Armed in the office...

[Profiler]

Hello all,

Looking for your thoughts.

I work alone. Occasionally I see people in my office, but, they leave and wI work on my reports, paperwork, etc... I am a psychologist, so no prescriptions or "samples." (But that doesn't mean the bozos don't know that.) I need to keep my door open because I frequently get deliveries during the day, but unless I am expecting someone I look the door t twilight.

I am in an area that is generally upscale with some mixed degens, homeless and tourist types, near a marina.

Last week a guy came into the office, looking tense and angry. It was the first time I felt any fear at all. I have pretty good situational awareness and can talk most angry folks down pretty quickly. I was able to redirect this guy to the office he was looking for (legitimately) upstairs.

But it occurred to me I think I'd like to keep 1 gun here at the office.

Do I keep it loaded? Do I keep only a mag loaded? In the bag, out of the bag? Bag open and ready at my side? I don;t see myself racking and ready overtime someone comes through the door, but I'm wondering what might be a good solution.

I do not expect a thunderous rush of a break in; there's nothing here to smash and grab. But if someone comes in, I'm thinking to reach down and have it ready at the first hint the something's not right...

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Profiler

ps I don't work with criminals, but do work with legal cases and people with the potential to be mentally ill. It's rare that they are severely mentally ill, usually neurotic complainers. I am as much concerned about the neighborhood as I am the people I evaluate.

[Exile Machine]

I'd keep it loaded and holstered. That's the way I roll. You never know where you might be when trouble strikes. Better to have it on you. If you don't want to holster a big gun then something small like a Ruger LCP in a pocket holster just disappears until you need it.

-Mark

[71MUSTY]

Tough question. Yes I would and do keep a loaded weapon at my office. I would hesitate to have it unsecured, especially in your line of work. You could body carry inside your office but that is a bit of a pain if you are not used to carrying 24/7, having to take it off and secure it every time you walk out front or down the hall to the head is a pain. I have a speed vault fingerprint safe under the desk. Easy access for me, not available to customers, difficult to steal in a break in.

I have done this for years. Now I have a CCW so I also carry on my body but I still have the one in the speed vault cuz you never know. I change the batteries every time the time changes.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=fingerprint+gun+safe&tbm=shop&spd=187225229640859534

[ElDub1950]

First, are you the business owner? It sounds like you are, but if not you need to have the owner's permission.

If you have a gun for protection, it needs to be loaded. From your description, this isn't a case where you would have any warning that something bad is going to happen.

Are you deliveries front door or back door? Consider electric locks you can unlock from your desk and a camera at your back door to identify deliveries. Again, if you're not the owner it limits what you can do.

There are several good options for mounting a handgun under your desk for immediate access. But if you're moving around your office most of the time, on body carry would be preferred.

You didn't mention a CCW so, assuming you don't have one, you'll need to plan on a way to secure it if you leave the office for lunch/errands.

I'd probably go for an under-desk handgun mount plus a handgun safe securely mounted in your desk/file cabinet etc.

[Profiler]

I am a doctor. I am the only one that leases/works in the office. I rarely love for lunch, though I could simply secure it in my car just outside my door....

I don't really work at a desk, more like a comfy chair part of the time, the desk part of the time.

There is a hallway about 20 feet from the door to the main area where I work.

And I don't have a CCW. I don't think I really need to carry on my person. I've had this one event in 4 years. I'm mostly thinking something at-the-ready by my side at certain times...

Thanks all,

Profiler

[Garv]

If you are nervous about your safety, you should carry and have it ready to go.

You won't have enough time to grab a gun and rack it if a bad guy is coming right at you.

You sound like you are not quite sure of yourself with a gun, so possibly some training is in order.

You usually do not know the right time to be ready until it is too late.

[grantar2]

OP a couple of question, and a couple of thoughts.

1st. do you live in LA. i.e. you can't get a permit.

2nd. If you decide to have a gun in your office, you will need to secure it, you will also have to consider how you transport it.

3rd you will need to train in advance.

If you have a weapon for self defense it does you no good if there isn't around in the chamber. If your worried about a solo nut job, this would be the one good argument for having a revolver.

If your going to have it in the office it should be on your body, or in a safe and accessible location. If you are normally at the desk, an under desk mount will work. A biometric access safe may be your best choice. Combination of access, effectiveness and liability protection.

Training. I would contact a trainer that can simulate a desk environment for you. There may be someone in LA. In OC I recommend Artemis Defense Institute because they can create the office environment to work your skill, judgmental use of force, and overall decision making.

In the meantime can I recommend Pepper Spray. Again proper training is important.

I don't carry this line in my concealed carry store, but I can recommend them as a quality product. Optics Planet seems to have the best price, but they are available at Gun Shows. http://shop.opticsplanet.com/gunvaul...FZGMaQodjVEBog

[Profiler]

Thanks all.

Great ideas. I will continue my training, have begun, but more specific scenario training is a good idea.

I appreciate the input, hope you all had good a holiday weekend!

[glockman19]

Hello all,

Looking for your thoughts.

I work alone. Occasionally I see people in my office, but, they leave and wI work on my reports, paperwork, etc... I am a psychologist, so no prescriptions or "samples." (But that doesn't mean the bozos don't know that.) I need to keep my door open because I frequently get deliveries during the day, but unless I am expecting someone I look the door t twilight.

I am in an area that is generally upscale with some mixed degens, homeless and tourist types, near a marina.

Last week a guy came into the office, looking tense and angry. It was the first time I felt any fear at all. I have pretty good situational awareness and can talk most angry folks down pretty quickly. I was able to redirect this guy to the office he was looking for (legitimately) upstairs.

But it occurred to me I think I'd like to keep 1 gun here at the office.

Do I keep it loaded? Do I keep only a mag loaded? In the bag, out of the bag? Bag open and ready at my side? I don;t see myself racking and ready overtime someone comes through the door, but I'm wondering what might be a good solution.

I do not expect a thunderous rush of a break in; there's nothing here to smash and grab. But if someone comes in, I'm thinking to reach down and have it ready at the first hint the something's not right...

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Profiler

ps I don't work with criminals, but do work with legal cases and people with the potential to be mentally ill. It's rare that they are severely mentally ill, usually neurotic complainers. I am as much concerned about the neighborhood as I am the people I evaluate.

Do I keep it loaded?
YES

In the bag, out of the bag? Bag open and ready at my side? I don;t see myself racking and ready overtime someone comes through the door, but I'm wondering what might be a good solution.
I would suggest a S&W 442. It is light weight, easily concealable. A round is always in the chamber ready to fire, no racking of any slide. I carry mine in a pant pocket.

[Chunky_lover]

if you have a desk I would use one of those lock boxes you place your hand on to open
I would keep a gun in there, mag loaded but not inside the gun

keep it in the desk during the day, then take the whole lock box out at end of day and put in the car

that way its still legal inside the car because its unloaded and locked in a container

maybe get a backpack or shoulder bag to carry the box in and out of the office



then if you ever have some problem you need a gun it will be nearby
at least its better then nothing, and still out of reach from anyone snooping around in your desk if you happen to go out for a little while

[BonnieB]

Profiler,

For starts, if you work in an office alone, you should be working behind at least two locked doors (the street door/the suite door, and your office door, both locked with first rate locks. (See personal security firm discussion, below).

I'd certainly consider having a silent alarm system built in, with a button under your desktop and another underneath your desk-chair arm. You know, the button bank tellers press, when the BG's bust in.

And keep those outside doors LOCKED. "Locked" means reinforced door jambs, solid-core re-inforced doors and first-rate deadbolts. All delivery people have cell phones and can call you to let you know they are at the door. Remember, bad stuff happens in the daylight too. Why would you lock a door at dusk that you wouldn't lock during the day?

If someone kicks in your office door you will have absolutely no time to unlock a safe, load a mag and rack a slide, never mind take aim. This is the scenario where the Bad Guy takes the gun away from you and shoots you with it. Any able bodied person can cover 21 feet in about one point five seconds. That's "one-mississippi-oh-sh*t!" How far from your door is your desk/chair?

So, you can see, you have to have a loaded, racked handgun in arm's reach all the time you are in your office, or you might as well not bother.

If you live in a county where CCW is possible, get on it immediately, it takes a long time almost everywhere. If CCW is not possible, contact a reliable personal security firm (NOT an alarm system firm) and buy a couple hours of their consulting time to get intelligent, practical advice.

I'd check this with the local sheriff, but I believe owners and employees can open carry inside their businesses with the permission of the boss. But not into the parking lot. So all the time you are alone you can open carry in your office. I wouldn't do that in front of patients, probably.

And finally, have a long and sincere talk with yourself and your own shrink, about whether or not you are emotionally capable of shooting down and killing an attacker. Are you capable of blowing the arm clean off an attacking teenager and then facing his mamma in the grocery store? Not to mention the million dollar civil suit that will inevitably follow. And the police investigation and TV publicity.

You have to get very, very real with yourself about what you can really do in a crisis. Because if you believe you'll calmly pull a gun and a BG will simply back out the door, you shouldn't have a gun at all. If you pick it up at all, you assume you are going to shoot to kill. Or don't pick it up.

I know this is really hard, but it's really true. And when you go to your CCW classes, the instructor will tell you so.

[movie zombie]

grantar and BonnieB nailed it.

[jeremiah12]

Profiler, again, Grantar and BonnieB nailed it.

BGs are great at making their potential victims feel guilty if they have any fears or doubts about the person right up until the moment they attack you.

The majority of us have been taught that if we are in, whether it is home or at work, the door is to be open or unlocked. If someone is at the door, we are obligated to immediately answer it and open the door. It is rude to do otherwise.

If the only thing you are expecting are deliveries and are not expecting patients or seeing people by appointments, why is the door unlocked?

Delivery people are on a schedule and are given very little time to deliver each package, but your safety and security is more important than their ability to keep their schedule. Install a camera at the door so you can see them approaching or they can call you when they get close. You can also install one of those electronic locks that you can unlock at a push of the button at your desk after you confirm that it is a delivery person at the door using a security camera.

Install a 2-way intercom also. If you do not recognize the person at the door you can ignore the person. If you want, you can talk to them on the intercom.

When someone comes to my door, if I do not recognize them, i generally do not answer. Why should I risk my safety by opening the door when the majority of the time it is someone wanting to sell me something or convince me to vote for their candidate. There are too many home invasions in the area where I live, I am not going to take that chance.

If you are going to keep a gun at the office, get training. The gun needs to be kept with a round in the chamber and within arms reach. When things go bad it will happen fast and you will be lucky if you have time to get to your gun in time.

Having been in self-defense situations I can say it will go from all is good to life and death in a second or two and if you are going to survive you do not have the luxury of hesitation. You need to work out in advance if you are able to take the life of another human, and if so, under what conditions. You will never be the same once you do. If you cannot, then you will have to work on alternatives with the understanding that you may very well loose your life.

The more prepared you are, the less likely you will have a bad encounter, but if you do, you have a better chance of surviving it.

Finally, if at all possible, have a back way out of your office. If you see unsavory characters in the security cameras at the front door, slip out the back.

[HPBrowningMK3]

Profiler, great answers so far. I will add something I haven't seen in this thread and that is to figure out under what conditions you WILL fight and use your firearm to stop the threat.

[movie zombie]

jeremiah also nails it with lots of good safety advice, especially about being in a space with no other way out.

after reading responses I realize that a good safety course and evaluation of your work space by a good safety instructor might benefit you even more right now than thoughts of a firearm.

unless you train using a firearm AND to understand when you can legally use a firearm BUT ESPECIALLY have done everything else you possibly can to eliminate the need to use said firearm you may want to delay a firearm purchase.