ccw badge

[zastros]

A while back I was in a fast food joint and saw a little old man standing in front of me with his family. I noticed a badge on his belt and, since he seemed kind of old to be on the job, I sneaked a peek at it. It read Florida Concealed carry license. I asked him about it and learned he was from St. Louis and had a non-resident ccw. I thought the badge a bit much but it's his choice, whatever.

But I've been mulling it over ever since. On the one hand, the badge sort of screams, (to me anyway) I TAKE MYSELF WAY TOO SERIOUSLY! I mean, you know, that first letter stands for Concealed, champ. If they wanted you to have a little badge, they'd have issued you one. And I'm guessing that if they had, you'd be complaining about it. So why mark yourself?

On the other hand, if some goblin saw that badge and didn't mistake it for a real one, then he'd look at this little guy and possibly say to himself, "This dude thinks he's Gary Cooper, and would probably shoot me for looking at him crosseyed. Maybe somebody else." Which, I guess, makes it an effective defense tactic?

It just seems sort of wearing your heart on your sleeve, IMO.

[c_yeager]

Seems to me like a pretty obvious sign of a sad and possibly dangeous wannabe that I wouldnt allow to carry a sharp stick on my property.

[orangeninja]

I observed this strange phenomenon with a guy in a gunshop. In he walks with girlfriend in tow....and I notice his badge. Being a cop myself I didn't recognize it at all as being from our area so I take a closer look. Sure enough a CCW badge. I didn't say anything to the guy because to be honest...I had very conflicting feelings. Part of me said, pop this guy for impersinating a cop...but part of me said...this dude's trying to impress his lady friend and if I back him down in front of her, I'd better be ready for a fight. I just said screw it and went on.

Last night I was in a restaraunt with my wife and a cop from a local city walks in and sits down with some kids in football uniforms. He had his badge on his belt and a handgun in plain view in a pancake holster...wearing a T shirt, dirty jeans and a cowboy hat; obviously NOT on duty as he is from a large metropolitan police dept. I pointed him out to my wife and said "if that guy was one of my officers I'd kick his arse up around his ears." It angered me that the guy was so cavalier with his safety, no vest, no backup magazines, no radio, just a badge and a pistol....a tragedy looking for a place. Did you know that 25% of cops are slain off duty? And this guy was trying to make quota probably while attempting to get a discount for his family and friends by being a cop. Maybe I'm a bit straight laced...but I thought it was pathetic and perhaps not all that well thought out. Usually the only cops I see doing somthing like that are:

Sheriffs Deputies...I don't know why, but deputies LOVE to wear that belt badge on display off duty...could be because a lot of them work the jail and it is the only time they get to.

Small townie cops...which is about right especially if there are only 2 or 3 in the town 24/7.

Rookies from any department...except Feds...I haven't seen any "agents" do this yet.

Retirees....who'm I respect as doing a thankless job for 20 or more years..however I still think the badge belongs in the wallet.

If you must wear a badge to identify yourself as a non-A-Hole in a shooting or robbery, wear a neck chain badge holder UNDER your shirt, that away when you produce your CONCEALED weapon...you can produce a badge just as quickly....and all other times you're not hanging your butt and everyone else's around you in the wind.

Just my .02.

PS...the next concealment badge I see will get a stern lecturing from me personally...girlfriend or not.

[bachman1961]

Good points regarding the badge. Seems kind of counterintuitive when you fork out $80 to $150 in expenses for a permit and/or training for 'conceal carry' then go out and blow $8.00 on a flashy badge to project your little secret.. ..

[mete]

If he needs it the element of surprise is gone if he has a badge.

[Doc2005]

I've got it...let's all get blue on gold tattoos on our foreheads! They could inscribe: "CCW Holder". Then, right beside that, they could tattoo the bulleye right between the eyes!

The badge, if I envision him to be old and frail, screams hey, I have a loaded gun...beat me and steal it. I can't resist. That's why I wear this Mickey Mouse badge of courage.

When I saw those advertised in several hunting magazines, right beside the articles about becoming a private detective, I laughed! If I were pulled over, and flashed THAT, instead of my MCPL, the officer would haul me (and/or my pistols) off to jail! The badge is NOT legal...only the license is legal.

In all seriousness, I believe he was using it to deter people from attacking him. His logic was flawed. I believe it would bring on the opposite. If someone wants a badge, join the force! If you want a CCW--KEEP THE "C" CONCEALED!

Am I wrong, or does posting his badge almost "smell" of "brandishing" a weapon?

Doc2005

[rmgill]

Am I wrong, or does posting his badge almost "smell" of "brandishing" a weapon?

Doc2005

Well, some states don't have a 'brandishing' crime.

[bakert]

I've never seen one of those badges but for the life of me I can't understand why someone would want to wear one. In Ky the gun must be concealed. Why advertise you have one. Guess it takes all kinds!! To be honest, a person wearing one of those badges would make me a bit nervous!

[hso]

They're idiotic posturing.

[armoredman]

I never wear my badge off duty - why set your self up to be assaulted? Stupid. CCW badge is so contradictory to the whole idea that it just floors me. All a displayed CCW badge does is shout, "HEY! I'm stupid! I am NOT a cop, with no backup, no radio, no training, but I have a pistol you'd probably love to steal!!! If you're planning on robbing this place, you'd better shoot me first!"
I kinda try to avoid that message, myself.....

[dpesec]

Look, think about this like alduro said, a badge says "take me out first". That's why he was upset with the off duty LEO with no backup plan. Me, I want as much advantage as I can get, not letting anybody know I'm packing might give me a few extra seconds before I need to do anything.

Don't ever give up the element of stealth.

[Biker]

The public will never know that I'm carrying a gun until it's time for me to present it.
Biker

[Lupinus]

yeah that makes sense :rolleyes:

Lets carry concealed and advertise we are doing it....that should make it a real surprise.

[White Horseradish]

If these badges were issued by the state with the CCW I could see them as being useful to identify a CCW holder to the police in the event of a shootout. Since they are a piece of tin anyone can buy, they are indeed idiotic posturing.

I used to work with a guy who drove old police Crown Vics for that reason...

[Daniel Flory]

Seems to me like a pretty obvious sign of a sad and possibly dangeous wannabe that I wouldnt allow to carry a sharp stick on my property.

+1

[Rezin]

I doubt I'd ever wear one, as I don't want to be the "go to guy" if S hits the F and someone thinks "Hey, that cop can help"

However, while I see lots of name calling, and such for those that do wear them (I agree, probably half are posers ;)) I have to say quite a few of of the local cops here advocate them. They say it eases the casual observers mind if he GLIMPSES your concealed gun, and sees a badge next to it. But it should only be revealed if the gun is too.

I guess I see the point, but I don't think I'd be inclined to wear one........... I prefer people to NOT know I am armed.

[RyanM]

I've occasionally (not very seriously) considered taking something like a gum wrapper and sticking it onto the belt loop of my holster, or else buying an IWB holster with a clip, and polishing off some of the black finish in a vaguely badge-shoped area. That way, if I accidentally "flash" my gun, the reaction from any sheeple that see it would hopefully be something like "oh my god, he's got a gun! Wait, was that a badge?" I don't plan on ever being that careless, though, so it's not worth the potential trouble.

[antarti]

Unless and until somebody deputizes me (and they'd have to be pretty desperate to want my help) I'm not wearing anything resembling a badge, not even on Halloween.

Too much potential for getting the wrong kind of notice from both LEOs and BGs. Misunderstandings like that can be real dangerous.

[Jeff White]

CCW badges are not only likely to get you the wrong kind of attention from the real police, it's not a good idea for your own safety.

I never wear my badge off duty. I don't even carry it in the same wallet I carry my cash and credit/debit cards in. I use a seperate wallet type badge case for my badge and ID. I wouldn't be cool to be standing there at the counter of the convenience store and have someone who came in to rob the place, ID you as a cop. You could be shot out of hand before anything else goes down.

Someone with a CCW badge on their belt takes the same chance. It would be tragic to be executed at the start of an armed robbery because someone thouht you were a peace officer.

I do wear my badge if I'm on duty in a civilian clothes setting such as at a Mobile Training Unit class. But when I do, I also have the other things I need to work, albeit in smaller quantities.

I can see why some people would be calmed by the sight of a badge near a firearm. Seeral years ago I attended the Calibre Press Street Survival Seminar. There were a couple hundred officers from all over the country in attendance. The seminar was held at one of the big hotels in downtown St. Louis. Apparently the signs at the door to the conference rooms weren't enough to calm people because the hotel management asked several times for the officers to make sure they had a badge visible if we left the conference room.

Still I think the downsides far outweigh any benefit you might get from one.

Jeff

[Sistema1927]

These types of badges are specifically against the law in New Mexico.

"Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!"

[HankB]

Even if you're not a sworn LEO, badges can be fun and used to impress your friends . . . if you're 8 years old and the badge identifies you as a Genuine Junior G-Man. :rolleyes:

[sam59]

I was going to add something to this post but I think everyone covered it, and then some.

Maybe the carriers of these badges confused the C in CCW for conspicuous??

[Oldtimer]

The CCW "phenomenon" has only been around for a few years, if you think about it. Certain states have passed "shall issue" CCW/CHL laws for private citizens, and they're still sort of in a "limbo" between it being a "privelege" or a "right".

Several gun boards that I look at have had postings from prospective CCW applicants. Their reasons for wanting/needing a CCW permit run the gamut, from a few thinking that it is "cool" to carry, all the way up to those who have "necessary" reasons. Well, in several states, even "necessary" reasons for having a CCW permit might not be enough.

I've had a CCW permit for 35+ years....but my "permit" has been in the way of a police I.D. card.
While I do carry my police badge (a retired police officer badge for the past 4 years), it stays in my "second" wallet, which rarely comes out of my pants pocket. I do NOT want to advertise that I am a retired LEO, and never advertised when I was still active-duty! With that having been said, I never "advertised" that I was carrying a concealed weapon when I was off-duty! It was a "no-no" for off-duty officers to carry EXPOSED weapons!

This brings me back to the "cool" thing of having a CCW permit. I truly believe that the "cool" guys are either looking for trouble, or will eventually lost interest if nothing happens. By adding a CCW badge to the "coolness" aspect, it can only be a personality flaw.....a police "wannabee" who is unwilling to go through the rigorous training of becoming a REAL police officer.

For those of you with CCW permits....have you ever given any thought about becoming a REAL police officer? How about a "part-time" LEO, as a reserve
police officer or reserve deputy sheriff? You'd be accomplishing two things...."enhancing" whatever limited training that you went through for your CCW permit by adding REAL police training, AND you'd be doing a service to your community on a part-time basis. You'd be issued a REAL police badge, a REAL police I.D. card, and probably even be issued a handgun! Sure, you would be required to work a few hours for very little pay, but even as a reserve, you would qualify for certain "police discounts" and benefits!

During my 31 years in law enforcement, I had the PRIVELEGE of working with countless reserve police officers. Many of them, after "getting their feet wet", chose to go full-time! Those reserve police officers that I worked with came from all walks of life....an auto mechanic (who eventually became a full-time officer) all the way up to a bona fide multi-millionaire, who was a full-time corporate lawyer!

Just some food for thought! Besides, having a REAL police badge to display if you're involved in a "SHTF" situation would be much better than flashing a "Cracker Jacks" toy CCW badge!

(Uh, did I mention that one of the benefits of being a REAL police officer is that you are allowed to deduct for firearm and ammo purchases on your federal tax forms? As a retired officer, I can no longer do that!)

[Pilgrim]

(Uh, did I mention that one of the benefits of being a REAL police officer is that you are allowed to deduct for firearm and ammo purchases on your federal tax forms? As a retired officer, I can no longer do that!)
I recommend moderation in doing this. Buying five firearms in a year and claiming you need them for your job is easily challenged in an audit. Ammunition is safer if you are say a firearms instructor for your department and need the extra ammo to attend a school to improve your professional qualifications. Subscriptions to professional journals and professional book purchases are easy to justify.

Pilgrim

[Zundfolge]

If I lived in an area where there where a lot of sheeple, and the CCW rules state that any printing or flashing could cost me my permit, I could see having some sort of badge clipped to my belt next to my holster so that if it flashed your average sheeple would think "Oh, cop ... nevermind" as they put their cell phone back in their pocket. Of course wearing a CCW badge under these circumstances means that nobody would see it unless they also see your gun.


However I live in Colorado where impersonating a police officer is a felony (due to some rapist/murder posing as a cop and pulling women over). So I'm thinking a CCW badge here would cause more problems then it would prevent.

Plus in Colorado I can print, flash and just plain open carry without any legal hassles so its a non-issue here.



All that said, I still imagine that most of the folk who wear CCW badges are just silly...harmless, but silly.

[Mannlicher]

CCW Badge = Stupid, doubly so if you show it to anyone. lol

[XLMiguel]

CCW badge = Mickey Mouse

M - I - C - see, I'm a bad-assed dude, I got a real gun . .
K - E - Y- Why? Because I'm a self-important, immature wanker, who will likely fold in a real life/death situation anyway -
M - O - U - S - E- Small annoying rodent with no socially redeeming value
:barf:
Any questions?
(meybe my meds wore off, I'm feeling rather intolerant at the moment)

[NorthernExtreme]

CCW badges make as much sense to me as Police (SWAT, SRT etc..) who wear camouflage.

An exception may be in a state like NC where there a CCW holder must announce they are carrying to ANY LEO if approached or addressed by an Officer that they are carrying. It does not have any exception for Undercover, Off Duty, or plain cloths officers. Of if the contact is official or social. The badge could be a great way of cover yourself and uphold your legal obligation at the same time.

I guess if (and I know it's a big if) a CCW holder was involved in a shooting, in progress when the police arrived, they (the Police) may be less likely to shoot the guy with the badge.

Either way, we can look at CCW badges, and LEO's who always have their badges displayed in the same light. WHO CARES!!!!!

[blackrazor]

Part of me said, pop this guy for impersinating a cop...

"pop" him?! For what, wearing a CCW badge? Did the badge say he was a cop? Are you the fashion police? :uhoh:

[Meta4]

It seems like wearing a badge could look really bad in court after a justified shooting. I agree, nine times out of ten the wearer is probably a poser.

-James

[orangeninja]

"pop" him?! For what, wearing a CCW badge? Did the badge say he was a cop? Are you the fashion police? :uhoh:


Why....as a matter of fact yes...wait until you get your citation for that shirt.:evil:


Actually by "pop" I mean confront the moron....and not as a JBT...but as a CCH myself. The penal code gives the defense to impersination of an officer as......

"(3) the item was used or intended for use exclusively
for decorative purposes or in an artistic or dramatic presentation."

Which you could say...a CCW badge is pretty dramatic....as long as he doesn't present himself as a cop or say somthing like...."hey there, do I get a LEO discount?"

I know your take on cops Blackrazor so try not to get defensive.:neener:

[Jacobus Rex]

I just want to know if the CCW badge comes with a secret decoder ring. If it doesn't then I ain't buying one.

On the other hand, I'm thinking that I could take a CCW badge and then stuff my fat self into a black t-shirt with "security" on it. Add some cool shades, airborne boots and desert camo bdu pants. I'd be the very image of a real double nought ninja.

:neener:

[JamisJockey]

The only pro I see is if you get made, and have a CCW badge right next to your piece, uneducated blissninnies will likely mistake you for a cop. You're sort of impersonating a cop by carrying one, but in a good way. Its just to calm and soothe the public.
If you're flashing it, wearing it in plain view, or otherwise displaying it, you need a swift kick to the nuts.

[dasmi]

They're idiotic posturing.
+1

[mattdus]

This has basically been said already that wearing a badge may make you a target but I want to make a serious addition to it. I work for the Virginia Department of Corrections, as a law enforcement officer (Corrections is L/E) I am a target of MS-13. If you do not know about MS-13 look it up, Any LEO is a target for these people and they are out there.The point here is that wearing that badge and allowing yourself to be mistaken as a LEO could be more deadly than you might think, that badge might just cause that proverbial SHTF situation.

just my 2 cents
Matt

[Johnny_Yuma]

I've got it...let's all get blue on gold tattoos on our foreheads! They could inscribe: "CCW Holder". Then, right beside that, they could tattoo the bulleye right between the eyes!

Great idea, Doc, but my highly concealable forehead holster would cover the tatt!

[Nitram68]

I remember seeing the badges for sale in a magazine somewhere. If I remember, the theory behind it was if you used your CCW in a self defense situation, the badge would give pause to anyone, LEO included, before identifying you as the bad guy with the gun and popping you. I'm sure there are people that bought these badges for this purpose . I'm also pretty sure there are those that bought it as the "jr.G-man badge", to impress as well. That being said, here's a civilian group that is wearing badges and acting like LE...

http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Oct2003/berkowitz1003.html

[jfruser]

Ixnay on the adgebay.

Concealed means concealed.

Also, I am not a cop. As such I do not have certain powers and obligations. Some bad guy doing bad guy things? My first thought is to my family & getting them outta Dodge, not nabbing Mr BG. If BG gets in my way or threatens my family, OTOH...

During my 31 years in law enforcement, I had the PRIVELEGE of working with countless reserve police officers. Many of them, after "getting their feet wet", chose to go full-time! Those reserve police officers that I worked with came from all walks of life....an auto mechanic (who eventually became a full-time officer) all the way up to a bona fide multi-millionaire, who was a full-time corporate lawyer!

That is somewhat refreshing.

I enlisted in the Army to play foolish Ranger games with more than the usual enlisted credentials* and the attitude I saw in many NCOs was more resentful, jealous, and such. I considered volunteering as a reserve officer but expected a similar reception.



* No, I did not advertise. I did my best imitation of a fanatically motivated soldier.

[gunsmith]

When I was an armed security guard in SF I would get the police discount while in uniform ...even though my blue uniform said security all the sheeple saw was my gun belt, the badge said security but it looked like a cop badge.
I've even had police mistake me for being one of them

[harvester of sorrow]

Meh, I don't think they're any big deal. I think it's lame, but if people enjoy wearing them, I say go for it. True, it could cause bad guys to key on them, but at least 95% of us, law enforcement or not, will never be in the convenience store when someone comes in to rob it, and if we are, I think their problem when wearing the CCW badge is only marginally greater than mine without one. Additional overt actions, such as presenting themselves as a police officer, are a separate issue.

[The Drew]

For those of you with CCW permits....have you ever given any thought about becoming a REAL police officer? How about a "part-time" LEO, as a reserve police officer or reserve deputy sheriff? You'd be accomplishing two things...."enhancing" whatever limited training that you went through for your CCW permit by adding REAL police training, AND you'd be doing a service to your community on a part-time basis. You'd be issued a REAL police badge, a REAL police I.D. card, and probably even be issued a handgun! Sure, you would be required to work a few hours for very little pay, but even as a reserve, you would qualify for certain "police discounts" and benefits!

Umm... I would be willing to wager that the average CCW holder can shoot better, faster, and with greater discresion than the average LEO. Why do I say this? Because I shoot with dozens of CCW holders and only a few cops... Those few cops are the small percentage that take marksmanship seriously. And I constantly hear complaints that they wished more of their fellow officers would shoot more than just their qualification...

So in states where you qualify for a CCW on the firing range, it isn't much different than departments who qualify once or twice a year. So I don't buy the "better trained" argument. In my experience it is a much greater percentage of CCW holders that take their gun seriously and learn to use it to great effectiveness, than LEO's who think that passing the qualification magically makes them good with a handgun...

That said, I don't believe that ANYONE with a CCW should carry a badge. It is completely counterproductive... If you want to advertise "gun" then carry it open, or conceal it badly...

Those who do wear those badges are essentially impersonating LEO's and that shouldn't fly...

[TexasRifleman]

"hey there, do I get a LEO discount?"


Hey, I didn't think of that. Maybe I will order one after all.

The guy at the 7-11 won't notice the difference. :evil: