imported post
This was last Summer. I believe I messaged you about it. This is the account I wrote down afterwards.
At about 4:30 in the afternoon, I was walking from my apartment to work, which is a trip from Thompson street to First street along Liberty, a journey of about 10 minutes. I had my M&P in a Crossbreed Supertuck, IWB, with the shirt tucked behind it, since that's really my only functioning rig at the moment. I did adjust the shirt a few times. Now, for my big stupid mistake, I didn't have a voice recorder. I only recently got a job, and affording one has been an issue. I didn't get many badge numbers either, it was hard to see them while cuffed and sitting on the sidewalk, let alone face down.
When I got to main street, I noticed some bike cops talking to some people, and figured that might be a bad sign. I was right. I made it another two blocks when I heard PUT YOUR HANDS UP! I turned around putting them on my head, and the two bike cops had guns drawn and told me to get on the ground. I was then cuffed and had my pistol removed, as well as my wallet and driver's license. They conferred for a few minutes, while additional cars arrived, as well as a motorcycle unit and a Command unit with a Sergeant. I asked them what the problem was, and they said they had gotten reports of people being able to see my gun, and and that I was "showing it". By this time I had been rolled over and was able to sit up. They then went into a tirade about "concealed meaning concealed" and how they've carried for 20 years without anyone seeing their gun, which seems strange. Were cops allowed to CC before everyone else? I asked Officer Martel (I think, badge number 054) what I was being charged with. At first he denied that it would be brandishing, and asked what I thought I was doing. I told him I didn't want to talk about it, figuring this should just play out normally, like any other encounter. He seemed to be a little annoyed, particularly since I was rather chipper throughout.
They talked amongst themselves for a bit, standing behind me for a while, and apparently tried to scare me, talking about assault with a deadly weapon. Around this time, the motorcycle trooper and the sergeant left. Another car rolled up, and they said that they were going to take me to the station to talk about it with the witnesses. It was at this point where I thought I should push back, since I really didn't feel like getting booked. So I asked them if they knew that open carry was legal. He got an odd look on his face, and walked behind me again. The command unit came back, while the car that was going to take me to the station waited. I knew that was probably a good sign, and while looking over my shoulder I could see the Sergeant (668, I think) taking the cuff key out, so I knew I was good. He uncuffed me, and talked to the others a bit more. The female officer who was waiting with the squad car said, "so you won't be needing me?" They didn't, so she left. The Sergeant gave me a lecture about tactical advantage, including Ted Nugent's take on OC. He also threw in a comment about how other people were scared of what I was doing, and that they had to "check it out". After that, he said ok, and left. Throughtout all this, I just went with the Smile-And-Nod tactic. I asked them if they'd heard of MOC, and the Sergeant had (I think it was the sergeant, might have been Martel). He even said that they had had a rally at the park (keeping a straight face was difficult at that point). The Sergeant left, and they let me stand up. The remaining bike officers (the original ones) asked me for a phone number, which I gave them, and asked me not to load up outdoors. I obliged, and they left.
