imported post
At the risk of taking crap for having to pay a second ticket, I'll post this to provide another data point regarding OC and paying a ticket....
This morning I had to stop by Woods Cross Justice Court to pay a speeding fine (9mph over on Legacy highway while headed to the airport to catch my flight). I figured I'd just be writing a check and that was it, but apparently there the procedure is that everyone enters the court and stands before the judge and his staff. In spite of the helpful front desk person urging me to just "go right in" (I was a few feet from the open court door and could seen the judge and staff), I indicated I had a weapon to check and wisely asked that the bailiff meet me in the lobby where I was.
The bailiff (Officer Lundquist) was very professional, but insisted that they didn't have the means to secure my weapon and that I must leave it locked in the car. I explained that I preferred not to leave a gun unattended in the car for security reasons but at his assurance that the process would take only a few minutes at most I relented. It felt a little weird standing in the court room with an empty Serpa on my hip, but the judge and his staff were very nice folks and I was quickly on my way. When leaving, the officer asked why I didn't conceal and told me I was making myself more of a target. I mailed a short letter to the court with the following letter enclosed for him:
"Officer Lundquist,
As I expressed in my letter to the court, I very much appreciated the professional way in which you handled my appearance in your lobby with my weapon. When I was leaving, you expressed what seemed like very genuine concern for my well being. Although I can't remember your exact wording, you also asked me if I had many confrontations due to my carrying a weapon, and why I didn't conceal carry. Because of my nervousness of being in court, and my desire not to take up too much of the court staff's time, I didn't really feel like I gave an adequate answer.
My decision to carry a weapon stems from my strong belief that it is my personal responsibility to protect myself and my loved ones. It is a pain to carry a gun and I truly hope that I am never forced into a position where I must use it. However, I take seriously the responsibility that comes with carrying a weapon and continually invest in the best training available (and put in the practice necessary) to ensure that in the unlikely event that I have to use my weapon I can do so safely and effectively to stop the attacker.
You asked if I had a lot of confrontation or if anyone had placed a “man with gun” call. You also said that you had seen an increase in that type of event. Even though it is perfectly legal, it is still certainly unusual to see civilians open carrying. Especially given the fact that some people are very uncomfortable around guns, it makes sense that some number of people might call the police. I would assume that if/when someone does call saying they see someone with a gun that dispatch would explain to them that OC was perfectly legal in our state and then follow up to determine if the individual was behaving is a way that indicated an officer might need to be dispatched. Given the growing popularity to open carry, I certainly hope that the default response is not to just dispatch an office without gathering further information. I'd hate to see an officer's valuable time wasted responding to those sorts of calls.
Finally, in answer to your question about why I often choose to open carry verses conceal. After many years of concealed carry, I started open carrying for the following reasons: it is more comfortable, more convenient, and tactically efficient. In short, I think I do so for much the same reasons that police officers open carry. Especially as we head into the warmer months, I find it much nicer to not worry about additional concealment garments. I do sometimes get looks from people not used to seeing that, but the added comfort and convenience far out way the social pressure (which at least for me is very small) to conceal.
Regarding tactical efficiency, I've seen that depending on the nature of the cover garment used and the holster position, I am anywhere from .2 to .5 seconds slower in drawing and firing my weapon from concealment. Given your training, I'm sure you would agree that half a second is significant in a typical close quarters violent encounter where a weapon might be used.
The final reasons I've moved to frequently open carrying is that first, I believe it acts as a deterrent to the typical criminal. In opposition to your comment that I would be more likely to be targeted by a criminal because they see my weapon, I've instead seen a growing body of evidence that suggests that precisely the opposite is true. Most criminals are cowards and select victims they perceive to be defenseless. I believe that I am in fact less likely to have to use my weapon (my ultimate goal) precisely because it is visible. Second, I feel some responsibility to make others aware of our individual right to bear arms, and OC is a great way to do that. I right not exercised is, all too often, a right soon lost!
I have the greatest respect for law enforcement, and thank you for being willing to put yourself in harm's way to serve and protect our community. May God bless you for your efforts and keep you and your loved ones safe!"
