Cops called on me in Boone County at Florence Mall for open carrying

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I was getting out of the car with my family and i was parked directly across from some sort of LEO. The guy looked to be a retired Florence police officer and his car said FLORENCE VIP but didn't have a lightbar on the vehicle. I think he might have been a retired LEO but a supervisor as the security for the Florence Mall.

He approached me and asked if i was a LEO and i told him i was not, then he told me i would have to leave my firearm in the vehicle as the mall is private property and i was not allowed to carry inside.

I told him i had carried in here numerous times in the past week with no issue and he still told me that i could not go in with it. He started becoming a big jerk and decided to call Florence PD on me.

When the officer arrived he tried to tell him that my shirt covered the firearm and it was concealed and that i could be charged for that. Of course my shirt was not covering the firearm at any point but he sure wanted the LEO to think so.

He asked me for all kinds of information including my ID my SSN and everything you can imagine. He even went as far as to notice i had not yet changed my address on my license since i have recently moved and said one call from him and i would not even get a CCDW from this state.

The arriving Florence cop ended up telling me that i could not carry in the mall if they didn't want me to and i had to leave my firearm in the car. He advised me to leave my firearm in the car until i get my permit and i should not open carry it at all.

My first bad experience with open carrying so far and its really discouraging.

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I wouldn't get too discouraged. It's not like you were doing anything wrong. I would venture to say that most malls have policies against firearms, but I suppose I could be wrong about this particular mall. I suppose you don't have your CCDW? Don't feel like you have to show ID or SSN or anything like that. We're not a stop n identify state. They need RAS that a crime has been committed or will be committed in order to check. Carry on!

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No i do not have my CCDW and its bringing questions into my mind as to whether or not this guy can mess with it being issued or not.

What really bugs me is the local PD told me that i should not even be open carrying as it could incite a riot or cause someone to think i am a LEO.

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901-Memphis wrote:

No i do not have my CCDW and its bringing questions into my mind as to whether or not this guy can mess with it being issued or not.

What really bugs me is the local PD told me that i should not even be open carrying as it could incite a riot or cause someone to think i am a LEO.

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Surely you didn't give that rent-a-cop your SSN? Shouldn't have even shown him your DL. The leo telling you that you shouldn't carry openly was just typical behavior from the "only ones". If it was me I'd call the folks who run the Mall and see what is up. If you don't get a satisfatory answer then inform them you will no longer be spending your dirty gun tainted money in the facility.

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There's no way OC can bring about an "inciting a riot" charge or a disorderly conduct charge. Nothing but fearmongering.

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Why on earth did you give this jerk your drivers license and SSN? In the circumstances you describe I wouldn't even give that info to a uniformed officer.

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+1

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I am going to assume, and I hate to do that, the Florence PD asked for ID and SSN. Asking for your SSN is a violation of federal law. That alone cost the fine tax payers of Norfolk VA $10000 not long ago. That being said, you gave them freely. You should have said thanks for the info and am I free to go or are you detaining me? He had no RAS to detain, they would have told you bye. Never let law enforcement intimidate you.



One other thing, most malls, and Florence Mall is one, post no weapons. It's not on the door but on the sign board inside with directions to the different stores. But, don't let this stop you. You did nothing incorrect. Also the VIPcar isa car used by Florence officials. Did anyone from the Mall come outside and tell you you were not allowedto carry there?

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The guy driving the VIP car is the one who asked for all the info, the LEO did nothing but suggest that i leave it in the car to avoid any further incident.

The guy who was driving the VIP car had supervisor on his name tag and he said something about being in law enforcement for 30 years i think so i couldn't tell much. He had a radio that called a few other security guards from the mall to the scene of which all of them were younger than i and did not say a word.

Either way though it is private property at the Florence Mall so if they ask me to not carry and i do open carry can i be arrested for trespassing?

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901-Memphis wrote:

The guy driving the VIP car is the one who asked for all the info, the LEO did nothing but suggest that i leave it in the car to avoid any further incident.

The guy who was driving the VIP car had supervisor on his name tag and he said something about being in law enforcement for 30 years i think so i couldn't tell much. He had a radio that called a few other security guards from the mall to the scene of which all of them were younger than i and did not say a word.

Either way though it is private property at the Florence Mall so if they ask me to not carry and i do open carry can i be arrested for trespassing?

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You should never give anyone your SSN, period. This guy should not be given any of your ID. He does not have authorization to hold you. Did he not allow you to leave? You need to find out who this clown was. Was this guy in uniform? Hopefully you learned something from this. And you now know that the local PD knows open carry is legal. You can only be arrested if asked to leave by law enforcement and you refuse to leave. In Kentucky, law enforcement needs to see the violation before they can arrest. Or someone must file a complaint at the county attorneys office.

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I know open carry is legal in public but the Mall is private property right? So they can tell me i can't carry and i have to obey? Yes or no

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901-Memphis wrote:

I know open carry is legal in public but the Mall is private property right? So they can tell me i can't carry and i have to obey? Yes or no

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If asked to leave, leave. No problem. Then when you get you CDWL, cover up and go back in.

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I never even made it in the store, it all went down right where i parked

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Thanks for the good information everyone. I started open carrying again today, i went back to Walmart without a hitch. I have yet to encounter any issues with my local Walmart. I even purchases some ammunition while OC'ing

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Ok, here is the scoop on the Florence VIP. That is a program called Volunteers in Policing. They have no police power and do not have the authorization from the city to stop anyone or detain them in anyway. They are CIVILIAN volunteers. Call the the city administration and file a complaint. He had no reason to stop you at the mall or ask you for any ID or forbid you from entering the mall. He overstep the boundaries for the job.

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did the guy who rousted you have an ss emblem on his shirt? what a bunch of crap. covering your gun with your shirt, one call from him and no permit- lying bastard.

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Did the guy have his hair parted in the middle? 1980s style glasses? It might have been Dwight Schrute.

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Definitely worth pursuing, especially being asked personal information. At the very least make a complaint to the proper channels.

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It sounds like the VIP was impersonating a police officer.

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901-Memphis wrote:

I know open carry is legal in public but the Mall is private property right? So they can tell me i can't carry and i have to obey? Yes or no

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Yes. As to asking questions, none of his ******* business. But they can ask you to leave the gun or leave the private property.