I only have one question.
Why the heavy handed approach by law enforcement against people that inadvertently flash their weapon or choose their method of concealment poorly?
You cannot say that it is because the police know they have a firearm as this would be illogical. When criminals have a firearm and the officer does not know, he is not at any more risk because officers are trained to always be aware of what is going on and what the person they are speaking to is doing.
The officers in the video just immediately take the man to the ground. No questions asked.
If cops were truly here to "Serve and Protect", the conversation should have went like this:
Officer: "Sir, we need to talk. Someone called in and said they had seen a firearm on you. Are you carrying and do you have a CDW Permit?"
Non Criminal: "Yes Sir, I do have a permit and I am concealing it right here on my waist."
Officer: "But we can see your firearm and that is not allowed."
Non Criminal: "What you are seeing is a leather case. It covers my firearm completely. Someone must have seen me bend over."
Officer: "Sir, your permit is to carry concealed and although we knew you had a firearm from a caller, concealing it in the manner you are doing is asking for trouble. Now I suggest you either get a longer shirt or get an IWB Holster. We can agree to disagree on whether the case is sufficient to conceal but I am trying to save you some trouble and do not want to have to ticket you."
Non Criminal: "I will take that under advisement. Thank you for letting me know that my concealment method was not perfect. It can be hard to conceal with the clothes I like to wear and this weather."
Officer: "You are welcome. Have a nice day."
Non Criminal: "You too sir!"
Now wouldn't that be better than what was in the video?
+1 - if the world worked like this we probably wouldn't need guns (or, be closer to not needing them)
Well, there's two testimonies for the Fl senate about good citizens being arrested and having their lives adversely affected by Fl's minority, unconstitutional, and senseless prohibition of openly carried handguns. We also have Oklahoma legalizing it, and we'll be able to point out there was no blood in the streets when it is legal there in a couple months. And, that there will be no loss of revenue at their grocery stores, malls, etc. And how about it's just our freakin rights that they're infringing on!
Do we need to have a fundraiser so all the people harassed by our heroes in blue/black/green can take off work and testify in Tallahassee next winter?
I left out heroes in tan because the FHP seems to not care. Good for them.
It should be enough that they're infringing upon second ammendment to the Constitution; but obviously that ammendment was not worded clearly enough. "Well regulated militia" = National Guard (formed more than 100 years later) of course, and obviously "shall not be infringed" = mangle the aforementioned beyond all ability to recognize.
As to the FHP, all of my experiences with them have been nothing but positive in every definition of the word. I've had several run-ins with the local PD (nothing serious, all ended in my favor) that were horrific, to say the least; but FHP seems to really care about doing their job properly, respectfully, and curteously.
For example: once I was in an auto accident. I had been driving home from work and was in my uniform. It was late and I ended up getting run off the road. Another motorist called 911 and got me help while I got out of the wreckage. The motorist remained at the scene to testify on my behalf that I had been run off the road and the other vehicle had taken off. The officer that arrived was completely belligerent and had completely made up his mind what had happened before he even got there: I had been street racing and was probably drunk/high and deserved jail time. He pulled up with his window down screaming at me, screaming as he got out of the car, then screaming in my face. When I showed him my clock-out slip showing I had been out of work only about 30 minutes (at that time) and explained my story he immediately denied it and threatened to arrest me on several charges. When the witness testified on my behalf the officer interrupted him and commanded that he leave the scene. When the motorist questioned the order the officer threatened to arrest him on several grounds too. At this time another unit had been passing and stopped to see what all the commotion was about; he helped clear up the matter but still wrote me a ticket. (Which I went to court over with the witness, pictures, etc. and got the ticket waved)
In another accident it was a passing FHP that stopped to assist. She was wonderful. She immediately took my account of the accident at face-value and listened to me rage and vent (I had been run off the road again, this time, while transporting a trailer of lumber to a jobsite) while nodding knowingly and reassuringly - even allowing me to sit on the hood of her patrol car with her. When I commented on being hungry she went up the street and got me a hotdog and a soda from the local gas station while we waited on the tow truck. Then she drove me home.
I have other stories; however, my intent is not to derail the thread so I will keep them to myself. I merely wanted to reinforce the statement that local PD's have their own issues they may or may not need to deal with - and I respect that - but FHP really does, in my opinion, employ some of the finest public servants in the State of Florida.