M-Taliesin
Regular Member
Howdy Folks!
I went to my friendly Bello Credit Union the other day at Aurora Town Center, and of course, I was open carrying... like I do... and the point of my visit wasn't something this branch could accomodate. They recommended I should visit their branch at Havana and Mississippi.
So while I was out and about yesterday, I decided (impromptu fashion) to drop by that branch. Here is where that darn Denver boundary, meandering as it does all over the front range, proves problematic. Of course, I was open carrying as usual.
At 6th and Havana, you're still in Aurora for several more blocks west of Havana. So, I naturally figured that the line was several blocks west of Mississippi and Havana. Turned out, that wasn't quite accurate.
I walked into the bank, pistol proudly holstered on my hip, and just inside the entrance sat a Denver cop. I thought it odd that a Denver cop should be playing bank dick in an Aurora bank, but just went ahead with my business. In front of the cop was a sign-in sheet for folks needing to talk with a bank representative. Since my visit concerned a name change to my business enterprise, I signed in. He didn't say anything about my pistol, and I mentioned to him that I am armed but had no plans of doing anything nefarious. Tried to make that sound humorous, but he didn't appear to be endowed with a sense of humor. "You got a carry permit?" He asked.
"Yep! Sure do. You need to see it?"
"No," he replied. "But you aren't supposed to carry in here being it is private property."
Seeing an opportunity to say something smart, like... gee, I musta missed seeing the posting at the entrance, I simply held my tongue. He didn't tell me to leave, nor remove my sidearm, so I just stood back to await a bank rep to help me with my business. The cop kept looking at me like he was nervous or somehow similarly pushed out of shape, but I casually ignored him. Finally I got called to one of the desks and sat down to business with a representative. A question of process came up and the rep I was talking with needed to consult with another rep to determine the correct answer to my question, and nature was calling on me something powerful. I asked to check in with a man about a horse, and he walked with me to unlock an area where the restrooms are hidden. The cop eyed holes through me as we passed his position, but I continued to ignore his annoyance. After my work was done in the restroom, I came back through, again passing the LEO, and again feeling radiation burns welling up on my skin from his laser-like stare. The cop, previously consumed with text messages on his cellular phone now used it instead like a phone. He spent the rest of my visit time there talking with somebody on the phone. I figured he was calling in folks from SWAT, the RIOT squad, and perhaps even a contingent of the national guard. But that didn't happen either.
Once my business with the rep was done, I sauntered up to a teller window to make a depossit. The whole time I was at the teller station, the LEO kept watching me most intently. AFter doing a deposit, I turned and headed out the door. Half expecting to see a cordon had been thrown up around the bank, I was almost disappointed that nothing untoward took place. I walked across the parking lot, got in my rental car, and left the area.
So there you have it. I open carried in Denver. If I'd crossed Havana street to the east, I'd have been in Aurora, where open carry rights are respected and honored. But I was totally in Denver territory. Barely, but inside their stomping grounds. While at the teller window I verified that we were, indeed, in Denver at that location. But I made no effort to conceal my pistol. Seemed anticlimatic at that point anyhow, considering the LEO had gazed upon it already!
I was in Denver, I was open carrying, I was nearly eyeball to eyeball with a Denver LEO, and I survived to tell this tale. He didn't hassle me (much) and I was left alone to do my business and leave unmolested.
Maybe Denver figures there ain't much point fighting against open carry when their pre-emption exemption is likely to get overturned should somebody make a fuss of it.
Well, I guess them's the berries!
Blessings,
M-Taliesin
I went to my friendly Bello Credit Union the other day at Aurora Town Center, and of course, I was open carrying... like I do... and the point of my visit wasn't something this branch could accomodate. They recommended I should visit their branch at Havana and Mississippi.
So while I was out and about yesterday, I decided (impromptu fashion) to drop by that branch. Here is where that darn Denver boundary, meandering as it does all over the front range, proves problematic. Of course, I was open carrying as usual.
At 6th and Havana, you're still in Aurora for several more blocks west of Havana. So, I naturally figured that the line was several blocks west of Mississippi and Havana. Turned out, that wasn't quite accurate.
I walked into the bank, pistol proudly holstered on my hip, and just inside the entrance sat a Denver cop. I thought it odd that a Denver cop should be playing bank dick in an Aurora bank, but just went ahead with my business. In front of the cop was a sign-in sheet for folks needing to talk with a bank representative. Since my visit concerned a name change to my business enterprise, I signed in. He didn't say anything about my pistol, and I mentioned to him that I am armed but had no plans of doing anything nefarious. Tried to make that sound humorous, but he didn't appear to be endowed with a sense of humor. "You got a carry permit?" He asked.
"Yep! Sure do. You need to see it?"
"No," he replied. "But you aren't supposed to carry in here being it is private property."
Seeing an opportunity to say something smart, like... gee, I musta missed seeing the posting at the entrance, I simply held my tongue. He didn't tell me to leave, nor remove my sidearm, so I just stood back to await a bank rep to help me with my business. The cop kept looking at me like he was nervous or somehow similarly pushed out of shape, but I casually ignored him. Finally I got called to one of the desks and sat down to business with a representative. A question of process came up and the rep I was talking with needed to consult with another rep to determine the correct answer to my question, and nature was calling on me something powerful. I asked to check in with a man about a horse, and he walked with me to unlock an area where the restrooms are hidden. The cop eyed holes through me as we passed his position, but I continued to ignore his annoyance. After my work was done in the restroom, I came back through, again passing the LEO, and again feeling radiation burns welling up on my skin from his laser-like stare. The cop, previously consumed with text messages on his cellular phone now used it instead like a phone. He spent the rest of my visit time there talking with somebody on the phone. I figured he was calling in folks from SWAT, the RIOT squad, and perhaps even a contingent of the national guard. But that didn't happen either.
Once my business with the rep was done, I sauntered up to a teller window to make a depossit. The whole time I was at the teller station, the LEO kept watching me most intently. AFter doing a deposit, I turned and headed out the door. Half expecting to see a cordon had been thrown up around the bank, I was almost disappointed that nothing untoward took place. I walked across the parking lot, got in my rental car, and left the area.
So there you have it. I open carried in Denver. If I'd crossed Havana street to the east, I'd have been in Aurora, where open carry rights are respected and honored. But I was totally in Denver territory. Barely, but inside their stomping grounds. While at the teller window I verified that we were, indeed, in Denver at that location. But I made no effort to conceal my pistol. Seemed anticlimatic at that point anyhow, considering the LEO had gazed upon it already!
I was in Denver, I was open carrying, I was nearly eyeball to eyeball with a Denver LEO, and I survived to tell this tale. He didn't hassle me (much) and I was left alone to do my business and leave unmolested.
Maybe Denver figures there ain't much point fighting against open carry when their pre-emption exemption is likely to get overturned should somebody make a fuss of it.
Well, I guess them's the berries!
Blessings,
M-Taliesin