"It's for my safety", negative encounter today.

[xd40_jim]

Well, for the first time in 5+ years of carrying, maybe 2 or so of openly carrying, I had a negative encounter today with Hazleton PD. I dropped my motorcycle off at a local bike shop for a new rear tire. Went out to dinner with the wife, she followed me up. After dinner, I went back to get my bike.

I start to pull out of the parking lot on a new, cold tire. I accelerate and start off down the road. 40 mph speed limit. I get on the gas some, trying to get the tire warm for a nice long ride home. After about 3 tenths of a mile I pull up to a right light and happen to glance in the mirror, red and blue lights. I shut my bike off and hop off. The officer walks up, and the first thing out of his mouth is, "what's with the firearm?" I told him it is my legally owned firearm. He then walks towards me, pushes my right shoulder away from him and starts to attempt to pull my firearm out of its holster. With his left hand on my shoulder and his right hand yanking at my firearm, I start to turn my just head to ask him what he is doing. I feel a stronger push on my shoulder and he finely, after 15 seconds of tugging and pulling, gets my firearm out of my holster. I ask why he is disarming me? "it's for my safety, I don't know you, or your intentions".

I tell him at this point I am not doing anything illegal and that there was no need to disarm me. He again repeats, "it's for my safety". He tells me that he pulled me over for speeding. 62 in a 40. On a cold and brand new tire, and after only 3/10 of a mile, I doubt that I was going that fast, but whatever.

He shoved my pistol in his back pocket and proceeds to his car. After about 15 minutes, I see another officer pull up. He walks over to the first car and I can see them talking but can't hear anything. About another 5 minutes later another officer shows up on scene.

After another 10 minutes of them all talking they surround me and the first officer starts telling me that he is issuing me a citation for speeding. He starts spouting off vehicle codes and telling me that I can either fight the ticket or plead guilty to speeding.

At this point, after all the ticket issue is over, he proceeds to tell me that I should look into getting my "concealed permit and carry concealed". I told him, that I am already in possession of a LTCF, and that I have it on me at this point in time. I told him that I am aware of the law and that I could not carry on my motorcycle without it. He then says that I "should have had it concealed". I told him I am not required to conceal it. That I wasn't breaking any law. He hands back my unloaded pistol, magazine and the round that was chambered and told me to "drive safely and have a nice day".

After all the training, I thought they would know better about the carry rights. And this "for my safety" bullshit has me pissed. He had no reason to believe that I was going to misbehave, so why should he have disarmed me. Trying to decide if I have a leg to stand on and file a complaint with his supervisor.

[BimmerJon]

Tugging on it like that for 15 seconds? Shoved it in his back pocket?

Be a real shame if he shot himself by accident.

How's that a lesson in officer safety for him?

[xd40_jim]

I am not a police basher, but if it would have went off with him tugging at it in my holster and shot either him or me, who's fault would that have been?

If he would have shot himself, I would have probably laughed at him for a second, called him an asshole, then offered medical assistance.

It's just absurd for him to fight like that with my holster. He was pulling to the rear of the holster trying to remove it. Not a fancy holster or anything, just a Desantis leather mini slide, not hard to work with. It holds the pistol pretty well, but releases fairly easily, if you do it right, lol.

[nicholasivanclark]

Thank god for your sake it didn't accidentally go off and shoot you while he was pulling it from the holster.

[xd40_jim]

Thank god for your sake it didn't accidentally go off and shoot you while he was pulling it from the holster.

If you couldn't tell by my screen name, I carry and XD, so it has dual safeties on it, but still, it could have gone off. And I am sure it would have been my fault.

[XD40coyote]

He didn't say " I am disarming you for my safety" or anything before he started pushing your shoulders and tugging at the holster? What a freakin' jerk. And Hazelton PD, aren't they the ones an OCer filed a suit against and just settled? YEAH- they should know better 100%! Must be some new officers they hired in from Philly or something. Or that Warminster that keeps being mentioned...

[Metz]

Definitely file the complaint.

[nicholasivanclark]

If you couldn't tell by my screen name, I carry and XD, so it has dual safeties on it, but still, it could have gone off. And I am sure it would have been my fault.

If it hit him it would have been def. your fault.... Yeah I saw that but there are many other to carry out there. Well besides the speeding ticket at least no one was hurt, but pretty crappy in my eyes. Amazing how they just do what they want even if your not doing anything illegal.

[itznfb]

He hands back my unloaded pistol, magazine and the round that was chambered and told me to "drive safely and have a nice day".

Wait.... did he take your ammo or did he just remove the loaded magazine and chambered round? That would be really weird if he took your ammo.

[xd40_jim]

Wait.... did he take your ammo or did he just remove the loaded magazine and chambered round? That would be really weird if he took your ammo.

No, he handed my pistol back unloaded, along with the full mag and the chambered round.