VA Trooper questioned me at Burger King today

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So I'm in line minding my on business and 3 State Troopers got in line behind me, I had my G27 in a retention holster as I always do and after a few minutes the Senior Trooper leaned toward me and ask me how I liked my Glock.

I panicked and thought about all the threads about not talking to the police and thought this is a trap and I'm going to jail, NO not really, I told him how it was the best pistol that I have ever owned and how it would eat anything I put in it. He said he hadn't really handled one much but he really liked the Sig's that they carry, he talked about how reliable they were.

We went on to discuss the 1911's and I finally got my order and we exchanged be careful l's (coming a big snow here) and I went on my way.

Very positive open carry experience, none of the 3 Troopers seemed to mind a citizen carrying a pistol on their side.

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I think the VSP are much more well trained on VA laws than the local boys.

I am not adverse to talking to police, it depends on the context of the encounter.

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Maybe I'm cynical, but I think he chatted you up just to make sure you weren't something he needed to worry about. I guess being nosy is part of his job, so it's no big deal, and you certainly didn't do anything wrong, as there's nothing wrong with a polite conversation. I'm sure Citizen would agree with me.

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Working in the gun business I find that the VA State Troopers that I meet to be some of the most pro-gun guys I've ever met. I know two of them who have personal owned NFA items.

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Sounds like he was actually into guns and someone that only carried one because of his job. The one encounter I had with a VB city police officer was like that, we talked GLOCKS and politics.

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It does not appear he talked to you for any other reason than to talk guns.

You were in line to eat as many of us have done in the past. It is rather obvious that you are not there to harm anyone.

I can only imagine that with OC events happening around the entire state that the state boys had caught wind of it a long time ago and know the law.

Local departments are not in this same loop and have to discover this on their own when it happens.

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Tomahawk wrote:

...SNIP

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I'm sure Citizen would agree with me.

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I don't know that I would admit that in public.

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hsmith wrote: SNIP

I think the VSP are much more well trained on VA laws than the local boys.

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Just like every rule there is an exception, but I think Va. State Police are very polite, smart, and professional. It's the locals I worry about.

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T Dubya wrote:

hsmith wrote: SNIP

I think the VSP are much more well trained on VA laws than the local boys.

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Just like every rule there is an exception, but I think Va. State Police are very polite, smart, and professional. It's the locals I worry about.

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From what I've seen in most states the state police are better. Even the standards for getting hired are harder.

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Hawkflyer wrote:

Tomahawk wrote:

...SNIP

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I'm sure Citizen would agree with me.

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I don't know that I would admit that in public.

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IHEARD that! And the little snickerings under your breath!



Actually, I'm still hung up on Washington County having a Burger King. Well, guess I can scratch them off my list of places I might move to escape life in the big city.

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"Positive encounter"

:celebrate

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T Dubya wrote:

hsmith wrote: SNIP

I think the VSP are much more well trained on VA laws than the local boys.

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Just like every rule there is an exception, but I think Va. State Police are very polite, smart, and professional. It's the locals I worry about.

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Ditto. Some of the local PD around here just like harrassing folks for the sake of harrassing them. I've never had anything but possitive experience from both County and State police though. I've heard the Sherrif's are great folk too, but haven't talked to too many of them as they're relatively scarce.

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hsmith wrote:

I am not adverse to talking to police, it depends on the context of the encounter.

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Something to be said for that, to be sure.

Tomahawk wrote:

I guess being nosy is part of his job, so it's no big deal, and you certainly didn't do anything wrong, as there's nothing wrong with a polite conversation.

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They're paid to be on-alert and an OC firearm in a casual situation should never trip their trouble sensor... however, if something else did, they now have another variable to consider in any potential response, yes?

I tell you, I see more Glocks on local yokels than just about anything else. Makes me feel pretty good about my choice... but I still drool over those Kimber Ultras.

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wylde007 wrote:

They're paid to be on-alert and an OC firearm in a casual situation should never trip their trouble sensor... however, if something else did, they now have another variable to consider in any potential response, yes?

I tell you, I see more Glocks on local yokels than just about anything else. Makes me feel pretty good about my choice... but I still drool over those Kimber Ultras.

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Local yokels !? They're responsible citizens.. Either we are equal or...........

Yata hey

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wylde007 wrote:

hsmith wrote:

I am not adverse to talking to police, it depends on the context of the encounter.

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Something to be said for that, to be sure.

Tomahawk wrote:

I guess being nosy is part of his job, so it's no big deal, and you certainly didn't do anything wrong, as there's nothing wrong with a polite conversation.

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They're paid to be on-alert and an OC firearm in a casual situation should never trip their trouble sensor... however, if something else did, they now have another variable to consider in any potential response, yes?

I tell you, I see more Glocks on local yokels than just about anything else. Makes me feel pretty good about my choice... but I still drool over those Kimber Ultras.

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I also drooled over a Kimber Ultra carry 2 with LG & NS, spent $1200 + 300 in custom shop work and still have a gun that is not 100% reliable using ball nose ammo. Hope to shoot it more and see if it improves. For now I will keep carrying my $500 Glock which I know will work if needed.

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hsmith wrote:

I think the VSP are much more well trained on VA laws than the local boys.

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BINGO!! We have another winner! :lol:

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Grapeshot wrote:

Local yokels !? They're responsible citizens... Either we are equal or...

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You seem to have a real problem with "context".:banghead:

Local Yokels is just another term for city (or county) police or sheriffs/deputies. It has absolutely nothing to do with the citizenry in this reference.

And, since you're looking for an argument, I was remarking how the fact that I see so many of our men in blue carrying Glocks, that it made me feel really good about my decision to carry same.

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Sorry for an OT question, but can anyone explain one thing that's been bugging me for a long time? What is the difference between state, county and local police? I mean in duties, rights, responsibilities, assignemnts? Luckily, i didn't have any interactions with police so the only place i see them is on the road - patrolling, pulling people over, documenting accidents - and in all these duties i've seen all three groups, so i'm not sure what the separation is and what is the purpose of such separation. Can anyone shed light on this?

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Chaingun81 wrote:

Sorry for an OT question, but can anyone explain one thing that's been bugging me for a long time? What is the difference between state, county and local police? I mean in duties, rights, responsibilities, assignemnts? Luckily, i didn't have any interactions with police so the only place i see them is on the road - patrolling, pulling people over, documenting accidents - and in all these duties i've seen all three groups, so i'm not sure what the separation is and what is the purpose of such separation. Can anyone shed light on this?

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I'm sure Sheriff might give you a more concise answer, but for the most part, you are correct in your assessment that they share common law enforcement duties.

It really is a matter of jurisdiction. As Virginia is a Commonwealth (NOT a state), we really only have 2 levels of government: State and local. Local jurisdictions can be either an incorporated city with it's own government - or it's county government. Either way, it's considered local government as the cities are not jurisdictionally subserviant to the county government.

Now to add some complexity to the equation, there are a handful of counties that have both a county police department, and a county sheriff's office. In those cases, the Sheriff's office runs the jails, court security, serves subpeona's, etc. They don't normally "run the streets" as that is the domain of the county police department.

Similar situtation when you have a city police department, and a city sheriff's office. One of the most confusing areasis the City of Charlottesville, within Albemarle County. You have all four law enforcement agencies in play, plus the Campus Police at UVA which is a 5th jurisdiction.

At the state level you probably most familiar with the uniformed state police - the troopers you see patroling the interstates all the time. You may not be familiar with the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the state police plain clothes division. Also, the Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries that primarily enforce game laws, but also have a statewide jurisdiction and often support the local Sheriff's offices on various mutual aid calls. ...the Virginia Marine Resource Commission that primarily works the Chesapeake Bay and major tributaries on Marine Patrol... The Division of Parks and Recreation - law enforcement rangers, who normally stay close to home at their assigned park... There are several other state level law enforcement agencies. Just not as visible because you don't normall see them out writing speeding tickets.

Hope that helps. Sheriff... anything you want to clear up?


P.S. -Jurisdiction is defined in code.Either by a political boundary(most common) or by purview over a type of crime or offense.

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Chaingun81 wrote:

Sorry for an OT question, but can anyone explain one thing that's been bugging me for a long time? What is the difference between state, county and local police? I mean in duties, rights, responsibilities, assignemnts? Luckily, i didn't have any interactions with police so the only place i see them is on the road - patrolling, pulling people over, documenting accidents - and in all these duties i've seen all three groups, so i'm not sure what the separation is and what is the purpose of such separation. Can anyone shed light on this?

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Strange question, but generally it is like this.

It is a matter of who they report to. Generally the constitutional Law Enforcement (LE) office in a jurisdiction will be the electedCounty Sheriff. But many incorporated cities will create a police force to patrol inside the city. City police usually answer to a city council. Generally a Sheriff will still have jurisdiction in the city within his county. A county may also have the authority to create a police force. If so they would answer to the Board of County Supervisors or the equivalent. A County Police department will generally have overlapping jurisdiction with the County Sheriff, but sometimes the Sheriff will withdraw and operate the jail, courthouse, and courthouse complex, leaving general patrol duties to the county police.

State police have jurisdiction state wide, and answer to a superintendent, who is generally responsible to the Governor of the state. State police have jurisdiction anywhere in the state.

Federal LE is a different animal. There are lots of different flavors of Federal LE. There is the Marshall's service, FBI, DEA, BATFE, EPA, NSA and lots of other sworn gun carrying folks at the federal level. Generally federal LE has jurisdiction nation wide, and then some, and work cases involving federal law, They can work cases at the state and local levels too, but only if asked by local authorities to assist.