My First OC LEO Encounter

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I went to the WaWa on Victory Blvd last night to get some gas. I payed in cash and didn't put my vest on before I entered the store. (I just had shoulder surgery and it hurt too bad to reach in the back of the Jeep to get my vest.)

Anyway, I went in the store to pre-pay and strangely the Pakistani clerk saw my weapon and just said, "Welcome to WaWa! How can I help you?" I already had $40.00 in my hands and I aske for $40.00 on Pump 11. that is when I noticed an American employee hiding behind the potato chips and nervously peeking at me.

I thought to myself, "That guy is acting pretty strange. How many robbers enter a store with a $1300.00 pistol in a SERPA security holster on their hip and with $40.00 in their hands?"

I paid and started out to the pump. That's when I saw the cop in uniform.

I was almost to my Jeep when I heard, "Excuse me Sir!, Excuse me Sir!" I thought to myself, "Oh Heck! Here it comes! What would Danbus do? " I turned and the officer approached me.

He said, "What kind of pistol is that? Is that a Springfield?" I said that it was.

He then said,"That is a beautiful gun! I was thinking about buying one. How do you like it?" I told him that I loved it and we had a great conversation about how he prefered the 1911 over all other pistols and how he really wanted to buy the Springfield Micro Compact like mine.

I told him that I swear by the Springfield and that it was one of the best investments I've ever made. I also told him about what happened to Danbus and all he said was, "That's BS sir. I can't believed the officer acted like that especially after the Town Hall Meeting. That's a shame."

We shook hands and parted ways. I think it was a great first encounter!

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By the end of the day, someone here will say that you were unlawfully detained and had your rights violated by the police in some new police-psychological mind numbing conversation ploy designed to get you to produce your driver's license and surrender your firearm...

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ODA 226 wrote:

He then said,"That is a beautiful gun! I was thinking about buying one. How do you like it?" I told him that I loved it and we had a great conversation about how he prefered the 1911 over all other pistols

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We shook hands and parted ways. I think it was a great first encounter!

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What a great first encounter. The cop seemed very excited.. Nice Job.. Just IMAGINE how much more excited he would have been if you were carrying my Kimber Ultra Carry II!

:celebrate

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ODA 226 wrote:

I paid and started out to the pump. That's when I saw the cop in uniform.

I was almost to my Jeep when I heard, "Excuse me Sir!, Excuse me Sir!" I thought to myself, "Oh Heck! Here it comes! What would Danbus do? " I turned and the officer approached me.

He said, "What kind of pistol is that? Is that a Springfield?" I said that it was.

He then said,"That is a beautiful gun! I was thinking about buying one. How do you like it?" I told him that I loved it and we had a great conversation about how he prefered the 1911 over all other pistols and how he really wanted to buy the Springfield Micro Compact like mine.

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Quite a contrast to how Danbus was treated in Suffolk.

BMWAG arrested AND jailed

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum54/5701.html

Luckily, Danbus had his voice recorder with him thento document the exchange.

Sounds like it was a friendly and non-eventful interaction for ya. Much better than the alternative. Maybe SPD is learning...

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ProShooter wrote:

By the end of the day, someone here will say that you were unlawfully detained and had your rights violated by the police in some new police-psychological mind numbing conversation ploy designed to get you to produce your driver's license and surrender your firearm...

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LMAO!

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ProShooter wrote:

By the end of the day, someone here will say that you were unlawfully detained and had your rights violated by the police in some new police-psychological mind numbing conversation ploy designed to get you to produce your driver's license and surrender your firearm...

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:lol:

Cops are people too and it is great when interactions like this CAN happen. By far a large majority of police are good honest people doing their job. Sadly, the government has forced police from "walking the beat" and being part of society to becoming tax collectors and warriors in the unjust "war on drugs"

Bravo to the good encounter!

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ProShooter wrote:

By the end of the day, someone here will say that you were unlawfully detained and had your rights violated by the police in some new police-psychological mind numbing conversation ploy designed to get you to produce your driver's license and surrender your firearm...

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LMAO +1

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ODA 226 wrote:

I was almost to my Jeep when I heard, "Excuse me Sir!, Excuse me Sir!" I thought to myself, "Oh Heck! Here it comes! What would Danbus do? "

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We need new bumper stickers, "WWDD!" Ha!, good golly, you get the "First Out Loud Laugh of the Day" award! Next we need some Obamaesk posters in three colors with a stylized bust of Danbus looking up and into the distance with the letters BMWAG beneath.

I do hope all this isn't making Dan's head get too big for his shoulders :^).

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You know...now that I think about it...I had my first LEO encounter while open carrying last Sunday. I going to my weekly stops at the Barnes & Noble and Best Buy just north of Reston Town Center. I decided to stop at Robek which is a smoothie place. I was kind of "flying the flag" seeing as I was wearing Team Glock on the black cap & t-shirt (while carrying the HK USP--go figure).

I walk into Robeks and standing in front of me in line is a FFX county police officer. She was about 5' 7", athletic, auburn hair up in a bun. The next thing that caught my eye was the tattoo extending beneath her right shirt sleeve...until I noticed her left arm inked completely down to the wrist in various colors. She ordered and walked over to the waiting area. The gal taking orders laughed out loud while I scambled to read the menu and mumbled my order...I was so busted.

Anyway, I walked outside for some air and back in to talk to the officer. I complimented her on the tattoos and asked her how long she had been working on them. She replied she had kept them mostly out of view, then after 9/11 decided "screw it" she would pursue them however she pleased.

I never did get up the nerve to ask her if should would like to detain me....

Sometimes the truth really is stranger than fiction.

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ProShooter wrote:

By the end of the day, someone here will say that you were unlawfully detained and had your rights violated by the police in some new police-psychological mind numbing conversation ploy designed to get you to produce your driver's license and surrender your firearm... 

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:lol:

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hsmith wrote:

ProShooter wrote:

By the end of the day, someone here will say that you were unlawfully detained and had your rights violated by the police in some new police-psychological mind numbing conversation ploy designed to get you to produce your driver's license and surrender your firearm... 

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:lol:
Sadly, the government has forced police from "walking the beat" and being part of society to becoming tax collectors and warriors in the unjust "war on drugs"

Bravo to the good encounter!

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I totally disagree. Maybe in some smaller jurisdictions they may have some type of "ticket quota", but the ones I have worked for or trained with do not. With the spread of Suburbs it is not feasible for officers to walk a beat. Most departments embrace the "community policing" type of model. I know a lot of people the officers a long time ago were a lot better than ones around now, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Now days police are put through rigorous hiring practices and all complaints are usually investigated. Back in "the good ole days"an officer would simply smack a suspect who smarted off to them in the head with a billy club. There would usually be no investigation even if a complaint was made. Now days even the most obvious BS complaint gets investigated. I've seen officers receive complaints when they weren't even in the country!! The guy was in Iraq and some hoodlum made a complaint!! Can't get much more BS than that.:lol:

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Neplusultra wrote:

ODA 226 wrote:

I was almost to my Jeep when I heard, "Excuse me Sir!, Excuse me Sir!" I thought to myself, "Oh Heck! Here it comes! What would Danbus do? "

Click to expand...

We need new bumper stickers, "WWDD!" Ha!, good golly, you get the "First Out Loud Laugh of the Day" award! Next we need some Obamaesk posters in three colors with a stylized bust of Danbus looking up and into the distance with the letters BMWAG beneath.

I do hope all this isn't making Dan's head get too big for his shoulders :^).

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Nice job Nova! :lol:. Now we got to print a few up and take them to the next VCDL meeting. I think there' money to be made :^).

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ODA 226 (10 October 2008 Friday 08:55) asks (rhetorically):

... How many robbers enter a store with a $1300.00 pistol in a SERPA security holster on their hip and with $40.00 in their hands?

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Remember, though ... how many normals would have even the slightest idea of what they were seeing other than "a gun"? Many LEOs would not know, for that matter.

FCPD seems to be a pretty professional department. Even if that officer's question was a form of "community policing" rather than simple friendly interest, I much prefer it to some of the things I've read about here.

In principle, I don't mind an officer briefly checking out a MWAG situation; we are still living in the RKBA pre-millenial era, after all. OC is still a relatively new thing and people are still getting used to it. It is good that they get used to it, but why make that harder than it needs to be?

I don't find a brief, courteous chat as part of a consensual encounter objectionable at all. I don't see why I would have any need to get hostile or defensive with a LEO who is doing the same thing that a polite stranger asking a question would be doing. How many of us would object to a normal asking nicely about what firearm we have, how to learn to shoot, etc., etc.?

Problems arise when LACs* want to play at constitutional law without actually knowing anything about the law**, or when LEOs want to "control the scene" where the "scene" only exists because they've created it, or when either just has to show their a$$ for no good reason.

Tense, hostile people with guns is just a Bad Thing. Deescalation and good manners are our friends. Kudos to everyone in this situation.

regards,

GR

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* Legally Armed Citizens or Law Abiding Citizens, take your pick.

** I emphatically do not criticize anyone for firmly but courteously asserting their actual, lawful rights. You know what I am talking about.

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Gentleman Ranker wrote:

"... how many normals..."

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A 'normal'?

Aren't you discriminating againstthe majority of the population?

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Nelson_Muntz (11 October 2008 Saturday 05:36) asks:

Aren't you discriminating against the majority of the population?

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I don't know about discriminating against*, but I'm certainly discriminating. By definition.

It's just the term I picked up, I forget where, to refer to people Outside The Group** when those others are, in fact, a majority of the population. You do know that even being a gun owner, much less a carrier, probably makes you a minority (albeit a large one) of the population***? Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

I don't care for the word "sheeple" and don't know a better (or more accurate) word, so that's the one I use. People seem to understand it.

regards,

GR

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* By this usage, I suppose most of the people I know (and most of my family) are "normals". By the same usage, I am not.

** Any group that one belongs to.

*** Statistics on the numbers of guns in the US are difficult to obtain and not entirely reliable, but here is one quick take on it.

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I believe I know what you meant.

I just don't believe the majority of the population is normal. :lol:

Enjoy your weekend.

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In the image, maybe replace the fish with some sort of defensive sidearm-related outline? Great job, though!

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mvpel wrote:

In the image, maybe replace the fish with some sort of defensive sidearm-related outline? Great job, though!

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Or give it some really really big teeth.

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useful_idiot wrote:

You know...now that I think about it...I had my first LEO encounter while open carrying last Sunday. I going to my weekly stops at the Barnes & Noble and Best Buy just north of Reston Town Center. I decided to stop at Robek which is a smoothie place. I was kind of "flying the flag" seeing as I was wearing Team Glock on the black cap & t-shirt (while carrying the HK USP--go figure).

I walk into Robeks and standing in front of me in line is a FFX county police officer. She was about 5' 7", athletic, auburn hair up in a bun. The next thing that caught my eye was the tattoo extending beneath her right shirt sleeve...until I noticed her left arm inked completely down to the wrist in various colors. She ordered and walked over to the waiting area. The gal taking orders laughed out loud while I scambled to read the menu and mumbled my order...I was so busted.

Anyway, I walked outside for some air and back in to talk to the officer. I complimented her on the tattoos and asked her how long she had been working on them. She replied she had kept them mostly out of view, then after 9/11 decided "screw it" she would pursue them however she pleased.

I never did get up the nerve to ask her if should would like to detain me....

Sometimes the truth really is stranger than fiction.

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This is what happens at a BArnes and Noble in East Lansing, MI.


"Well I go to Barnes & Noble Bookstore to buy Ted’s book, invite him to the picnic and give him some MOC info. I was carrying my S&W .357 4’ Combat magnum. I knew I was in trouble the minute I saw the East Lansing patrol car park outside the doorway.

I go in and walk past the LEO to the line to buy the book and he follows me with another officer he called and they walked by me, I thought Okay, no problem, they want to watch me, fine. I get the book and buy it and I see the LEO’s talking on cell phones and radios, I’m not getting a warm fuzzy with that. I then have to get a frigging wrist band and a purple dot on the book, to prove I bought the stinking thing.

Still the officers are watching from afar. I then have to go downstairs and get in line with about 75 people. I’m in line for 20 seconds and the officers asks to speak with me, I say sure what’s up? The next thing he says gives me hope…He said ”Sir I know that open carry is legal but they don’t want weapons in the store can you take it out to your car” I said how about if I cover it up? He said do you have a CPL, I said I don’t need one to open carry, but what if I did have one. He thought about it, no, they don’t want any guns in here, I said you mean you don’t, there are no signs on the entrances that prohibit firearms and unless I’m asked to leave by the manager I’m staying. Then the lady that was standing back a bit, (Who I guessed was a store employee), said I’m a manager and we don’t want guns. I said fine, I’d like to return this book. No problem (she couldn’t get me out of there fast enough even giving me a parking token).

On the way up the stairs I talk with the LEO and said you know no one complained you instigated this. He said yes that he had to protect the people (WTF), I guess he will sleep better knowing he saved all those people in the bookstore. Anyway he said he had to ask the manager if guns were allowed in the store, I don’t know how he asked perhaps like….”Ma’am there is a guy with a gun in the store want I should roust him out?” Her… ”Yes please, so glad you saved all our lives officer, I will put you in for the life saving award”

I mentioned to the manger that I would report the store on pro-gun sites and she said she didn’t care (I guess this store isn’t in a recession). She said her dad had guns and supported the 2[suP]nd[/suP] Amd. I said too bad he’s not here, because you sure don’t. I asked her if the store was paying for the police officers (In EL uniforms) to be security, she said yes we pay city taxes, but are not paying the officers privately, I rolled my eyes and said lot’s of people pay city taxes but don’t get their own private police force.

I do plan to write a complaint to the city about the use of the public police force for private store security, I wish we were all so lucky, we wouldn’t need to carry guns. Barnes & Noble will be getting a complaint as well. I would like to know there policy on lawful firearms in their stores. Meanwhile no more Barnes & Noble for me. The thing that pisses me off is that no on complained just the LEOs, keeping the common man down."