langzaiguy wrote:
Unless the officer believes a gun crime has been committed, how is he justified to run the serial numbers of a gun? Isn't that illegal search & seizure?
Devil's advocate here.
It's not necessary to search someone who is openly carrying in order to determine that he is indeed carrying a firearm. The idea of illegal search holds no water.I
f a leo removes your property from your person it is an illegal search.
If one who has identified himself as a LEO and reasonably proved himself to be so requests your handgun to check the serial number, why refuse? Tell him what you're doing, observe all rules of firearm safety, clear the weapon and hand it over.
While it may be a gross inconvenience to the owner (and very nosy and rude of the cop), doing as I wrote above can keep a small hassle from turning into a large hassle.
Why refuse? Hand it over? Have you ever heard of the Constitution?Read it? What's next, let them come into our homes and rummage around and look for things that may be a danger to"public safety"?How about We all just submit our fingerprints,just to be on the safe side? Hell let's all just run on down to the station house and answer a few routine questions for the sake of safety.In case you don't know this is America and We aren't fond of tyranny.
Many LEO's and John Q's are ignorant of gun laws. We can and should politely inform them, especially the LEO's of the laws that are in effect in our respective states as well as pertinent Federal statures when necessary and possible. (That's easy enough by printing and carrying the applicable references found in this forum.)
Ignorance of the law is no excuse as per the courts. Cops are Citizens just like you and I and are not above the law .
I'm am neither now a cop, nor have I ever been a cop. I have worked very closely with them over the years. They're far better to have as friendly acquaintances than adversaries. I am not advocating obsequieousness toward cops, just common sense and good manners. Their BS detectors are as good as ours - or better.
There are times in which it is preferable to be the wheat rather than the oak.