Something Else for Us to Worry About should we Get CCW

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

This was one of the responses on nj.com to the article about Senator Van Drew's CCW bill. He states (in a former post) that he is a LEO, his literacy speaks for itself...

 

Did I say anything about you not having the right to own/carry a weapon? All I was saying is education is the key to the law, Reread my post. Not everyone is properly education on how to properly handle a weapon and not everyone has the common sense to know how to advise an LE officer that they are carrying a weapon, esp. if when you are coming in counter with an officer it may be a high stress situation. During a high stress situation they need to understand how to advise the officer. It wouldn't be target practice gaylord but if i'm on a call and someone is carrying a weapon and tells me he/she is, you better believe I am going to either 1. draw my weapon 2. put them in cuffs 3. remove their weapon form their possession. Until I know they are legally carrying. To be honest, for my protection and for others protection, I may do all that even if they are legally carrying

 

He is right in that education is the key, but in this case it is educating the LE community. The attitudes he puts forth here are reasons for law-abiding carriers to fear LE, not the other way round. Do you suppose he has ever heard the term "Reasonable Articulable Suspicion" or "Probable Cause"? Do you think they teach them about illegally detaining citizens that have done nothing wrong? Do you think he knows what "Official Oppression" is?

 

If I am legally carrying and get stopped at, say, a drunk driving checkpoint, and an idiot like this finds out I'm carrying and drags me out of the car and puts me in handcuffs, I will file the mother of all complaints with his department, his municipality and anyplace else that could bring a world of hurt to his.

 

PA has had shall issue for years and always had Open Carry, without need of a license. They are still trying to educate the LE community there. It also seems that the urban LEO's are less open to this training than suburban or rural departments. Unless there is language written within the law about disclosure to LE in the event of a stop, I will never disclose. It is not germaine to the reason for the stop, thus no reason to, if I am legally carrying.

 

A LEO disarming a legal carrier creates more hazards than if the weapon simply stayed in the holster. Few LEO's are going to be familiar with the myriad of weapons the public will be carrying. The last thing I want is someone yanking a gun out of a secure holster that knows nothing about that particular gun. Again, there is no reason to do so.

 

His attitude speaks volumes as to why the LE community is sometimes looked at as "Jack-booted thugs", rather than public servants.

 

Police carry guns because they have to, they are a tool. To argue how well trained they are is specious. For many LEO's the gun comes out of the holster only when they have to qualify. Look at a dept like NYC that enjoys a "hit" percentage of less than 20% and tell me again how competent they are with firearms. Police are people too. A certain percentage of them will always be firearm enthusiasts and they will be the ones that understand about firearms law, and RAS, and PC, and spend their free time at the range. Others will look upon legal carriers as an affront to their authority. Civilians that carry are much more likely to be enthusiasts and will jealously guard their right to carry. They will practice and go to the range with some regularity, because the like it - both from the standpoints of both recreation and defensive skills.

 

Please don't interpret this as a slam on all LEO's. I know we have several here on this board and they are the ones that fall into the enthusiast category, or they wouldn't be here. But LEO's like the poster of the above comment just remind me of terms like "police state".

 

Rant off.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[NJJim 37]

Well said Pizza Bob!

[crackaloon 15]

After several instances of being detained while my car was searched in my early twenties, I prepare myself for motor vehicle stops much better. All my documents together neatly and retrieved only after the officer gets to the car and sees my hands on the top of the steering wheel. Not that that saved me from getting my car searched, but I didn't want to add variables to the situation. I think I would be pretty upset if I waited like that, and informed them I had a weapon, only to get handcuffed. I don't doubt that that guy is a policeman, but I would doubt he's a very good one if I were judging by his post.

Education is definitely key, and having information from real life examples is good. Personally, I look at situations a bit differently than I did in my younger years and go out of my way to be cooperative and non-confrontational with LEO...even when they may be wrong in my mind. If the training is standardized, then the responces are standardized, hopefully.

[deni 16]

yeah i read that yesterday...

most of the comments are pro and only a few opposed...

the particular LEO apparently doesn't care whether it passes or not

apparently he is just going to consider everyone carrying to be a threat.

[crackaloon 15]

yeah i read that yesterday...

most of the comments are pro and only a few opposed...

the particular LEO apparently doesn't care whether it passes or not

apparently he is just going to consider everyone carrying to be a threat.

Where he should probably consider everyone carrying to be a threat, until they inform him, because criminals with weapons would only inform him by pulling it out.

[NicePants 58]

But guys, we can't possibly carry guns because we are not properly education!

[FFDP82 4]

+1 Pizza Bob

[JimmyAGR 54]

Very well written Pizza Bob. +1.

[Sigman 41]

It sounds like this LEO isn't properly trained and he has a chip on his shoulder. He may draw his weapon and use his cuffs if someone is legally CCW?

[tbtrout 141]

Nicely written PB. This is how it should be done.

[hopper 36]

We all hear it on here about the attitudes and treatment some of us get when just applying for your FID or PP , can you imagine the response from them if CC becomes a law ....

[KpdPipes 388]

in some states what he states is pretty much the norm..which i do NOT agree with. If someone hands me a CCW permit, as far as i'm concerned the SAFEST place for their weapon to be is secured in it's holster...NOT being dicked around with by either of us. Now, that is NOT TO SAY that a CCW is an Automatic "Good Guy Card"..because it isnt. Just as you have bad cops...there are also Bad Guys out there with CCW's. Of course as with ANY group you are going to get some Yahoo with his Home-made "Super Holster" that will end up being more dangerous than Finger-twirling a Glock.... (and Yes I speak from Sad experiecne with this one...Retired Out-of-state cop managed to shoot himself dicking around with his "Holster" that he had constructed himself). In all reality, I dont see this being resolved before I retire, so it'll be a moot point, but as I said I do NOT agree with a lot of the nonsense. If they put it in there that you have to Notify..then you have to do so..if you dont want to..then dont get the damn permit.