LEO Stops Me on My Evening Run:Asks "What Are You Packing?"

[Solo Flyer]

This is somewhat surreal.Out for my daily 6 mile run in my small town of 6,000 an hour ago ,I suddenly noticed a police cruiser drifting up on my left.
The officer stopped,leaned over toward's me and asked in a friendly tone," Hi,what are you packing?".Knowing my S&W 340PD was completely invisible under my loose t-shirt I was startled.In 14 years of packing through countless miles and dozens of states I had never been 'made'.
Looking at him closely and realizing I'd never seen him before I realized he had to be a new hire.So I said, still a little dazed "Is that a personal question?" in a joking manner.He replied"No,what you got in your back pocket?"
Suddenly the light bulb came on.Because of severe thundershowers ,I'd stuck a medium sized umbrella in the back pocket of my shorts under the t-shirt.This sharp rookie had noticed the bulge.I pulled the umbrella out and stuck it through the cruiser window.He laughed and said "Aha!"
I couldn't resist.Because I know the Chief and all the regular officers I told him "Now ,do you want to know what I'm really packing?"He replied with a laugh."Now,thats not necessary."My reply was, "If I'm nearby and you need any back up, you know you got it."
He thanked me, reached out and shook my hand.Just than I noticed another City cruiser pulling up towards us from the other direction.He himself had already called for back up!
I waved my umbrella at the approaching officer who I've known for years and continued my run.
It just shows that you have to expect the unexpected at any time.
But it also re-inforced to me that most LEO's,and this I've always known ,are on our side.

 

[Rachen]

But it also re-inforced to me that most LEO's,and this I've always known ,are on our side.

Depends on where you live.

 

[Erik]

Riiiight. Why handle it in a manner resulting in good will, pleasantries, and trust when you can take an adversarial tact with predictably less possitive results?

 

[Erik]

"But it also re-inforced to me that most LEO's,and this I've always known ,are on our side."

They are.

 

[Solo Flyer]

I'm laughing ,treo,but thats a little strong considering my environment.
That would be fine out in no man's land where I knew no one and couldn't call the station on my cell phone or know the other officer's.
The circumstances have to dictate the response.
With all due respect,Erik is right on.

 

[ServiceSoon]

What did he think it was?

 

[Solo Flyer]

What did he think it was?

Who knows?We never got that far.Maybe a German World War II grenade.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

LOL!

WW2 Nazi tater masher grenades. The ultimate pit bull medicine.
"Go get it boy!"


Sounds like the new guy is sharp. Write the chief and tell him the new guy is doing a good job.

 

[kentucky_Dave]

Great story.

Yes, most of the LEO's are absolutely great people.

It's all in the way you interact with them.

I know a LOT of them, grew up around a lot of 'em, and am not intimidated by them, so that helps I guess.

Had that been around here though...it would likely have been a less pleasant initial inquisition.
Around here many of the LEO's are uber-paranoid because of the recent LEO shootings.

They don't offer up many chances for the BG.

I can completely understand to some extent.
Degradation of civilization, one might say.

At least there are a few places left where people are normal.

 

[86thecat]

If a LEO thought something semi-hidden was a firearm, grabbing it to show his mistake could be interesting.

 

[glockman19]

When you said, "Now ,do you want to know what I'm really packing?"I would have thought you were talking ablut our mutual male package. Maybe he thought the same.

 

[LWGN]

When you said, "Now ,do you want to know what I'm really packing?"I would have thought you were talking ablut our mutual male package. Maybe he thought the same.

And that is probably precisely why he was so quick to say that he didn't need to see it.

 

[TCB in TN]

My question is this. Why would a LEO bother stopping a jogger who is obviously NOT doing anything wrong even IF he was packing, if CC is legal in the area? Maybe dude is on your side, this story just doesn't convince me though!

 

[GigaBuist]

Why would a LEO bother stopping a jogger

Sometimes the dude running down the road is doing it for exercise.

Sometimes the dude running down the road isn't.

If you ask the guy exercising why he's running he'll respond with a 'Huh?' moment like the OP did. The other type will probably make a 90 degree change in course.

 

[SoCalShooter]

Thats hilarious, but I have gathered that you live in the United States and not in California, if it was Cali there would have been helicopters and swat units.

 

[Treo]

The circumstances have to dictate the response.
With all due respect,Erik is right on.

So you're going about your business, doing nothing wrong and a cop stops you and in essence demands that you empty your pockets ( I don't care how freindly he was when he made his demand). And you're ok W/ that?

If that's ok in your world fine, in my world any cop that interacts W/ me is seeking evidence that a crime has been commited, and anything you say can and will be used against you. If a cop stops me on the street it's because he suspects that I'm doing something illegall & is looking for enough evidence to justify an arrest, I don't make idle conversation W/ cops, ever. He may have been joking and freindly but (as you pointed out) he took that stop seriously enough to call for back up. BEFORE he made contact W/ you. I would have NEVER reached in my back pocket after that umbrella, nor would I have made any refference to the fact that I was carrying a firearm unless specically asked.

But it also re-inforced to me that most LEO's,and this I've always known ,are on our side."

They are.

No they're not.

 

[TCB in TN]

Sometimes the dude running down the road is doing it for exercise.

Sometimes the dude running down the road isn't.

If you ask the guy exercising why he's running he'll respond with a 'Huh?' moment like the OP did. The other type will probably make a 90 degree change in course.

Maybe, but unless the OP is world class then his 6 mile pace isn't going to look like fleeing, and since he was in shorts and a T-shirt then I would be VERY surprised if there was much to be concerned with.

 

[machinisttx]

So you're going about your business, doing nothing wrong and a cop stops you and in essence demands that you empty your pockets ( I don't care how freindly he was when he made his demand). And you're ok W/ that?

If that's ok in your world fine, in my world any cop that interacts W/ me is seeking evidence that a crime has been commited, and anything you say can and will be used against you. If a cop stops me on the street it's because he suspects that I'm doing something illegall & is looking for enough evidence to justify an arrest, I don't make idle conversation W/ cops, ever. He may have been joking and freindly but (as you pointed out) he took that stop seriously enough to call for back up. BEFORE he made contact W/ you. I would have NEVER reached in my back pocket after that umbrella, nor would I have made any refference to the fact that I was carrying a firearm unless specically asked.

In all the times I've been stopped, only once did I have an issue with the officer who stopped me.

The last few times I've been stopped, I didn't get a ticket(except for the officer above), and the officer was quite polite and friendly. I talked with the last one that stopped me for a good 5-10 minutes about one of the local ranges and various people we both happened to know. I'd never met that officer before in my life.

IME, treat them as you'd want to be treated and you'll go on about your business without any problems. Act like an ass, and...well, they can make your life significantly harder than it has to be.

 

[Solo Flyer]

Quote:
The circumstances have to dictate the response.
With all due respect,Erik is right on.

So you're going about your business, doing nothing wrong and a cop stops you and in essence demands that you empty your pockets ( I don't care how freindly he was when he made his demand). And you're ok W/ that?

If that's ok in your world fine, in my world any cop that interacts W/ me is seeking evidence that a crime has been commited, and anything you say can and will be used against you. If a cop stops me on the street it's because he suspects that I'm doing something illegall & is looking for enough evidence to justify an arrest, I don't make idle conversation W/ cops, ever. He may have been joking and freindly but (as you pointed out) he took that stop seriously enough to call for back up. BEFORE he made contact W/ you. I would have NEVER reached in my back pocket after that umbrella, nor would I have made any refference to the fact that I was carrying a firearm unless specically asked.


Quote:
But it also re-inforced to me that most LEO's,and this I've always known ,are on our side."

They are.

No they're not.

You sound very angry,treo.
I'm sorry for you.
I hope you can work out your problems.
You've been sliding downhill on this forum for weeks.
Taking out your anger on my innocuous story is not going to help.
Get some backup of your own.Sincerely.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

treo, you seem to want the OP to be an ass just for the sake of bing an ass. This leads me to believe that you probably do the same when speaking with LEOs. Meaning, you cause the very bad attitude you are decrying.

The OP did the right thing, and most cops ARE on our side.

 

[Solo Flyer]

Thats hilarious, but I have gathered that you live in the United States and not in California, if it was Cali there would have been helicopters and swat units.

SoCal,you are correct.Small town Florida is still firmly in the freedom loving part of the USA.

treo, you seem to want the OP to be an ass just for the sake of bing an ass. This leads me to believe that you probably do the same when speaking with LEOs. Meaning, you cause the very bad attitude you are decrying.

The OP did the right thing, and most cops ARE on our side.

taurusowner,If I had ever imagined the bile initiated by treo coming to bear on my post,believe me it never would have been initiated.
That someone can work up that much vituperence over what I considered a somewhat comical incident with a rookie police officer in a tiny town is just about beyond my understanding.
Everyday we read about forum members stopped,disarmed,spread eagled,down on the ground.etc.
But what can you do?
There's a mindset there that says"cops interfere with my civil rights I'm gonna take the 5th."
It's enough to make you scream.
I think I'll go watch 'The Bourne Ultimatum' again to clear my head.

 

[Treo]

Actually, the last two interactions I've had W/ a police officer were very positive. But even a VERY professional Colorado State Patrol officer, wrongfully informed me that I was required to inform him immediately of my CHP. I have the right to protect myself in any interaction W/ a police officer.

I'm not sure I'm the one spewing bile

 

[akodo]

treo, you seem to want the OP to be an ass just for the sake of bing an ass.

No, I think Treo wanted the officer to drive right on by, as nothing illegal was going on. I suspect Treo wanted no interaction. We've all heard of people getting pulled over and questioned for "driving while black" which isn't acceptable. The same thing applies to guns, or being muslim, or to guys holding hands. We may have moral differences on how acceptable these things are, but if the activity you are doing is legal, then the officer should just keep on going. He doesn't have to like it, but he has to accept it. No different than if you were walking down the road holding up a sign saying "Say No to Prop 401" (prop 401 being a request to increase the base salary of police officers)

I think the interaction depends on the officer. Lets switch to cars for a minute. If you had a hot sportscar and an officer pulled you over and asked 'wow what kind of engine do you have in it, yadda yadda' you might chat him up, your call.

If the same officer said "wow, that's an expensive ride, how did you pay for it? (drug money?) what's that in the back seat? can I run the VIN?"

That would be entirely different.

There is no "one" interaction between CCWers and Cops. Each interaction needs to be looked at individually.

Had the OP been actually printing and the cop just wanted to say hi, chat guns, etc, that would be one thing.

However, calling backup indicates to me that had he spotted your gun and not your umbrella, you would have been detained for doing nothing illegal.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Are you sure he wasn't hitting on you?

 

[TCB in TN]

No, I think Treo wanted the officer to drive right on by, as nothing illegal was going on. I suspect Treo wanted no interaction. We've all heard of people getting pulled over and questioned for "driving while black" which isn't acceptable. The same thing applies to guns, or being muslim, or to guys holding hands. We may have moral differences on how acceptable these things are, but if the activity you are doing is legal, then the officer should just keep on going. He doesn't have to like it, but he has to accept it. No different than if you were walking down the road holding up a sign saying "Say No to Prop 401" (prop 401 being a request to increase the base salary of police officers)

I think the interaction depends on the officer. Lets switch to cars for a minute. If you had a hot sportscar and an officer pulled you over and asked 'wow what kind of engine do you have in it, yadda yadda' you might chat him up, your call.

If the same officer said "wow, that's an expensive ride, how did you pay for it? (drug money?) what's that in the back seat? can I run the VIN?"

That would be entirely different.

There is no "one" interaction between CCWers and Cops. Each interaction needs to be looked at individually.

Had the OP been actually printing and the cop just wanted to say hi, chat guns, etc, that would be one thing.

However, calling backup indicates to me that had he spotted your gun and not your umbrella, you would have been detained for doing nothing illegal.


akodo

I can't speak for anyone else, but that is exactly what I would want to see.