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LEO Encounter Chambers Creek Regional Park In University Place

Tacitus42

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Messages
186
Location
Tacoma,Wa
Drove down to Chambers Creek with my 3 kids and 1 of their friends at 1330 today so they could swim. Parked on right side of road across from park entrance. At the trail head sat a University Place Police/Pierce County Sheriff suv. UP contracts with the county sheriff for services. We get out of vehicle, stand around a minute while kids are changing shoes. At this time i tell my son to get the camera ready, it takes great vids. Ofc gets out of suv walks into the trail . We cross street walk in front of his suv and Boom! he comes right at me walking away from park signage. Conversation went something like this.
Ofc: " Hey , i know your open carrying and its legal and all that . I was checking the sign to see if firearms were permitted, but all its says it prohibits dischaching them." ( i knew this was gonna be fun as i had a boring day up to then)
Me: "yea"?
Ofc: "why you OCing"
Me: "cuz i want to
Ofc: "you have a Cpl"? ( yes i should of asked if i was being detained, but like i said i was bored)
Me: "yep" ( no way in hell was i gonna show him)
Ofc: "well why dont you cover it up? You know they make different holsters for that"? ( my Taurus 24/7 in a thumb snap nylon holster with a pouch for an extra mag. 31 rounds of .40 Federal HST goodness)
Me: "dont want to, its too hot,and like you said its legal"
Ofc again: "They do make different holsters to conceal that"
Me: "Well i have a new holster on the way this week, its a Serpa for my new Glock 22 i just bought yesterday i plan on Oc'ing that one too" ( the look on his face was priceless)
Ofc: "well if anybody calls while you in the park and complains, that would be warranting alarm , and that bring this to a whole new level" ( he definetely didnt like how this was going)
Me: " merely open carrying a firearm in a holster does not in and of itself does not warrant alarm"
Ofc: "have a nice day"
Me: "you too"
Walking away my son says " batteries were dead." My daughter had been playing with it. :banghead: So no video.
Kids said Ofc. was stupid. I told them that he was just ignorant of the law and trying to intimidate me.
About an hour later Ofc. walks down to water, pretty sure he was looking for me. Left. Thats the last i seen of him.
That was first neg encounter with a LEO. Fun was had by all! TPD has always been professional never a word from them.
 

tombrewster421

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
1,326
Location
Roy, WA
I've never heard of a good encounter with Pierce County sheriffs. They continue to put their negative attitudes toward OC on display for us all.
 

Difdi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
987
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
I was checking the sign to see if firearms were permitted,

Signs are funny things. For the most part, they don't grant any rights or impose any duties that didn't already exist without a sign. Trespassing inside someone's house is illegal whether a sign is up or not. You can't carry inside a court room whether they have a sign or not. Putting up a sign requiring you to allow a search without a warrant has no legal force. And so on.

And yet, people will instinctively consider such signage to be binding. A sign prohibiting firearm possession would be illegal under state preemption, but I bet that cop would enforce such a sign if one existed. He'd be breaking the law to do so, but he probably wouldn't care. For that matter, he himself would be carrying in violation of a sign prohibiting weapons. But I bet he wouldn't care about that either.

It makes me wonder what weight such an individual would give a sign stating that the Constitution is strictly enforced in the area. Would he become a model officer?

but all its says it prohibits dischaching them

Dischaching? Was that an attempt at conveying his accent, or does your browser lack a spell check feature?
 
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Fallschirjmäger

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Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,823
Location
Cumming, Georgia, USA
I'd say ya done good.

Ofc: "well if anybody calls while you in the park and complains, that would be warranting alarm , and that bring this to a whole new level" ( he definetely didnt like how this was going)
"Hold on a sec, Officer Friendly, and I'll call the park to complain that I'm carrying a firearm openly. What's the park number, anyway?"
 
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sudden valley gunner

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Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
Ofc: "well if anybody calls while you in the park and complains, that would be warranting alarm , and that bring this to a whole new level" ( he definetely didnt like how this was going)

Officer please quote the whole law. And then explain how a properly holstered weapon "warrants alarm for the safety of others".

Some people find folks of other skin color alarming, some folks find gays alarming, some folks think people with tattoos are alarming, etc......
 

gogodawgs

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
5,669
Location
Federal Way, Washington, USA
Ofc: "well if anybody calls while you in the park and complains, that would be warranting alarm , and that bring this to a whole new level" ( he definetely didnt like how this was going)

Lie, if this were true you could immediately call 911 and complain every time an officer was near and carrying a gun in the open that you were alarmed. Of course, dispatch would have to send unarmed officers to write the officer a ticket.
 

sudden valley gunner

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Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
Lie, if this were true you could immediately call 911 and complain every time an officer was near and carrying a gun in the open that you were alarmed. Of course, dispatch would have to send unarmed officers to write the officer a ticket.

Something similar was done a few years ago by an OC'er, if I remember right, it was in a Fred Meyers....I don't think other officers came but he did make the call he was being harassed by armed men.......:cool:
 

Schlepnier

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
420
Location
Yelm, Washington USA
I'd say ya done good.

Ofc: "well if anybody calls while you in the park and complains, that would be warranting alarm , and that bring this to a whole new level" ( he definetely didnt like how this was going)
"Hold on a sec, Officer Friendly, and I'll call the park to complain that I'm carrying a firearm openly. What's the park number, anyway?"


Or how about-

"Well that funny officer since the state courts have already upheld that open carry specifically does not constitute warranting alarm. i had assumed you knew that already"
:D
 

Mainsail

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,533
Location
Silverdale, Washington, USA
Ofc: " Hey , i know your open carrying and its legal and all that . I was checking the sign to see if firearms were permitted, but all its says it prohibits discharging them."
You: "Am I being detained?"
Ofc: "No."
You: "Have a nice day officer, thank you for your service."
 

Ajetpilot

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2007
Messages
1,416
Location
Olalla, Kitsap County, Washington, USA
I've never heard of a good encounter with Pierce County sheriffs. They continue to put their negative attitudes toward OC on display for us all.

Gig Harbor is participating in the "National Night Out", on August 7, and the Pierce County Sheriff has a booth. I'll be there, and maybe I can get a picture or two standing next to them. WSP will be there, too, but everybody gets a picture with them. Anyone else going to be there? We could get a group shot.
 

Tacitus42

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Messages
186
Location
Tacoma,Wa
Gig Harbor is participating in the "National Night Out", on August 7, and the Pierce County Sheriff has a booth. I'll be there, and maybe I can get a picture or two standing next to them. WSP will be there, too, but everybody gets a picture with them. Anyone else going to be there? We could get a group shot.

I'll be there, I work nights in Gig Harbor what times good for you? Later the better for me. Like 7 or 8?

Mainsail. I agree with you , next time thats what they'll get. I just couldnt help myself:D
 

Difdi

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Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
987
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Lie, if this were true you could immediately call 911 and complain every time an officer was near and carrying a gun in the open that you were alarmed. Of course, dispatch would have to send unarmed officers to write the officer a ticket.

I've always found the thought of making a MWAG call on uniformed police amusing. If simply standing somewhere having a gun firmly in its holster warrants alarm, then police warrant alarm simply by standing there too. Police can get in trouble for waving guns around without cause, after all.
 

jt59

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
1,005
Location
Central South Sound
Interesting indeed

This should be followed up on with the agencies....I was the one who pursued this originally as I live in U.P., and got the park rules and signage changed over a year ago now...

New signage reads "no illegal firearms"...the sign down by the crossover bridge to the water is still incorrect I believe, but in any case I carry all the time down there ...3-4 times per week and do the loop 1-2 times when there both alone and with the wife...never a peep.

Too bad you didn't get the officers name and badge number....but a review of the training bulletins would be in order.

As an aside, I was down doing laps a couple of months ago and ended up on the water side at closing time...continued up to the parking area and my vehicle and as it got dark fairly early I was surprised at several roving bands (not gangs) of teens that took over the park...

good job on the interaction.
 
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JoeSparky

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Jun 20, 2008
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Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
I've always found the thought of making a MWAG call on uniformed police amusing. If simply standing somewhere having a gun firmly in its holster warrants alarm, then police warrant alarm simply by standing there too. Police can get in trouble for waving guns around without cause, after all.

What about the ones standing around lovingly fondling the holstered firearm for hours on end?
 

Difdi

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Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
987
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
What about the ones standing around lovingly fondling the holstered firearm for hours on end?

How would you or I be treated if we stood around in public, resting a hand on the grip of our OC weapon and/or fondling it, as you put it?

We'd likely wind up facing criminal charges.
 

JoeSparky

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Jun 20, 2008
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Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
How would you or I be treated if we stood around in public, resting a hand on the grip of our OC weapon and/or fondling it, as you put it?

We'd likely wind up facing criminal charges.

My point exactly..... personally have observed a uniformed LEO complete with extra long threaded barrel on his COMPENSATED glock with his hand in the grip and slide stroking and fondling his weapon for about 20 min while he was in a fast food restaurant waiting to order and receive his meal! At least he never unsnapped the retention strap in his FOREPLAY!!!!!!
 

amlevin

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Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
Location
North of Seattle, Washington, USA
My point exactly..... personally have observed a uniformed LEO complete with extra long threaded barrel on his COMPENSATED glock with his hand in the grip and slide stroking and fondling his weapon for about 20 min while he was in a fast food restaurant waiting to order and receive his meal! At least he never unsnapped the retention strap in his FOREPLAY!!!!!!

He was doing that because it's illegal to "stroke" anything else in public ;) ;)
 
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