since9
Campaign Veteran
Got into a short discussion with law enforcement Saturday morning. I was waiting in line at a fast food joint and to law enforcement officers came in right behind me.
The discussion was very civil:
Me: "Good morning -- how are you today?"
Cops: "Just fine, thank you. And you?"
Me: "Enjoying the morning off."
Cops: "What do you do?"
Me: "Right now I'm back in school, finishing up more graduate work."
Cops: "I couldn't help but notice your firearm. What do you carry?"
Me: "It's a CZ-85B."
Cops: "You know, open carry might be legal, but you should seriously think about getting your concealed handgun permit."
Me: "Really? Why's that?"
Cops: "Well for one, you're making people nervous."
At this point, the other cop rolled his eyes, so I knew the view was only shared by the one who said it. I grinned at the other cop and continued.
Me: "Oh, come on... Seriously -- Who's nervous? Is it the patrons who are fleeing out the doors? It's not you, is it? Please tell me you're not nervous..."
Cop: (looking around, seeing the patrons calmly eating their lunch) "Openly carrying a firearm makes people nervous."
Me: "Ah.. Then why do you open carry?"
Cop: "We're sworn officers. It's our job."
Me: "No, I mean why do you open carry instead of carrying concealed? After all, if firearms make people nervous..."
Cop: "We don't make people nervous. We're sworn officers. It's when someone carries who no one knows. That's what makes people nervous."
Me: "I see. Well, I've been OCing for about five years now, nearly everywhere I go, and it very, very rarely has made anyone nervous. Only three to date, and I do keep my eyes peeled for the reactions of others."
Cop: "When somebody other than a sworn officer carries a firearm out in the open, it makes people nervous."
Me: "Well, first off, I am a sworn officer. Air Force. Second, I'm not carrying it out in the open. It's properly holstered, as it should be."
Cop: "That's not what I mean. You're not a sworn officer."
Me: "Sure I am. I swore an oath to 'support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic,' same as you."
Cop: "Ok, but you're not an officer."
Me: "Yes I am. By Presidential commission in 1989."
Cop: "But you're not a sworn officer, I mean you're not a law enforcement officer."
At this point, his buddy behind him is about to bust his gut out loud.
Me: "That's true. I am merely a private citizen exercising his Constitutional right to keep and bear arms in defense of life, limb, and property."
Cop: "You should get your concealed weapons permit."
Me: "I have my concealed weapons permit."
Cop: "Then why do you open carry?"
Me: "Same reason as you: Deterrence and rapid access."
Cop: "Yeah, but someone could take yours away from you."
Me: "I've had training in firearms retention, as well as close-quarters combat. And it's a retention holster."
Cop: "You know those can be defeated, right?"
Me: "Anything can be defeated. The key is to maintain situational awareness so that you're aware of any threats and deny them the opportunity to act. Speaking of which, it's my turn to order."
They sat at the table next to mine, and as the one cop headed to the restroom, the other, who was probably fifteen years older than the first, said, "Well-played. He's new. We'll be talking about this all day." I thanked him, then asked if he ever OC'd off-duty, and he said, "No, just concealed. Except when I'm hunting. Then I open carry."
Fun aside, what's with the "sworn officer" stuff? I've heard this on a couple of other occasions. Are there police officers who aren't sworn? Is it because they swear an oath to the State Constitution, as well?
In my education on life, I've learned there are three types of "sworn officers:" military, civil, and law enforcement. Military enlisted ranks also include both non-commissioned officers, as well as warrant officers (some services). Civil officers include anyone elected or appointed to public office at any level, from a council member of a 3,000-person town to all members of the federal government.
They're all "sworn officers."
Am I missing something here, or did the cop not realize the term "sworn officer" has larger applications than "sworn law enforcement officer?"
The discussion was very civil:
Me: "Good morning -- how are you today?"
Cops: "Just fine, thank you. And you?"
Me: "Enjoying the morning off."
Cops: "What do you do?"
Me: "Right now I'm back in school, finishing up more graduate work."
Cops: "I couldn't help but notice your firearm. What do you carry?"
Me: "It's a CZ-85B."
Cops: "You know, open carry might be legal, but you should seriously think about getting your concealed handgun permit."
Me: "Really? Why's that?"
Cops: "Well for one, you're making people nervous."
At this point, the other cop rolled his eyes, so I knew the view was only shared by the one who said it. I grinned at the other cop and continued.
Me: "Oh, come on... Seriously -- Who's nervous? Is it the patrons who are fleeing out the doors? It's not you, is it? Please tell me you're not nervous..."
Cop: (looking around, seeing the patrons calmly eating their lunch) "Openly carrying a firearm makes people nervous."
Me: "Ah.. Then why do you open carry?"
Cop: "We're sworn officers. It's our job."
Me: "No, I mean why do you open carry instead of carrying concealed? After all, if firearms make people nervous..."
Cop: "We don't make people nervous. We're sworn officers. It's when someone carries who no one knows. That's what makes people nervous."
Me: "I see. Well, I've been OCing for about five years now, nearly everywhere I go, and it very, very rarely has made anyone nervous. Only three to date, and I do keep my eyes peeled for the reactions of others."
Cop: "When somebody other than a sworn officer carries a firearm out in the open, it makes people nervous."
Me: "Well, first off, I am a sworn officer. Air Force. Second, I'm not carrying it out in the open. It's properly holstered, as it should be."
Cop: "That's not what I mean. You're not a sworn officer."
Me: "Sure I am. I swore an oath to 'support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic,' same as you."
Cop: "Ok, but you're not an officer."
Me: "Yes I am. By Presidential commission in 1989."
Cop: "But you're not a sworn officer, I mean you're not a law enforcement officer."
At this point, his buddy behind him is about to bust his gut out loud.
Me: "That's true. I am merely a private citizen exercising his Constitutional right to keep and bear arms in defense of life, limb, and property."
Cop: "You should get your concealed weapons permit."
Me: "I have my concealed weapons permit."
Cop: "Then why do you open carry?"
Me: "Same reason as you: Deterrence and rapid access."
Cop: "Yeah, but someone could take yours away from you."
Me: "I've had training in firearms retention, as well as close-quarters combat. And it's a retention holster."
Cop: "You know those can be defeated, right?"
Me: "Anything can be defeated. The key is to maintain situational awareness so that you're aware of any threats and deny them the opportunity to act. Speaking of which, it's my turn to order."
They sat at the table next to mine, and as the one cop headed to the restroom, the other, who was probably fifteen years older than the first, said, "Well-played. He's new. We'll be talking about this all day." I thanked him, then asked if he ever OC'd off-duty, and he said, "No, just concealed. Except when I'm hunting. Then I open carry."
Fun aside, what's with the "sworn officer" stuff? I've heard this on a couple of other occasions. Are there police officers who aren't sworn? Is it because they swear an oath to the State Constitution, as well?
In my education on life, I've learned there are three types of "sworn officers:" military, civil, and law enforcement. Military enlisted ranks also include both non-commissioned officers, as well as warrant officers (some services). Civil officers include anyone elected or appointed to public office at any level, from a council member of a 3,000-person town to all members of the federal government.
They're all "sworn officers."
Am I missing something here, or did the cop not realize the term "sworn officer" has larger applications than "sworn law enforcement officer?"