Delta, Colorado.

I have recently been open carry and was informed by a SGT of the local police and a Deputy sheriff here in Delta, Colorado that he/himself highly recommends me not open carry. What should I do? I feel like I was being threatend by the way he said it and the way he constantly repeated "Its my recommendation that you never open carry". The problem is that This town is small and the cops cant do their job as well as they could if there was more of them. Home invasions, murders and ect....

I have a family. 2 little girls and a Wife. I'll be d**n'd if I let anything happen to them because I couldn't save them. Same goes for everyone for that matter. Not just my family but everyone. I could not live with my self knowing I could of stopped someone that was mowing down people but didn't because I listened to someone who is prejustice against open carry.

Any advice?

I say carry in any manner that suits you and is in compliance with the law. Just because some OPINION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER doesn't like it and recommends to not do it does not make it illegal. You have a constitutionally protected right of self defense. The courts have ruled that LEO's DO NOT have a Constitutional obligation to protect you or your family as individuals only as a society or community as a whole. And when the seconds count, the police are only minutes away--- assuming the 911 line wasn't busy, they actually dispatched the officers to the call, they officers actually went to the location where the need was, or they got out of the car to investigate---- All of the preceding have been documented at various locales in the last few years.

It is suggested that you become intimately familiar with all the laws in your state and location with regards to carry, concealing, schools, defense of self, home, family, property, and use of force. It may seem like a lot but the LEO will site you for your ignorance of the law if he thinks you violated the law.

Did the officer indicate what action he would take should he see you OC? I'd approach him unarmed and ask him. Have your recorder running (assuming such is legal in your jurisdiction). Inform him that OC is lawful. Record his reaction.

Then, OC if you choose and in a lawful manner. Keep your recorder running whenever you OC in public (assuming such is legal in your jurisdiction). Be further armed with written explanations of CO law on OC. If you post in the CO section below, you may find that they have already created a printed summary of CO law on OC.

If the officer stops you for OC, be polite, but firm. Be sure to clearly state that you do not consent to any searches or seizures--repeatedly. (Don't forget that the stop itself is a seizure of your person.) However, do not resist any searches or seizures. State that you will not resist. Try to get the officer to state his reason for detaining you or, at least, to say that he won't tell you. Share with the officer a copy of the printed material on OC in CO.

I can make no promises, but if you handle the situation in this way, most of the time you will be on your way. Your rights will still have been violated, but you can use your recording later to deal with that. If you are arrested, your recording should help you win the civil suit after the dust settles.

If law enforcement is ASKED for their personal OPINION on whether or not you should ACTUALLY ENDEAVOR TO EXERCISE your CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED right to bear arms under the Colorado Constitution - they will most likely ADVISE AGAINST IT.

Law enforcement personnel , IF ASKED , would generally PREFER a society in which THEY were the ONLY armed citizens. LEO may just as well advise against standing at an intersection and exercising your 1st Amendment protected speech right because it just might make someone "uncomfortable". LEO's would PREFER that individual members of the "flock" not engage in ANY conduct that may disturb the "tranquility" of another person requiring their response to restore "comfort".

Our nation's legal system, and the LEO's job description is not based upon opinions, feelings, preferences that may or may not inhabit individual comfort-zones and do not constitute LAWS.

Assuming that Josh has a Colorado CHP - issuance of the CHP does not mandate concealed carry - as is the case in Texas with their CHL. Outside of Denver - Colorado LEO's have NO AUTHORITY to enforce their personal "druthers" regarding open carry. If you research the COLORADO FORUM threads- you will realize the necessity to also arm yourself with knowledge of Colorado law, ALL of your constitional civil rights, and the recommended protocals to follow if contacted by LE while open carrying.

Josh.M, Delta borders on the Dominguez and Escalante Rivers. Because of their serious beauty and historic value, the rivers themselves and the lands around them are governed by the Bureau of Land Management. It's a federal issue, not one controlled by the state of Colorado. Access to the rivers is regulated, monitored, and enforced. For example, you can only camp at designated sites along the rivers, and due to gross abuse throughout the years with respect to where people have done their business, you can't even take a leak unless it's in an approved waste management receptacle. Violations can rack up hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in fines, as well as federal charges. Not something any of us would like to have on a permanent record.

There is an Advisory Counsel, which meets in Delta to discuss proposed changes to regulations. Since you live in Delta, I would highly recommend you attend them so we have a voice amongst their radical, uber-green Boulder-ish blubbering.

Is it worth it? Oh, yes! I spent 4 days rafting on the Dominguez, covering about 28 miles, so we were on the river less than 4 hours a day. Many people cover it in canoes or kayaks. We spent the rest of the time setting up and breaking down camp, as well as sitting in our chairs under shade trees taking in the views and doing some serious hiking. One area contains hundreds of petroglyphs from two historic Indian tribes. The oldest glyphs are thought to date between the 1300s and the 1500s.

Meetings and topics are announced in the Federal Register.

Here's the link to BLM's Public Recreation website for the area.

Here's another BLM page with another picture.

I used to have a several page document containing all the federal laws regarding that area, including firearms restrictions/regulations. I did a brief search for it, but couldn't find it. If I do, I'll add them later.