Negative encounter Honesdale PD

[zoanemesis]

So it was 2:00 am on Monday morning when I stopped at Turkey Hill in Honesdale. There were two Honesdale cops outside just standing around drinking there coffee. So I go in open carrying my glock 23 in my serpa. I get what I need to get and then go to leave when I see the Honesdale cruiser pull up behind me. I make it a point to go the speed limit and after a few miles its still following me. So I go to pull in the Kmart parking lot to see if there following me and sure enough he follows and lights me up. Then officer Columbo says: Let me see your hands
Me: Officer I have a firearm and I also have my LTCF, what is the reason you are stopping me?
Officer: You have a gun
Me: Im pretty sure that isnt enough RAS to pull me over (Im pretty sure that alone isnt RAS to stop somebody but then again thats a topic that is debated on here alot)
Officer: I dont care what it is, its in your car which is concealed, you were brandishing it at Turkey Hill
Me: There is no brandishing law in PA
Officer: Can I see your gun permit and drivers license ( The officer is now getting more agitated)
Me:Sure my firearm is at my 3 o'clock and my wallet is in my back left rear pocket
Officer: Reach for it slowly
Officer: Where did u get this from
Me: Wayne county sheffif Mark Steelman
Officer: (Then he yells) Well I'm gunna have a talk with Mark Steelman your not mature enough to carry
Me: Well the state of PA says I can
Officer: Well it goes away just as easily as you got it
He then goes and runs it while I'm still waiting there with my hands out the window
Me: Officer may I reach into my left front pocket and grab my phone?
Officer: What for?
Me: I would like to record this
Officer: No I have my right to privacy
Me: Well there was just a court case that said that I can record a officer when they are acting in there offical duties
Officer: No I have my right to privacy
So for fear of being shot I could not record this stop
Officer: Why do you need to carry?
Me: Self Defense
Officer: Is the whole world out to get you or something
Me: No I just rather have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it
Officer: What are you doing out at 2:00 in the morning
Me: Going to meet my recruiter I have to go to Harrisburg to Swear in today
Officer: Well I hope you have a change of clothes and you are not going to go like that
Me: A T-shirt and jeans is what everybody wears down there
Officer: Well heres your stuff back, Im going to be having a talk with Mark Steelman tomorrow you dont need to be carrying, your not ready
Me: Well like I said its PA law that I can
Me: Have a good one

So I then called the chief of police Odessa yesterday and he was pretty much useless. He said that I should of concealed it if I have my LTCF. Said that there is no need for open carry but also said that I wasnt doing anything wrong. I then told him that you will not see any criminal open carrying especially infront of two cops. He then laughed and pretty much ignored what I was saying and told me to conceal it. I then informed him that Officer Columbo threatened to have my LTCF revoked for doing nothing wrong and told him to look at the tape on his patrol vehicle. He then said he would be having a talk with Officer Columbo but said that I shouldnt worry about it getting revoked. I then told him to make sure his officers are a little bit more respectful and that they shouldn't threaten illegal action against a law abiding citizen.

So apparently Honesdale PD is not carry friendly at all. The only good that came out of that stop was that the officer knew enough not to approach me while I was open carrying and he didnt try to disarm me. Other then that I would say that Honesdale PD needs to get there act together when it comes to encountering citizens carrying.

On a side note: I ended up swearing in later that day and am now offically in the Army Reserves!!!!

[OwnTheRide]

1) Don't talk to the police. Example:

Me: <nothing>
Officer: You have a gun
Me: <nothing>
Officer: I dont care what it is, its in your car which is concealed, you were brandishing it at Turkey Hill
Me: <nothing>
Officer: Can I see your gun permit and drivers license ( The officer is now getting more agitated)
Me:Sure my firearm is at my 3 o'clock and my wallet is in my back left rear pocket
Officer: Reach for it slowly
Officer: Where did u get this from
Me: <nothing>
Officer: (Then he yells) Well I'm gunna have a talk with Mark Steelman your not mature enough to carry
Me: <nothing>
Officer: Well it goes away just as easily as you got it
He then goes and runs it while I'm still waiting there with my hands out the window
Me: <have your recording device at the ready. You had lots of warning that an encounter was going to happen>
Officer: What for?
Me: <nothing>
Officer: No I have my right to privacy
Me: <nothing>
Officer: No I have my right to privacy
So for fear of being shot I could not record this stop
Officer: Why do you need to carry?
Me: <nothing>
Officer: Is the whole world out to get you or something
Me: Am I free to go?
Officer: What are you doing out at 2:00 in the morning
Me: Am I free to go?
Officer: Well I hope you have a change of clothes and you are not going to go like that
Me: Am I free to go?
Officer: Well heres your stuff back, Im going to be having a talk with Mark Steelman tomorrow you dont need to be carrying, your not ready
Me: <drives off>
Me: <still driving>

Some would argue that you shouldn't even say the part that I left in.

2) I sure hope the POOFA squad gets on this.

3) Congrats on the swearing-in.

[streaker69]

It would seem that the police are picking on the younger people that are carrying.

I guess you "juniors" should watch yourselves..

[ACRblaze]

Way to young to exercise your rights but plenty old enough to catch a bullet in the sandbox.

That officer = douche bag.

[Yentl Marmelstein]

Submit a Right To Know Request for a recording of the police cruiser's dash camera.

Pay the cost of acquiring one.

One most definitely exists.

File a formal complaint with the Honesdale PD.

Attend the next meeting of the Honesdale City Council, or whatever the fuck it's called up in Hooterville.

Make sure you commit to having a reporter from the local newspaper there.

Call the East Bumfuck City Manager. Have your complaint put onto the agenda for the next East Bumfuck City Council meeting.

Prior to said meeting, make sure East Bumfuck City Council each has a video and an audio recording of the stop.

Make sure the newspaper reporter does, too.

Follow through.

[dc dalton]

Christ, and here I thought we pretty much had NEPA straightened out.

If you find the date of the next town meeting let me know and I'm pretty damn sure we can get a nice group together to show up and rattle some cages.

* storms off muttering * fucking bullshit never ends

[sprrdhawk44]

Sounds like official oppression to me. This is absolutely unacceptable.

[TheF00L]

So it was 2:00 am on Monday morning when I stopped at Turkey Hill in Honesdale. There were two Honesdale cops outside just standing around drinking there coffee. So I go in open carrying my glock 23 in my serpa. I get what I need to get and then go to leave when I see the Honesdale cruiser pull up behind me. I make it a point to go the speed limit and after a few miles its still following me. So I go to pull in the Kmart parking lot to see if there following me and sure enough he follows and lights me up. Then officer Columbo says: Let me see your hands
Me: Officer I have a firearm and I also have my LTCF, what is the reason you are stopping me?
Officer: You have a gun
Me: Im pretty sure that isnt enough RAS to pull me over (Im pretty sure that alone isnt RAS to stop somebody but then again thats a topic that is debated on here alot)
Officer: I dont care what it is, its in your car which is concealed, you were brandishing it at Turkey Hill
Me: There is no brandishing law in PA
Officer: Can I see your gun permit and drivers license ( The officer is now getting more agitated)
Me:Sure my firearm is at my 3 o'clock and my wallet is in my back left rear pocket
Officer: Reach for it slowly
Officer: Where did u get this from
Me: Wayne county sheffif Mark Steelman
Officer: (Then he yells) Well I'm gunna have a talk with Mark Steelman your not mature enough to carry
Me: Well the state of PA says I can
Officer: Well it goes away just as easily as you got it
He then goes and runs it while I'm still waiting there with my hands out the window
Me: Officer may I reach into my left front pocket and grab my phone?
Officer: What for?
Me: I would like to record this
Officer: No I have my right to privacy
Me: Well there was just a court case that said that I can record a officer when they are acting in there offical duties
Officer: No I have my right to privacy
So for fear of being shot I could not record this stop
Officer: Why do you need to carry?
Me: Self Defense
Officer: Is the whole world out to get you or something
Me: No I just rather have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it
Officer: What are you doing out at 2:00 in the morning
Me: Going to meet my recruiter I have to go to Harrisburg to Swear in today
Officer: Well I hope you have a change of clothes and you are not going to go like that
Me: A T-shirt and jeans is what everybody wears down there
Officer: Well heres your stuff back, Im going to be having a talk with Mark Steelman tomorrow you dont need to be carrying, your not ready
Me: Well like I said its PA law that I can
Me: Have a good one

So I then called the chief of police Odessa yesterday and he was pretty much useless. He said that I should of concealed it if I have my LTCF. Said that there is no need for open carry but also said that I wasnt doing anything wrong. I then told him that you will not see any criminal open carrying especially infront of two cops. He then laughed and pretty much ignored what I was saying and told me to conceal it. I then informed him that Officer Columbo threatened to have my LTCF revoked for doing nothing wrong and told him to look at the tape on his patrol vehicle. He then said he would be having a talk with Officer Columbo but said that I shouldnt worry about it getting revoked. I then told him to make sure his officers are a little bit more respectful and that they shouldn't threaten illegal action against a law abiding citizen.

So apparently Honesdale PD is not carry friendly at all. The only good that came out of that stop was that the officer knew enough not to approach me while I was open carrying and he didnt try to disarm me. Other then that I would say that Honesdale PD needs to get there act together when it comes to encountering citizens carrying.

On a side note: I ended up swearing in later that day and am now offically in the Army Reserves!!!!

My bold:
In 2009 I ran in to a similar situation. Now I tend to ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have my recorder on...as I am dictating notes to myself...in public.

I tend to dictate notes to myself more often when I see a PO or when I am in a place that is new to me.

I tend to dictate notes to myself generally at all times if I am not in my vehicle.

Catching what I am saying? I am almost always dictating notes to myself when I am out in public.

It is much easier for me to dictate notes to myself if my recorder is on when I feel I might have something to say.


Good luck and please follow through. What you do will help yourself as well as those who come after you.

[BimmerJon]

RECORD. RECORD. RECORD. RECORD. RECORD

AUDIO AND VIDEO

Don't even inform the officer that you are recording or intend to.
Capture them in the act of official oppression.
I don't recognize anyone that acts like that as an officer. If they refuse to keep their oath and follow the law, I refuse to acknowledge their badge and authority

And please stop asking for permission to record. You don't need it

[zoanemesis]

RECORD. RECORD. RECORD. RECORD. RECORD

AUDIO AND VIDEO

Don't even inform the officer that you are recording or intend to.
Capture them in the act of official oppression.
I don't recognize anyone that acts like that as an officer. If they refuse to keep their oath and follow the law, I refuse to acknowledge their badge and authority

And please stop asking for permission to record. You don't need it

Oh I know i dont need permission, Im well aware of the law with recording a police officer, the reason I asked was I still had my hands out the window and I was afraid of getting shot if I moved them. I do know my one mistake was I should of put on the recorder right when he lit me up. I learned and like I said I wanna follow through with this. Anybody know what the correct procedure on how obtain the video from the patrol car?