imported post
vtecless wrote:
Just got off the phone with San Leandro PD- they do not allow open carry of any kind (including UOC)! They said do not come to the city of San Leandro openly carrying a firearm or you will go to jail! :banghead:Not to mention they were pretty irrate about it.
It's not up to the PD to "allow" or "disallow" anything. They enforce laws. If they think they have an enforceable local ordinance, I'd be interested in seeing it challenged. (Remember Bobbarker's arrest and threatened prosecution last year? The city attorney talked a big game, then quietly tucked tail and peed a little.)
I can only assume from the answer, that the question you posed was something like, "Does the city of San Leandro allow open carry of unloaded firearms?"
First, direct your question to the correct person - chances are whoever answers the phone is more of a receptionist than a policy-know-it-all. I would direct my queries to the supervising/training officer, or the sheriff/chief.
Second, careful wording may net far better results, for example, "Has your department received one of the many interdepartmental memos regarding the Open Carry movement, and have your officers received any sort of training regarding how to interact with activists?"
If they say, "never heard of it," then you just opened a great opportunity to help educate yet another public agency. I suggest accentuating that you are concerned the officers will create unnecessary liabilities to the city during these tough economic times. Offer to send him/her copies of the memos and fliers we have access to. (This is an excellent opportunity to include a letter that documents what you discussed via phone.) You could even offer to meet face to face to discuss the matter further in person.
If they say, "yeah, we did a training class about that a
x weeks ago," I would ask some questions to see what kind of training they did, where they got their training info (most depts borrow from one of the highly published inter-department memos), and then heap praise upon them for taking the initiate. I would still offer to bring buy some fliers and perhaps one or memos they may not have seen. (This is an excellent opportunity to include a letter that documents what you discussed via phone.)
The bottom line is that we want to come across as extending a helping hand. I don't think anybody here wants to make a few bucks at the expense of our fellow tax-payers. I'm sure most of us would rather live in an environment where we wouldn't have to even consider the option.
I hope you find my suggestions helpful.