Seattle experience... Not what you'd expect.

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Tonight I went up to a group of 5 Seattle police officers in Pioneer Square (downtown Seattle) and asked if they were aware of the legality of Open Carry in the state of Washington. The following conversation ensued:

Cop: "Yes, it is Illegal to openly carry in the state of Washington"
Me: "Huh? No, actually it isn't..."
Cop: (cuts me off) "Oh wait, I thought you were talking about alcohol! No, it's completely legal to carry a firearm in Washington, I just wouldn't recommend it."
Me: "Why is that?"
Cop: "Well, we're going to get a lot of calls from people that aren't aware, and we'll probably stop you and ask for ID, and try to convince you to conceal it..."
Cop#2: "... assuming you have a permit to conceal it.."
Cop: "Yeah, that's assuming you have a CPL. We've had to deal with that before, some guy was at the mall wearing a cowboy style pistol rig, and we got about 30 calls (laugh)."
Me: "Well I just wanted to see if you guys were aware, thanks for your time."
Cop#2: "No problem, you guys have a nice night!"



So uh... that was a shock! Seattle PD actually knowing it's legal! Sure they basically said they'd harrass me for it, but they didn't say they'd arrest me for it, which is a step in the right direction!



~Aaron

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As I explained on the conference call that we had, the problem is one of cop mythology, and no one seems to know when the "idiot who doesn't know it's legal" will strike.

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Definately, I'm not saying that Seattle PD doesn't need the training bulletin, just pointing out a strange experience.

I'll be communicating with officers from Everett Pd, Lynnwood PD, and Snohomish County Sheriffs this week, and hopefully I'll be able to branch out a little more and find some officers from the other towns in the area (Bothel PD, Marysville, Mukilteo, Edmonds, etc...). And mike, when you get to this, I won't be asking permission, but rather asking if they are "aware of the legality" of open carry. Don't worry, I'm not asking permission. That's the last thing we want to do.

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My recommendation, gernally of course, is just to quietly carry. Public meetings too. Fait accompli. The word will get out.

For advanced level experiments, try sterile carry. Open carry with no ID on your person. LEOs have no basis to demand ID of open carriers in WA state as far as I know.

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Does anyone else but me think this is hilarious:

"Open carry? No, you can't. What? Oh, I thought you meant alcohol. Gun? Yeah, that's legal."

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It's Pioneer Square, I'm not suprised that they confused it because Pioneer Square=homeless bum drunks.

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:whationeer Square has drunk bums!!:lol: ...I've never seen so many drunks in my life.:uhoh:



Lonnie Wilson wrote:

It's Pioneer Square, I'm not suprised that they confused it because Pioneer Square=homeless bum drunks.

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ScottNH wrote:

Does anyone else but me think this is hilarious:

"Open carry? No, you can't. What? Oh, I thought you meant alcohol. Gun? Yeah, that's legal."

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My girlfriend thought it was pretty funny too

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Tonight I was walking down University Way in Seattle, from 50th to 45th, and my girlfriend said she was cold, so I gave her my jacket, exposing my holstered pistol. Seemed to go ok, no screaming or widespread panic... still we decided I could keep my coat for Broadway

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Wonder how shorts, flip-flops, and no shirt while open carrying would go

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Think I'd have to get in better shape for that

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expvideo wrote:

Tonight I was walking down University Way in Seattle, from 50th to 45th, and my girlfriend said she was cold, so I gave her my jacket, exposing my holstered pistol. Seemed to go ok, no screaming or widespread panic... still we decided I could keep my coat for Broadway

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I gotta say, you're pretty balsy. No way I'd open carry around the U-district like that, especially on the Ave, and towards campus. I open carried only a few times around the U-Dist, and it was mostly in my apartment complex (Nordheim Court, which I wouldn't recommend doing when the manager is around. She's very gunaphobic, and tried to have me evicted). Anyway, I gotta give you props for carrying openly on the Ave. Can I ask around what time that was?

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8:00pm. Again, as with most of my open carry experiences, my girlfriend was cold so I gave her my jacket. Which is my new answer to "why are you open carrying?"

"What kind of a man doesn't give a girl his jacket on a night like this?"

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expvideo wrote:

8:00pm. Again, as with most of my open carry experiences, my girlfriend was cold so I gave her my jacket. Which is my new answer to "why are you open carrying?"

"What kind of a man doesn't give a girl his jacket on a night like this?"

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So 8pm around the U-dist during a weekday?! Wow, I gotta give you props, for real. Not because of the "man with a gun" call, but just because of all the "different" people down there in general.

I'm glad it went well! I just can't say I would ever think of doing that. Are you a student at UW?

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No, I was taking my girlfriend to RedLight to look for a halloween costume. i go out there once in a while, but not that often.