OC in Louisville

I just picked up my first pistol. I picked up a Beretta 96D. I want to OC untill I can get my CC. As this is also a fairly large pistol I may be just doing OC any way as I am a rather large guy.

The question is; Have any members had any problems with any business (walmart, Target, banks, fastfood, or the like) calling the police or asking you to leave? Do the Louisville Metro PD in general hassle any one that OC or are they generally good about knowing OC is ok? The reason I ask is I would rather just avoid a major hassle.

I mainly picked up the pistol because I live in a fairly bad area of town. The local Kroger down the street has a uniform LMPD on staff all day. Would it just be a better idea to take it off my belt when I get where I am going and leave it in my truck till I am planning on going home?

Thanks,
Dan

Of course someone is going to hassle you. Just know your rights and what Kentucky laws are and you will be fine. There are plenty of LMPD officers that are not aware of Kentucky gun laws. You just might get to educate some. Keep us posted and don't put your weapon in the car and give these liberal pussies the satisfaction of changing your ways.

I'm a Louisville resident, in Jeff. Co. And have yet to be hassled by civilians, storekeepers, or even LMPD. Keep in mind I'm 20 and have been OC'ing for about 6+ months and I'm very comfortable with it. I've OC'd from everywhere from Walmart, Gas stations (which I figure a lot of attendants would be jumpy there.) places from Dixie to, Preston Crossings Theater, all the way to Oxmoor Mall and Bardstown road. I have yet to have anyone say anything to me. Even LEO's have seen me carrying and just go about their day. Thank God I live in KY but even though Louisville is a pretty liberal city of KY most people just glance and keep to themselves. Even LEO's for the most part are worried about the firearms they can't see. Of course my results might be scued, I'm a very broad guy, jarhead cut and always clean shaven so most might think I'm am an off-duty cop or a detective in plain clothes. But for the most part I am well dressed, jeans usually and a decent shirt, I try not to have a menacing look on my family and smile when some people make eye contact. Presence and confidence are everything with people's perception. Personally I don't care what they think but I don't want the hassle of the cops being called. I'm a get my things and get done kid of guy. But if I can avoid hassle with a smile and decent clothes I will. If you look like you are allowed to carry(which of course we are) then people don't give too much thought, start looking guilty or suspicious, it raises eyebrows. But to answer, even in the most liberal part of Louisville, the "East End" with citizens or LEO's I've never been stopped or even questioned. My best guess is that you will catch the most grief when pulled over with an less educated officer on the OC laws in the car and I also think that SOP for LMPD is to dispatch multiple units to a traffic stop with a firearms w/o a CCDW. So hope that helps, best advice know the laws, and be confident!

Carry On!

Good advice thus far. Ive carried everywhere in Louisville from the west end to the east end. The most ive ever had happen was being asked if i was a LEO in the west, had a fellow customer tell me i should cover up at a Best Buy store in the east, with a LEO standing 6 feet away who said nothing. Once during last Christmas, i was approached by two LEOs pulling security detail at a Walmart in Fern Creek and that was hands down the stupidest encounter thus far, the younger one didnt know what to think and the older one acted like "Why are we bothering this guy?" (The younger being the one who spotted me and called the older one for backup).

Its basically like this, your first encounter, you WILL be nervous, no if, ands, or buts. But know the law and stand your ground and youll be fine. Each time after that gets easier until youre finally at the point where its more annoying than nerve wracking to be stopped.

Confidence is the key.

I think that they all are educated, barring maybe a lateral transfer from out of state.

Its just hard to believe that they could go through the academy here and not be informed of carry law in our state.

I think they just want to push and see what you know, just for the sake of intimidation.

1 nelson co sheriff deputy then
2 nelson co sheriff deputies and 1 nelson co pd (my fav) then
2 louisville metro pd

This opposed to more mt washington pd, shepherdsville pd, bullitt co sherriffs and louisville metro pd than i can remember, seeing me and not even giving me a second glance.

Jbale22 said:

My best guess is that you will catch the most grief when pulled over with an less educated officer on the OC laws in the car and I also think that SOP for LMPD is to dispatch multiple units to a traffic stop with a firearms w/o a CCDW. So hope that helps, best advice know the laws, and be confident!
Carry On!

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There is no need for any Leo to know your armed during a traffic stop. In Ky it is legal to keep your weapon in any enclosed factory installed storage compartment, which is where I placed my firearm before obtaining my cdwl. You do not have to inform the officer your are carrying a firearm, and I would recommend not informing them. It is better to get your ticket and be on your way, than getting hassled. Also, you can reach your weapon faster if it is in your console, than if it's stuck under your seat-belt or between you and your seat. Check out KRS 527.020(8) for more details on vehicle carry. I would suggest reading krs chapters 237 and 527 also.

Totally agree, I wish there wasn't any "controversy" over holstered hip carry in a vehicle. Much easier to get too of ever needed. But if I ever totally a LEO it would be a courtesy to let the LEO know that I'm no threat to him. Most situations I've heard like this a co-operative driver who does the courtesy of letting the officer know they have a weapon have walked away with no citation(even for the traffic violation) of course there are obviously the exceptions and the "horror stories" of OC stops with a less informed officer of the OC laws. But I'm sure it's a case to case thing, I know a lot of local LEO's and are my good friends and they ARE educated on the laws, but receive that type of info as a courtesy not to hassle you, but for their own safety because they want to protect themselves just like us, they just choose to do it in uniform. In the end of it all, they don't know you any better than the "dirtbag" that might try to pull an ILLEGAL weapon on them. It's on another thread but it's talked about the less info you give the less trouble you can get into later which I agree because if you tell them that you have a firearm and no CCW most likely they will want to run the serial # to make sure it isn't stolen. At any rate, not defending the power-trip officers out there because obviously, ...they are out there, but I can see from the cops POV to want to keep themselves safe.

It is my opinion to never mention the word weapon during a traffic stop if you are not required. The Leo will know you are not a threat by you being kind and pleasantly answering any questions that he lawfully asks. By mentioning weapon, then you become a greater threat to him, than if you just stay silent, get your ticket, or warning or whatever and be on your way. You know you are not a threat to him, you know your weapon is not a threat to him, your not a criminal, so just speak with him like you are unarmed. He has no reason to search your vehicle, so he is not going to find the weapon either way. Just my opinion, I've seen to many horror stories about people informing a cop they are armed. I have a constitutional right to carry that firearm, and a right to keep the fact that I'm armed to myself, and that is what I will do if in that situation.

Since it was mentioned it should be noted that, baring criminal activity, an officer taking your weapon and running the serial without your permission is a 4A violation.

I've heard mixed things about it, people have caught a lot of hassle over it, apparently since it is "on or about your person" (verbiage from 527.020) I think most officers have considered it concealed. Could be wrong but that is how I have interpreted it.

Allow me...

con·ceal *(kn-sl)
tr.v. con·cealed, con·ceal·ing, con·ceals
To keep from being seen, found, observed, or discovered; hide. See Synonyms at hide1.

If i were to OC and stood next to a shelf in a store so a passerby could not see the firearm, could I be charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon? No, of course not because it would be in plain sight to someone coming from the other direction. The point of observation is irrelevant, only that it can be observed.

UnfetteredMight said:

Since it was mentioned it should be noted that, baring criminal activity, an officer taking your weapon and running the serial without your permission is a 4A violation.

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Yep. It is also a violation of law if an Leo disarms you at any time unless he is allowed to do so under authority of KRS 237.104. Which if you are lawfully oc'ing, you are not in violation of any language in this statute, therefore he should not have RAS to disarm.

KYGlockster said:

Yep. It is also a violation of law if an Leo disarms you at any time unless he is allowed to do so under authority of KRS 237.104. Which if you are lawfully oc'ing, you are not in violation of any language in this statute, therefore he should not have RAS to disarm.

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By my reading thats true, but we have not had a test case.

It being a 4A violation actually has case law to back it up and that opens the officer to be sued under 42USC1983.

The law is pretty straight forward. There wouldn't be much to test.

KYGlockster said:

The law is pretty straight forward. There wouldn't be much to test.

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Agreed, but youd have to admit, the threat of being personally liable in a court where you have no friends would be more persuasive.

KYGlockster said:

There is no need for any Leo to know your armed during a traffic stop. In Ky it is legal to keep your weapon in any enclosed factory installed storage compartment, which is where I placed my firearm before obtaining my cdwl. You do not have to inform the officer your are carrying a firearm, and I would recommend not informing them. It is better to get your ticket and be on your way, than getting hassled. Also, you can reach your weapon faster if it is in your console, than if it's stuck under your seat-belt or between you and your seat. Check out KRS 527.020(8) for more details on vehicle carry. I would suggest reading krs chapters 237 and 527 also.

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When I get in my truck, do I have to take it off my hip and put it in the glove box?

You CAN leave it on your side, I just found it easier to access when placed in the console. Again, you still have no obligation to inform a officer your carrying, regardless of where your weapon is.

UnfetteredMight said:

Agreed, but youd have to admit, the threat of being personally liable in a court where you have no friends would be more persuasive.

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I'll agree 100% on that!

gutshot said:

You need to do more reading here and less posting. That question has been asked and answered in this very thread and dozens of times in the Ky. forum. Read first then ask questions. No, you do not have to hide it in a vehicle, just get in start the car and drive.

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Actually I have been reading every post in this posting. I saw the entire thing go back and forth about the car thing. I read the law that stated "if in a factory installed box" it was considered OC and legal.

I have also been trying to read through back logged posts to get as much info as I can since I am new to OC and my family and friends all have wrong info / opinions. I even have one friend taking collage courses for criminal justice and he has given me the most wrong answers of them all.

So I am very sorry if I am asking things that have already been answers. I know how annoying this can be.

So thank you very much for all your help!!
Dan

dan_c012 said:

Actually I have been reading every post in this posting. I saw the entire thing go back and forth about the car thing. I read the law that stated "if in a factory installed box" it was considered OC and legal.

I have also been trying to read through back logged posts to get as much info as I can since I am new to OC and my family and friends all have wrong info / opinions. I even have one friend taking collage courses for criminal justice and he has given me the most wrong answers of them all.

So I am very sorry if I am asking things that have already been answers. I know how annoying this can be.

So thank you very much for all your help!!
Dan

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Read krs chapters 237, 527, and read section 1 of our state constitution, check out krs 65.870, (which is aboutto get better), read the supreme court ruling in the "Holland v. Commonwealth" case, and memorize it all. There isn't many laws in Ky, so it is fairly easy to remember it all. When someone gives you information like, "OC is illegal, or you can't carry without a license, or you can't keep a loaded firearm within reach in your car, or my all time favorite 3 moves nonsense," always ask them to cite their information. When you start asking for statutes to back up people's inaccurate advice, they start back-peddeling. I too am studying criminal justice in college, and they do not mention anything about Ky gun laws. They discuss the constitution, different parts of the justice system, procedures, case law pertaining to constitutional issues, etc. Firearms or firearm law is not discussed.