How do Police Officers feel about CHL's

[Harley Man]

I relize I will get just about as many pro's as con's from the Police community when it comes to CHL's / conceal carry / open carry, but I hope there are some officers out there that are willing to express there opinion. I live in Arlington Texas, and when I took my CHL class I asked the instructor this question. He said for the most part the officers that don't think citizens should have gun come from small community forces. The Texas Hwy Patrol thinks it's a good thing, and larger forces are for the most part for it. Anyway like to hear for someone out there in the position to respond.

Proud Viet Nam Vet

 

[publiuss]

I think as a whole, they don't think citizens should be able to CC. Don't you know they are the only ones trained and capable of carrying a weapon In my experience it is the smaller jurisdictions that don't have a problem w/it, and Houston&DFW, they don't care for it at all as a whole.

 

[blackcash88]

+1 publiuss. At least around here anyway.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I think as a whole, most street officers don't particularly care. It's the chiefs,commissioners, and well publicized dirtbags who give a bad name to the rest.

 

[Zach S]

Sounds about right. Here in asheville NC the officers that I've delt with usually glance at my CHP and hand it back, they never disarm me. A lot of them didnt even ask what and where I was carrying. I simply told one I had my carry permit and I was armed, his reply was "Okay." Didnt ask what I was carrying, or even to see ID or my carry permit.

In a nearby small town my carry permit was used as PC to search my car. Added about an hour to my trip.

 

[Mike Franklin]

Based on my friends I'd say that most big city Cops are told and taught that it's a bad thing while rural and small town LEOs support it.
I think that if you should not carry a gun you ought to be tattooed on the back of the right hand otherwise no problem.

 

[Mike Franklin]

In a nearby small town my carry permit was used as PC to search my car. Added about an hour to my trip.

Having a permit is not Probable Cause to search your vehicle. If you file a complaint ask for a copy of the tape of the stop.
You have to understand that Cops are taught this crap by some butt head who continues to get away with it because citizens allow them to.

 

[Zach S]

Wasnt a stop, it was a seat belt check.

At any given time, there are six officers on patrol in that county. I had a verbal disagreement with one years ago when I lived there, and was constanly harrassed until about eight years ago, when I moved. I'm not filing a complaint against one. Just asking for more harassment in that town. Know folks who have BTDT. One officer that had numerous complaints against him continued to work for the department until he was caught on tape on duty screwing a girl in his cruiser. The tape was sent to the officer's wife rather than the department, which I thought was a nice touch.

I did point out that my CHP isnt probable cause, and that I did not give consent to search. Just seemed to piss him off more.

 

[Drgong]

Zach, which county is this? PM if need be, as I live in Western NC as well...

 

[Archie]

It depends on the agency and the age of the officer involved.

Typically, the 'civilians shouldn't have or carry guns' crowd are the management types who really aren't lawmen anymore. They are politicians and as such try very hard to make their bosses (the city government administrators) happy. So if the mayor is anti-gun, the police chief will be so as well.

A patrolman or junior sergeant who wants to be 'management' will make his (her) bosses happy, and if the upper management is anti, they are anti.

Most ground level officers who have a real grasp of crime and such don't worry too much about regular folks being armed. There are several who have had their bacon saved by armed citizens and those lawmen are pretty much pro-gun. I've even met pro-gun cops on the Los Angeles Police Department, which rather surprised me. One older cop, who is pro-gun, did offer this bit of information; "In the old days, only the cops and the criminals had guns - that was simpler for me."

Younger lawmen (of all stripes) have been 'educated' in the liberal schools and are taught (not always by the agency) to be somewhat elitist; but they don't realize that. The ones who develop some ability to discern people and people's actions tend to be those who are more relaxed and pro-gun. They can see with a fair amount of accuracy who is going to be difficult and who is rational and legit. Those who 'don't trust anyone' are the ones who panic easily and worry about regular folks who are armed.

Just for the record, I've been a federal lawman for twenty-six years now. I think everyone should be armed. I know lots of other officers who agree, disagree and some who can't make up their mind.

 

[Hk91-762mm]

My next door neighbor and good friend is a NY state Trooper On the Swat /Mrt detail.
One day he was telling me he was going to shoot to keep current -SO I lent him My HK-91 and gave him a few boxes of Ball ammo and told him to test er out.
There was a method to my madness--Upon its return I asked WELL did your co workers want it banned --His reply NO--They want to know if you want to sell it ????
He then handed me a bunch of boxes of Federal MATCH Ammo to replace what they shot up of mine --and a gallon can full of match empties!
All in all Id say My experiment was a successs!

 

[A man with a gun!]

I've got a California CCW. It's issued buy my local Sheriff.
So, there doesn't seem to be a problem here.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I've encountered 5 separate LEOs on various occasions(not all law-breaking lol) that were aware of me carrying. Not a single one so much batted an eye or asked a question other than "are you carrying right now?" They were not all from the same dept. either. So in my personal experience, patrol officers really don't care.

 

[denfoote]

Always remember: the Police are agents of the government.
Their attitude and training reflects that government's policy irregardless of their personal views.
Also remember that until said governments were forced by we the people to pass laws allowing it, the CHL , for all intents and purposes did not exist!!!

This brings up the disturbing philosophical question of if the government ordered that all CHL holders were terrorists, and used the information given on the application to raid homes, arrest holders, and confiscate guns, how many police officers would comply with said (hypothetical) order???

It's not as far fetched as you might think!!

 

[tpaw]

I relize I will get just about as many pro's as con's from the Police community when it comes to CHL's / conceal carry / open carry, but I hope there are some officers out there that are willing to express there opinion.

I put 20 years in the NYPD. I never had an issue with conceal carry or open carry. I investigated many legal carry shootings by non police personnel and have found that in 99% of the times, the shooting was legal and justified. I was wounded one night and it required me to work in the administration office of the precinct for 6 months. As luck would have it, I was in charge of investigating applicants who applied for gun permits. Needless to say, I issued as many as I could. I have always been pro gun. My feeling is the more law abiding citizens who carry a firearm, and know how and when to use it, the safer we all will be.

 

[halfacop]

I think as a whole, they don't think citizens should be able to CC. Don't you know they are the only ones trained and capable of carrying a weapon.........

I can tell you that I would prefer it if every honest, hard working, contributing member of society would carry. I can also tell you that the majority of LEO that I know throughout the country feel this way.

As you all know - we can not be everywhere all the time. People need to learn and prepare to defend themselves, their families and thier fellow man. There is no better time, with all the active shooter issues and threat of terriost activity, along with all the other common place **** that goes down for everyone to step up and take responsability for themselves and refuse to be sheep!

I think if you really got a chance to talk with a diverse group of LEO - you would find out that they are for the 2nd amendment and support the citizens right to arm themselves. If your willing to take on the daily responsability of a CPL, stay vigil, to be there to hold the fort down until LE can arrive and perhaps elimanate the threat before anymore harm can be done..........then God speed and thank you!

 

[Treo]

I know the El Paso County Sheriff's Dept.( or at least the Sheriff Himself) is all for it.

CSPD? Not so much.

 

[Solo Flyer]

My experience,living in 15 states, the more rural the community,the more the officers attitude will run to pro- CCW.
There's much more one on one ,and even outright socializing between LE and residents, in the smaller environments.
I've lived in NYC,San Francisco,Seattle and little burgs of 5,000.There is no comparison in my mind.Give me that Mayberry attitude anyday.

 

[shadowalker]

I think as a whole

This is a massive generalization, just like always, everyone, etc. In the states I've lived in those being Alaska, Montana and Idaho the majority of law enforcement are very pro citizen gun ownership, CWL, etc. We get a few new officers or ones from places like California that take a while to come around but most do.

In Ada County (where Boise is located) our sheriff's department puts on a free CCW class, during the class the deputies BEG people to (a.) get their CWL and (b.) to always carry.

 

[Deanimator]

The truth is that it doesn't make any more difference what they think about CCW than it does how I feel about the Federal tax code. You can be as positive or negative about the law as you like... just so long as you obey it.

Cops have as much right to an opinion as anyone else, whether it's brilliant or mind-numbingly stupid. There's only a problem when they try to equate their likes and dislikes with the law. When that happens, careers burst into flames, bank accounts get emptied, and people end up living in mom's basement.

The only weird thing is the genuine surprise the bad ones experience when somebody stands up to them and gives them the rubber hose treatment in civil court... kind of like the armed robber who can't believe that you just shot him in the chest. People like that just never believe that those things will happen to THEM.

 

[oneshooter]

Houston PD, some like it, but most do not. Harris County SD, never had a problem, those that I have talked with support CHL.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[orionengnr]

Well, since the original poster is in TX, and I am a TX CHL holder, I will reply in that context.

Every Dallas/Ft Wort/Metroplex City Police officer I have had contact with is supportive of Texas CHL holders.

I have heard that the Tarrant County DA is anti, but when I was involved in a traffic accident (and subsequently transported in an ambulance) the Grapevine and Coppell PD that responded were fine. I handed over my PM9 and my CHL while I was on a stretcher; when I was released from the hospital I went and picked it up at Grapevine PD. The officer gave me the police report, gave me my Kahr, and we talked guns for a few minutes.

I've heard the same about Harris County (Houston) DA but have no personal experience.

Bottom line: regardless of what administrators say, what matters is the street level officer. In my experience, most of them have the street smarts and common sense to understand that armed law-abiding citizens are a good thing.

 

[tpaw]

Give me that Mayberry attitude anyday.

AH! Andy of Mayberry, Sheriff Taylor. My dream job in my dream town. Maybe in my next life?.....

 

[wyosasquatch]

I talked to two officers this past week about this very subject. One was a police officer and the other was a sheriffs deputy. Both said they support concealed carry and both said they get frustrated with open carry (legal here). They didn't like open carry because it gets called in from the store or somewhere that there is a guy with a gun and all units have to respond to a legal carry.

 

[Dan the Man]

I'll provide a bit of background, so you understand the context. I have been a CHL holder in Texas since the law came into effect. In that entire time, I have had four contacts with police. Three were great, and one was strange-but-fine.

Two years ago, I completed the Peace Officers' Academy and became a Reserve Deputy Sheriff. I am a lead deputy in Patrol. As a reserve deputy, I have full police powers, but the pay isn't as good as the full time folks.

While working as a patrol deputy, I have had three interactions with Texas CHL holders:

1. I was running radar on a large interstate (speed limit 65 mph). A motorcycle passes me while doing 105 mph. I overtake, and when I turn on my lights, he hunkers down and hits the accelerator. I declare a pursuit, and stay on him at speeds of up to 140 mph. He gets scared, slows down, and eventually exits and stops at a light. After he refuses instructions to get off his bike, I pull him off, handcuff him, and search him. I find a Glock 23 in his back waistband. He tells me he's a CHL (and he is!). I take his gun (he got it back the next day). He is charged with Felony evasion and probably won't be able to own a gun for a while.

2. While running radar on a rural highway (speed limit 60 mph), a Mazda RX8 passes me at 100 mph in fairly heavy traffic. I overtake, turn my lights on, and he pulls over. Driver is a CHL. His wife is in the passenger seat. His two teenage sons are in the back seat. His six year old daughter is unsecured in the front between the seats (one too many people for the seats in an RX8). I solve their problem of 'too many people' by arresting him for reckless, and turning the vehicle over to his wife.

3. While I'm at dinner, a local business owner comes into the restaurant and tells me there is an older man at his nail parlor with a little girl, and they are acting strange. He called the police (responding police were from City PD), but they had not arrived yet, and he was concerned that they might leave. I go over, detain them, and question. It all seems very suspicious. Older man is a CHL holder. 10-yoa little girl is neighbor's daughter. They seemed to me to be going out on an overnight 'date'. City PD responds, contacts mother, who seems surprised girl is with older man. Girl discloses that older man 'likes her too much' and touches her...

So, as you can see, the CHL holders I've met are not too impressive a bunch. But I'm still a big supporter of CHL's, and I'm looking forward to having a good experience with one some day.

Our sheriff is not a supporter of CHL's, but the consensus of the rank-and-file in our Department is positive. Of all the officers I know (~100 from various departments small to large), I'd say 80% are supporters of CHL.

My advise to CHL holders is use common sense in everything you do, including (but not limited to!) carrying your firearm. Note that none of these CHL holders committed gun crimes.

Regards
--Dan