imported post
Since I decided to OC while waiting for my CFP I had given a little thought to what I would do if I was approached by the police. I never imagined it would happen while I was walking my dog within a couple of blocks of my home. After months without incident I had become complacent.
I think that's why I was shocked this morning when two Orem PD cars stopped a few yards in front of me just north of 400 N on 750 E. The officer in the front car got out and cautiously started walking towards me. I smiled, said "Good morning". He replied and asked me why I was carrying a gun. I smiled and said "Because I can't carry one of you around all the time." I explained that I had a CFP as he walked over and asked me to keep my hands where he could see them. He then informed me that he was going to take my gun out for a second. I didn't say anything but I did slightly raise my arms when he asked and turned my 3:00 towards him.
He asked if it was loaded after he ejected the magazine. I said it was Utah unloaded (I still dry-fire practice every day and I'm too cheap to keep buying new Hornady TAP just for setback). He locked the slide back, inspected the chamber and said "I'm gonna hand this back to you just like this." and re-holstered it for me with the slide locked. Meanwhile the other officer had come over and by this time they were both smiling and chatting. He asked for ID, so I told him it was in my back pocket, he said go ahead and I got my wallet out and handed him my driver's license and CFP.
While this was going on they told me that the person who called them got it wrong about me having a poodle, how people get nervous when they see a gun, we discussed how much we all like Jack Russel Terriers, and he even thanked me for cleaning up after my dog. I had to drop a bag of dog poop to get my wallet out.
After the first officer copied my info off my ID into his notepad, he said something like "My advice is, carry it, carry it all the time, but cover it up." Then he apologized for bothering me. I said "I'm sorry your time was wasted." They both laughed and the first office handed back my magazine. I was very careful NOT to say that I wasted their time. And I didn't conceal, but I didn't take it out of the holster to release the slide and re-insert the mag until I was back in my house. I didn't want to be the object of two MWAG calls in one morning.
I'm sure I didn't handle that perfectly. I really wasn't expecting it, and my heart was pounding. I don't have a problem presenting ID to an officer. But in the future I plan to at least say I'll comply but I don't consent if they want to check my weapon. They were just so darn nice and polite, and I was so surprised that I didn't feel like giving them a hard time.
So I'm interested to hear the collective critique of my actions this morning.
Since I decided to OC while waiting for my CFP I had given a little thought to what I would do if I was approached by the police. I never imagined it would happen while I was walking my dog within a couple of blocks of my home. After months without incident I had become complacent.
I think that's why I was shocked this morning when two Orem PD cars stopped a few yards in front of me just north of 400 N on 750 E. The officer in the front car got out and cautiously started walking towards me. I smiled, said "Good morning". He replied and asked me why I was carrying a gun. I smiled and said "Because I can't carry one of you around all the time." I explained that I had a CFP as he walked over and asked me to keep my hands where he could see them. He then informed me that he was going to take my gun out for a second. I didn't say anything but I did slightly raise my arms when he asked and turned my 3:00 towards him.
He asked if it was loaded after he ejected the magazine. I said it was Utah unloaded (I still dry-fire practice every day and I'm too cheap to keep buying new Hornady TAP just for setback). He locked the slide back, inspected the chamber and said "I'm gonna hand this back to you just like this." and re-holstered it for me with the slide locked. Meanwhile the other officer had come over and by this time they were both smiling and chatting. He asked for ID, so I told him it was in my back pocket, he said go ahead and I got my wallet out and handed him my driver's license and CFP.
While this was going on they told me that the person who called them got it wrong about me having a poodle, how people get nervous when they see a gun, we discussed how much we all like Jack Russel Terriers, and he even thanked me for cleaning up after my dog. I had to drop a bag of dog poop to get my wallet out.
After the first officer copied my info off my ID into his notepad, he said something like "My advice is, carry it, carry it all the time, but cover it up." Then he apologized for bothering me. I said "I'm sorry your time was wasted." They both laughed and the first office handed back my magazine. I was very careful NOT to say that I wasted their time. And I didn't conceal, but I didn't take it out of the holster to release the slide and re-insert the mag until I was back in my house. I didn't want to be the object of two MWAG calls in one morning.
I'm sure I didn't handle that perfectly. I really wasn't expecting it, and my heart was pounding. I don't have a problem presenting ID to an officer. But in the future I plan to at least say I'll comply but I don't consent if they want to check my weapon. They were just so darn nice and polite, and I was so surprised that I didn't feel like giving them a hard time.
So I'm interested to hear the collective critique of my actions this morning.