Carry Class / CCW Badges

[dalepres]

I find that statement upsetting because it says to me "I'm above you all" and I find it ironic because long before police had shields and stars other public servents were wearing badges, and it was more of an award for bravery, not a symbol of authority.

Medals are the appropriate award for bravery. Badges are given for identification. And I am just about as fast as anyone to call LEO on elitism but in the case of a badge and a gun and the powers of arrest that go with them, that is the role of LEOs. You do not need a badge for a citizen's arrest (where legal) and shouldn't display a badge as part of a citizen's arrest. The LEO badge represents the special powers and authority that we have asked of them and given them. They use it on the job and, hopefully, on the job only.

If you're a medic, feel free to present your badge before putting a band-aid on me.

If you're a fireman, feel free to present your badge before putting out my house fire. And don't get me wrong; the real heroes in our country, more than any other group I am aware of, are firemen. Just don't use your badge as a backup to your gun.

And if you're a cop, please present your badge before shooting me... and give me a chance to surrender first.

 

[dalepres]

If you really want to be safe when the SHTF, you gotta get the shirt.

Only if the shirt is level IV bullet proof.

 

[c1ogden]

"I find that statement upsetting because it says to me "I'm above you all"

No, it doesn't really say that. It says we are different in a way that has a dramatic effect on public safety. We have the authority to detain and arrest people, nobody else does. However, many other people try to trick others into thinking that they have such authority by "flashing" a badge. When such trickery is successful, it frequently leads to the rape, robbery, or murder of those who have been tricked. This happens dozens of times a year (see O.J. in Vegas for a recent example).


"and I find it ironic because long before police had shields and stars other public servents were wearing badges, and it was more of an award for bravery, not a symbol of authority."

We're not talking about long ago, we're talking about now and right now the problem of misuse of badges is more common than the problem of misuse of guns.

In the past few years I have seen a politician (a former councilman/police commissioner) try to pass himself off as a cop to get out of a speeding ticket, saw a local fireman chase what he thought was a traffic violator while flashing his badge out the window and yelling for the guy to stop, another former fireman chasing another "violator" with flashing police lights in his car, an ambulance squad member (who is trying to get a job as a cop) wave his badge at a group of teenagers while yelling "Police! Hold it right there." A friend of mine arrested a fireman who was waving an illegal gun around a parking lot and when the cop rolled up he flashed his badge and said "Its okay, I'm on the job" and tried to drive away.

Sorry if this upsets you but this is the world we live in. I know you personally would never do anything like this because, I believe, you being here (and presumably being a gun person) makes you far too responsible a citizen for that.

 

[DMF]

What if you have to get into a gunfight, I for one would like some type of way to let the B & W rolling up to know that I am the good guy. What is one to do?

Drop or holster your firearm and keep your hands up.

Drop, as in open your hand(s) and let the gun free fall to ground will be the only acceptable option. Trying to holster or set the gun down gently will take too long and require too much movement. The responding officers will have no way of knowing who is or is not a threat, and will likely take any excessive movement or delay as a threat to them and others. The will also likely respond to that perceived threat with deadly force.

 

[RustyShackelford]

CC badges...

If you ARE NOT a sworn law enforcement officer or a retired sworn LEO, I'd avoid buying or carrying a concealed carry badge...
This may get you arrested at the least and may look very bad in a criminal trial or civil case later on at worst....
There may be valid reasons for the use of a metal badge in a shooting incident but I'd say the bad outweighs the good when it comes to a badge carrying citizen in a deadly force incident.

A few years ago, after the awful events of 9-11-2001, I saw a sworn deputy US marshal in an "unmarked" SUV. This federal LEO had a "terrorist hunting permit" sticker on his vehicle's front windshield. IMO, if this sworn LEO had a use of force incident or had to discharge his weapon, this sticker could be used against him later on. Shark-fin lawyers and left wing politicos look for any excuse to bring down armed citizens and LEOs. Don't give them more ammo, .

Rusty
PS: before any members ask how I knew the federal LEO was real, he showed me his USMS badge, creds and turned on the SUV's concealed lights.

 

[Templar223]

Oh brother.

Based on that recommendation alone I'd be suspect of the other things you were taught. As with most stuff, be sure you're getting multiple sources for your information and the least trustworthy people are usually the ones selling you something.

I tend to agree.

Anyone worth their salt as an instructor is going to be highly leery, if not adamantly opposed to CCW badges. Put me in the "adamantly opposed" category.

Had a student in a class a few weeks ago insist it was a good idea. Says he'll keep it in the nightstand in case of a home invasion... cops come along, he'll hold up his badge so as not to be shot.

Wanted to know why I was so opposed to them.

"Because they're much more likely to get you arrested than to momentarily stave off friendly fire from the police."

Around these parts, impersonating a police officer is a felony.

In my view, any instructor promoting CCW badges is either inept, incompetent or has a financial interest that they are prostituting themselves for. You know, firearm instructors are like any other instructors: Some are great, most are good, some average, and a handful just plain suck.

Just as I wouldn't want to learn to fly a plane from a "just plain suck" instructor, I wouldn't encourage anyone to get firearm and/or judicious use of force instruction from piss poor instructors. Their advice might well get you killed or in the case of guns, imprisoned.

John

 

[lehcpa]

Badges

I think that the CCW badges have no place. I will also add that a badge itself means nothing. It is completely appropriate to ask any person who carries a badge for photo identification as real evidence of the person's position.