As a forment police officer, Id like to add my $.02.
First of all, in my exprience, which isnt as much as many but more than most, the kind of officers you see at roadblocks, checkpoints and other invasive police activities are most often volunteers...meaning they volunteered for that duty. More often than not, at least locally, they are being payed overtime and that overtime is subsidized by the federal government.
In my simple mind, the cop that helped the guy push the car out of the street has somehow avoided being brainwashed into the thinking the "war on drugs" is working and citizens shouldnt have guns. This guy wanted to be a cop because we really wanted to help society be a better place (which is why, I would estimate 99% of cops wnat to be cops), and remebered how to do it.
In my fantasy world, most cops, even ones in metro area, are of this type...you dont know about them because you hardly every have contact with them. They are the ones that rush to the old ladies(maybe your grandmother) house in the middle of the night because the front door is making noises it shouldnt. They dont rush to the sound of idiots shooting and selling drugs to other idiots. They realize that society will take care of its self in due time, in the meantime, they should take care to make society better.
In my experience, there are and will always be the Nazis of police work. They squeak loudly and theyre pictures are in the papers for the BIG DRUG BUST.
The comforting thing for me is locally 85% of our police force are of the other sort, that just want to help. They want to hold the hand of the little boy who has lost his dog, the want to comort the widow in the middle of the night becuase her husband wasnt there to check out the "bump" in the night, they want to steet the youth the could just as easily go down the wrong path, into the right one, they want to try and make the roads safe for the majority without being offensive and over bearing. They keep theyre cars clean, and they look sharp when they are serving to help society. You wont see these guys and girls and roadblocks unless they are ordered...because they know its wrong. They will help you change your tire in the rain.
One day, this country will change and hopefully when the big change comes...they will begin hiring "peace officers" again instead of "police officers" We can police ourselves thankyou.
END OF RANT.
Oh yeah, and I know what the experts of concealed carry advise of "us" to do when contacting a cop. If it were me, I would keep my mouth shut about having a gun unless asked. I made the mistake of blabbing about having a gun on me while I was stopped for speeding out of town. I had a Sig p229 pointed at my head until back up got there....again...I knew to just keep my mouth shut as I didnt really want to die...what with dirty underwear on and all. A cooler head arrived, and after being jerked out of the car, frisked and my identity confirmed (I was a cop at the time) I was patted on the rear and sent on my merry way. Ill just keep my mouth shut, and cross the bridge when I come to it from now on. There are cops out there who think people who carry guns do it to kill cops and other drug dealers. Again, Im glad thats not the majority, my luck running into aggressive minority is high it seems....so I just keep my yap shut.
In Indiana, I know its different everywhere, we cant carry any handgun outside of our homes without a permit, whether it be a personal protection or hunting/target permit. I know there are states the only require you have a permit if you plan to conceal it. If it werent concealed, I guess that there wouldnt be much explaining, it would be out the for God and everyone to see...anyhow.
