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Has anyone ever thought about...

Shawn Mitola

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
138
Location
Shelton
I'm sure someone here has done it at one point or another. I've thought about just going down to the local PD and asking to speak to a supervisor to see what my town is teaching its officers about open carry. The thought behind this for me is that since I live in the town it would be helpful to me to 1) know how they will react and 2) try to educate them on what the law really is if they think open carry is illegal.

The benefit obviously is heading off any unnecessary stops by making sure they know ahead of time, plus if they are not willing to have their mind totally swayed they will at least know that should I ever cross paths with them that I know what the law is and I will exercise it.

Just a thought and I'd be interested in hearing other peoples thoughts on it.
 

Rich B

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Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
2,909
Location
North Branford, Connecticut, USA
I offered to do this in Wallingford and Old Saybrook. Their sentiment was the same.

In Old Saybrook they actually told me "The Chief wouldn't appreciate being educated about the laws by a citizen.".

You can certainly try, and I am sure your mileage will vary, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. It is simply not that easy. You will hear the most amazing rhetoric from some LEOs.

"I would never want to OC, I CC."
"Why you want to do that?"
"What is open carry?"
"Someone will take it away from you!"
etc
etc
etc

The other issue I see is that I rarely spend time in my hometown, but I spend a ton of time in other towns, often all over the state. I cannot ask permission of every Chief, and I certainly shouldn't have to. People have also proposed asking permission from property owners and business owners, but this falls under the same problems. It is making a problem where there wasn't likely to be one before.

In CT, most people just don't notice. The ones that do mostly don't care.

I have been OCing since April of 2010 and I had a police situation in May and one in October. It just isn't that common.
 
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Shawn Mitola

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
138
Location
Shelton
Right I absolutely agree with you and if I traveled as much as you did I probably wouldn't bother either. I don't particularly care what the LEO's personal feelings are I'm more concerned with making sure they know what the law is so that when I walk into a local business and or stand in line next to a LEO he doesn't freak out and shoot me. I don't even care if they take what I tell them to heart but I'd at least give them a heads up that this exists and it is legal.
 

Rich B

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Oct 13, 2009
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North Branford, Connecticut, USA
I don't particularly care what the LEO's personal feelings are I'm more concerned with making sure they know what the law is

Education is always a goal of mine when I am out and about, but I have had no luck in engaging LEOs or PDs in discussion before an incident. YMMV

so that when I walk into a local business and or stand in line next to a LEO he doesn't freak out and shoot me.

I have no idea where that came from. Why would a LEO shoot someone who is not presenting a threat to anyone? It is a far stretch to think that an officer is bad enough at his job to detain or arrest someone for BoP or DC for open carrying, but to just shoot someone? At that point, would it even matter that you had a holstered firearm when they are walking around gunning down innocent citizens?

How would that officer know you are not a LEO?

I don't even care if they take what I tell them to heart but I'd at least give them a heads up that this exists and it is legal.

I don't disagree, I am only letting you know that you are not the first to try, and I haven't heard of too many success stories with regards to this. Surely just because you educate them or inform them, it does not mean they won't cause trouble for you.

Are you prepared for when they give you a wrong answer?

"No, open carry is not legal, you must carry concealed."

Just because we have statutes and facts to support it, it doesn't mean they will listen. I have seen Connecticut PDs make up some pretty goofy interpretations of the law. Hell, someone posted about DPS giving wrong answers over the phone recently.

Are you prepared for when they give you the stock BS answer?

"Open carry may be legal, but you are at risk for breach of peace is someone gets upset."

We have had some PDs who understand and indicate that OC is legal and that they will not interfere. But things change when someone calls them to complain. Just look at my incident in Wallingford where the PD claims I was not arrested for open carrying, but for 'causing a disturbance' despite the disturbance being caused by someone else.

An officer or PD is not going to give you any guarantees that they will react appropriately to every situation. Carry at least a voice recorder that is on whenever you are in public. Video is better, but understandably less practical. Read about your rights here, research anything you are not clear of, make sure you understand the statutes 100%.

And then I say, if you are comfortable with the burden, just go do it. Don't ask permission, don't forewarn people, you will be just fine. If you get into trouble, say as little as possible (certainly my new tactic from my two encounters), and get as much information as possible for us to help with.
 

KIX

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2010
Messages
960
Location
, ,
Interesting.....

I was just talking about this last week with Rich. I'd really be curious to see what they teach at the academy.

I'm off to read Lenny's link now....

Jonathan
 

Shawn Mitola

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
138
Location
Shelton
Rich- I agree with you thats it's likely a waste of time to try but there is always hope. Obviously I was exaggerating about being shot by an LEO. I do carry the CCDL pamphlet with me at all times, I have a voice recorder App on my I-phone and I have Atty Baird on speed dial. I think I am as prepared as I can be. I have read both of your encounters and some others people have had and I've been OC for a few months now and so far haven't had any issues.

Hopefully I will not have any LEO encounters but I'm sure sooner or later I will so I can only hope to be prepared as possible.

Lenny- Thanks for the link that was good to hear as I live right next to Stratford and carry through that town regularly.
 

emsjeep

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
210
Location
NY-CT
Education is always a goal of mine when I am out and about, but I have had no luck in engaging LEOs or PDs in discussion before an incident. YMMV



I have no idea where that came from. Why would a LEO shoot someone who is not presenting a threat to anyone?

Obviously you didn't frequent Domelights.com
 
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