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"People are OK with me having a gun, because I have a badge."

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Task Force 16

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Joined
Jul 20, 2008
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Location
Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
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dirtykoala wrote:
Ive heard a few times that cops feel that people are less stressed by them having a gun because they have a badge. They are right! I think we should do the same. If we had a badge on our hips next to our gun people probably wouldnt call 911, and i bet 99% of the places you walked into would not have a problem at all.
Click to expand...

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of OC? Don't you want to get the general public to get use to "regualar" non-LEO citizens carrying handguns for self defense?

Wearing a badge is counter productive to this.
 
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TheMrMitch

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Jun 9, 2008
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Hodgenville, Kentucky, USA
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Excuse a Kentuckian barging in but the badge thing is funny to me.

I am a sworn Corrections Officer and I do have a legitimate badge. HOWEVER.....I go out of my way when not on duty to CONCEAL it whilst open carrying. It is turned inward on my belt.:dude:
 
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dirtykoala

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
644
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Sometimes I want to go out for public awareness, sometimes I don't. All of the time though I want a means of defense.
 
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yelohamr

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Sep 30, 2009
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Location
Vista, California, USA
imported post

I make my own holsters and almost everyone of them has a star concho on it. It serves two purposes, decoration and it help holds things together.
 
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Theseus

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Lamma Island, HK
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The issue at hand is the purpose for wearing the badge would be to give people the impression you are LEO so they won't call 911 on you. This is the very purpose the law is trying to prevent.

It is a good thought, but falls way short of a viable solution.
 
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SomeGuyInCali

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Jun 21, 2009
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111
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Modesto, CA, California, USA
imported post

Just "be uniform" during the event. Maybe everyone should buy a windbreaker jacket that has OCDO on the back and a pocket design on the front. Then when people see a group that is organized they may feel a little more at ease.
 
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tekshogun

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Nov 17, 2009
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Location
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Generally, a badge in of it self is not illegal.

A badge that that states you of some law-enforcement, security, or other peace officer agency is illegal if you are not authorized to wear one.

So a badge that says Open Carry, Concealed Carry, and has your state's seal or some other insignia that is not of law-enforcement.
 
Gundude

Gundude

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Sep 30, 2009
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Sandy Eggo County
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yelohamr wrote:
I make my own holsters and almost everyone of them has a star concho on it. It serves two purposes, decoration and it help holds things together.
Click to expand...



what's that holster made of? It doesn't look like leather. I have a little Colt .25 I was thinking of making a holster for it.
 
ConditionThree

ConditionThree

State Pioneer
Joined
May 22, 2006
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Location
Shasta County, California, USA
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For the love of all things righteous and free...

Puh-leez... Please do not adorn yourself with the vestiges of authority if you want to carry a firearm as a sovereign and free gun owner. The shields and stars may infer that those displaying said blingare exercising some special duty orprivilegeunder the authority of gubmint- when in actuality, you have the right to do so without a badge, without a license, and yes... even without the affirmation of the 2nd in the Bill of Rights.
 
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Army

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Mar 19, 2008
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289
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San Luis Obispo, California, USA
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Last time in San Diego, I wore my John Wayne belt and holster wrapped around the Sheriff's model......with my SASS badge hanging :)

Wore my big black cowboy hat and worn old poop-pounders. If anyone could equate me with a cop, they would have been more drunk than the average PB boardwalk dweller :D
 
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tekshogun

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Location
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Army wrote:
Wore my big black cowboy hat and worn old poop-pounders. If anyone could equate me with a cop, they would have been more drunk than the average PB boardwalk dweller :D
Click to expand...

Or they were hallucinating a scene out of the old west, you never know, you may get mistaken for Wild Bill Hickok. Just don't get caught holding Aces and Eights with your back to the door. :lol:
 
sudden valley gunner

sudden valley gunner

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Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
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Location
Whatcom County
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Just my opinion and not meaning to offend anyone.

But I don't like the idea of badges. The whole purpose of open carry is to normalize everyday folks carrying guns, and a badge defeats that purpose in my opinion. Although I do understand not wanting to be hassled. Look at your hassling as a civic duty that will help future open carriers.

Another side point is we have had several LEO's targeted and murdered here in Washington specifically because they were officers although slim chance of it happening I wouldn't want to be shot in a case of mistaken identity. Because of something that brought attention to myself like a badge.
 
MudCamper

MudCamper

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Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
709
Location
Sebastopol, California, USA
imported post

Again, I think that the badge subject isn't as simple in the context of carry in California as it is elsewhere.

IMO there are 3 ways to look at this.

Carry/display a badge to be a mall ninja / wanna-be cop. (Lame.)

Carry/display a badge if you want to open carry in California, for the purpose of self-defense and defense of your family, and you don't want to be harassed by the police. (reasonable)

Don't carry/display a badge because you are open carrying as a public statement and are trying to normalize the presence of guns in public.

Regardless of the technical legal details, it still seems risky to carry/display a badge as you could still be accused/charged with impersonating an officer. And you most certainly will be accused of being a mall ninja, by most everyone here.
 
mjones

mjones

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Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
976
Location
Prescott, AZ
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LOL, look what I found...

mallninja.gif
 
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