I have a unique situation, and I am interested in LEO and non-LEO opinions about wearing my issued badge.
My county recently started to require licensed private investigators who work armed to be certified as an act 235 agent, which is PA's lethal weapons training act that constables, armed security, moonlighting police, and other state and private armed employees must complete in order to work with an openly visible handgun if required to do so by the state or their employer.
This is a sticky situation, because while act 235 allows me to carry openly during work hours, I dress slacks and/or a sport coat or a suit, and have no uniform that declares to people that it is ok that I have a gun. While PA is an open carry state, it certainly is not treated that way by the police in my area (near philadelphia) and Ive heard many accounts of people trying to open carry with or without a ccw being detained and harrassed by the police who dont know any better for me to have ever tried it.
My company is ordering custom badges approved by my county that will be issued to to act 235 agents which states that I am an investigator, has my company name and says act 235 agent on it under the state seal. I am debating whether or not to wear the badge or simply keep it in a credentials case with my PI ID ant act 235 agent card. The thing is, I will not be open carrying, but what I will do is change my mentality so that I wont always have things buttoned up because the wind might blow, or have my hands plastered at my sides in case the wind blows while my suit coat is opened, or actually take off my jacket to get in my car so it wont wrinkle, etc... act 235 since says its ok if my handgun is viewable to the public in the course of my duties.
However I fear without a badge on my hip (concealed with my handgun at all times of course unless one of the above situations occurs) a concerned citizen or passing officer will ruin my day by having me detained by the police should my gun accidentally show.
My credentials, badge, license, and lethal weapons license are good statewide which rules out any county issues or restrictions, but it seems people look down at people who wear badges who are not cops. However I do deal with some abuse and domestic cases that warrant a handgun which is why I worked with one up until now with my ccw permit which was previously permitted by my county.
I am only one of two people who have committed to going through all the steps of act 235 so there isnt really a rule or precedent to follow in my agency, any opinions would be appreciated.
EDIT: TO CLARIFY THE BADGE WOULD NOT BE WORN IN THE OPEN, IT WOULD BE CONCEALED NEXT TO MY HOLSTER AND THE ONLY TIME THE BADGE WOULD BE VISIBLE TO OTHERS IS IF BY SOME CHANCE THE GUN BECAME MOMENTARILY VISIBLE TO OTHERS AS WELL.
My county recently started to require licensed private investigators who work armed to be certified as an act 235 agent, which is PA's lethal weapons training act that constables, armed security, moonlighting police, and other state and private armed employees must complete in order to work with an openly visible handgun if required to do so by the state or their employer.
This is a sticky situation, because while act 235 allows me to carry openly during work hours, I dress slacks and/or a sport coat or a suit, and have no uniform that declares to people that it is ok that I have a gun. While PA is an open carry state, it certainly is not treated that way by the police in my area (near philadelphia) and Ive heard many accounts of people trying to open carry with or without a ccw being detained and harrassed by the police who dont know any better for me to have ever tried it.
My company is ordering custom badges approved by my county that will be issued to to act 235 agents which states that I am an investigator, has my company name and says act 235 agent on it under the state seal. I am debating whether or not to wear the badge or simply keep it in a credentials case with my PI ID ant act 235 agent card. The thing is, I will not be open carrying, but what I will do is change my mentality so that I wont always have things buttoned up because the wind might blow, or have my hands plastered at my sides in case the wind blows while my suit coat is opened, or actually take off my jacket to get in my car so it wont wrinkle, etc... act 235 since says its ok if my handgun is viewable to the public in the course of my duties.
However I fear without a badge on my hip (concealed with my handgun at all times of course unless one of the above situations occurs) a concerned citizen or passing officer will ruin my day by having me detained by the police should my gun accidentally show.
My credentials, badge, license, and lethal weapons license are good statewide which rules out any county issues or restrictions, but it seems people look down at people who wear badges who are not cops. However I do deal with some abuse and domestic cases that warrant a handgun which is why I worked with one up until now with my ccw permit which was previously permitted by my county.
I am only one of two people who have committed to going through all the steps of act 235 so there isnt really a rule or precedent to follow in my agency, any opinions would be appreciated.
EDIT: TO CLARIFY THE BADGE WOULD NOT BE WORN IN THE OPEN, IT WOULD BE CONCEALED NEXT TO MY HOLSTER AND THE ONLY TIME THE BADGE WOULD BE VISIBLE TO OTHERS IS IF BY SOME CHANCE THE GUN BECAME MOMENTARILY VISIBLE TO OTHERS AS WELL.
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