tompkins
Regular Member
Well this was my day today (13 SEP 2010), and i figured i would share. I am a long time reader, but very rarely post.
Earlier today, (it was about 5:00pm) my girlfriend and I were at the Taco Bell on 4th Plain, just east of Caples, and Faulk Rd. We had stopped by for a bite to eat, as we were finishing up some errands. We went in and ordered our food, and sat down (the employees were friendly and helpful). As I Sat down, a man across the room a bit, turned to me and asked me the "Is that real?" (I carry either a Springer 1911, or Glock 38. Today was the 1911) After which he asked why I needed it. I replied with the standard, its for personal protection. (I was tired from a long day of running errands and wasn't in the mood to chat, as i wanted to enjoy "dinner" with the girl and get home. But i did remain polite.) right after that, the man made a sideways comment "Really? at Taco Bell?" Then promptly told is son, that they were leaving. At this point the kid looked up with a very confused look about why they were leaving, cause they hadn't finished their food. (that is just my guess, but they hadnt finished eating yet).
At this point they leave, and my and I get our order and start eating. Im thinking nothing of it, as i have ran into people like this before and they choose to leave. A few moments later though, i notice the guy stick his head around the corner from the front entrance of the taco bell with a cell phone stuck to his head, looking at me.
this is when i realize it wasnt going to be like the rest of the encounters with those who dont like guns. Shortly after he and his son leave on their bicycles to the Dairy Queen across the street. (More on this later)
About 5 minutes after they leave, my girlfriend, notices a police officer, across the street at the shopping center parking lot, with a AR-15, and Tac vest, moving to the dumpster and getting behind it. Shortly after seeing this, (and the many police cars on the surrounding streets do drive bys) the Taco Bell Manager comes over (again she was very nice, and friendly), and says that there is a Police officer at the drive thru window and he wants me to go outside to talk to them. So I tell her, not a problem, and thanked her, then proceeded to wrap up our trash and headed out the door. (the cop at the window, told me to go outside and talk to the officers on the left side of the building (he yelled it through the window).
So as ordered, i walk out side and to the left side of the building (by where the drive thru ordering panel is) and there are 4 more cops, three of which are in vests and carrying ARs, in the low ready position. I walk over to them, as they order me to. they then proceed through the normal, "do not reach for your weapon, we are going to remove it for our safety, yadda yadda.) So, i get cuffed, though the officer was nice about it, and did not put them on tight, i still had about 2 finger widths of play in the cuffs. they disarmed me, and cleared my weapon. and then proceeded to explain why they were there. That they had gotten a call, about someone open carrying a gun, and that after the incident about three months ago, they have specific policies about how to respond and deal with open carriers (he insinuated to the Kerby case). once once my weapon was cleared, the tension of the group of officers decreased quite a bit. one of them, began talking to me about 1911s, and that they were his gun of choice, and how he had a springer 1911 operator he carried, one of the others made a coment to a lady who was trying to order food to order the number 4 from the menu. Another asked if I was "In the service" becuase of my boots and the way i stood and as i talked to them.
During this time, they ran my license, and CPL, and the serial from my handgun. (all came back clean, in my name of course). At which point, they told me they had nothing else to do, and that they just needed to get my info for their report, and we could be on our way. (this was because, when i handed them my ID and CPL, i got it handed back to me within about 1 minute, to which i handed the officer my ID and CPL again, and he only wrote down the CPL number.
After that, we were on our way, walked to the truck and left. As we left the Taco Bell parking lot, i noticed the man, who phoned in the 911 call, was sitting with his son on their bicycles across the street at the Dairy Queens parking lot, watching to see what was going on. (My girl waved as we drove by, just to be nice)
Weird things about this, that i found interesting:
1. As soon as the weapon was secured, it became a gun chat session and i got to hear why they had to do this...because of the kerby case (he did not say names, just that it was because of an incident about 3 months ago).
2. When they went to disarm me, i was loosely cuffed, which I though was odd, (i have been shown how to properly cuff someone) and that was not it. while one officer took my weapon, the one who cuffed me proceeded to "pat me down" and by pat me down, i mean, he patted down the sides of my chest, and my left leg from hip to knee.....that was it..... he left the pocket knife, second magazine, wallet and what not else i had on my person.
3. As they were talking to me, it felt like they couldn't decide whether i was a conceal carrier who had just became uncovered, or an open carrier. This because when talking to me, one made the comment, that i should conceal better next time, to avoid all the hassle. This was after he told me they has specific policies about open carriers and how to respond, all because of the incident 3 months ago.
4. while my girlfriend was not carrying at all, and wasnt even really involved, when she walked over with me to the officers. which the officer that approached her asked if she had any weapons, and she said no, only her wallet in her pocket, he poked in her pocket of her hoodie and nothing else, and left her to talk with the one female officer there.
5. After i was initially handed back my ID and CPL, and then was told we were done, they just needed my phone, and address and info for their report, one officer started asking me for my info, which i gave him my phone number (he asked for that first, then just turned and walked away) and another (the guy i was chatting with about 1911s) asked for my CPL number and the rest of my info, so i provided him with my ID and CPL again, to which he only wrote my CPL number down, and then handed them back.
just as an aside in case i didn't state it earlier, all the officers i dealt with were very courteous, and as friendly as they could be while maintaining their professional position. Never at any point did i feel like i was being lectured about open carrying (that never really happened) or did i feel like i was being harassed verbally, or talked down to.
Also, just to be clear, this was the first time i was dealing with police, in this kind of situation, and I know that there are many, many things that I could have, should have done. But, I got out of the situation, without ant sort of citation, lecture, or what not, and did not have to deal with cops who had the "Mightier than all" egos. I made it home, in one piece, with me and my girl no worse for the wear.
Sorry for the super long rant, just lots of thoughts bouncing around in my head, that i needed to get out. so, lets here what you think.
-Ian
Earlier today, (it was about 5:00pm) my girlfriend and I were at the Taco Bell on 4th Plain, just east of Caples, and Faulk Rd. We had stopped by for a bite to eat, as we were finishing up some errands. We went in and ordered our food, and sat down (the employees were friendly and helpful). As I Sat down, a man across the room a bit, turned to me and asked me the "Is that real?" (I carry either a Springer 1911, or Glock 38. Today was the 1911) After which he asked why I needed it. I replied with the standard, its for personal protection. (I was tired from a long day of running errands and wasn't in the mood to chat, as i wanted to enjoy "dinner" with the girl and get home. But i did remain polite.) right after that, the man made a sideways comment "Really? at Taco Bell?" Then promptly told is son, that they were leaving. At this point the kid looked up with a very confused look about why they were leaving, cause they hadn't finished their food. (that is just my guess, but they hadnt finished eating yet).
At this point they leave, and my and I get our order and start eating. Im thinking nothing of it, as i have ran into people like this before and they choose to leave. A few moments later though, i notice the guy stick his head around the corner from the front entrance of the taco bell with a cell phone stuck to his head, looking at me.
this is when i realize it wasnt going to be like the rest of the encounters with those who dont like guns. Shortly after he and his son leave on their bicycles to the Dairy Queen across the street. (More on this later)
About 5 minutes after they leave, my girlfriend, notices a police officer, across the street at the shopping center parking lot, with a AR-15, and Tac vest, moving to the dumpster and getting behind it. Shortly after seeing this, (and the many police cars on the surrounding streets do drive bys) the Taco Bell Manager comes over (again she was very nice, and friendly), and says that there is a Police officer at the drive thru window and he wants me to go outside to talk to them. So I tell her, not a problem, and thanked her, then proceeded to wrap up our trash and headed out the door. (the cop at the window, told me to go outside and talk to the officers on the left side of the building (he yelled it through the window).
So as ordered, i walk out side and to the left side of the building (by where the drive thru ordering panel is) and there are 4 more cops, three of which are in vests and carrying ARs, in the low ready position. I walk over to them, as they order me to. they then proceed through the normal, "do not reach for your weapon, we are going to remove it for our safety, yadda yadda.) So, i get cuffed, though the officer was nice about it, and did not put them on tight, i still had about 2 finger widths of play in the cuffs. they disarmed me, and cleared my weapon. and then proceeded to explain why they were there. That they had gotten a call, about someone open carrying a gun, and that after the incident about three months ago, they have specific policies about how to respond and deal with open carriers (he insinuated to the Kerby case). once once my weapon was cleared, the tension of the group of officers decreased quite a bit. one of them, began talking to me about 1911s, and that they were his gun of choice, and how he had a springer 1911 operator he carried, one of the others made a coment to a lady who was trying to order food to order the number 4 from the menu. Another asked if I was "In the service" becuase of my boots and the way i stood and as i talked to them.
During this time, they ran my license, and CPL, and the serial from my handgun. (all came back clean, in my name of course). At which point, they told me they had nothing else to do, and that they just needed to get my info for their report, and we could be on our way. (this was because, when i handed them my ID and CPL, i got it handed back to me within about 1 minute, to which i handed the officer my ID and CPL again, and he only wrote down the CPL number.
After that, we were on our way, walked to the truck and left. As we left the Taco Bell parking lot, i noticed the man, who phoned in the 911 call, was sitting with his son on their bicycles across the street at the Dairy Queens parking lot, watching to see what was going on. (My girl waved as we drove by, just to be nice)
Weird things about this, that i found interesting:
1. As soon as the weapon was secured, it became a gun chat session and i got to hear why they had to do this...because of the kerby case (he did not say names, just that it was because of an incident about 3 months ago).
2. When they went to disarm me, i was loosely cuffed, which I though was odd, (i have been shown how to properly cuff someone) and that was not it. while one officer took my weapon, the one who cuffed me proceeded to "pat me down" and by pat me down, i mean, he patted down the sides of my chest, and my left leg from hip to knee.....that was it..... he left the pocket knife, second magazine, wallet and what not else i had on my person.
3. As they were talking to me, it felt like they couldn't decide whether i was a conceal carrier who had just became uncovered, or an open carrier. This because when talking to me, one made the comment, that i should conceal better next time, to avoid all the hassle. This was after he told me they has specific policies about open carriers and how to respond, all because of the incident 3 months ago.
4. while my girlfriend was not carrying at all, and wasnt even really involved, when she walked over with me to the officers. which the officer that approached her asked if she had any weapons, and she said no, only her wallet in her pocket, he poked in her pocket of her hoodie and nothing else, and left her to talk with the one female officer there.
5. After i was initially handed back my ID and CPL, and then was told we were done, they just needed my phone, and address and info for their report, one officer started asking me for my info, which i gave him my phone number (he asked for that first, then just turned and walked away) and another (the guy i was chatting with about 1911s) asked for my CPL number and the rest of my info, so i provided him with my ID and CPL again, to which he only wrote my CPL number down, and then handed them back.
just as an aside in case i didn't state it earlier, all the officers i dealt with were very courteous, and as friendly as they could be while maintaining their professional position. Never at any point did i feel like i was being lectured about open carrying (that never really happened) or did i feel like i was being harassed verbally, or talked down to.
Also, just to be clear, this was the first time i was dealing with police, in this kind of situation, and I know that there are many, many things that I could have, should have done. But, I got out of the situation, without ant sort of citation, lecture, or what not, and did not have to deal with cops who had the "Mightier than all" egos. I made it home, in one piece, with me and my girl no worse for the wear.
Sorry for the super long rant, just lots of thoughts bouncing around in my head, that i needed to get out. so, lets here what you think.
-Ian