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Good news and courteous PD interaction in NE GA

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
With all the trouble some OC'ers have had with LEO's I wanted to post some good news. My wife asked to meet her and the kids at a local (NE Georgia) Chick-fil-a after I finished in our shop this afternoon. When we arrived at Chick-fil-a, there was a Gainesville fire truck, and 3 Gainesville PD cars, along with numerous officers, in the parking lot. As it turns out, they were part of a "car-seat safety" training/inspection sponsered by local groups. We went in and ordered, and got our kids situated, and they played with the large helium balloons strewn about the dining area. I was carrying my "daily gun" (2" barrelled Taurus .38) in a Fobus paddle holster on my right. Unlike most of the times I am in public, today I was neither particularly clean or neat; thus being the nature of our fab/machine shop. While ordering, I was aware of 6-7 "soccer moms" aproaching behind me to place their respective orders. All went well, and during our meal (seated in a corner by a window) I noticed two of the moms speaking to an officer outside, and trying not to make her frantic pointing in our direction very obvious. It became further evident that I may be having my first "LEO discussion" in weeks of OC when two officers came directly in the dining area and headed our way. Once inside, they passed out stickers, shaped like PD badges to all the kids. They took their time walking around to our table. One of the officers walked up on my right, bent down at nearly eye level with my holster, and gave our 2 1/2 yr old daughter a nice shiny sticker. He looked directly at my wife and I, as he said "have a nice day" pleasently. As he walked away my daughter decided to liven this moment up for the officer and I: She tried to peel the freshly placed sticker off her extra large helium balloon with the expected result..... It popped loudly!!! Both the officer and I looked at eachother in horror as the entire establishment went silent... I got up, snatched another balloon for my little girl, and he went back outside laughing. The customer chatter slowly returned, and all was well. The officers' went back out to the group of moms, and I can only hope, explained that I was not a criminal. Hopefully any future public concerns go so well!

Cheers,

Fabricator
 

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
Gunslinger,

There is certainly no doubt in my mind that having my 2 1/2 year old daughter on my shoulders when I ordered our meals helped keep the public response from hitting irrational levels. When I am not out with my family, I almost always have my 5yr old "hound mix" on a lead at my side. He is a well-behaved fella and helps folks feel more comfortable as well. We actually went to the local ice-cream stand after the above dinner, and there was a good sized group of local college girls in line behind us; it was obvious that they were nervous, but as you pointed out, the kids (and "Dexter the dog") helped folks relax. A few of them ended up petting the dog, and they quickly became less tense (althugh one was clearly a "dog-o-phobe", and did not participate).

I have been CCing since 2004 in GA, and was researching OC when I found this site. The great info here has made me realize that exercizing our rights strengthens them! Since I have not seen any other OC'ers here in my area (Gainesville/ Hall Co), I am working to make my first several weeks of OC a bit on the tame side; carrying the snubbie .38spl instead of my intended 4" .357 Service-Six, in addition to being as neat as possible given the nature of a fabrication and machine shop business. In over 2 weeks of OC, I have had nothing negetive happen, and hope it stays that way; however, I am prepared to be respectful of dissenting views, as they are bound to surface at times. Thanks again to everyone for making this a great resource.

Fabricator
 

Kingfish

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Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
1,276
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
I am on the other side of the lake from you and OC everywhere I go in Cumming and other areas. Been out here about 8 months (Dekalb before that :(.) I carry a full size semi and make absolutely no effort to be clean cut or nicely dressed (just shorts and a t-shirt) and have never heard a derogatory word.
 

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
That's good to hear! I have a customer in Cumming, and I wondered how prolific OC was in this part of the state. Was De Kalb a bad place for OC, or just a less desirable pace to live?

Fabricator
 

Kingfish

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
1,276
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
That's good to hear! I have a customer in Cumming, and I wondered how prolific OC was in this part of the state. Was De Kalb a bad place for OC, or just a less desirable pace to live?

Fabricator
Never really had a chance to OC much. Did not get my license till right before we moved (took 96 days.)
Dekalb is just a miserable ***hole (with some stunning exceptions.)

I would not say OC is "prolific" anywhere but there are a few of us in Forsyth that I know of but have not spotted anyone yet.
 

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
"Prolific" WAS a touch of an optomistic chioce of words... I haven't seen any other OC'ers in my "backyard" as of yet, but I do know a CC man purse when I see one!

Fabricator
 
Last edited:

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
Good story. Of course you had your family with you. Wonder how it would have went if you didn't. Hopefully, just the same.


Gunslinger,

I thought in light of your comment, I would add something (although I was still with my family, and your remark is just as applicable here): Over a week after the above "positive PD interaction," my wife was "stir crazy" with the kids again, and we decided to go to the same Chick-fil-a (play area for the kiddos). I met my brother-in law there as well, as he had a some reloading components to hand off outside. As we sat down to have our meal, the folks behind us (who were previously having a lively conversation) fell completly silent (save for low murmers). They continued with their meal, and made no appearences of having hurried, but left out a seldom-used side door, (though parked closer to the other side of the establishment). Within 5 minutes guess who shows up: Gainesville PD! There was two officers, and as the male officer walked in, he looked over in our direction, nodded his head and ordered. He and his female officer partner then occupied the table behind us, where the previous patrons had been; in the kids area. Coincidence??? I am still not sure. Oddly enough, it was the same male officer as the week before, and like before, was courteous and outgoing. Nothing was said beyond normal civil greetings, but there was something to that "knowing smile", as he asked how we were doing, that indicated they did not come in because of the soda, as thats all either officer ordered... I hope the city of Gainesville PD is as 2A friendly as these recent interactions seem to allude, as it seems they are simply doing their job in light of "John-Q-Public's" misunderstood view of firearms.

Fabricator
 

Kingfish

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
1,276
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
I hope the city of Gainesville PD is as 2A friendly as these recent interactions seem to allude, as it seems they are simply doing their job in light of "John-Q-Public's" misunderstood view of firearms.

Fabricator
In my opinion they were not. Doing their job would be to tell the 911 caller to pound sand if there is no crime to report.

For your enlightenment you can do an open records request for the 911 call and radio traffic.
 

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
Kingfish,

How is that done? Is it typed hard-copy, or an audio file? Also, is it considered innapropriate to kindly ask the officers if someone made a "MWAG" call? I had planned to do so, but got caught off guard (well, with a bite of the chicken club in my mouth) when they made their exit.

Fabricator
 

Kingfish

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Apr 10, 2007
Messages
1,276
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Gunslinger

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Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
3,853
Location
Free, Colorado, USA
Gunslinger,

I thought in light of your comment, I would add something (although I was still with my family, and your remark is just as applicable here): Over a week after the above "positive PD interaction," my wife was "stir crazy" with the kids again, and we decided to go to the same Chick-fil-a (play area for the kiddos). I met my brother-in law there as well, as he had a some reloading components to hand off outside. As we sat down to have our meal, the folks behind us (who were previously having a lively conversation) fell completly silent (save for low murmers). They continued with their meal, and made no appearences of having hurried, but left out a seldom-used side door, (though parked closer to the other side of the establishment). Within 5 minutes guess who shows up: Gainesville PD! There was two officers, and as the male officer walked in, he looked over in our direction, nodded his head and ordered. He and his female officer partner then occupied the table behind us, where the previous patrons had been; in the kids area. Coincidence??? I am still not sure. Oddly enough, it was the same male officer as the week before, and like before, was courteous and outgoing. Nothing was said beyond normal civil greetings, but there was something to that "knowing smile", as he asked how we were doing, that indicated they did not come in because of the soda, as thats all either officer ordered... I hope the city of Gainesville PD is as 2A friendly as these recent interactions seem to allude, as it seems they are simply doing their job in light of "John-Q-Public's" misunderstood view of firearms.

Fabricator

Cause and effect. They pretty clearly came in to check, saw honest, decent people, and had a soda--wishing the place sold doughnuts...:> another good encounter and good for your local PD.
 

Gunslinger

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Messages
3,853
Location
Free, Colorado, USA
In my opinion they were not. Doing their job would be to tell the 911 caller to pound sand if there is no crime to report.

For your enlightenment you can do an open records request for the 911 call and radio traffic.

While I certainly agree that is the proper, constitutional response, as these things go, it wasn't all that bad. Think of what goes on in the slave states.
 

Fabricator

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
65
Location
Hall County
Thanks for the insight. Next time I'll chew faster so I can ask the officer(s) if there had been a complaint! I doubt I'll query the records on this one, but it is helpful to know that it can be done.

Fabricator
 
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