Positive LEO Encounter

[CommonHighrise]

Theyre not all jack booted thugs.

Went with the lady tonight to Oaks to get some eats and do a little shopping. Since it was going to be a 45 minute wait to get into Max and Erma's, we decided to head over to the nearby Target. I was OC with my Taurus 85 in a Bianchi leather rig.

Walked around Target browsing for about 15 minutes. As we were walking to the end of an aisle, I saw a uniformed officer standing to the side looking at me. I made eye contact, and he waved me over, greeted me, and asked if he could talk to me for a minute. My girlfriend made me proud by being smart and just walking away like she didnt know me (I instructed her on what to do prior).

The officer was joined by another following behind me up the aisle. He asked if there was a reason I was carrying my sidearm openly like that, to which I told him it was more comfortable that way, and that I always carried like this. He asked for ID, and I declined, asking if there was a serious problem going on. He said no, and told me some concerned people had called about a man with a gun in the Target, and that in this day and age, he had to at least check it out. I promised him nothing was amiss, and that in all the time I carried, hadnt had anyone scared enough by me to call the cops. He asked if I had a LTCF, and if so, could I cover it up. I told him I had one, but not with me, and that I would be concealing once we went to dinner, and would be sitting down. He said that was fine, I asked if there was anything else, and he said no.

I did ask for their cards. The one who followed me up the aisle and was mostly silent reached for his, but the other said that since I wasnt giving them my ID, they wouldnt hand out their cards. I told them that was fine, and that I only wanted them in order to send a comment to their CO that they handled the situation very professionally and politely. I got their dept and names, and will still follow through with a letter complimenting them.

On my way out, I passed three more uniformed cops at the entrance, and outside I counted five police SUVs. Guess whoever called made it sound like a big deal, or else there isnt that much going on in Oaks.

Considering I caught more greif from my girlfriend about "nearly getting arrested" than I did from the responding officer, I'll consider Oaks up to snuff on conceal/open carry laws.

Edit: Also, apologies for not putting this in the new wuftifarkle Open Carry section, didnt see it. If mods deem appropriate, move it on over please.

[shermdo]

Man with a gun --- oh brother! Will the general public even learn.

Sounds like you did real good and so did the LEOs.

[normanvin]

It sounds like a good encounter. I don't care for the you didn't give us your id so we are not giving you ours. That in itself was not very professional of them.

[gnbrotz]

The one who followed me up the aisle and was mostly silent reached for his, but the other said that since I wasnt giving them my ID, they wouldnt hand out their cards.

Overall a great encounter. The snippet above is the only part that gives me a bit of concern. There is no 'quid pro quo' required for an officer to identify himself.

[DaveM55]

The police are going to learn a lot faster than the general public. Even training dispatchers what questions to ask about a call concerning "a man with a gun" may take a long time also. Even then a 911 call about a man with a gun will still have to be investigated most times.

The real campaign about the right of carrying firearms either CC or OC will have to have some level of support or at least acknowledgment from the general public. Until Joe Q Sheeple is made aware that CC and OC are both legal, these calls will keep coming in.

[Robert Kayland]

The OP said he didn't have his LTCF on him... I thought it was mandatory to carry with you when you conceal (which he would be doing as soon as he stepped into his vehicle).

I'm confused.

I also think the OP was damned lucky, refusing to show ID like that, with no repercussions... as we all know, even if you're within your rights, that may not cut any ice with officers investigating a "man with a gun". Remember that thread about the fellow in Home Depot who was accosted by an off-duty Allentown cop?

[normanvin]

The OP said he didn't have his LTCF on him... I thought it was mandatory to carry with you when you conceal (which he would be doing as soon as he stepped into his vehicle).

I'm confused.

I also think the OP was damned lucky, refusing to show ID like that, with no repercussions... as we all know, even if you're within your rights, that may not cut any ice with officers investigating a "man with a gun". Remember that thread about the fellow in Home Depot who was accosted by an off-duty Allentown cop?

Maybe he keeps it in the car.

[normanvin]

There is also no requirement for them just like no requirement for a general citizen to provide them with your ID. Works both ways.

If there is no requirement for an officer to id himself how do I know he is an officer?

Just because a person has a badge does not mean he is an leo.

[Robert Kayland]

Maybe he keeps it in the car.

Yeah, but why would the officer believe him automatically, without asking where it was?

I mean, it's nice that the police are so trusting in his neck of the woods... I just find it surprising.

If there is no requirement for an officer to id himself how do I know he is an officer?

Weren't these uniformed officers? Don't they all wear name tags and have badge numbers in plain sight?

[General Geoff]

Yeah, but why would the officer believe him automatically, without asking where it was?

The officer doesn't have to believe him, since he was open carrying and thus didn't require an LTCF while walking around.