fire suppressor
Regular Member
I just had the most reassuring positive encounter I have ever had sense I started open carrying a few years ago. I was walking into central market to get something to eat after dinner. As I parked I noticed a three cop cars out front, this is nothing unusual as they often will eat upstairs after hours this time of night. As I got out of my car and started walking towards the doors I noticed tonight they where not eating upstairs but they where actually eating at the outside tables just outside the main doors. Walking up to the doors I saw four cops all sitting at a table. My stomach dropped and my heart started racing I know I was not doing anything illegal but sense I started open carrying I have never had to walk strong side past a group of cops, and I have never had to walk so close to a cop while carrying, only a few feet away. This was my gut check time as I was walking up I had the thought of quickly throwing my shirt over my XD to cover it up to obtain a feeling of safely but decided I had to be able to push my self and my comfort zone if I had any business open carrying. I tried to calm, take deep breaths and walked right past them and into the store while I thought to my self "this is it"
As I started for the door I smiled at them and they smiled back, I know they saw my gun because they kept there eyes on me the entire time, one of them turned there head to follow me as I walked by. I finished my shopping and checked out. Again I was nervous about going back out into the parking lot and again had the thought of covering my gun. As I walked back out the cops where still there at there table this time they all smiled and waved at me. One of them asked me how my night was going when I replied "I'm finally off work" they all laughed. The same officer started a simple conversation with me, we where a few feet away and I was starting to feel like we where yelling back and forth so I walked closer now with in a arms reach making a effort not to cover my gun at all.
One officer had his eyes fixed on my gun at first but after a few minutes seemed to have deemed me safe because after a few minutes he made great eye contact never again looking down. All four of the police where very friendly and very professional. We had a very relaxed conversation about no one thing in particular before I wished them all a safe shift and walked away. They all told me good night and smiled as I walked away. Walking back to my car I could here there own conversation start back up I did not look behind me but I could detect no level of anxiety in there voice. As I started to pull away in my car they all smiled and waved one more time. The word gun never came up once the entire time I spent with them
This was a great encounter with the Police and a great personal moment for me. I have always felt if open carrying makes you uncomfortable then you have no business doing it. This was the first time in the almost five years I've been open carrying I have felt intimidated by the police and felt I had to cover up to protect myself. I am glad to have pushed myself and very proud of myself for holding my ground and not taking the easy road. I would also like to thank the Kitsap County Sheriff Deputy's for there level of professionalism
As I started for the door I smiled at them and they smiled back, I know they saw my gun because they kept there eyes on me the entire time, one of them turned there head to follow me as I walked by. I finished my shopping and checked out. Again I was nervous about going back out into the parking lot and again had the thought of covering my gun. As I walked back out the cops where still there at there table this time they all smiled and waved at me. One of them asked me how my night was going when I replied "I'm finally off work" they all laughed. The same officer started a simple conversation with me, we where a few feet away and I was starting to feel like we where yelling back and forth so I walked closer now with in a arms reach making a effort not to cover my gun at all.
One officer had his eyes fixed on my gun at first but after a few minutes seemed to have deemed me safe because after a few minutes he made great eye contact never again looking down. All four of the police where very friendly and very professional. We had a very relaxed conversation about no one thing in particular before I wished them all a safe shift and walked away. They all told me good night and smiled as I walked away. Walking back to my car I could here there own conversation start back up I did not look behind me but I could detect no level of anxiety in there voice. As I started to pull away in my car they all smiled and waved one more time. The word gun never came up once the entire time I spent with them
This was a great encounter with the Police and a great personal moment for me. I have always felt if open carrying makes you uncomfortable then you have no business doing it. This was the first time in the almost five years I've been open carrying I have felt intimidated by the police and felt I had to cover up to protect myself. I am glad to have pushed myself and very proud of myself for holding my ground and not taking the easy road. I would also like to thank the Kitsap County Sheriff Deputy's for there level of professionalism