As a LEO how do you view open carry?

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I have no opinion of UOC. It is still a legal act for the next 2 months. Have at it.

My issue is with the segment of UOC'ers who make a point of being confrontational and trying to play gotcha with their video camera every second they are out. Dude, I really don't care. Your gun doesn't impress me. Just let me do my job and I am out. Spare me the pre-rehearsed speech about the Constitution and if you're being detained and if I am part of the evil triumvirate or if I want to buy girl scout cookies. I'm tired.

They got what they wanted though. They challenged society and the politicians fired back pretty fast. If they approached it differently and tried a softer approach with more public awareness and education, if they called the cops ahead of time, if they called the media ahead of time, if any organizations made more of a campaign on their behalf, who knows? Maybe it will still turn out the same, maybe not.

But I know the "it's my right and I ain't gotta explain jack" attitude is not endearing to anyone.

This sums up this thread nicely. Wrap it up with a bow and put it in the archives...

[bubbapug1]

OK, I will ask the mods to lock it up before it degrades into a slugfest.

[ap3572001]

Open carry......

To start with , per policy , I can't open carry off duty.

To me , open carry of UNLODED handguns, can and did create problems.

I had to go on a "man with a gun' call once, and when I got there I had to deal with a VERY rude person and several scared people near the restaurant . On busy Saturday afternoon.

I took full control of the situation and did what I had to do.

To me, a CCW is MUCH better choice.

[TheExpertish]

Open carry......

To start with , per policy , I can't open carry off duty.

To me , open carry of UNLODED handguns, can and did create problems.

I had to go on a "man with a gun' call once, and when I got there I had to deal with a VERY rude person and several scared people near the restaurant . On busy Saturday afternoon.

I took full control of the situation and did what I had to do.

To me, a CCW is MUCH better choice.

+1. Gun calls aren't any fun.

I don't see a need for mods to lock this down unless it's out of hand. This has been civil so far.

[ap3572001]

Lets be real here.
If I was working in a rural area somewhere , where every other person had a revolver on their hip and a rifle rack in the truck and the gun related crime situtation was NOT what it is in SF or LA area, it would be a different story .

The last thing You want is going on a call and when You get there to deal with a rude person who has a gun .....

[TrailerparkTrash]

Isn't there like 30 some states that allow some form of LEGAL carry, be it concealed or open? If other states can do it, why can't California "Subjects" do the same?

Being a LEO, I'm all for honest citizens carrying guns any way they want! Heck, the bad guys do what they want regardless of what laws are on the books. Hell, murder has been on the books for over a century and that law doesn't stop one from killing someone else!

Lets be real here....The last thing You want is going on a call and when You get there to deal with a rude person who has a gun .....

Yes, lets be real. When going on a call to someone's house, don't you already have the mindset that EVERYONE is armed, not only you? Consider that the norm now a days. Besides, if a bad guy wants to kill you with a gun, he's not going to let a law written down in the "books" stop him from shooting you in the first place. A law forbiding a citizen to carry openly is just there for honest citizens whom choose to obey that law. A parolee that doesn't want to go back to prison is going to carry illegally no matter what.

I say, honest citizens should be allowed to carry. The thugs already do! It wouldn't bother me in the least. I already have the mindset that everyone I come in contact with is already armed and is going to try to kill me. Yup, even grandma on that consentual encounter is pack'n in my mind. I have that in my mind and hope to be able to react to a threat from anybody if the time arises (God forbid). Does that mean I'm pointing my gun at Grandma's head on a citizen contact? absolutely not, but I don't EVER let my guard down and again, in my mind, she's waiting to make her move to kill me. I just smile politely and wait for her attack. That's my mindset. I never trust anybody out there while in uniform.

I Kinda side tracked the topic, but to recap.... I am all for citizens carrying openly.

Also, what Notorious said +1000%.

[yzErnie]

Notorious,
Very well said and an honest reflection of what the overwhelming majority of LE believes as well.

[bubbapug1]

Yes, lets be real. When going on a call to someone's house, don't you already have the mindset that EVERYONE is armed, not only you? Consider that the norm now a days. Besides, if a bad guy wants to kill you with a gun, he's not going to let a law written down in the "books" stop him from shooting you in the first place. A law forbiding a citizen to carry openly is just there for honest citizens whom choose to obey that law. A parolee that doesn't want to go back to prison is going to carry illegally no matter what.

I say, honest citizens should be allowed to carry. The thugs already do! It wouldn't bother me in the least. I already have the mindset that everyone I come in contact with is already armed and is going to try to kill me. Yup, even grandma on that consentual encounter is pack'n in my mind. I have that in my mind and hope to be able to react to a threat from anybody if the time arises (God forbid). Does that mean I'm pointing my gun at Grandma's head on a citizen contact? absolutely not, but I don't EVER let my guard down and again, in my mind, she's waiting to make her move to kill me. I just smile politely and wait for her attack. That's my mindset. I never trust anybody out there while in uniform.

I Kinda side tracked the topic, but to recap.... I am all for citizens carrying openly.

Also, what Notorious said +1000%.

I think with that mindset you will survive a long time. I also think if you don't have that mindset you could pay a heavy price. I am not so sure I like UOC because it presents too many opportunities for guns to be stolen off someones hip, but I do wish CCW was more prevalent. I think that would keep some thugs back on their heels a bit more than they are now when they know everyone is disarmed but them.

[Notorious]

Awwww... Shucks...

[natrab]

Mind you, I am not a LEO, but I understand your perspectives. I work with LEOs on a regular basis and the second the word "gun" is in the mix you see the tensions rise, and rightfully so.

However, those tensions in the general public are due to a sensitivity that has been bred into Californians for a while now. Mostly it comes from the fear of the unfamiliar which to many stems from lack of education about anything gun oriented.

Anyone on this forum upon seeing someone carrying a gun in plain site would instantly evaluate the weapon's status (mag in or out, hammer back or safety on, consideration of bullet in chamber) as we don't have this oversensitive reaction to the situation. There are many Californians who have never handled or seen a gun short of in a LEO's holster and their only perception of it comes from TV, where all guns seem magically ready to fire 40 shots one after another and kill tons of people.

Those who would open carry need to be calm minded, polite and skilled at educating those who are uneasy or unfamiliar with firearms. Those who do it to illicit a reaction from the public in hopes of shocking some sort of social reform and who are aggressive about the matter really shouldn't be wearing a firearm on their side.

As for the "man with a gun" calls, with time and education I hope that they would decrease, however CCW seems like a more socially acceptable option at this point in time to reduce overreactions. Annoying calls with always happen regardless. Last night at 4am I had to respond to a "man down" who turned out to be a halloween mask lying on someone's lawn. The RP of course had driven away because they were too scared to look closer. Great way to end a 72 hour shift...

[32blownhemi]

I was in Missoula, Montana a couple of months back & went into a Burger King to eat. My eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw this 'good old boy' standing in line with a gun in a holster on his side! There must have been 40 - 50 people in there & I was the ONLY one with their eyes popping out. NO one else paid any attention whats so ever to him! I talked to him & he wasn't LEO... I guess the local population was just used to seeing this! B

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Notorious' post sums up my feelings about UOC, and does it better (and nicer) than I could have.

Now I just hope they don't manage to to the same thing with long guns... but the smart money is on the continuance of human stubbornness and stupidity.

[bill_k_lopez]

Lets be real here.
If I was working in a rural area somewhere , where every other person had a revolver on their hip and a rifle rack in the truck and the gun related crime situtation was NOT what it is in SF or LA area, it would be a different story .

The last thing You want is going on a call and when You get there to deal with a rude person who has a gun .....

I'm not trying to be a richard about this -but please elaborate on what the "gun related crime crime situation" is?

The crime statistics published by the state don't really support that we have a high "gun related" crime problem. Heck, Seal Beach where we just had our most recent gun crime issue hadn't had a homicide in 4 years.

There were less than 1500 homicides (commited with a gun) in 2009 (2010 stats aren't published yet).

[Kestryll]

OK, I will ask the mods to lock it up before it degrades into a slugfest.

Done.