Shy_Panda
Regular Member
imported post
So yesterday we had weapons qual and obviously the topic of firearms is going to come up one way or another. I don't remember exactly how it came about but I got into an argument with one of the guys in my unit over the legality of OC, he somewhat recently got out of the academy or something to that affect. We went back and forth with the whole, it must be concealed if you have a CPL, so if I don't have a permit then I am more free if I do have a permit, sort of thing. I said that I OC quite frequently and have actually been thrown out of businesses for it because they didn't understand the law, he came back with "I would arrest you" I asked for what, obeying the law? He brought up causing alarm to which I brought up the State v. cassad case and said that they would get sued and lose. He continued to press that if he saw me OCing and three people noticed and walked away that he would have me for causing alarm plus the three witnesses going against me. I again said that so long as it is in a holster and I don't have my hand on it there is nothing that they can do about it. This brought up other individuals who are police officers in the surrounding area who said that it is illegal and finally settling on it is a gray area after I argued just about every point I had (I didn't have any WGR's on me seeing as how I was in uniform and out at the range). Then the First Sergeant came over and got involved asking if I had or wanted a security clearance, to which I replied that I would like one. He essentially said that if I wanted one I would have to stay off the polices radar and that my career could be seriously damaged by taking a stance on issues like this one (obviously this is not exactly what he said, I am paraphrasing from my memory of the situation). Having at least three individuals, two of whom I greatly respect, basically threatening me I don't know how often I will be OCing around the Spokane area, I feel much more comfortable down in Pullman where the police are considerably more friendly. I am fully aware that this is essentially chickening out and a betrayal of sorts to my beliefs, but until it becomes more common knowledge within the Spokane PD and other forces in the area I honestly don't think I will be OCing around town that often.
So yesterday we had weapons qual and obviously the topic of firearms is going to come up one way or another. I don't remember exactly how it came about but I got into an argument with one of the guys in my unit over the legality of OC, he somewhat recently got out of the academy or something to that affect. We went back and forth with the whole, it must be concealed if you have a CPL, so if I don't have a permit then I am more free if I do have a permit, sort of thing. I said that I OC quite frequently and have actually been thrown out of businesses for it because they didn't understand the law, he came back with "I would arrest you" I asked for what, obeying the law? He brought up causing alarm to which I brought up the State v. cassad case and said that they would get sued and lose. He continued to press that if he saw me OCing and three people noticed and walked away that he would have me for causing alarm plus the three witnesses going against me. I again said that so long as it is in a holster and I don't have my hand on it there is nothing that they can do about it. This brought up other individuals who are police officers in the surrounding area who said that it is illegal and finally settling on it is a gray area after I argued just about every point I had (I didn't have any WGR's on me seeing as how I was in uniform and out at the range). Then the First Sergeant came over and got involved asking if I had or wanted a security clearance, to which I replied that I would like one. He essentially said that if I wanted one I would have to stay off the polices radar and that my career could be seriously damaged by taking a stance on issues like this one (obviously this is not exactly what he said, I am paraphrasing from my memory of the situation). Having at least three individuals, two of whom I greatly respect, basically threatening me I don't know how often I will be OCing around the Spokane area, I feel much more comfortable down in Pullman where the police are considerably more friendly. I am fully aware that this is essentially chickening out and a betrayal of sorts to my beliefs, but until it becomes more common knowledge within the Spokane PD and other forces in the area I honestly don't think I will be OCing around town that often.