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My first two LEO encounters!

S

simmonsjoe

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
1,661
Location
Mattaponi, Virginia, United States
Most of you know I CC 90% of the time. Recently I have moved to 90% OC. Prior to today, my only LEO encounters were at OC events. I have been in the presence of LEO while OCing previously, but there didn't notice. (Many here may recall when I drew my pistol but left it pointed down, for a shady guy, who ran off as a police car parked RIGHT NEXT TO ME and I holstered after they got out of their car. There were TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS. that was technically brandishing, not OC but hey.)

anyhow, back on subject. My first two LEO encounters were today! It really showed the glaring difference in how OC is handled by LEOs around the state. How is one supposed to know how to act when such irregular and random procedures are followed?

Today I traveled from West Point, to Craig Springs(about 10 mi from WV) and back.(My sister's car broke down, I went to trailer it back) total of 500 miles.
The first LEO encounter occurred in Craig Springs, VA. I was at the Sub-Way getting a tasty-ass Big Philly Bacon and Steak sub. As I was leaving, a sheriff (deputy?) in blue DBUs was waiting next to a truck that was parked next to the door, looking inside at me as I was hobbling to the exit. Another customer who was in the store walked over and got the door for me, and followed me out. The sheriff started talking to the guy who opened the door for me. (They apparently were friends). As I was walking by the sheriff glanced in my direction, glanced down at my firearm, then nodded at me absent-minded as he continued his conversation with his pal. I nodded likewise and continued on.
Second encounter was at the 7-11 in West Point, VA. (250 driving miles from last encounter) I stopped for some chocolate milk. As I went in there was a Deputy to my immediate right, in front of the magazine rack. He was looking at gun mags.(nope, not kidding). I turned down the same isle as him because it's shortest to the milk. He saw me and my firearm and... wait for it... WINKED.

So now I'm screwed. Do I nod? Do I wink? It's OK for one guy to wink but if both do it the second guy is gay right? I forget the rules. A wink is a pretty active gesture. Would a quick smile be seen as dismissive? I took a chance, and went with the combo, slight-nod with a quick small smile. Didn't really look at him the rest of the time I was there.

The lack of uniformity is dismaying. I'm not a socially adept person. All these nuances confuse me.

---
So I took the creative writing version of telling my story here because my first two LEO encounters were non-events. And that is a good thing!

happy in VA!
 
Last edited:
SouthernBoy

SouthernBoy

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Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
5,837
Location
Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
I have encountered a number of police officers since I started OC'ing on a regular basis three years ago, the last being eight days ago; the sheriff of the county in which I live. And I have also had encounters will CC'ing as well.. of an interesting variety. Some of the encounters have been almost comical and none have been negative in any way.

A few years ago, I went into Micro Center in Fairfax to get a flash drive they had advertised. While I was trying to find it, I caught some movement out of my peripheral right (strong) side. I casually turned my head slightly to see someone in uniform standing right next to me, as in approximately two feet away. At first, because he was so close, I thought he was a rent-a-cop but a little more turning of the head proved that not to be the case. He was a Fairfax LEO. He sorta hung around me and we both even hit the register around the same time where he asked me if I had found what I was looking for (we had exchange a few niceties when we were trying to find our sought-after items).

I keep wondering when the time will come when I get into a confrontation or semi-altercation with an LEO, but it has just not happened yet.
 
45acpForMe

45acpForMe

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Joined
Nov 21, 2008
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Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
simmonsjoe said:
... A wink is a pretty active gesture.
Click to expand...

I would have immediately drawn down on the guy since he was obviously impersonating a police officer! Looking at gun magazines he must have been a wanna-be. <Just :lol: kidding>

Maybe he was off duty looking for someone to share his gun magazine with....
 
ProShooter

ProShooter

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peter nap

peter nap

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Location
Valhalla
simmonsjoe said:
So now I'm screwed. Do I nod? Do I wink? It's OK for one guy to wink but if both do it the second guy is gay right? I forget the rules. A wink is a pretty active gesture. Would a quick smile be seen as dismissive? I took a chance, and went with the combo, slight-nod with a quick small smile. Didn't really look at him the rest of the time I was there.
Click to expand...

Just nod back Joe. I've never noticed you were lacking in social skills.

Just don't make a common mistake and start talking shop with them. A quick nod and maybe a hello is fine. I like to end the encounter there.

I had a Hanover Deputy get chatty a while back. I was videoing something and had the audio recorder going too. This poor fellow talked for a long time and told me all about Stewart Cook's special directives (Which violated half the civil rights laws in existence).

Since Cook is retiring, I may use the conversation during the election although Dave Hines is the top guess at a replacement and he's a fairly good cop.

The point is...Loose Lips Sink Ships.
 
K

kg4usk

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
18
Location
Richmond, Virginia, USA
I've been open carrying more often recently and have been in a presence of only a few LEOs but every interaction has been positive. I was on my motorcycle once and a gas station clerk waved him down and pointed right at me. The officer just drove by and waved. I did draw my weapon once in public when my neighbor's house was in the process of getting broken in to. There were two robbers and I knew they were armed from a previous robbery in my neighborhood that involved a firearm. Around here you can't really take any chances anyway. I yelled at 'em, they booked it, and I pursued in my car (they broke in to my vehicles a week prior and I was HOT when I saw this!). They then took three shots at me with a Glock 9mm. The cops arrived and told me I should have shot back! I was shocked cause shooting out of a moving vehicle is a felony! Overall a good encounter with the LEOs I guess. 14 cars showed up at once and I was like "so who's chasing the bad guys?"
 
Tess

Tess

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Jun 15, 2006
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Bryan, TX
kg4usk said:
The cops arrived and told me I should have shot back! I was shocked cause shooting out of a moving vehicle is a felony!
Click to expand...

A co-worker's sister recently had to shoot (and kill) one of three intruders in her home; apparently they mistook her apartment for their dealer's apartment.

According to the co-worker who told me the story, the responding officers said "Ma'am, we're sorry you had to go through this. We don't really feel comfortable about that other guy who ran away, so you better keep that gun. We'll help you clean up here."

May be exaggeration, may not -- but it makes a great story!
 
ProShooter

ProShooter

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www.ProactiveShooters.com, Richmond, Va., , USA
kg4usk said:
I did draw my weapon once in public when my neighbor's house was in the process of getting broken in to. There were two robbers and I knew they were armed from a previous robbery in my neighborhood that involved a firearm. Around here you can't really take any chances anyway. I yelled at 'em, they booked it, and I pursued in my car (they broke in to my vehicles a week prior and I was HOT when I saw this!). They then took three shots at me with a Glock 9mm. The cops arrived and told me I should have shot back! I was shocked cause shooting out of a moving vehicle is a felony! Overall a good encounter with the LEOs I guess. 14 cars showed up at once and I was like "so who's chasing the bad guys?"
Click to expand...

You live in Richmond? Geez Louise, I hope that you aren't one of my neighbors!
 
K

kg4usk

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
18
Location
Richmond, Virginia, USA
ProShooter said:
You live in Richmond? Geez Louise, I hope that you aren't one of my neighbors!
Click to expand...

Wow so right after I posted on this thread I went out to set my garbage can by the street and my neighbor runs up to me and said somebody just broke into his truck. I'm in the souside right near Broad Rock. Interesting part of town. A few months back three guys with shotguns entered a house in my neighborhood and locked up the residents in a bathroom after beating them. It used to be pretty, well relatively peaceful around here but 2010 seems to be quite an active year for the criminals.
 
S

simmonsjoe

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Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
1,661
Location
Mattaponi, Virginia, United States
Sorry not quite

Tess said:
A co-worker's sister recently had to shoot (and kill) one of three intruders in her home; apparently they mistook her apartment for their dealer's apartment.

According to the co-worker who told me the story, the responding officers said "Ma'am, we're sorry you had to go through this. We don't really feel comfortable about that other guy who ran away, so you better keep that gun. We'll help you clean up here."

May be exaggeration, may not -- but it makes a great story!
Click to expand...
It wouldn't even be possible for them to leave the gun. It is still evidence. It has to be processed, even if its clear cut self defense.
 
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