M-Taliesin
Regular Member
Howdy Folks!
As you may know, I am taking a course called "Citizen's Academy" provided by my local county.
Part of the course involves taking a "ride along" with a sheriff's deputy, which I did Tuesday evening.
(TIP: Don't plan on working the next day when you've been on a 10 hour duty tour that ends at 3:00am!)
The deputy decided to show me ADCOM, the 911 communication center for a bunch of municipalities in Adams County. When a 911 call comes in, they dispatch to the appropriate LEA, EMS or Fire Department, and handle calls for services from the public. One of our classes during citizen's academy involves a more indepth examination of the ADCOM and I will want to be prepared to make my voice heard. But the short visit I made with the deputy didn't give me much time to address my concern at the moment.
I asked "What do you do when you receive a MWAG call?"
"I would dispatch an officer" was the answer I got.
"Why when the open carry of a firearm is legal?" I rejoined.
"Because you never know what they're up to. They could be on their way to commit a crime." She responded.
Another 911 call came in, and she went back to serving the public, but that answer disturbed me.
Would we stop every motor vehicle because the driver may be on their way to commit a crime?
Does the fact of a handgun openly carried automatically suggest crime to this particular ADCOM agent?
Why would she not ask questions to determine what behavior is evident before dispatching?
I would think it reasonable to ask "What is the person doing?" or "Is the gun in a holster?"
Questions to determine whether there is reason to believe that a crime may be immiment.
It seems to me that mere carrying of a sidearm isn't sufficient, 'in and of' itself, to warrant RAS.
I think there are court cases that affirm that opinion. I'll need to find those for when we have our class on ADCOM.
After our ride along tour was over at 3:00am, I was seriously thirsting, so stopped at a 7-11 in Commerce City.
I saw a police cruiser sitting driverless in their parking lot. I went in, and a CC officer was inside, fetching himself a cup of coffee.
He saw me walk in and I gave him a weary "howdy" before heading back to the soda pop chillers. Obviously I was openly carrying.
When I returned to the counter to pay for my soda, I noticed the officer had stepped outside, and was standing in front of the store. After paying for my purchase, I walked out and chatted with him briefly on my way to the car, passing him strongside. Got to my car, got inside and drove off without any fuss whatsoever. In my mind I thought "hey, Commerce City PD gets it!"
So I'll be preparing to bring this up in the class when we learn about ADCOM. Now that I've spent a tour with a deputy, I know those guys have plenty of much more urgent calls to waste any precious time checking out a legally (and Constitutionally) open carrier who is going about his law abiding business. A few questions by a 911 operator could save a great deal of time wasted by a deputy more urgently needed elsewhere.
At least, that's my humble opinion.
Blessings,
M-Taliesin
As you may know, I am taking a course called "Citizen's Academy" provided by my local county.
Part of the course involves taking a "ride along" with a sheriff's deputy, which I did Tuesday evening.
(TIP: Don't plan on working the next day when you've been on a 10 hour duty tour that ends at 3:00am!)
The deputy decided to show me ADCOM, the 911 communication center for a bunch of municipalities in Adams County. When a 911 call comes in, they dispatch to the appropriate LEA, EMS or Fire Department, and handle calls for services from the public. One of our classes during citizen's academy involves a more indepth examination of the ADCOM and I will want to be prepared to make my voice heard. But the short visit I made with the deputy didn't give me much time to address my concern at the moment.
I asked "What do you do when you receive a MWAG call?"
"I would dispatch an officer" was the answer I got.
"Why when the open carry of a firearm is legal?" I rejoined.
"Because you never know what they're up to. They could be on their way to commit a crime." She responded.
Another 911 call came in, and she went back to serving the public, but that answer disturbed me.
Would we stop every motor vehicle because the driver may be on their way to commit a crime?
Does the fact of a handgun openly carried automatically suggest crime to this particular ADCOM agent?
Why would she not ask questions to determine what behavior is evident before dispatching?
I would think it reasonable to ask "What is the person doing?" or "Is the gun in a holster?"
Questions to determine whether there is reason to believe that a crime may be immiment.
It seems to me that mere carrying of a sidearm isn't sufficient, 'in and of' itself, to warrant RAS.
I think there are court cases that affirm that opinion. I'll need to find those for when we have our class on ADCOM.
After our ride along tour was over at 3:00am, I was seriously thirsting, so stopped at a 7-11 in Commerce City.
I saw a police cruiser sitting driverless in their parking lot. I went in, and a CC officer was inside, fetching himself a cup of coffee.
He saw me walk in and I gave him a weary "howdy" before heading back to the soda pop chillers. Obviously I was openly carrying.
When I returned to the counter to pay for my soda, I noticed the officer had stepped outside, and was standing in front of the store. After paying for my purchase, I walked out and chatted with him briefly on my way to the car, passing him strongside. Got to my car, got inside and drove off without any fuss whatsoever. In my mind I thought "hey, Commerce City PD gets it!"
So I'll be preparing to bring this up in the class when we learn about ADCOM. Now that I've spent a tour with a deputy, I know those guys have plenty of much more urgent calls to waste any precious time checking out a legally (and Constitutionally) open carrier who is going about his law abiding business. A few questions by a 911 operator could save a great deal of time wasted by a deputy more urgently needed elsewhere.
At least, that's my humble opinion.
Blessings,
M-Taliesin
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