Rbwhanson
Regular Member
So, after a full years worth of work between Wal-Mart in Hartford, corporate and the regional managers I can finally open carry in the Hartford location again. Please see my original post from last August for the full back story.
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?61963-Questioned-by-Officers-(3rd-OC-in-Walmart)
Long story short from last year I OC'd in the Hartford location in work clothes several times (shirt and tie) with no issues. I went in there weekend shopping in my normal street clothes and was questioned by the Hartford PD and I made countless flaws in my actions and my time talking/being questioned by the HPD. My gun serial # was ran, my ID checked, told not to OC again in Wal-Mart and that I could have been arrested for Disorderly Conduct.
Please don't harp on me for my actions and everything I did wrong while being questioned, I can already see it as clear as day looking back on it now.
Anyhow, to the present. I have been in contact with Wal-Mart corporate and have been told their corporate policy which is readily available for all managers and employees is to abide by the state's law in which the store is located. (This is all fine until we can get this in memo format from Wal-Mart corporate) Hoever, in talking to the store manager at the Hartford location (Greg) the store also has "store level policies". Which can essentially contradict the corporate policies. Makes sense, right? One of these policies is the carrying of firearms. I have talked to him several times on the phone this last week and he apologized completely for how I was mistreated during my last OC visit. He said that it should have been handled different and that I should have been asked to return my firearm to my car if customers were complaining to managers, not calling the police. He stated that he has talked to all of his managers at the Hartford location and until he can get even further clarification on corporate policy I am welcome to OC in his store. I thanked him for his time and told him that I would be shopping in his store today and will be OC'ing. He said that he looked forward to me shopping there and hoped that I could stop by and meet him face to face and talk.
Immediately after work I went to the store OC'ing and went straight to the customer service desk to have him paged. I got a few weird glances from the customer service rep, but she paged him nonetheless. He came and we talked for about 10-15 minutes and he again apologized for my prior experience. We talked more about the second amendment, the Chicago ruling as well OC'ing in general. He seemed like a nice guy and before we parted ways I asked him if I could get an official memo from his store with his signature stating it was ok to OC in his store in case I ran into any issues in the future. He stated until he got further clarification from "Market" that he could not have anything in memo format. But he did say that employees can reach him 24x7 and if I have any issues they can call him. He did say once he get's clarification he would be more than happy to get me an official memo.
Once the official store level memo happens I am going to proceed to ask for a memo for corporate stating their official stance. Which from my reading, is what a lot of has have been trying to get for years. Wish me luck!
So for all that live in the Hartford location, the Wal-Mart on Highway 60 (Sumner street) is OC friendly per their store manager.
-Ryan
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?61963-Questioned-by-Officers-(3rd-OC-in-Walmart)
Long story short from last year I OC'd in the Hartford location in work clothes several times (shirt and tie) with no issues. I went in there weekend shopping in my normal street clothes and was questioned by the Hartford PD and I made countless flaws in my actions and my time talking/being questioned by the HPD. My gun serial # was ran, my ID checked, told not to OC again in Wal-Mart and that I could have been arrested for Disorderly Conduct.
Please don't harp on me for my actions and everything I did wrong while being questioned, I can already see it as clear as day looking back on it now.
Anyhow, to the present. I have been in contact with Wal-Mart corporate and have been told their corporate policy which is readily available for all managers and employees is to abide by the state's law in which the store is located. (This is all fine until we can get this in memo format from Wal-Mart corporate) Hoever, in talking to the store manager at the Hartford location (Greg) the store also has "store level policies". Which can essentially contradict the corporate policies. Makes sense, right? One of these policies is the carrying of firearms. I have talked to him several times on the phone this last week and he apologized completely for how I was mistreated during my last OC visit. He said that it should have been handled different and that I should have been asked to return my firearm to my car if customers were complaining to managers, not calling the police. He stated that he has talked to all of his managers at the Hartford location and until he can get even further clarification on corporate policy I am welcome to OC in his store. I thanked him for his time and told him that I would be shopping in his store today and will be OC'ing. He said that he looked forward to me shopping there and hoped that I could stop by and meet him face to face and talk.
Immediately after work I went to the store OC'ing and went straight to the customer service desk to have him paged. I got a few weird glances from the customer service rep, but she paged him nonetheless. He came and we talked for about 10-15 minutes and he again apologized for my prior experience. We talked more about the second amendment, the Chicago ruling as well OC'ing in general. He seemed like a nice guy and before we parted ways I asked him if I could get an official memo from his store with his signature stating it was ok to OC in his store in case I ran into any issues in the future. He stated until he got further clarification from "Market" that he could not have anything in memo format. But he did say that employees can reach him 24x7 and if I have any issues they can call him. He did say once he get's clarification he would be more than happy to get me an official memo.
Once the official store level memo happens I am going to proceed to ask for a memo for corporate stating their official stance. Which from my reading, is what a lot of has have been trying to get for years. Wish me luck!
So for all that live in the Hartford location, the Wal-Mart on Highway 60 (Sumner street) is OC friendly per their store manager.
-Ryan
