dealing with the police.
 
There was too much to write in the first post but more is coming back to me. Like DCF said you can come home from work when the kid is in school and get your gun to carry.

I love how this kid has been to the house 100's of times, lived there for over a year at one point and was perfectly safe and somehow managed to not shoot himself. However now that DCF thinks it owns the kid they can impose insane rules on a blood family member of the child. It was disgusting to see and hear.

I was there as a character witness, never even spoke to me. He left a bunch of sheets to be filled out and returned in 3 days with more references and said they will be contacted as character references. Then they dropped the kid off. Ummmm shouldn't you check references before placing the child? What if everyone says they are bat s___ crazy but the kid is already there?

I'd bet money that it's political bullshit behind the DCF looking at a backdoor way of reducing lawful firearms owners, instead of actually trying to ensure the child's safety. An unelected agency is given arbitrary power to tell you that you can or cannot have contact with your own family based on any criteria they deem relevant. At the head of this agency is an appointed political hack who has to toe the line of their pals on the hill otherwise they get replaced with someone who will toe the line.

As you noted, they completely ignored things that statistically are significantly more dangerous to children than guns including:
-Swimming pool
-Chemicals
-Knives
-Alcohol
-Bicycles
-Stairs
-Bathtubs
-Tools
The list could go on and on.
 
While the OP is a tough situation and good job on taking a family member in need - the following has been said many other times on this site and bears repeating:

NEVER invite the man into your life. Going in tandem with that - No good deed goes unpunished.

Much like my other more recent rule - If it has to involve a lawyer, it's not worth doing.

I could put more, but sharing info with DCF is like sharing it with the PD, DA and ATF.
 
What the scumbags at DCF in Mass. Have been know to do, as it is required that you be notified in writing that they wish to visit your home due some kind complaint, is they hand you the notice as you open the door. Then if you refuse to speak with them they will first call the police to assist them in threatening you about you loosing your children if you do not let them in. If that does not work they will fabricate some bullshit in a report and get a judge to issue a warrant to enter and seize the kids.
This is not legal advice. But if I ever had children, I would make sure they know their address and some alternative ways to contact me (secure email etc). If some lying sack of crap comes along and claims I'm a bad daddy and they are taking them to a better place, I'll make sure the children know they are to contact me at first opportunity and a rescue will be coming.

Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk
 
For the people who say don't show them the inside of your gun safe, their policies require that all firearms are secured AND have trigger locks. They will insist that they have to see them all. If you don't, they can just say ok, no kids for you until you comply. It's not a warrant thing.
 
That's how it was when we went through it. The woman who did the home evaluation had a completely different interpretation from the woman who was our resource worker. DCF workers are like police officers and gun store employees, some don't really KNOW, they just go on what they've heard and assumed rather than educating themselves.

They are not going to frisk your friend. But they can do spot checks of the home and gun safe.

You don't have to let them into the safe.
 
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