Joplin. Cops took my gun

[snubbies]

Are we missing some info???

If I read this correctly the first officer did not take your gun but the second one did?? What was said to the second officer??? A google search revealed that in 2009 there were a couple instances where armed persons were found at events where the President was in the area and no arrests were made. Is there a law where a Presidential event takes on the same resrictions as does NO GUNS in a school area???

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

the the first contact officer was a Sgt with Joplin PD, thats correct he asked me to secure it in my car. it was a short police conversation in which he said i was doing nothing wrong. the second outta town capt grabbed my arm as i was walking away and removed it. the joplin officer i assume felt out ranked and did noting but to reassure me hed help be get it back after the event.

 

[blackhawk556]

Sounds like a cop who thinks he can do what he wants because he has a badge. This is an example of why people don't trust cops.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

 

[MAC USMC]

If you have ever been near a visit by the POTUS the presence of the USSS and their security measures are obvious to all. They DO NOT take chances, they are exceedingly thorough, and they have FEDERAL LAW backing their actions. Local law enforcement can and do get a little anxious due to the demands of the USSS for tight security.

Open carry in and around a POTUS visit is extremely problematic and potentially dangerous. I see no logical point in this action in this setting.

 

[Onward Allusion]

TCB in TN

Quote: The whole thing sounds flaky to me. The fact that only the OP was disarmed makes me wonder why.
I guess we will never know, but something is out of kilter in my view. It may be the cop, and is if the OP is accurate, or it may be there is a lot left out of the OP.
Personally I would not carry OC at a protest, but if legal go for it. However, one should not be surprised at being hassled.
Regards,
Jerry

It is sad when free men accept being hassled for something that IS legal. Personally I would not be surprised at being hassled, but I would not accept it either. Be prepared, know the law, know your rights, and assert them vigorously.

Sometimes it is wiser to stay under the radar than to openly challenge it or draw attention to yourself. Think local resistance against Nazi Germany Occupiers during the war. Covert -vs- Overt.

 

[JerryM]

[Sometimes it is wiser to stay under the radar than to openly challenge it or draw attention to yourself.]

That is my view. Some things are legal, but not wise to practice under some circumstances such as the OP.

I do not know the circumstances, and this statement does not apply to the OP, but there are those who to make a point use an "in your face" approach. Often that leads to unpleasant reactions. If one has made the decision to suffer the consequences then it is his choice.

Unless there is a very good reason I would have "remained under the radar."

Regards,
Jerry

 

[ants]

It is perfectly legal and within your rights to poke your finger at a rattlesnake.
I don't believe the police officer treated you justly, but at a presidential rally you gotta be more careful.
Sometimes smarter men make smarter choices, even if it's within their rights not to.




Martial arts black belt: If you choose to pursue legal action, I know a Firearms Law Attorney in your region.
He's in the 816 area code, if that tells you how close to your location.

 

[splithoof]

Good job keeping your cool. Now is the time (if any way possible) for a little "attitude correction" for the second officer. This may be best done through a lawsuit/complaint/legal action against him, if nothing else to return grief to where it belongs. You may not get very far, but if enough citizens can establish a pattern of documented abuse there may be a chance that he will be subject to discipline, resulting in time off without pay.

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

thank you ants. i was not at a presidential rally. i was at the westburo counter rally. the POTUS was speaking at the university across the street. he was a side show campaigning . were there in support of the joplin victims.
my Spouses father was at St. Johns Hospital in the ICU. when the F5 tornado hit.
of the 6 people that died there.... they were all in the ICU. her dad a vietnam vet who had suffered a stroke and had brain surgery 6 days earlier. He bagged him self as the nurses took cover. the guy next to him was sucked out the window.

i arrived 30 minutes after looking for my girlfriend but there was so such panic and help needed i started carrying patents out of the hospital until every floor was cleared.
this was a personal time of mourning. not political.

I open carry because i want to be left alone, not to cause trouble.
i dress professionally, make sure im shaved and groomed.
im not walking around in 5.11 tac gear with sunglasses mean mugging people.

 

[JerryM]

[I open carry because i want to be left alone, not to cause trouble.]

To each his own, but I have never been anyplace in the US that I needed to OC to be left alone. I think the opposite happens as in this case.

Jerry

 

[ants]

I'm with you, martialarts.

Got your PM.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

It sounds like a lot of folks were trying to draw attention to themselves by open carrying, and maybe some individuals went too far. It is just speculation, but I am guessing that the number of folks open carrying had something to do with the Westboro Church being at the event. Intimidation isn't the intent of open carry, nor is drawing attention TOO ones self. As much as I don't agree with the WBC, I would NEVER protest their right --that would be protesting the very same rights I enjoy daily. Like em or not, they have every right to protest without folks trying to intimidate them with firearms. The nice thing about this country is the fact that neither you nor I get to decide what is appropriate within the law, and that is tremendously important. If you wish to stop them from protesting you could just start a grass roots effort to eliminate the Bill of Rights.

 

[rcmodel]

Lets see.

You show up at the site of the biggest natural disaster in recent U.S. history.
On the day of a Presidental tour.
On the day of Westboro protest.
With out of town volunteer cops all over the place to help with the the disaster & Obama visit?

With a gun on your hip?

Seems to me what happened to you should have been expected.
And certainly could have been anticipated, rights or no rights.

rc

 

[bayhawk2]

Maybe it is just me,but those people have their hands full
right now.I'm sure their tempers are short by now.Those
LEO's are doing all they can right now just to keep the peace.
Looting and I can imagine all the people they are trying
to help right now.I'm not saying you're right or wrong,
just maybe not the time for standing up for open carry
arguements with them right now?

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

THis is the exact problem with america, no one wants to stand up for whats right!
only caring about what affects them selves directly and not those around you.
HGUNNTR and JerryM

 

[HGUNHNTR]

^ So just what is right Mr. martialarts, naively waltzing into a disaster area, a very volitile situation no doubt with a gun on your hip and expecting no reaction? Please tell me, what was the intent of open carrying at this event? You wanted to be left alone? Why not just stay home if you wanted to be alone? Showing support for tornado victims through open carry?! Come on man. How could you not have recognized the value of concealed carry in this situation? Like rcmodel said, there is no possible way you could not expect some sort of reaction at least or trouble at worst. What is the point of throwing gas on a fire at this type of event anyway? Just trying to be all bada$$ under the guise of excersing your rights, while protesting the rights of other people? Sheesh dude, you were treated unfairly...maybe, but you should have never put yourself in that situation to begin with.

only caring about what affects them selves directly and not those around you.

It seems like you yourself, are the victim of your own fragmented sentence.

 

[Gordon]

I am with RC on this. At least you should have been CCWing IMHO. BTW IF I was younger and a Black Belt cage fighter I would have gone unarmed to a "protest".

 

[Black Butte]

Good luck getting your firearm back. Once the liberal gun haters get their mitts on them, they have a habit of disappearing.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

delete, not going to respond to that.

 

[fallout mike]

Why was westboro there?

 

[Black Butte]

"delete, not going to respond to that"

A wise decision.

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

not to hijack my own thread, id like to keep it open but westburo was held up at a flying J gas station outside of town by some truckers. someone from their own town got their a$$ beat at the protest area ( i wasent there at that time nor did i know) and they decided to stay outta town, the local hotels in joplin refused them lodging and the employes at olive garden were fired by corporate. NOW i know WBC was just exercising their rights, but i have no doubt in my mind that hotel and restaurant did the right thing.

Oh and for the Record i dont have a CCW license. I didnt want to break the law

 

[fallout mike]

I get sick to my stomach when I think about what they do.

 

[Sam1911]

Topic is wandering and getting heated.

"Martialartsblackbelt," send me a PM when the situation develops and I'll reopen this so you can post your experiences working with (or, sadly, fighting with) the PD to get your gun back.

[OPENED FOR AN UPDATE FROM THE OP.]

 

[martialartsblackbelt]

:::::UPDATE:::::
so after some short e mail correspondence with the Detective in Joplin.
He calles me and say's he wants to meet with me to discuss what exactly is going on.
he asked where and when i wanted to meet. I told him a small sandwich shop in the town i work in at 3:00 before i go to work.
i asked him "AM i going to be arrested? do i need my attorney there?"
he replied "No nothing like that"
well knowing cops are legally aloud to lie to you i was a bit nervous.
i arrive early order a soda and as I’m filling it up at the fountain i see him and 2 other armed un uniformed officers enter the front door of the establishment.
i guess i was staring too long and the coke i was filling over flowed all over the floor and my hand. unable to show his hand when he greeted me weas a bit akward and i felt like an idiot. in hind sight it may have helped.
we sit down and he introduces me to the two SECRET SERVICE AGENTS.
<deleted>
they asked if i was carrying any weapons and i said yes just my tactical folder.
they took it.
then said" Dennis, ive seen your face book page, i know your not a fan of Obama"
they were polite but had my whole life story from the time i went to central America in 1988 and 1990 as a missionary. it was creepy.
they asked me if i was a member of any political associations or activist groups like the NRA and the such.
i was honest and polite, and truth be told they were very respectful and professional.
i had no problem answering any questions asked. even if there was nothing illegal about their context.
like how many guns i owned, have i ever been to another political rally.
toward the end they asked if i had anything illegal in my car i said no and offered them the keys. normally id never let "the cops" search my car or home but i wanted to put them at ease that i wasn’t some sort of nut or trying to hide anything.
the Joplin Dect. was quiet throughout the entire ordeal. the SS said any gun charge was between me and the local police and that they didn’t care about that. at this time im waiting to be arrested and he says" i spoke with the DA and decided there will be no charges filed, you can pick up your gun tomorrow"
I wanted to say “What possible charge could there be”
however secretly i just wanted to give him a big hug.
i think the SS was just doing a threat assessment on me.
couple years ago i was a victim of police brutality and was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, that charged was dropped and the officer was aloud to "quit" so that came in to question.

im happy to have my gun back.
i believe my calm demeanor and reasoning skills helped here a great deal.
i didn’t scream "I KNOW MY RIGHTS!" at the rally or cause a stir.
The police being professional (save the the KCPD captain) went a long way with me. Treating me as a citizen and not a criminal.

I believe being a patriot involves dealing with out problems in court and respecting the law.
Just because I don’t like the law and the law enforcement doesn’t mean I don’t respect them.

Suffice it to say ill be more selective with open carry and will be doing a lot more concealed carry from now on.
Today is my birthday and im happy to say ill be getting a GLOCK 23 that i thought i lost so im pretty grateful.