Police and open carry

[bradjc72]

1) No

2) An employee is a representitive of the "boss"......if they ask, and you refuse to leave........you can be cited for trespass.

that is what I would have to go with then I guess, don't like it but guess you have to deal with it then. And on #1 that is shocking that they don't teach cadets about basics like open carry. They should because the powers that be know for a fact that certain gun owners do take practive of OCing, so why on earth would they not prepare their officers going out into the field to be prepared to deal with it in a rational way.

God, certain things just get under my skin

[Philadelphia]

that is what I would have to go with then I guess, don't like it but guess you have to deal with it then. And on #1 that is shocking that they don't teach cadets about basics like open carry. They should because the powers that be know for a fact that certain gun owners do take practive of OCing, so why on earth would they not prepare their officers going out into the field to be prepared to deal with it in a rational way.

God, certain things just get under my skin

I have to agree with you. It should be part of the standard "see a gun" training.

As in see a gun: decision point one -- is it holstered? If so, may be lawfully carried by law abiding citizen; if no other reasonable suspicion, keep it in your pants and let citizen go about his/ her business, etc. Not holstered, start to draw, etc.

Cops hassling people who are obeying the law leads to less respect for the law and the police.

[bradjc72]

I have to agree with you. It should be part of the standard "see a gun" training.

As in see a gun: decision point one -- is it holstered? If so, may be lawfully carried by law abiding citizen; if no other reasonable suspicion, keep it in your pants and let citizen go about his/ her business, etc. Not holstered, start to draw, etc.

Cops hassling people who are obeying the law leads to less respect for the law and the police.

I have to agree with you as well. This is stupid that just because someone has a gun that they assume that they are a BG, like you said if it is holstered go about your police business and arrest someone who is actually breaking the law.

[Steve in PA]

Remember the line from the Green Berets......where the Sgt retorts to the newspaper guy......"you could write volumes about what's not put in papers" or words to that effect.

There is alot of things that aren't covered.......or need to be covered in better detail in a police academy.

[Statkowski]

Do PA police academys teach anything to their cadets about open carry, what to do, how to handle it, and just the basic fact that it is legal so they don't harrass us?

Good question! Has anyone from HQ PAFOA wrote to the State Police Academy asking them this question? What other "police academies" are there in Pennsylvania? A nice, professional letter on PAFOA letterhead might clear up this subject.

[bradjc72]

I think it may be a start, but I don't know that a letter would be the cureall, but again maybe it would be enough to at least start getting some answers. Is anyone from the PAFOA staff looking at this thread to see if that is a possibility?

[ar15jules]

I have posted my thoughts on open carry in the past, and don't wish to post them again because they mean absolutely nothing to this subject matter. This is a completly geographical matter. I was in a diner in Elk County. Three guys walk in open carrying. No one batted an eye. Had the local LEOs entered they would have told the guys they had nice leather. Now, if they walk into Eat N Park here in Erie, someone is going to call the police and tell the dispatcher that three guys with guns on just came in the store. Radio call goes out 86 Bravo, three men with guns, Eat N Park.......They are going to come. They are then going to either know the law or not know the law. But, in a private building, such as Eat N Park, I think they are going to ask you to leave because grandma Pearl is getting nervous. I don't agree with it, but the manager is going to look out for the sheeple every time. And I will throw this in just to get flamed, you keep it under your coat, no hassle. HEHEHEH
Jules

[Statkowski]

Nope, art15jules, you won't get flamed by me for your posting.

Hmmm, let's see - Erie, Pennsylvania, Eat-n-Park Restaurant, three guys not doing anything illegal eating their food. Owner says nothing to them, calls the police, and the police overreact.

Sure sounds like a nice lawsuit to me.

Better training for the police would definitely help.

As to whether you decide to carry openly or concealed, that's your decision and I'll not comment on your reasoning. But, carrying openly, or carrying concealed with an LTCF, are both lawful activities, and none of us should be fearful of doing lawful activities, elsewise we become sheeple.

[Jay5oh]

......you keep it under your coat, no hassle.

Truer words have never been spoken.

Hmmm, let's see - Erie, Pennsylvania, Eat-n-Park Restaurant, three guys not doing anything illegal eating their food. Owner says nothing to them, calls the police, and the police overreact.

Sure sounds like a nice lawsuit to me.

[bradjc72]

I think the better training for the police is a nice start at least. There is nothing you can do about Grandma in the diner situations, it is what it is, the only thing that I could imagine is should you be asked to leave, ask if you can cover it, of that would be alright.