Just sent this,
Capt. Clark,
This past thursday Aug 26, at approx 2 pm I had a disturbing encounter with one of your officers. I Had stopped at the scene of an accident on I-55 southbound between Independance and Tickfaw,a young lady ran off the road into the trees and I stopped to help. No one was harmed ( thankfully) I later gave a statement to a trooper who responded to the call. As he was reading over my statement ( in his vehicle) I got into a discussion with an Independance officer about the legality of open carry. I had a flier from the Louisiana Open Carry Awareness League in my back pocket, he asked for one and the discussion took off from there. During the conversation the State trooper on the scene bacame agitated as he listened to our conversation. He then began lecturing me about gun laws and stated " You have to have a permit to carry a weapon." I agreed that a permit is required to conceal carry, however not needed to open carry. He then demanded" Why would you need a gun in Wal Mart, where they have security?' I responded that my family's safety is my responsibility. He then grew more agitated, basically told me he would arrest me for open carrying if he saw me and to return to my vehicle and leave. I didn't get the officer's name, when I asked he basically blew me off, however he is an African American male, approx 6'2", bald, age 40-45. I am not interested in confrontation, however ignorance of the law and attempting to intimidate citizens out of their 2nd ammendment, and Article 1 section 11 ( state constitution) rights is not in my opinion appropriate. I have always believed that LSP held themselves to a higher standard. The officer also stated that he did not carry a weapon off duty, to which I replied" That's your choice." He does not however have the right to make that choice for me. As I am sure you know Louisiana law guarantees the right of law abiding citizens to openly carry properly holstered sidearms. AG opinion 78-795,79-1212, 78-1288,RS 40;1796,State v. Fluker 311 so.2d 863, and most recently, Marchiafava v. City of Gonzales. Please sir, inform your officers who may be misinformed, or simply don't like those of us who open carry; That we are ultimately on the same side. More importantly, we are not criminals, and are breaking no laws exercising our rights.
