New to OC from Fort Collins

Hello all,
I tried looking for a thread for new members of OC but couldn't find one.But my name is Lou and I live in Fort Collins ,CO and although I recently purchased a holster to OC my firearms,I have been nervous to do so because of all the stories of run ins by LEOs in this forum.My research started with reading Colorado laws regarding OC ,and I did find it says it is legal to OC with the exception of Denver,and a few other municipalities.I then decided to make a call to the FCPD and was told by the officer I spoke to it is legal ,but to expect a possible encounter with another LEO.What I forgot to ask the officer was what the law was concerning the weapon being loaded .Other words,is it illegal to have the firearm chambered(condition 1 I believe it is called)I also spoke to someone at RMSS and he told me that OC could lead me to a distubing the peace charge since simply OC a firearm can cause people to panic.I've also seen the videos where someone has been detained,or spends an hour or more explaining to the police their rights.
So yes,as you can all see,I'm not only a bit nervous to OC,but a bit confused on the laws.The last thing I need is to be arrested.And I know it is my right.If anyone has open carried here in Fort Collins,what was your experience?How often if so where you confronted by the police?And what was the reaction by the public?I explained this the best could and thank you for any advice and help.

Welcome!

Talking to the police will result in you being given ambiguous information at best and totally wrong information at worst.

You're right that you can't OC in Denver city/county limits (they are one in the same) but elsewhere in the state you may OC freely except for federal buildings, school property and municipal property which is posted against OC. Colorado law doesn't care how you carry your handgun, chambered or not.

You MAY have an LEO encounter eventually but its by no mean guaranteed. Simply OCing a pistol is certainly not grounds for anything like disturbing the peace. In order for charges like that to stick you have to be actually doing something to try and scare people, like waving your gun around.

Carry a voice recorder when you OC and carry with confidence and you will likely not have any issues. Please keep in mind that the encounters you read about on the forum are the exception because "I carried my OC gun today and no one noticed/nothing happened" threads would get boring real quick.

Read, read, read and read the threads in this forum and please ask questions that you might stiill have unanswered but know that carrying a handgun around Colorado is a non-issue throughout 99.9% of the state.

I've OCed in FC on a number of occassions and frequently OC throughout the Loveland/Greeley/FC area generally. I've yet to have a single negative encounter with anyone, let alone police. Drop me a message and I'd be happy to meet up sometime with you for an OC outing. Of course, MT might jump at the opportunity to come up north and take you around a bit as he often does with new OCers. I've yet to meet any other FC area OCers, so I'd be anxious to meet anyone else wanting to get together and introduce you to OC.

Oh, and I'll second the "don't ask the police" advice. Worst idea ever. Occasionally, you'll find one that 1) knows the law and 2) doesn't insert their agenda into what they say. I'd rather do my own research and know for certain and avoid the LEO lectures.

Welcome to the forum

Not New To FTC or OC, but new to site.

Hello all. I am new to the site and forum but not new to OC. I am going to submit a post later today after I get a call back from an attorney that i have asked about OC in FTC/Downtown area. The Attorney I contacted was Andrew L. Bertrand. I asked that I get some feedback or answers that if I get together with some friends for coffee and OC in downtown Fort Collins (old town) If i would be breaking any type of municipal codes, violate any law or be going to an area deemed no OC. I am planning to go for coffee this weekend (sat) and meet up with 1-4 friends for OC discussion and catching up. I will repost later today on my inquiry to the attorney. The Answers should provide a comprehensive look and possibly a viable attorney if needed by local OCers If rights are violated by possible LEO contact.

Update

I did not get a call back from the attorney I tried to contact about OC law in FTC/Old Town/Larimer County. Hopefully I will hear something before Sat. I have done a comp review of the local statutes that I am aware of and am reviewing my 4th, 5th, 14th amendments. I hope not to have a LEO encounter, and if so, make it a positive one by being well versed, professional & polite as to represent OCers and law abiding citizens everywhere.

I lived in Fort Collins for over a decade, and I'll likely be moving back there next spring. In my experience you do not need to worry about run ins with LEO as much as you need to worry about young male college students. In fact I would strongly recommend concealed carry over open carry anywhere in the vicinity of the college campus, this includes Old Town.

In my experience younger college boys look for opportunities to act out and get attention, especially when they are in groups. I know two people who were OC, one in a grocery store and one at a gas station, both near the campus and upon being noticed by a group of loud rude college students were quickly made the center of a scene. The boys acted like complete clowns, rudely yelling to everyone around about the presence of the gun, and harassing my friends, loudly daring them to draw the gun and making other loud foolish remarks. In both incidents the boys were so hyper and unruly it was near impossible to even speak to them, or to try and calmly educate them. It was obvious they just wanted attention, be it good or bad. The incident in the grocery store ended with my friend just depositing his basket of groceries by the door as he calmly walked out to his car and drove away, the boys following him most of the way. The scene at the gas station ended in a similar fashion. Thankfully no LEOs showed up before my friends were able to leave the scene in both instances.

FCPD and Larimer County Sheriffs will likely be very respectful if you happen to have an encounter. However, CSUPD (which DOES have jurisdiction outside the campus) are notoriously terrible to deal with. They frequently do not know the laws, they frequently overstep their bounds, and in general seem to enjoy exerting unnecessary control over the people they stop. And whether you are a CSU student or not, if you even look young enough to be a student, they will not only assume you are a student, but a very bad student until your ID proves otherwise.

I encourage you to carry, be it open or concealed, but again, if at all possible, I STRONGLY recommend it be concealed anywhere near the campus, or that you are highly likely to be around groups of immature youth. There are times and places in which making a stand for your rights will actually accomplish something, and there are times and places in which it clearly won't help you or anyone.

Et2Brute said:

I lived in Fort Collins for over a decade, and I'll likely be moving back there next spring. In my experience you do not need to worry about run ins with LEO as much as you need to worry about young male college students. In fact I would strongly recommend concealed carry over open carry anywhere in the vicinity of the college campus, this includes Old Town.

In my experience younger college boys look for opportunities to act out and get attention, especially when they are in groups. I know two people who were OC, one in a grocery store and one at a gas station, both near the campus and upon being noticed by a group of loud rude college students were quickly made the center of a scene. The boys acted like complete clowns, rudely yelling to everyone around about the presence of the gun, and harassing my friends, loudly daring them to draw the gun and making other loud foolish remarks. In both incidents the boys were so hyper and unruly it was near impossible to even speak to them, or to try and calmly educate them. It was obvious they just wanted attention, be it good or bad. The incident in the grocery store ended with my friend just depositing his basket of groceries by the door as he calmly walked out to his car and drove away, the boys following him most of the way. The scene at the gas station ended in a similar fashion. Thankfully no LEOs showed up before my friends were able to leave the scene in both instances.

FCPD and Larimer County Sheriffs will likely be very respectful if you happen to have an encounter. However, CSUPD (which DOES have jurisdiction outside the campus) are notoriously terrible to deal with. They frequently do not know the laws, they frequently overstep their bounds, and in general seem to enjoy exerting unnecessary control over the people they stop. And whether you are a CSU student or not, if you even look young enough to be a student, they will not only assume you are a student, but a very bad student until your ID proves otherwise.

I encourage you to carry, be it open or concealed, but again, if at all possible, I STRONGLY recommend it be concealed anywhere near the campus, or that you are highly likely to be around groups of immature youth. There are times and places in which making a stand for your rights will actually accomplish something, and there are times and places in which it clearly won't help you or anyone.

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Negative allegorical stories have little merit and hardly define the climate/acceptance of LAC carrying for self-defense.

Not sure how your ID proves you are a good student unless you mean sheeple/compliant.

When harassed or threatened, I would have welcomed a LEO - disorderly conduct charges maybe for the perpetrators.

Please explain how taking a stand "clearly won't help you or anyone". While I do not recommend holding court on the street, there are ways to correct such occasional problems with a minimum amount of discomfort.

There are those that would be interested in any known, cited instances relative to what appears to be your overt scare tactics. LEOs that proceed without PC or RAS are subject to civil penalties and this forum is known for our willingness to respond to such egregious conduct. That and it seems you think that the Colorado Supreme Court ruling allowing guns at state supported universities will have no bearing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/e...lorado-causes-unease.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...dents-can-carry-guns-on-college-campuses?lite

I simply meant that you may need your ID to prove you are not a college student at all, as the CSUPD (campus cops) like to make a lot of assumptions.

You're welcome to handle it however you see fit and others will handle it their way. I'm just providing the information. My personal opinion is the people who handle it the way my friends did will get home and on with their lives a lot faster, and will not reinforce the behavior of the ornery college yackoffs that get a rush by knowing they were instrumental in bringing on any kind of scene, argument, or call to police, no matter what the outcome.

Truthfully, no, I do not believe the court ruling will have any effect on the behavior, attitudes, and intentions of groups of disorderly youth.

I'm really not trying to "scare" anyone. I apologize for any strong bias words & phrasing. I'm just stating experience so that others are aware of possible risks and can make their own individual informed decisions about where they OC vs. CC. Some may welcome the chance for confrontation and others may not, depending on many factors including how much time they have and their other needs or responsibilities that day.

Its true the campus and the campus cops are only a small portion of Fort Collins, which has grown tremendously in size and population over the past 10 years. Grapeshot is right in that the social anomalies of this small area in no way define the overall attitude of the town, nor of the FCPD, toward OC. I consider it just a small area with a high level of additional risk for hassles while school is in session.

Et2Brute said:

I simply meant that you may need your ID to prove you are not a college student at all, as the CSUPD (campus cops) like to make a lot of assumptions.

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I am wondering HOW an ID would prove to ANYONE that "you were NOT a college student at all"! Under our laws throughout our country it is NOT upon US to prove our INNOCENCE but for the State to PROVE that we are GUILTY beyond a reasonable doubt! Also, "assumptions" are NOT "reasonable articulable suspicions" to justify a NON-CONSENSUAL encounter!

Hello, I'm new here and also from Fort Collins. I am a CSU student. I don't have much to add to the conversation but I wanted to say hi.

Quick Draw said:

Hello, I'm new here and also from Fort Collins. I am a CSU student. I don't have much to add to the conversation but I wanted to say hi.

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Hello there, fellow CSU student who is also new to opencarry.org!

I personally have never open carried, but I am open to the idea, although I don't currently have a good pistol for OC. I don't think you'll run into too much trouble, as long as you don't get belligerent if you are approached by police. One teen from Wellington just open carried a rifle in Walmart, and although someone called the police, he apparently acted respectfully and logically, and they allowed him to return to his business.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20130123/NEWS01/301230035/

Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone happen to know if there are any additional laws for someone under 21 open carrying a handgun? I know it is legal to own and possess a handgun if you are over 18, but I'm afraid OCing might get me into trouble, as I'm not 21 yet.

No. There are no additional rules, regulations, requirements, or laws that prohibit anyone aged 18-21 from openly carrying a firearm, or handgun specifically.

Do not expect the local constabulary to understand this.

Njal Thorgeirsson said:

--snip--
Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone happen to know if there are any additional laws for someone under 21 open carrying a handgun? I know it is legal to own and possess a handgun if you are over 18, but I'm afraid OCing might get me into trouble, as I'm not 21 yet.

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18 years of age to OC in Colorado
http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=139

BUT - Denver filed and won a suit challenging the states excellent preemption law. Consequently, both open carry and unlicensed open car carry in Denver are prohibited.
http://www.opencarry.org/?page_id=207

Sorry Grape, Car carry in Colorado AND Denver is legal. Without permit. Without exception.

18-12-105.6. Limitation on local ordinances regarding firearms in private vehicles

(1) The general assembly hereby finds that:

(a) A person carrying a weapon in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance for hunting or for lawful protection of such person's or another's person or property, as permitted in sections 18-12-105 (2) (b) and 18-12-105.5 (3) (c), may tend to travel within a county, city and county, or municipal jurisdiction or in or through different county, city and county, and municipal jurisdictions, en route to the person's destination;

etc.

JamesB said:

Sorry Grape, Car carry in Colorado AND Denver is legal. Without permit. Without exception.

18-12-105.6. Limitation on local ordinances regarding firearms in private vehicles

(1) The general assembly hereby finds that:

(a) A person carrying a weapon in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance for hunting or for lawful protection of such person's or another's person or property, as permitted in sections 18-12-105 (2) (b) and 18-12-105.5 (3) (c), may tend to travel within a county, city and county, or municipal jurisdiction or in or through different county, city and county, and municipal jurisdictions, en route to the person's destination;

etc.

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My bad then - I appreciate the correction. That is what I get for not reading far enough.

exception in Denver

Be careful in Denver if your firearm has more than a 20 round magazine ie. a Kel-Tec PMR30,, they have a complete ban on any magazine over 20 rounds, other than that car carry as far as I can find is OK, this is on the Handgunlaw.com website for Colorado