Cops and Armed Citizens

[DaveM55]

http://policelink.monster.com/traini...20100810_armed

Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith

I grew up around guns. My dad, a farmer by trade, was also an auxiliary deputy with the local sheriff’s department so he owned a pistol or two. My cousins were hunters, and we always had a shotgun in the house that my father could get to if he needed to eliminate an errant raccoon in the garden or a family of moles tearing up our front yard. I was neither fascinated nor frightened by firearms, they were just a part of our lives in the rural Midwest.

When I graduated from the police academy in 1981, I was pretty excited about my “right to bear arms” both on and off duty. Although I was a patrol officer, I invested in a couple of concealed holsters for my big Smith & Wesson model 59 (completely the wrong handgun for a girl with the hands of an 8 year old, but that’s another article). I pretty much carried my gun everywhere. Young, single, and new to the “big city,” I spent lots of time in and around the Chicago area, enjoying the museums, the sports teams, the shopping, and of course, the nightlife. I never gave my safety much thought because (a) I was armed, and (b) I was usually in the company of other (armed) off duty cops. Life was good.

I’ve always enjoyed lively political discussions so I was happy to enter into debates about the Second Amendment and whether or not ordinary citizens really had a “right to keep and bear arms” as I continued to gain some patrol experience. At the time, I really didn’t understand what the big deal was. I was fine with people who were hunters, or enjoyed shooting sports, and even wanted to keep a “home protection” gun in their bedroom, but as a young cop, I was pretty sure I didn’t want ordinary, untrained people walking around “my” streets carrying concealed handguns. I mean, if everyone had a gun, how could we tell the good guys from the bad? If everyone was armed, wouldn’t people be shooting each other over parking spaces and other petty issues? Besides, I secretly (and selfishly) enjoyed the feeling of superiority in knowing that I was one of the few people allowed by Illinois law to carry around a loaded gun. Boy, did I have a lot to learn.


read more at the link...

[den9]

im not sexist, but i reallllly reallllly reallllly hate female cops.

they are always on power trips, and think they need to be to get respect or taken seriously.

[PAsig229]

Kudos to her. Wish every cop felt the same. I have a few friends who are police officers who I know support citizen's rights to carry, but am certainly not naive enough to think they all do.

[DaveM55]

im not sexist, but i reallllly reallllly reallllly hate female cops.

they are always on power trips, and think they need to be to get respect or taken seriously.

And thank you for such an intelligent response...

[Roscoe]

Great article thanks........Dave
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Originally Posted by den9 View Post
im not sexist, but i reallllly reallllly reallllly hate female cops.

they are always on power trips, and think they need to be to get respect or taken seriously

Ah yep what Dave said....twice.....sheese and crackers

[crashland]

"…I take advantage of HR 218; I am always armed, and I’m grateful for the privilege."

Personally, I think this law is crap. Once their service is done and they have retired, they return to being just one of us and should be treated exactly like one of us. It's nice that she has the right to carry everywhere she goes, I just wish I could do the same and not be terrified about accidentally crossing the MD line while out for a ride on my bike.

It is nice to see that she came around after gaining experience and most of the LEOs commenting on her article seem to be in agreement even if many of them believe that a class is required before exercising our constitutionally protected God given right...

The incident at the cafeteria in Texas means that I carry everywhere I go, even if it is supposed to be a safe place.

[PA Traveler]

I quit reading the comments after page 3 - not one that I did read was negative on citizen carry.

[knight0334]

im not sexist, but i reallllly reallllly reallllly hate female cops.

they are always on power trips, and think they need to be to get respect or taken seriously.

Its because they are faced usually with little respect, so they have to assert authority. Treat a female officer with the same respect as a male officer and you might find out they will be as "cool" as one of the guys.

I've drank my fill(beer) and shot pool with a female state trooper at a local lounge, she was cool enough to give me a ride home(and then some ) when I had a bit too much. ...plain clothes, badge on her hip, and gun on her hip.

I've also smoked(you know ) and drank with another local female officer a few years ago. She was cool to party with, and always gave you a little leeway if you were respectful with her.

[bogey1]

Its because they are faced usually with little respect, so they have to assert authority. Treat a female officer with the same respect as a male officer and you might find out they will be as "cool" as one of the guys.

I've drank my fill(beer) and shot pool with a female state trooper at a local lounge, she was cool enough to give me a ride home(and then some ) when I had a bit too much. ...plain clothes, badge on her hip, and gun on her hip.

I've also smoked(you know ) and drank with another local female officer a few years ago. She was cool to party with, and always gave you a little leeway if you were respectful with her.

where do you live? im moving to your neck of the woods

[P89]

If it wasn't for I-80, Brookville would pretty much be woods.



That's an article worth reading for insight.