Police attitudes toward open carry

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Lou McGopher

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A cop in California joked(?) on a Facebook page about shooting open carriers. His attitude shows a great amount of disdain, not just for those who open carry, but for 2A rights in general.

Screenshot of the Facebook exchange:
[noparse]http://i49.tinypic.com/qouh3a.gif[/noparse]

Sounds like you had someone practicing their 2nd amendment rights last night! Should've pulled the AR out and prone them all out! And if one of them makes a furtive movement...2 weeks off!!!
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To those who open carry, are your encounters with the police generally positive/negative/okay?

Further, is there anything we can do to foster a better understanding and respect among law enforcement for our RKBA?
 
I only open carry when I am going to or from hunting and have to say that I have never had a run with the police while doing so. I do know some of our local cops and they are all very pro 2A.
 
Most of the LEO's in my area are well-versed in the open-carry laws.

Thanks VCDL!!!

There are some who still don't get it, and they don't get to choose whether they respond to a "man with a gun" call. In most encounters with police, its how you present yourself during the encounter that has much to do with how all parties perceive the event.

"Hi, how ya doin?" usually gets a better response than "Why are you screwing with me?"
 
Being a LEO in AZ I encounter open carry all the time. Doesnt bother me in the slightest. We do get "man with gun" calls usually in the winter when the snow birds show up.
 
it seems LEOs in PA don't quite like or get open carry. there are a whole bunch of problems arising from LEOs either not understanding open carry, or understanding it, but not liking it, and choosing to bully people who open carry. plenty of examples can be found at www.pafoa.org, opencarry.org, and a few other places.
 
In the 'experiences at your CCW class' thread I recall (http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6258472&postcount=11) one individual saying that a local police chief came to the class and said that he instructed his officers to hassle and intimidate anyone that OC'd. Ive told the story of when a greenhorn city cop pulled his weapon on me when I gave him my CDW permit. You have a gun in the car??? oh no!
 
There is an article about this in the San Jose Mercury News.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14361484?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Funny comment though from his superior:

"We have to be careful because they're on his own personal private Web page," Estelle said. "We have to be careful not to violate his First Amendment rights."
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Kind of funny they are NOW worried about violating someone's rights I think.....

Article also claims the guy apologized and meant it only as light humor. Who knows.
 
Article also claims the guy apologized and meant it only as light humor. Who knows.
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Sounds like "humor" of the same sort that gets you arrested at the airport.

As someone pointed out elsewhere, if he EVER has an officer involved shooting he's going to be slow roasted over an open fire, like a pig at a pig roast.
 
We do get "man with gun" calls usually in the winter when the snow birds show up.
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And what would be the dispatcher's response? Because it ought to be.... "Hmmm, he has a gun, you say.... is he also breathing or doing any other legal activities we should be aware of?" :p
 
I fully support his right to express his opinion, but when an officer "jokes" about shooting someone who is performing a legal act, then it certainly raises red flags!
 
Where I live (N.C.) open carry is legal but you never see anyone doing it. Hpwever I have never run into a LEO who had an attitude about it and my associate Pastor is also a LEO and we have talked several times regarding CCW and he is in agreement with it. It's sad that there are one or two here and there who are going to be like this.
 
Can someone help me understand why one would choose to OC? I understand that people in certain places have the right to, I can in my state but I choose not to. What's the point? It seems to me that it really takes away your element of surprise should you have to use your weapon, ex. walking across a parking lot while OC, a group of attackers sees that you are OC, if at this point they decide to still select you as their victim, your element of surprise is gone, they are prepared to take you and your gun. Same scenario, while CC they perps guard will be down they will not be expecting you to have a gun as much as they would if you were OC, make sense? Another ex. You are in a bank OC and a bank robber comes in, seems as if you would be the first person they would want to take out since you are an obvious threat, but if you were CC you have the opportunity to draw when they may not be paying direct attention to you. I don't want to stereotype but it seems like most of the people that I know that open carry are simply showing off and want everyone to know that they have a gun, and quite frankly that attitude scares the hell out of me.
 
Can someone help me understand why one would choose to OC?
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In Virginia, it's REQUIRED when in a liquor serving restaurant.
In Ohio, it used to be REQUIRED when carried on your body in a vehicle.

If it's a bad idea when it's not required, why isn't it a bad idea when it is?

Is the Commonwealth of Virginia wrong?
 
TNBoy, i see you're new so welcome to the THR. this topic has been covered ad nauseum here. click the search button and type in "open carry" and you read to your heart's content. also check out opencarry.org.

as for this part:
It seems to me that it really takes away your element of surprise should you have to use your weapon
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repeat after me;
The element of surprise is an OFFENSIVE tactic, not a defensive one.
The element of surprise is an OFFENSIVE tactic, not a defensive one.
The element of surprise is an OFFENSIVE tactic, not a defensive one.
The element of surprise is an OFFENSIVE tactic, not a defensive one.
The element of surprise is an OFFENSIVE tactic, not a defensive one.

there has never been one single documented case of a criminal shooting a person (aside from law enforcement) open carrying first during the commission of a crime.

Bobby
 
I don't want to stereotype but it seems like most of the people that I know that open carry are simply showing off and want everyone to know that they have a gun, and quite frankly that attitude scares the hell out of me.
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Maybe you should hang out with better people?

That attitude is pretty rare among people I know that open carry.
 
I don't want to stereotype but it seems like most of the people that I know that open carry are simply showing off and want everyone to know that they have a gun, and quite frankly that attitude scares the hell out of me.
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Most of my family in Chicago feel the same way about not just people who carry concealed, but people who own guns.

Are they wrong?
 
Can someone help me understand why one would choose to OC? I understand that people in certain places have the right to, I can in my state but I choose not to. What's the point? It seems to me that it really takes away your element of surprise should you have to use your weapon, ex. walking across a parking lot while OC, a group of attackers sees that you are OC, if at this point they decide to still select you as their victim, your element of surprise is gone, they are prepared to take you and your gun. Same scenario, while CC they perps guard will be down they will not be expecting you to have a gun as much as they would if you were OC, make sense? Another ex. You are in a bank OC and a bank robber comes in, seems as if you would be the first person they would want to take out since you are an obvious threat, but if you were CC you have the opportunity to draw when they may not be paying direct attention to you. I don't want to stereotype but it seems like most of the people that I know that open carry are simply showing off and want everyone to know that they have a gun, and quite frankly that attitude scares the hell out of me.
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Why do I feel that I have seen this before, with almost the exact same wording?

I have been known to open carry at times, such as when I am backpacking, as CC'ing with a pack on is uncomfortable, but also highly restrictive should I need my weapon (more animal control than anything) in a hurry. When I choose to CC and when I choose to OC depend upon what I plan upon doing that day, or at that specific time. I do not do it to "show off" or any such nonsense, I do it because there are instances when having a weapon in easy reach on you hip or leg can be beneficial (yes, I have worn a drop-leg holster while backpacking. Sure, call me whatever you want, but it is the most comfortable way I have found to carry a sidearm while backpacking and maintaining positive control over the weapon).

In case you couldn't tell, I backpack alot. :D
 
What confuses me most is the one guy's willingness to go on TV when he carries an empty gun. :eek: I mean why even bother?! He might as well be carrying a rock on his hip.
 
I don't want to stereotype but it seems like most of the people that I know that open carry are simply showing off and want everyone to know that they have a gun, and quite frankly that attitude scares the hell out of me.
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Absolute BS
Maybe you should hang out with better people?

That attitude is pretty rare among people I know that open carry.
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I'll have to go along with TexasRifleman...
 
Away from the big cities I believe most LEOs are Pro-2A, as are many who are working in the big cities.

The LEO’s problem with open carry is the anti screaming, “Oh, my god, he has a gun!” Requiring a follow up for what is almost always a non-issue if OC is legal there.

Were I a felon or were I about to commit a crime using a gun I would not be carrying openly.

The California Joker is one of those bad apples in the barrel.
 
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