Ridgeland, Ms Police officers encounter

So last night around 9:45 I went to the Shell at the corner of Lake Harbour and Old Canton Road to get some fishing bait and when I arrived 2 Ridgeland Police cars were in the parking lot. I frequent this particular store for my bait all the time so the staff knows me fairly well. Anyway as I walked in the cashier spoke and asked if I needed crickets and I said yes. We went into the back(which I had to pass by the officers) and got my bait. As I was leaving the bait area one of the officers asked me who I worked for and I replied I'm just a private citizen. He then asked if I had a permit and I said yes. He asked for my permit and I asked him what was the reason. He responded because I was carrying my firearm in the open view which was not what I was supposed to do. I explained that in a holster is considered concealed carry in Ms, and that the state statue says that the mere presence of a gun isn't probable cause to ask for my license but that I would comply this time. He then told me that he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't ask people who had guns on the waist to see their permit because he had to make sure every one was safe. I asked why wasn't everyone safe and he said because I had a firearm and I replied that he and the other officer both had firearms as well. While we were having this discussion the other officer called in my firearms permit and everything came back clean. So he returned it to me. After receiving my license back I told the officer that he should check with his supervisor so that he would know the statue of the law in case he ran into another licensed citizen and he responded that he was a supervisor and I said oh ok well I've been licensed for almost 6 years and those statues have been the same since before I was licensed. He then told me goodbye and to leave. I then paid and got into my vechicle as I was opening the door to mine they both came running out of the store and jumped into their cars and began to follow me as I left the store. But they never pulled me over so....

Sorry for the long post just wanted to let the fellow members know that apparently Ridgeland Police Department officers and supervisors don't know the law and you may find yourself being detained or some other stupid thing they try to pull.

What if anything are you going to do in follow up on this?

Did you get the officer's names? Were you recording? I would, at the least, write a letter to the police department expressing your displeasure. Make sure you ask for a response. Good luck.

JoeSparky said:

What if anything are you going to do in follow up on this?

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Second the question.

Well I was thinking a letter/email to the chief of police. But not sure how exactly to word it. Would love some suggestions from the board.

Tell him the same thing you told the moron cop. You hit all of the salient points. And suggest he needs to retrain a "supervisor" who doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to firearms' law. Politely, of course.

Gunslinger said:

Tell him the same thing you told the moron cop. You hit all of the salient points. And suggest he needs to retrain a "supervisor" who doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to firearms' law. Politely, of course.

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Well, they're all time telling us that 'ignorance of the law is no excuse', so I wonder if that works both ways. Yeah, a letter to the Chief might be in order. An informative letter, not a bashing letter.

I've been given the "Well, we see that you're openly carrying a gun, so we have to see your license to make sure you are allowed to do so" line from police officers on several occasions.

I reply with, "If you look over there, you'll see some people openly driving cars. That also requires a license. Aren't you going to 'check them out' to see if they're allowed to do so?"

I rarely receive a positive reaction.

Superlite27 said:

I've been given the "Well, we see that you're openly carrying a gun, so we have to see your license to make sure you are allowed to do so" line from police officers on several occasions.

I reply with, "If you look over there, you'll see some people openly driving cars. That also requires a license. Aren't you going to 'check them out' to see if they're allowed to do so?"

I rarely receive a positive reaction.

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Of course they can't pull drivers over simply to check a license and the same thing applies under ANY OTHER License. Terry v. Ohio rules apply when "seizing" someone.

IF I were told "Well, we see that you're openly carrying a gun, so we have to see your license to make sure you are allowed to do so", I would say "Well, there is NO requirement for a license to OPENLY CARRY. AM I FREE TO LEAVE??"

Sorry but I could'nt help but chuckle when I read your encounter.....my brother works for Ridgeland PD....was just wondering if it was him or not....he can be a real smartass and sounds like something he would pull, even knowing the open carry law

Folks, when yall start sending letters to congressman concerning 97-37-1, be sure to mention the confusion it has caused among LEOs. This may help persuade them to change the language used in the statute. After all, if it makes it easier on law enforcement, the legislature may do it.

Wyldhog said:

Sorry but I could'nt help but chuckle when I read your encounter.....my brother works for Ridgeland PD....was just wondering if it was him or not....he can be a real smartass and sounds like something he would pull, even knowing the open carry law

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Well in hindsight I guess I should have gotten his name/badge number.....then we would know for sure....

Cornelius said:

He responded because I was carrying my firearm in the open view which was not what I was supposed to do. I explained that in a holster is considered concealed carry in Ms,

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Why did you tell him something that is simply not true! There has been no real determination if carry in a holster is "considered concealed"! If such were true we would have our right to carry stripped from us. The MS constitution guarantees the right to openly carry weapons. The assenting opinion of one judge did not mention holsters and would sweep up all weapons and all carry as concealed and would destroy the MS constitution. Please do not falsely perpetuate the rumor that open carry is concealed carry. Such is an Orwellian diversion.

The State of Mississippi has no constitutional authority to regulate or prohibit openly carrying a weapon; they can only regulate or prohibit concealed weapons. Concealed means one can not see it. Please read the laws and constitution in its entirety on a subject before you retell falsehoods that strip you of your fundamental and constitutionally protected rights.

Finally, no law prohibits the carrying of weapons openly, only concealed, such would be a flagrant violation of the constitution and the legislature has not done this yet.

Well its been over a month and I got no response at all from Chief Houston....oh well I guess if/when I get actually arrested for not breaking any laws then I'll be able to get his attention......