First Call

[shooter357]

I had my first "Man With a Gun Call" tonight.
I was at Long John Silver's tonight with my wife and two girls. As I was about to sit down when a guy comes along side of me, leans in, and says in a low voice,
guy: It's none of my buisness but that is supposed to be concealed.
me: It would be but I don't want it concealed.
guy: It is state law.
me: No sir, it's not.

So at this point the guy is out the door with an unhappy look on his face. I say to my wife, watch this guy go out to his car and use his cell phone to call the cops. Well, about ten minutes later my wife, who is facing the parking lot, says that the Palmer police are pulling up. They come in and go to the counter to speak with the employees. After about a minute the two officers walk over to our table and apoligize for disturbing our dinner. They explain that they got "THE CALL" and are investigating it. The second officer then says "Hi Jeff". I then say hi back. You see, I graduated with this officer. The first officer says that he can see that I'm not a threat but needs to see ID for his report. I ask why it is that he needs to see ID. He tells me that he needs to check to see that I'm not a felon. I tell him that I don't have ID on me. He starts to say something, stops, then asks if I have it in my vehicle. I tell him that I do have it in my truck but I don't have to show it. He tells me that I HAVE to produce ID when the police ask for it. I tell him that he is wrong and I am required to verbally ID myself. At this point the second officer tries to explain that they need to see the ID to run a proper check to see if I am a felon. I then asked them what would they do if I was walking down the street and they approached me and I had no ID on me. About this point the second officer tells me that they got their UPDATE and they know what I was doing was legal. It then sunk in that they were getting nowhere with me and I repeated that I am only required to verbally ID myself. I told them that if they demanded that I get my ID and show it to them, I would. The first officer then says "I thought you said that you didn't have to verbally ID yourself". So he takes my verbal info and mentions a call they had not long ago about someone OCing.
As we were wrapping this up I started some small talk with them. The first officer looked familar but I could place him. I asked him what his name is and he said that he was from the area. he mentioned his wife and BINGO. I graduated with her and worked with his Mom. Maybe it was because I knew the one officer but they were nothing but polite, although they did try to make me show ID when I was not reqired to. They did not try to tell me what I should be carrying or how I should be carrying. They did mention to me that these types of calls will happen and just tried to let me know what I was getting into by OCing. I told them that I was aware and that I have been doing this for over a year. I then couldn't finish my supper and packed up and left.

ETA: Went to the Easton Wallyworld afterwards with no issues.

[smithwessn]

Good post. Situation well handled on your part. +rep sent

Thanks for sharing!

[falcn]

You left out the part where they went outside and talked to the guy that placed the call and told him that what you were doing was 100% legal.

[Statkowski]

And the "concerned citizen" that made the call? What happened with him? Did he stick around? Did the police have a chit-chat with him?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[shooter357]

I walked out about 30sec after the police and the douche wasn't to be seen.

[PennsyPlinker]

You left out the part where they went outside and talked to the guy that placed the call and told him that what you were doing was 100% legal.

This was my thought too. I don't think this is possible under a lot of circumstances, but in this case you had a pretty good idea who it was that called you in. Understand, I'm not criticizing your handling of the situation at all, just thinking "out loud" as it were. I've only had one incident where someone called the cops on me, and that person remained under the radar. The officer was very professional and educated, as he knew the law, and all the law, and not what he thought it should be. The only other time someone has complained about me to someone else in authority was the hippy biker guy a couple of weeks ago at Starlite. He went to the manager, who told him I wasn't going to be a problem. I look for him every time I go in there now, so I can ask him why a big strong man like him is skeered of a guy with a gun and has to go to a woman to complain.

[Pa. Patriot]

You were not required to verbally ID either.
Good job on your part though.

Its a shame these officers are so poorly trained in everyday encounter procedures. There was really no reason to even speak to you no less show their ignorance by making rediculous demands, or requests, or whatever they ended up being .

[1iarrowking]

I look for him every time I go in there now, so I can ask him why a big strong man like him is skeered of a guy with a gun and has to go to a woman to complain.

Maybe that's his MO for picking up chicks.

[mrjam2jab]

They come in and go to the counter to speak with the employees.

If the busybody called them...why did they go up to the counter? He would have given them a description as he wasnt going to hang around...They would have walked in, looked around until they spotted you...I

I'm thinking somebody from LJS called...

[shooter357]

You were not required to verbally ID either.
Good job on your part though.

Its a shame these officers are so poorly trained in everyday encounter procedures. There was really no reason to even speak to you no less show their ignorance by making rediculous demands, or requests, or whatever they ended up being .

I didn't particularly care for the "You must show us your ID part.

I did forget to mention that I explained that there was no crime committed, being committed, of about to be committed so it was no reason for them to see my ID. Probably should have just said that there was no RAS.