decklin
Regular Member
I do have a partial recording of this interaction. I will post it as soon as possible.
On the 3rd of May I went to the Renton location for King County District Court for a traffic infraction. I won.
So as I went in through the front door there was the typical "No Firearms per RCW 9.41.300." My wife went through the metal detector (staffed by a civilian) with no issues. There was a sheriff deputy seated behind him and he appeared to be watching T.V.
The civilian told me to go on through the metal detector. Apparently he couldn't see the full sized 1911 on my hip as well as the second mag on my front. I informed hin I had to check in my firearm.
The deputy leapt up and came over saying, "Yep."
Civi says, "Do you have a permit?"
Me, "You don't need a permit to open carry in the state of Washington."
Civi looks at deputy who says, "Uhhh, yeah." Almost like he wasn't sure.
Deputy comes around to me. "Ok, just need to see your ID."
Me, "No, sir. You don't."
Deputy surprised, "Yes you do. I have to make sure you are who you say."
Me, "No, the RCW is very clear about courthouse procedure. It doesn't say anything about ID."
Deputy, "Would you step out here for me?" He opens the inner door to the sallyport (don't know what else to call it) and steps into it. I follow him. Later I realized he had succesfully led me away from witnesses. Blast!
Deputy, "I need to see your ID."
Me, "No you don't."
This continues for a minute.
Me, "You can look at the RCW." I keep it saved on my phone.
Deputy, "I'm not gonna look it up!"
He tells me he is going back in to call his supervisor for clarification.
While he is on the phone with his supervisor I pull out my phone and turn on the recorder. I give a brief description on what is going on. While waiting I can hear the deputy on the phone. You can vaguely hear the deputy.
Deputy on phone, "Yeah, I have a guy down here with a gun. He doesn't want to show me ID and he doesn't have a permit."
I never said I didn't have a permit. I do have one.
Deputy, " Uh huh, ok."
The deputy comes out. "Yeah, you gotta identify yourself......." He goes on and keeps interupting me. He tells me to get a lawyer. He says because it is a county building I am required by law to show ID and refuses again to check law. He tells me to sue him.
At this point I have three (3) minutes till my appearance so I pull out my ID. I hold it up to show him and tries to take it. I maintain my control over the ID. He rips it from my hand saying,
"I don't know why you're being so obstinate!"
Me, "Because it's not required by law to show you ID."
At this point I checked in my firearm. I sked the deputy what his name was. He said Deputy Berger and spelled it. I told the civi to have a good one. I shut the recorder off and went in the courtroom.
When I came out to reclaim my firearm I was looking at the only two stationary lockboxes.
Me, "What do you do if more than two people come in?"
Deputy, "They can't come in."
Me, "Oh, really? Just like that?"
Deputy, "Yep."
Unfortunately I wasn't recording for the second interaction. (Stupid!)
So, I'm working on getting the recording converted so I can provide a link to youtube.
Obviously I could have handled this better. This was my first interaction. I wanted to put this up earlier but I wanted to devote the necessary time to type this up for you. I will be contacting the King County Sheriff's Office tomorrow.
Please feel free to criticize/question. This is for my learning experience and others after all.
Edit: I have the recording available. Watch out if you have headphones. At the end all the noise is me putting all the stuff from my pockets on top of my phone. Oops. At 1:55 you can hear him speaking to his supervisor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V47ezPh9ZZE&feature=youtu.be
On the 3rd of May I went to the Renton location for King County District Court for a traffic infraction. I won.
So as I went in through the front door there was the typical "No Firearms per RCW 9.41.300." My wife went through the metal detector (staffed by a civilian) with no issues. There was a sheriff deputy seated behind him and he appeared to be watching T.V.
The civilian told me to go on through the metal detector. Apparently he couldn't see the full sized 1911 on my hip as well as the second mag on my front. I informed hin I had to check in my firearm.
The deputy leapt up and came over saying, "Yep."
Civi says, "Do you have a permit?"
Me, "You don't need a permit to open carry in the state of Washington."
Civi looks at deputy who says, "Uhhh, yeah." Almost like he wasn't sure.
Deputy comes around to me. "Ok, just need to see your ID."
Me, "No, sir. You don't."
Deputy surprised, "Yes you do. I have to make sure you are who you say."
Me, "No, the RCW is very clear about courthouse procedure. It doesn't say anything about ID."
Deputy, "Would you step out here for me?" He opens the inner door to the sallyport (don't know what else to call it) and steps into it. I follow him. Later I realized he had succesfully led me away from witnesses. Blast!
Deputy, "I need to see your ID."
Me, "No you don't."
This continues for a minute.
Me, "You can look at the RCW." I keep it saved on my phone.
Deputy, "I'm not gonna look it up!"
He tells me he is going back in to call his supervisor for clarification.
While he is on the phone with his supervisor I pull out my phone and turn on the recorder. I give a brief description on what is going on. While waiting I can hear the deputy on the phone. You can vaguely hear the deputy.
Deputy on phone, "Yeah, I have a guy down here with a gun. He doesn't want to show me ID and he doesn't have a permit."
I never said I didn't have a permit. I do have one.
Deputy, " Uh huh, ok."
The deputy comes out. "Yeah, you gotta identify yourself......." He goes on and keeps interupting me. He tells me to get a lawyer. He says because it is a county building I am required by law to show ID and refuses again to check law. He tells me to sue him.
At this point I have three (3) minutes till my appearance so I pull out my ID. I hold it up to show him and tries to take it. I maintain my control over the ID. He rips it from my hand saying,
"I don't know why you're being so obstinate!"
Me, "Because it's not required by law to show you ID."
At this point I checked in my firearm. I sked the deputy what his name was. He said Deputy Berger and spelled it. I told the civi to have a good one. I shut the recorder off and went in the courtroom.
When I came out to reclaim my firearm I was looking at the only two stationary lockboxes.
Me, "What do you do if more than two people come in?"
Deputy, "They can't come in."
Me, "Oh, really? Just like that?"
Deputy, "Yep."
Unfortunately I wasn't recording for the second interaction. (Stupid!)
So, I'm working on getting the recording converted so I can provide a link to youtube.
Obviously I could have handled this better. This was my first interaction. I wanted to put this up earlier but I wanted to devote the necessary time to type this up for you. I will be contacting the King County Sheriff's Office tomorrow.
Please feel free to criticize/question. This is for my learning experience and others after all.
Edit: I have the recording available. Watch out if you have headphones. At the end all the noise is me putting all the stuff from my pockets on top of my phone. Oops. At 1:55 you can hear him speaking to his supervisor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V47ezPh9ZZE&feature=youtu.be
Last edited: