Notify 911 you're armed?

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K

kd7nqb

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So the below attached thread go me thinking

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=258810&highlight=911

If your in a "defense of others" situation and you have made the choice to intervene to defend someone else, and you both call 911 and are armed to protect yourself and other during the time until the police can arrive. Is it prudent to inform the 911 operator that your armed?

I guess I fear ending up being taken down (physically not with deadly force) by police because they mistake me as the suspect just because they see I am armed.

I would love to hear some of the answers from the LEO's on here on situations where they have dealt with CCW holders.
 
I am NOT a lawyer...

But in my opinion, i would not only let them know, but be VERY careful to keep your hands in plain sight from the moment the police can see you....
 
Have to say I would call in ASAP, clearly identify myself so that the descripition can be passed to responding officers AND be as careful as possible NOT to pose any threat (real or imagined) to arriving LEO's. You cannot assume all of them got the message so you have to make it clear you are not the problem they have been called about.

LEO's: would appreciate thoughts on what you would like to see from a good guy in this situation to make it most clear he is a good guy.

It might not work but it stacks the odds a little more in your favor.
 
Have to say I would call in ASAP, clearly identify myself so that the descripition can be passed to responding officers AND be as careful as possible NOT to pose any threat (real or imagined) to arriving LEO's.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% on that.
 
Absolutely. I have done this myself a couple + years ago.

And when the cops arrive, yell out that you are armed, and that you are the good guy!
 
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I too would say that I'm armed, give a description of myself and what I'm wearing, when the cops arrive, scream "I'm armed!" and that I'm not the bad guy. Also, I'd keep my hands in plain view of the cops at all times and not make any sudden moves towards any non-threats.
 
One of the LEO's posted once on the forum "use it and put it the 'heck' away!" My take from that notion is that once you put away your firearm that you will be less of a danger to them and your life expectancy will increase greatly.
 
I did.

Our dogs alerted us to prowlers at 4:00 am. My wife got up to investigate and saw 2 guys go into the side door of our detached garage.

She woke me up and I threw on a pair of shorts and a pullover shirt. I got the cordless phone, my 4506, and a flashlight and went out the back door to investigate. I was on the phone to 911 and could hear the two guys talking inside the garage. I described myself to the dispatcher and told him that I was armed. Also told him that my wife was armed.

Although it only took about 3 minutes for 2 SO cars to arrive, the guys in the garage decided to make their exit prior to the deputies arriving. Using my Marine Corps DI voice (R. Lee Ermy got nothing on me!) and reserve LEO experience, I had both of them spread out against the wall from a distance of about 20 ft.

When the deputies arrived the first one said "Wow, you've got them all ready to go for us!"

I asked him what he wanted my wife and I to do with our guns and he said "You can put them away now." I handed mine off to my wife and she took them inside.

I asked the deputies if their dispatch had informed them that we were armed and he said "Yep, we get that a lot out here in the county. You did exactly what you were supposed to do." He was totally cool and professional about it.
 
OMG, yes, you should tell them if you are armed. Give them a clear description of yourself and hope the 911 operator doesn't screw up or the responders mistake you for the perp. Above all, you will be challenged. Make no unexpected moves that could be misconstrued and follow commands to the letter, even if they seem unreasonable. This isn't the time to argue fine points of procedure.

K
 
I am a 911 operator. Yes, I will most likely ask you if you armed if the appropriate calls come up. I simply tell the folks to put it away before contacting the officers so as to avoid any confusion and I ask where they put it.

I think yelling "I am the good guy and I am armed!" is not a good idea. If you are not able to put the gun or knife away before pd gets there, put it on the ground as they arrive and follow their commands. You may initially get cuffed, but they will sort it out.
 
Screaming at anyone after or during a shooting incident to me sounds stupid. You may be facing a trainee or a cop thats just not sure of himself. Maybe even a rogue or cowboy cop. They are out there, trust me.
 
Yes

Let them know that you are armed. I would also tell them what I was wearing. When one of my apartments was broken into and I scared two guys out of my house with my USP45, I made damn sure that I told the police that I was armed, what room of the apartment that I was in and what I was wearing. I waited on the phone for them and told them not to enter that room quickly until the dispatcher said that it was ok. I then made the pistol safe (removed the mag and locked the slide open) and told them to come in. All in all it was pretty scary. Not just the B&E part of the night, but having to think about being shot by the police. But once the weapon was secure and the verified my ID, they were very nice and polite.
 
If you are armed you may be ordered to drop your weapon. Police want to control the scene and having a guy waving a gun around tends to make them nervous, even if he says he is a good guy. Remember, they don't know who the players are.

Which brings up a point. Some folks carry high value pistols and some on these sites have made stupid statements like "I will never drop my xxx super pistol with the diamond inlays" or "my new yyy could get all scratched up and I will just explain why I won't drop it."

If you are ordered by the police to drop the gun, drop it. Or you will be "scratched up", maybe fatally. They don't want to hear how you ordered the special super accurate hand finished model blah, blah. They want that gun on the ground or the guy holding it on the ground.

Jim
 
I don't see any reason to scream you are armed.
Click to expand...

When a cop is getting out of his car at 2:am in darkness and you are holding not 1 but 2 criminals at gunpoint in your underwear, I am glad I screamed I was armed.

Actually more like I yelled it.

I fixed my prior statement also!
 
Heck Yea. Tell the 911 operater you are armed. The police will know there MIGHT (some folks lie you know) be a good guy with a gun on the scene and it will help when they get there. Immediatly holster you weapon when the police arrive because they are in charge now, not you. If they tell you to put it on the ground then do so. If you do not cooperate they may not look at you as a good guy.
 
Yes boys and girls even if one or more of the LEOs knows you, you WILL drop that gun.
You may even find yourself spread eagle, face down, and handcuffed.
You might get lucky and end up in the back of a Squad car...

I've been there, and I am a regular guy. I also shared this experience with a UC LEO, some knew HE was UC, others did NOT, and for sake of cover he kept his mouth shut.

I have kicked a gun over asphalt, more than once.
Once to get a gun to another , and once when the officer with a 12 ga police gun "asked me real assertively" to do so.

These officers just doing their job.
They were professional, and after everything straightened out, actually apologized and felt bad for the guns getting banged up.

I reminded them, if they were in another jurisdiction and not known, they would be ordered to do the same, and these officers agreed, they would follow instructions, and drop guns, and whatever else.


~~
Car Wreck, and I am in the hospital.
Policy was to Etch a number with a electric graver, so mine were engraved with a number.
I was lucky to be alive, the vehicle totaled, the actual firearm not that big of a priority in the whole scheme of things.
Not dying was.
 
High value pistol = high value life?

I think you could comply quickly with the intent of "drop your weapon" by grasping the grip with thumb and index finger so the gun points down. Then quickly and deliberately place it on the ground. Come up with open palms.

Just a thought.

K
 
I see the validity of the telling 911 your armed that seems reasonable. I feel a little mixed about the "put it away" notion only because I thought the idea was to REDUCE surprises for the officer(s). As for kicking or dropping my gun, I am totally ok with it for the simple reason of my life happens to be worth more than my gun.
 
I've always hear that cops say "put the gun down"

Using their "command" voice...
That makes sense, "dropping" a gun (at least the cheaper ones) may cause an accidental discharge.
I had a davis derringer once that fell off a table and went bang...the darn thing wasn't even cocked...i cant remember if it had a safety.

I will put the gun down , I will not drop it.
 
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