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Educated an officer

just_a_car

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May 28, 2007
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2,558
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Auburn, Washington, USA
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I want to preface this with both myself and the officer were very civil, professional and respectful of each other in this discussion. Please don't try to bash him or myself for our actions... if you do, I will refer the post to the mods. Remember, I have to live here and they're the guys that respond if I call 911.

----------------------------
~2:00pm Today

Was buying some Cola at QFC and an Edmonds PD officer (who I knew was somewhere in the store, since I parked right next to his car) came up to me just as I was about to go into the self-pay lane and asked me if I was an officer. I of course responded in the negative.

Now, to cut off those that say I should have gone the way of "Am I being Detained/Arrested?" and left... I have been told by Edmonds PD officials before that they knew OC was legal, so I wanted to see if that was true. Also, this is my city of residence, so the more they are educated, the better.

I'll try to reconstruct the conversation as best I can (lost my recorder a while back and haven't replaced it... so this isn't verbatim):

LEO: Why are you carrying a gun around on your hip like that?
Me: Because I can.
LEO: What says you can?
Me: The law.
LEO: Which law?
Me: Actually, there's no law against it, so it's not illegal.
LEO: Do you really think it's that dangerous around here?
Me: If I thought it was that dangerous, I wouldn't go here.

I then proceeded to tell him about a phonecall with an officer back in April that had me convinced they were educated on OC and he called dispatch asking if it was legal for someone to carry a firearm out in the open.

I asked if I could put my drinks down and pay for them and he said that was fine. He then went and started to pay for his stuff while I did the same, at which point some jerk behind me said to the officer "Makes me nervous."

When I finished paying, I asked if he wanted to chat with me anymore and he said "No, we're done." and I wished him a nice day. So, I assumed dispatch told him it was legal and I went to my car.

After setting my drinks on my car, I saw the "jerk" that said he was nervous and walked over to him and offered him a WGR pamphlet and he, with his eyes averted, said he didn't want it and I wished him a nice day also.
---------------------------

Since it's apparent that not 100% of the EPD force is aware of OC legality, I'm going to talk to someone in their heirarchy to see if I can't convince them to put out a training bulletin on it.
 

just_a_car

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May 28, 2007
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Auburn, Washington, USA
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ScottyT wrote:
+1 on the good experience.

...though your threat in the intro seems a bit odd...
Normally wouldn't put that in there, but I'm getting sick and F'ing tired of the bickering on the boards... and especially the LEO-bashing.
 

ScottyT

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Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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I am not the biggest fan of going straight to "Am I being detained." I think more good can be accomplished by chatting just like you did here. If the officer is pushy or trying to seriously infringe on my rights (stealing my weapon, etc...) then I would probably pull out the above line.

Depending on the situation, I would invite the (non-hostile) officer to walk/shop/sit with me and discuss the situation. "Sorry officer, I really need to get my shopping done, but if you would like to continue this conversation, you are more than welcome to walk with me."


I have all these great ideas, but fortunately I have not yet had an occasion to put any of them in practice. 8 months and zero LEO encounters. :cool:
 

tricityguy

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This is funny to me. I'd have put it back on him:

LEO: Why are you carrying a gun around on your hip like that?
Me: Why are you?

LEO: Do you really think it's that dangerous around here?
Me: Do you?

It smacks of ridiculousness when a guy with a firearm on his hip, all out in the open, asks you why you're doing the same and insinuates you're paranoid for it. "But I'm a cop" only insinuates he feels he's entitled to a special privilege that us peasants shouldn't be allowed.
 

shad0wfax

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Oct 11, 2008
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Spokane, Washington, USA
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tricityguy wrote:
This is funny to me. I'd have put it back on him:

LEO: Why are you carrying a gun around on your hip like that?
Me: Why are you?

LEO: Do you really think it's that dangerous around here?
Me: Do you?

It smacks of ridiculousness when a guy with a firearm on his hip, all out in the open, asks you why you're doing the same and insinuates you're paranoid for it. "But I'm a cop" only insinuates he feels he's entitled to a special privilege that us peasants shouldn't be allowed.

Ilove the points you make. I probably wouldn't make them so bluntly with a LEO I'd never met before, but it is a great idealogical point to make to anyone you know well.
 

3/325

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Oct 24, 2007
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Kitsap Co., Washington, USA
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Sounds like a good encounter.

As for great responses to "why are you carrying a gun," I've always liked:
"Because a cop is too heavy."

Would I actually SAY that? Eh, I'm not so sure.

In the end, polite and courteous is really the way to go 99% of the time.
 

David.Car

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Jun 1, 2008
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Spokane, Washington, USA
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3/325 wrote:
As for great responses to "why are you carrying a gun," I've always liked:
"Because a cop is too heavy."

Would I actually SAY that? Eh, I'm not so sure.
I have said the cop wouldn't stay still long enough to get him hooked on my belt...
 
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