trevorthebusdriver
Regular Member
imported post
Here is someone's experience(not me) at Seattle Community Police Academy
Here is a recap of the experience I had while attending the Seattle Community Police Academy (http://www.seattle.gov/police/programs/policeacademy/default.htm), which is a community relations/public outreach program put on by the department. Feel free to pass this on to open carry groups, or any other 2nd Amendment groups that might be interested.
Week #3 of the SCPA included the class Patrol Operations & Procedures which was instructed by Officer Chris Lang and Officer Dorothy Kim. These ladies put on a very engaging and detailed class and I appreciate that they took the time to work with the community. That being said, there was one incident that took place that needs commenting on.
During the Officers' presentation they took the class through a day in the life of a patrol officer. One of the slides they showed during this segment included a list of types of calls that they need to respond to as officers. Within that list was "Man with Gun." A student (not me) asked about what that entailed, and how Washington State's concealed carry law applied to that circumstance. From there, the conversation moved to open carry. I raised my hand and stated that open carry is legal, and asked them to confirm that to the class. The officers then began to editorialize about open carry and the people who choose to do it. The following statements were made by Officers Lang and Kim:
"This is a big city, you can't be carrying a gun around - come on"
"There are people from the East Coast who can't carry guns who would be frightened"
"It is a quirk, a loophole in the law"
"It is left over from the Wild West days"
Officer Lang stated that if someone is walking around with a gun, she will investigate, questions the individual, and run their name to make sure there are not warrants, etc. I followed up by stating clearly that since open carry is legal, and if I was not acting suspiciously to warrant concern, that I would be free to go and would not have to volunteer my identification or continue with the social contact. I also stated that without reasonable suspicion, it would not be a terry stop. She responded that she would use the power of language to convince the person to give her their ID. Officer Lang also stated that she had dealt with open carry activists before and that "they all think cops are stupid and try to get me to arrest them."
After the class I approached Officer Lang. I thanked her for her time, and complemented her entertaining presentation. I also informed her that I found her editorializing on open carry needless and offensive. She told me that some of the activists she has encountered were very nice, but she does not approve of some of the places that they chose to carry, such as candlelight vigils. I asked that in the future, when students ask about their rights and the meaning of the law, she gives clear answers before offering her opinion on those rights. I finished by stating that it would be inappropriate for her to suggest that our freedoms of speech, religion, or protest should be curtailed just because we are withing city limits - and whether she like it or not, Washington is an open carry state.
Please feel free to pass this on, but in sharing my experience I ask that anyone who comments to the SPD about this incident do so with a level of respect for the officers involved.
Here is someone's experience(not me) at Seattle Community Police Academy
Here is a recap of the experience I had while attending the Seattle Community Police Academy (http://www.seattle.gov/police/programs/policeacademy/default.htm), which is a community relations/public outreach program put on by the department. Feel free to pass this on to open carry groups, or any other 2nd Amendment groups that might be interested.
Week #3 of the SCPA included the class Patrol Operations & Procedures which was instructed by Officer Chris Lang and Officer Dorothy Kim. These ladies put on a very engaging and detailed class and I appreciate that they took the time to work with the community. That being said, there was one incident that took place that needs commenting on.
During the Officers' presentation they took the class through a day in the life of a patrol officer. One of the slides they showed during this segment included a list of types of calls that they need to respond to as officers. Within that list was "Man with Gun." A student (not me) asked about what that entailed, and how Washington State's concealed carry law applied to that circumstance. From there, the conversation moved to open carry. I raised my hand and stated that open carry is legal, and asked them to confirm that to the class. The officers then began to editorialize about open carry and the people who choose to do it. The following statements were made by Officers Lang and Kim:
"This is a big city, you can't be carrying a gun around - come on"
"There are people from the East Coast who can't carry guns who would be frightened"
"It is a quirk, a loophole in the law"
"It is left over from the Wild West days"
Officer Lang stated that if someone is walking around with a gun, she will investigate, questions the individual, and run their name to make sure there are not warrants, etc. I followed up by stating clearly that since open carry is legal, and if I was not acting suspiciously to warrant concern, that I would be free to go and would not have to volunteer my identification or continue with the social contact. I also stated that without reasonable suspicion, it would not be a terry stop. She responded that she would use the power of language to convince the person to give her their ID. Officer Lang also stated that she had dealt with open carry activists before and that "they all think cops are stupid and try to get me to arrest them."
After the class I approached Officer Lang. I thanked her for her time, and complemented her entertaining presentation. I also informed her that I found her editorializing on open carry needless and offensive. She told me that some of the activists she has encountered were very nice, but she does not approve of some of the places that they chose to carry, such as candlelight vigils. I asked that in the future, when students ask about their rights and the meaning of the law, she gives clear answers before offering her opinion on those rights. I finished by stating that it would be inappropriate for her to suggest that our freedoms of speech, religion, or protest should be curtailed just because we are withing city limits - and whether she like it or not, Washington is an open carry state.
Please feel free to pass this on, but in sharing my experience I ask that anyone who comments to the SPD about this incident do so with a level of respect for the officers involved.
