Semi-Negative LEO Encounter

[jahwarrior]

I took a walk to Carvel yesterday with my son. When I say walk, I mean I walked, while he slept in his stroller. Four blocks and a lot of sweat later, I walked up to the window, ordered an orange vanilla swirl, and walked over to the bench off to the side. There were two local PD patrolmen there. One of them approached me, holding his hand up. His partner walked off nonchalantly to my right side, keeping my gun in view.

Cop #1: "Hey, buddy, what's up with that?"

Me: "What's up with what?"

Cop #1: "What's up with that gun? You need to conceal that."

Me: "No, I don't. You know I don't. You know it's legal in Pennsylvania, everyone in your department received the updated memo on the legality of open carry."

Cop #1: "What do you know about it our training?"

Me: "I know about it. That should be enough. Did you get it?"

Cop #1: "Sure, we got it, but I still think it's stupid to be doing that."

Cop #2: "Wow, he's a cutie. What's his name?"

Me, to my 2 month old son: "Don't say a word without a lawyer, son." I thought that might get a laugh out of them, but it didn't. Oh well.

Cop #1: "What do you do for a living, anyway? Are you in security or some crap?"

Me: "My job is none of your business, officer."

Cop #2: "We're just curious, is all."

Me: "That's fine. I just don't talk about my work with people I don't know."

Cop #2: "But, we're cops. You have no reason not to trust us."

Me: "Did you really just use the 'Trust us we're the police' line on me? After your partner tried to lie to me and tell me I had to conceal?"

Cop #1: "Smart guy, huh? Yeah, you look REAL smart, with your pot belly, and baby stroller, eating ice cream with a big old gun strapped to your hip. You wanna carry a gun? Try losing weight and becoming a cop, smart guy."

Me: "Oh, so your department put a freeze on hiring Neandertals?"

Cop #2: "There's no reason for the attitude, mister."

Me: "Tell your pet caveman that."

Cop #1: "You're real fuckin' funny, you know that? You keep on being funny, you ******* idiot. Next time you need to call 911, make sure you tell the operator something real funny. Maybe your jokes will help save your life, you fuckin' jerkoff. Have a nice fuckin' day."

I sat there as they stomped off. My ice cream was starting to melt, but I was glad my son slept through it. This kid could sleep on top of a jackhammer, but if I crack my knuckles, he wakes up angry. I ate the melted parts as fast as I could. A lady there with 4 kids walked up to me, and asked me if it was legal to carry a gun. It turnds out, she just moved here from NJ a few weeks ago. She thought about buying a gun, but didn't want to go through the hassle she went through in NJ trying to get a license. I told hr the short version of PA law: anyone not criminally or mentally prohibited from owning a gun can buy one, no waiting period, and can get a license to carry one, concealed, and that it was legal to carry openly. She thanked me, and walked back to her kids.

So, not a totally negative 10 minutes of my life. I love ice cream.

 

[thebigsd]

Hope you write a nice long complaint letter. Were you recording? It's good you were able to educate another potential carrier, I'm sure the police would love that!

 

[HandyHamlet]

After reading your post, Sir, I believe I must dab away a tear. For it is so good it inspires tears of joy.









{although Neanderthals may take exception!}

 

[Blk97F150]

Me, to my 2 month old son: "Don't say a word without a lawyer, son."

LOL!!

Gotta love the 'You can trust us, we're cops' routine. Apparently they haven't been keeping up with just how many of their fellow officers all over the country have been getting arrested lately.... :uhoh:

 

[RJB1075]

I know u are from my area, what police dept was it ?

Rob

I took a walk to Carvel yesterday with my son. When I say walk, I mean I walked, while he slept in his stroller. Four blocks and a lot of sweat later, I walked up to the window, ordered an orange vanilla swirl, and walked over to the bench off to the side. There were two local PD patrolmen there. One of them approached me, holding his hand up. His partner walked off nonchalantly to my right side, keeping my gun in view.

Cop #1: "Hey, buddy, what's up with that?"

Me: "What's up with what?"

Cop #1: "What's up with that gun? You need to conceal that."

Me: "No, I don't. You know I don't. You know it's legal in Pennsylvania, everyone in your department received the updated memo on the legality of open carry."

Cop #1: "What do you know about it our training?"

Me: "I know about it. That should be enough. Did you get it?"

Cop #1: "Sure, we got it, but I still think it's stupid to be doing that."

Cop #2: "Wow, he's a cutie. What's his name?"

Me, to my 2 month old son: "Don't say a word without a lawyer, son." I thought that might get a laugh out of them, but it didn't. Oh well.

Cop #1: "What do you do for a living, anyway? Are you in security or some crap?"

Me: "My job is none of your business, officer."

Cop #2: "We're just curious, is all."

Me: "That's fine. I just don't talk about my work with people I don't know."

Cop #2: "But, we're cops. You have no reason not to trust us."

Me: "Did you really just use the 'Trust us we're the police' line on me? After your partner tried to lie to me and tell me I had to conceal?"

Cop #1: "Smart guy, huh? Yeah, you look REAL smart, with your pot belly, and baby stroller, eating ice cream with a big old gun strapped to your hip. You wanna carry a gun? Try losing weight and becoming a cop, smart guy."

Me: "Oh, so your department put a freeze on hiring Neandertals?"

Cop #2: "There's no reason for the attitude, mister."

Me: "Tell your pet caveman that."

Cop #1: "You're real fuckin' funny, you know that? You keep on being funny, you ******* idiot. Next time you need to call 911, make sure you tell the operator something real funny. Maybe your jokes will help save your life, you fuckin' jerkoff. Have a nice fuckin' day."

I sat there as they stomped off. My ice cream was starting to melt, but I was glad my son slept through it. This kid could sleep on top of a jackhammer, but if I crack my knuckles, he wakes up angry. I ate the melted parts as fast as I could. A lady there with 4 kids walked up to me, and asked me if it was legal to carry a gun. It turnds out, she just moved here from NJ a few weeks ago. She thought about buying a gun, but didn't want to go through the hassle she went through in NJ trying to get a license. I told hr the short version of PA law: anyone not criminally or mentally prohibited from owning a gun can buy one, no waiting period, and can get a license to carry one, concealed, and that it was legal to carry openly. She thanked me, and walked back to her kids.

So, not a totally negative 10 minutes of my life. I love ice cream.

 

[jahwarrior]

Hope you write a nice long complaint letter. Were you recording? It's good you were able to educate another potential carrier, I'm sure the police would love that!

i live in Dickson City. yeah, THAT Dickson City. i don't plan on writing anything, i plan on going in personally sometime today to schedule an appointment with the chief of police here. i guess they forgot the ongoing litigation for the Old Country Buffet nonsense; i guess they need a little reminder.

 

[RJB1075]

i live in Dickson City. yeah, THAT Dickson City. i don't plan on writing anything, i plan on going in personally sometime today to schedule an appointment with the chief of police here. i guess they forgot the ongoing litigation for the Old Country Buffet nonsense; i guess they need a little reminder.

Of course you are going to let us know how it goes . . . . Right ?

Rob

 

[jahwarrior]

Of course you are going to let us know how it goes . . . . Right ?

Rob

of course! i also don't expect a whole lot to happen. over the past couple of years, i've had some prety intense encounters with Scranton PD, filed complaints, talked to police commanders, and saw little improvement.

 

[skidmark]

Always with the negative comments about the Neanderthals, huh? How about someone go pick on the Cro-Magnons once in a while?

Or is it because they (I'm not sure now if I'm talking about the Cro-Magnons or the cops) got a good PR firm. http://archaeology.about.com/od/earlymansites/a/cro_magnon.htm

I sure hope you were able to record that exchange of points of view. Burn a copy to a CD/DVD and bring it as a gift when you see the Chief. Maybe have a few more copies and leave them at the desk for others to listen to? Have the rest of the force play "Who's that idiot?"

BTW, isn't there some city/county/state rule about not swearing in front of children?

stay safe.

 

[Fallschirjmäger]

Even Chuck would approve.
I had a somewhat similar 'encounter' in the Georgia forum and I have to ask....

Was it such an amazingly good feeling to see their powerlessness that it almost made you giddy?

 

[carracer]

"So easy, a Caveman could do it!"

 

[jahwarrior]

Even Chuck would approve.
I had a somewhat similar 'encounter' in the Georgia forum and I have to ask....

Was it such an amazingly good feeling to see their powerlessness that it almost made you giddy?

to be honest, no. it would have felt good if they'd approahced me, and asked what i was carrying, and struck up a conversation that wasn't geared towards busting my balls over open carry.

 

[Gunslinger]

I would file a formal complaint about their use of profanity. I'm not an expert on PA law, but in some states that constitutes disorderly conduct. At the very least it is unprofessional to the max. They had no reason to talk to you that way. Too bad you don't have it recorded.

"Trust us, we're the Gestapo..."

 

[wylde007]

Not From PA

But a truly inspiring story... and just further iteration of how so many of the men in blue look down on us common folk with abject contempt and disdain.

Thanks.

 

[Deanimator]

I would file a formal complaint about their use of profanity. I'm not an expert on PA law, but in some states that constitutes disorderly conduct. At the very least it is unprofessional to the max. They had no reason to talk to you that way. Too bad you don't have it recorded.

"Trust us, we're the Gestapo..."

Don't bet that he DIDN'T have it recorded...

 

[jahwarrior]

Don't bet that the DIDN'T have it recorded...

i learned my lesson after the last few encounters i had. my cell phone has a voice recording function, so now when i leave the house, i have it on standby. all it takes to start recording is a quick tap.

 

[Deanimator]

i learned my lesson after the last few encounters i had. my cell phone has a voice recording function, so now when i leave the house, i have it on standby. all it takes to start recording is a quick tap.

I bought my first smart phone a couple of months ago. The FIRST app I installed was Cop Recorder II.

When cops misbehave, they LIE. You'd BETTER be able to PROVE it when they do.

After you're little talk (and after FOIA requesting ANY material arising from the incident) you ought to put up a link to the recording.

 

[Lokster]

jahwarrior,

Thanks for the laugh! On the other hand, the lack of professionalism displayed too often by LE from all over the country is appalling and unacceptable in my opinion. These bad apples are beginning to give the appearance that the whole bunch is spoiled.

Cop #1: "Smart guy, huh? Yeah, you look REAL smart, with your pot belly, and baby stroller, eating ice cream with a big old gun strapped to your hip. You wanna carry a gun? Try losing weight and becoming a cop, smart guy."

I don't know about where you're at, but out here it's quite obvious that you don't have to make much of an effort in losing weight to become a cop.

I would love to see a study, privately funded of course, comparing the ratio of obese criminals to LE.

 

[jahwarrior]

jahwarrior,

Thanks for the laugh! On the other hand, the lack of professionalism displayed too often by LE from all over the country is appalling and unacceptable in my opinion. These bad apples are beginning to give the appearance that the whole bunch is spoiled.



I don't know about where you're at, but out here it's quite obvious that you don't have to make much of an effort in losing weight to become a cop.

I would love to see a study, privately funded of course, comparing the ratio of obese criminals to LE.

Most cops in this area are in good shape; Scranton's PD has a strict policy about it, so i've never seen a fat Scranton cop. i've never seen a fat Dickson City cop either; most of the outlying suburbs around Scranton copy their policies. i myself have no such policy.

 

[usamarshal]

Thats classic...sounds like you hurt the officers feelings...good stuff...oh yea, in Ohio...we have the fattest officers/deputies in the country...I've seen officers where they have to put up the steering wheel in order to get in and out of the vehicle...haha