Wal*mart incident - and Colonial Regional Police?

[ungawa]

I've been OC'ing in Walmart about 3 times a week since April. Never a problem. Once a greeter asked to see my LTCF and I showed it to him. Nothing beyond that.

Today I get there (Walmart Easton/Naz on 248) .and there is a cop walking around in the parking lot looking at cars and looking around. I assume he is Colonial Regional but I don't know. As far as I know he did not see me. CR has seen me OC at this store before (outside) and never stopped me.

I go in, shop for a few minutes, then head over to the ammo counter. The guy (who I have seen before but run into the least out of the people there) is just staring at my handgun. I tell him what ammo I want and he asks me to please promise not to load the gun in the store. I say not to worry, I'm already loaded and I don't handle firearms in public. He asks me several more times and then I promise not to load in the store. He says somebody recently loaded their gun in the store and scared some women.

At this point I notice three people moving up quickly from behind me so I turn my head to assess. One kid pulls up to the counter at my right and a manager walks up to the register on my left and picks up the phone, dials, and starts talking. The plainclothes kid on my right (short hair and tattoos crawling up out of the neck of his shirt) flashes a Walmart name tag like it's a badge and tells me he is Walmart security. He asks if my sidearm is loaded and I say Yes. He asks if I can please pull my shirt over it to cover it and I say, "Sure, why?" He says it is Walmart policy that loaded guns must be concealed. I cover my sidearm and tell him I know that is not Walmart policy and I would like his card. He says they don't have cards. I ask if there is a number I can reach him at, because I want to look into it and get back to him. He says they will circle the number on the receipt and I can ask for the store manager. He says it just came down from Colonial Regional Police. Loaded guns in the store have to be covered. He doesn't care what I do outside. I ask who at Colonial Regional said this? He said he doesn't know, I can ask his manager to my left and he leaves.

The kid was very polite and I want to stress I was also polite and not confrontational.

As I am finishing my purchase the Assistant Manager finishes his phone call and I ask him what is going on. He asks if security talked to me, which is kind of funny since he was standing 5 feet away and saw the whole thing. He is polite but does NOT want to speak with me. He's either expecting me to cause a scene or he's frustrated with me in the first place, he can't hide it. Not sure what the problem is. He tells me Colonial Regional told them that loaded guns must be concealed. I said they know better than that, who at Colonial Regional said this? He says he doesn't know who, but that's what they said and that's what has to be done.

He leaves, seemingly upset, I thank him as he walks away and he responds. I'm trying hard to be relaxed, polite, and conciliatory because I know I'm going to have to get to the bottom of this later and being a dick isn't going to help me. Plus I don't really have any reason to give these guys a hard time, so I'm polite as usual. It's not like they asked me to leave or anything. Something strange is afoot and I'm going to have to figure out if this stuff really came from CR.

Now it gets ever more interesting. The guy behind the counter is bagging my ammo for me. He says, "Yeah, it sucks, that one guy who loaded his gun in the store had to ruin it for everybody. Colonial Regional says all loaded guns must be concealed." I say they know better than that, they've even had training on it this year. He says that "they" say there is no law against it, but loaded guns still have to be concealed. He said Allentown Police also told him that if they get too many calls there could be a problem.

Not sure what to make of this. I'll start with the store manager, but more interested in the CR angle.

[pedaler73]

Which Wally did this happen at? Trexlertown?

[1861]

I believe I would start by questioning C R to see if in fact they are putting that out .

[frankie]

Which WM was that? The one on 248?

[ungawa]

Easton/Naz 248. Sorry, page expired while I was typing this epic, I'll edit the thread.

[frankie]

Sorry, looks like we posted at the same time.

[HiredGoon]

The guy behind the counter is bagging my ammo for me. He says, "Yeah, it sucks, that one guy who loaded his gun in the store had to ruin it for everybody. Colonial Regional says all loaded guns must be concealed."

Yeah, just like an OCer... to ruin carrying for everybody

Just kidding, folks.

That was a funny statement from the clerk, as it is what a lot of anti-OC folks say.

Will be interesting to hear what the cops have to say about this.

[ungawa]

I believe I would start by questioning C R to see if in fact they are putting that out .

I have one more person to speak with at the store, the manager. If I get any useful info from them it might be helpful in getting something out of CR. 6 of one, half dozen of the other I expect.

[ungawa]

Yeah, just like an OCer... to ruin carrying for everybody

Just kidding, folks.

That was a funny statement from the clerk, as it is what a lot of anti-OC folks say.

Will be interesting to hear what the cops have to say about this.

Yeah, I caught that. But nobody told me the guy was OCing, he might have been CC'ing when he decided to load his firearm in Walmart

[Exbiker]

I have one more person to speak with at the store, the manager. If I get any useful info from them it might be helpful in getting something out of CR. 6 of one, half dozen of the other I expect.

Colonial regional is..... Many of the surrounding township`s LEO say they are a waste.