muzz3256
Regular Member
imported post
Had a great expierence followed closely by a not so great one.
So tonight I go downtown for a going away party for a coworker of my fathers. I meet up with them at Orbits Billards (asked not to carry there once a year or so ago, they were real nice about it, so I didn't carry there, I just don't go to go there much.), drink water, have a good time but now the stomach starts to rumble, and I'm not looking to eat bar food. So I decide to to to Little Johns Deli about 400 yard up the road.
I return to my truck, and have to open carry because Little Johns sells beer. I know that the staff don't care about people carrying there, I've been there dozens of times with no problems, owner actually seems to like it. At this point the deli is starting to fill up, mostly intoxicated students, they are being loud, and it's hot in there, so I decide to eat outside on a bench. I get my sandwich, grab a paper, and procede outside.
I hadn't finished my sandwich for 10 min, when I was sitting there reading my paper, when I see bright yellow lights behind me, I turn around and see a Charlottesville Police cruiser parked in the road, with the arrow stick on the back guiding cars around him. He walk up to me and lean over on my right and very polietly asks me "Any reason you are packing a gun on the corner tonight?" to which I replied "Self protection, I am legally open carrying on public property.". The officer had no problem at all with this, told me to have a good night, and left. Total interaction lasted 3 minutes tops.
I was so impressed by his professionalism and polietness that I call the police and ask to have a Sergeant call me back so I can compliment the officer. About 15 minutes later the sgt calls me back, and I explain to him what happened how pleased I am with the officers conduct, and this is where it turns south. The sgt tells me that he'll make sure that the officers conduct is noted and is passed along, then he asks me if I have a CCW, and I tell him yes. he then tell me that it would be better for me and them if I would just carry concealed everywhere I go, that open carrying is to dangerous and causes them an increased work load. I told him that I may have CC if I was allowed to do so in an ABC establishment (thats all there is on the corner), but I am forced to open carry, to which his reply was "well maybe you should eat in another part of town or not carry at all." I told him that I wanted to call and compliment and officer, and that was it, I didn't want a lecture. You could hear in his voice, a very condicending tone, and disbelief that I was calling to compliement an officer over this, I ws very happy after the interaction with the officer, and was getting angry talking with the sgt, so I ended the conversation nicely and hung up.
All in all, a great encounter by a patrol officer, bad encounter with a Sgt. The area has been real jumpy the last 2 day, some looney toon stood on the I64 over pass shooting cars, and my co-workers thought I was crazy for open carrying, but I had no problems.
This goes to show that not all Patrol officers are evil.
Edited to add paragraphs, HAPPY NOW? lol
Had a great expierence followed closely by a not so great one.
So tonight I go downtown for a going away party for a coworker of my fathers. I meet up with them at Orbits Billards (asked not to carry there once a year or so ago, they were real nice about it, so I didn't carry there, I just don't go to go there much.), drink water, have a good time but now the stomach starts to rumble, and I'm not looking to eat bar food. So I decide to to to Little Johns Deli about 400 yard up the road.
I return to my truck, and have to open carry because Little Johns sells beer. I know that the staff don't care about people carrying there, I've been there dozens of times with no problems, owner actually seems to like it. At this point the deli is starting to fill up, mostly intoxicated students, they are being loud, and it's hot in there, so I decide to eat outside on a bench. I get my sandwich, grab a paper, and procede outside.
I hadn't finished my sandwich for 10 min, when I was sitting there reading my paper, when I see bright yellow lights behind me, I turn around and see a Charlottesville Police cruiser parked in the road, with the arrow stick on the back guiding cars around him. He walk up to me and lean over on my right and very polietly asks me "Any reason you are packing a gun on the corner tonight?" to which I replied "Self protection, I am legally open carrying on public property.". The officer had no problem at all with this, told me to have a good night, and left. Total interaction lasted 3 minutes tops.
I was so impressed by his professionalism and polietness that I call the police and ask to have a Sergeant call me back so I can compliment the officer. About 15 minutes later the sgt calls me back, and I explain to him what happened how pleased I am with the officers conduct, and this is where it turns south. The sgt tells me that he'll make sure that the officers conduct is noted and is passed along, then he asks me if I have a CCW, and I tell him yes. he then tell me that it would be better for me and them if I would just carry concealed everywhere I go, that open carrying is to dangerous and causes them an increased work load. I told him that I may have CC if I was allowed to do so in an ABC establishment (thats all there is on the corner), but I am forced to open carry, to which his reply was "well maybe you should eat in another part of town or not carry at all." I told him that I wanted to call and compliment and officer, and that was it, I didn't want a lecture. You could hear in his voice, a very condicending tone, and disbelief that I was calling to compliement an officer over this, I ws very happy after the interaction with the officer, and was getting angry talking with the sgt, so I ended the conversation nicely and hung up.
All in all, a great encounter by a patrol officer, bad encounter with a Sgt. The area has been real jumpy the last 2 day, some looney toon stood on the I64 over pass shooting cars, and my co-workers thought I was crazy for open carrying, but I had no problems.
This goes to show that not all Patrol officers are evil.
Edited to add paragraphs, HAPPY NOW? lol