Rcw 18.170.175

RCW 18.170.175
Display of firearms while soliciting clients.

No licensee, employee or agent of a licensee, or anyone accompanying a licensee, employee, or agent may display a firearm while soliciting a client.



I suspect that since this lies in under the RCWs regarding security guards, and the English points to working for a company licensed as such, that this pertains only to such folks and not so much to other type of business folks.

Reason I ask, is that I had seen this before, but never paid any mind, until a couple of weeks ago. I was conducting some personal business, and ran into a former customer. We started talking about what was, and what we could do, in regards to his facility, at which point I found out that there had been some bad blood between him and the old man.
(I found out later that he owes us a lot of cash.)

So now that this has all come to play, I start thinking about the RCW. I was soliciting a client. Soliciting a client, who owes us a substantial amount of money, and was openly carrying a firearm.

Of course at the time, I didn’t know the situation prior to our encounter and I was at his place of business for the benefit of transacting with his company and not to discuss working for him.

Note to self: Don’t wear company logo while out and about...........

That, for me, was used while working security years ago. Couldn't solicit business or additional sites/responsibilities while armed.

It was to keep the customer from feeling intimidated... odd.

Sparky508 said:

I can understand the intent, as misguided as it might be, and the intent is what gives me apprehension. Like you said it is to prevent the potential client from feeling intimidated. My hamster went into overdrive when I started staking up all of the circumstances surrounding this guy. “Hey, I owe these guys some money, he shows up here with a gun, and wants to do some trading.”

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Unless you are acting as a security guard as defined under RCW 18.170.010 you should be fine **

**I am not a lawyer, nor do I pretend to be one on forums :dude:

massivedesign said:

Unless you are acting as a security guard as defined under RCW 18.170.010 you should be fine **

**I am not a lawyer, nor do I pretend to be one on forums :dude:

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Correct, the statute applies to "licensee."

In all matters of construction in RCW, you should look to the definitions title at the head of the chapter.

Under 18.70.010 you will find:

(14) "Licensee" means a person granted a license required by this chapter.

Would that not also concern the word "display".

It has always been my understanding that to "display" a firearm means to take it out of it's holster, not just to possess it in an OC manner. I don't think the weapon needs to be pointed at the person, just removed from it's holster.

As long as the weapon is holstered, it is not being "Displayed"???

Am I correct in my understanding?

hermannr said:

Would that not also concern the word "display".

It has always been my understanding that to "display" a firearm means to take it out of it's holster, not just to possess it in an OC manner. I don't think the weapon needs to be pointed at the person, just removed from it's holster.

As long as the weapon is holstered, it is not being "Displayed"???

Am I correct in my understanding?

Click to expand...

You point out another good argument for having definitions specified within the Statutes. You say that unless unholstered it's not being Displayed. Others say "If I can see it, it's definitely "displayed".

dis·play (d-spl)
v. dis·played, dis·play·ing, dis·plays
v.tr.
1.
a. To present or hold up to view.
b. Computer Science To provide (information or graphics) on a screen.
2. To give evidence of; manifest.
3. To exhibit ostentatiously; show off.
4. To be endowed with (an identifiable form or character): a shrub that displays hardiness.
5. To express, as by gestures or bodily posture: a smirk that displayed contempt.
6. To spread out; unfurl:

The way I look at it in the RCW it's a verb and means you are taking an action.

So to me under certain circumstances even not having it in a holster is not against the law.

E.g. hear a noise outside, put on night pants, grab pistol from night stand and go investigate.