SteyrAUG
01-07-15, 02:25
So from my perspective here is what happened today.
I had a couple of shipments I had to drop off at the UPS store, it's only a couple blocks away and that saves me from spending an extra $12 for a pick up fee. I have a gun on my hip (because I always have a gun on my hip) and my concealment garment (reporters vest) was on the front seat and I'm loading boxes into the back seat. My vehicle is parked in my front yard.
Because I have OCD and middle age short term memory I confirm that I locked the front door before leaving, peek in my front window and tell my dogs to "knock it off and behave while I'm gone." I climb in my front seat and begin to back up when a black SUV pulls into my yard behind me blocking me in.
Thankfully they had blue lights running in the dash and I'm pretty astute at identifying legitimate law enforcement uniforms vs. the stuff that can be put together with things from the army / navy store.
As the police were coming down there street here is what they observed. A middle aged white male with a holstered firearm on his hip wearing cargo shorts and a polo shirt loading boxes into a vehicle and apparently trying the front door and then peering into the front window of a residence and then quickly climbing into his vehicle and attempting to leave, possibly because he identified an unmarked police vehicle coming down the street.
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing.
So at a time when assholes are actively targeting police officers I now have a pair of them wishing to know what exactly is going on. Drivers side officer is the one who will be asking the question, passenger side officer is "gun drawn" and in a low ready behind the door. Drivers side officer might have drawn but his right hand is behind the door.
I exit my vehicle with my hands at shoulder level and palms visible and slowly walk about half way to them and stop. I can now be completely seen and heard but I haven't moved too close to make them feel uncomfortable. First question is something along the lines of "Hey buddy, why do you have a gun?"
I respond by asking the officer if it is ok for me to grab my ID from my back pocket. I then verify with the passenger side officer who has a weapon at low ready that it's oke with him as well if I obtain my ID from my back pocket. He nods and I accept that as confirmation that we all understand I am going to move my hand towards my back pocket even though there is a handgun on my right hip.
I calmly pull my wallet, pull my DL and my CWP and calmly walk towards the driver side officer and hand him both IDs. Having seen my valid concealed weapon permit he comments that my firearm should be concealed. I calmly reply that I'm on private property so I'm legal and I also mention that my reporters vest is on the front seat and I confirm that I understand when I leave my property the weapon is to be concealed. I mention that I simply wasn't wearing the vest because I was loading boxes.
At this point the officers have confirmed I'm the homeowner and when they asked why I was staring in the window my answer that I was telling my dogs to behave was accepted as satisfactory.
So then they ask why I'm carrying a gun, to which I reply I always carry a gun and I hand them one of my business cards that identifies me as a law enforcement supplier and firearm dealer. The business card seems to put them more at ease than my conceal weapons permit.
Everyone is now on the same page more or less and they have returned to a Defcon 5 posture. They then explained what "they saw" and why they stopped me, I replied that I completely understand and thanked them because in essence they were making sure nobody was robbing my house and I'm actually rather grateful for that kind of proactive policing. Drivers side officer made a comment along the lines of "I respect the second amendment and all but I had to make sure this wasn't criminal activity." Again, I repeated that I completely understand and I'm not upset at all.
At this point, now that everyone is calm, I took the time to directly thank the passenger side officer for holding a low ready and not drawing a direct line on me. I always get a tad uneasy when I get straight lined by LEOs even if their finger isn't on the trigger. I'm appreciative when they show some consideration and just low ready in order to prepare to defend themselves. As they were saying their "have a nice days" I told the drivers side officer that I'd walk up and shake his hand but I know how most officers feel about that sort of thing when dealing with visibly armed individuals so I'll just wish him a "nice day" as well. Thankfully he got it and smiled.
From start to finish the entire thing lasted maybe three minutes.
Now if I was making a youtube video I'm sure I could have started complaining about getting "jumped by the man on my own front yard where I'm completely legal for Gods sakes and even have a carry permit for that matter." I could have gone on a rant about minding my own damn business when the "po po" pull up and draw weapons and start something that didn't need to happen in the first place.
Can't you all see I done been disrespected at my own damn home where I pay the bills including the property taxes that pay their salaries and what do I get? Undercover cops running around looking for a white man to mess with.
Of course that scenario might have lasted longer than three minutes and might have colored their view about making sure my neighborhood is safe.
I think I'll grab some Dunkin Donuts $10 gift cards to keep in my wallet. The fact that the passenger side officer didn't muzzle sweep me at all really deserves a scooby snack.
I had a couple of shipments I had to drop off at the UPS store, it's only a couple blocks away and that saves me from spending an extra $12 for a pick up fee. I have a gun on my hip (because I always have a gun on my hip) and my concealment garment (reporters vest) was on the front seat and I'm loading boxes into the back seat. My vehicle is parked in my front yard.
Because I have OCD and middle age short term memory I confirm that I locked the front door before leaving, peek in my front window and tell my dogs to "knock it off and behave while I'm gone." I climb in my front seat and begin to back up when a black SUV pulls into my yard behind me blocking me in.
Thankfully they had blue lights running in the dash and I'm pretty astute at identifying legitimate law enforcement uniforms vs. the stuff that can be put together with things from the army / navy store.
As the police were coming down there street here is what they observed. A middle aged white male with a holstered firearm on his hip wearing cargo shorts and a polo shirt loading boxes into a vehicle and apparently trying the front door and then peering into the front window of a residence and then quickly climbing into his vehicle and attempting to leave, possibly because he identified an unmarked police vehicle coming down the street.
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing.
So at a time when assholes are actively targeting police officers I now have a pair of them wishing to know what exactly is going on. Drivers side officer is the one who will be asking the question, passenger side officer is "gun drawn" and in a low ready behind the door. Drivers side officer might have drawn but his right hand is behind the door.
I exit my vehicle with my hands at shoulder level and palms visible and slowly walk about half way to them and stop. I can now be completely seen and heard but I haven't moved too close to make them feel uncomfortable. First question is something along the lines of "Hey buddy, why do you have a gun?"
I respond by asking the officer if it is ok for me to grab my ID from my back pocket. I then verify with the passenger side officer who has a weapon at low ready that it's oke with him as well if I obtain my ID from my back pocket. He nods and I accept that as confirmation that we all understand I am going to move my hand towards my back pocket even though there is a handgun on my right hip.
I calmly pull my wallet, pull my DL and my CWP and calmly walk towards the driver side officer and hand him both IDs. Having seen my valid concealed weapon permit he comments that my firearm should be concealed. I calmly reply that I'm on private property so I'm legal and I also mention that my reporters vest is on the front seat and I confirm that I understand when I leave my property the weapon is to be concealed. I mention that I simply wasn't wearing the vest because I was loading boxes.
At this point the officers have confirmed I'm the homeowner and when they asked why I was staring in the window my answer that I was telling my dogs to behave was accepted as satisfactory.
So then they ask why I'm carrying a gun, to which I reply I always carry a gun and I hand them one of my business cards that identifies me as a law enforcement supplier and firearm dealer. The business card seems to put them more at ease than my conceal weapons permit.
Everyone is now on the same page more or less and they have returned to a Defcon 5 posture. They then explained what "they saw" and why they stopped me, I replied that I completely understand and thanked them because in essence they were making sure nobody was robbing my house and I'm actually rather grateful for that kind of proactive policing. Drivers side officer made a comment along the lines of "I respect the second amendment and all but I had to make sure this wasn't criminal activity." Again, I repeated that I completely understand and I'm not upset at all.
At this point, now that everyone is calm, I took the time to directly thank the passenger side officer for holding a low ready and not drawing a direct line on me. I always get a tad uneasy when I get straight lined by LEOs even if their finger isn't on the trigger. I'm appreciative when they show some consideration and just low ready in order to prepare to defend themselves. As they were saying their "have a nice days" I told the drivers side officer that I'd walk up and shake his hand but I know how most officers feel about that sort of thing when dealing with visibly armed individuals so I'll just wish him a "nice day" as well. Thankfully he got it and smiled.
From start to finish the entire thing lasted maybe three minutes.
Now if I was making a youtube video I'm sure I could have started complaining about getting "jumped by the man on my own front yard where I'm completely legal for Gods sakes and even have a carry permit for that matter." I could have gone on a rant about minding my own damn business when the "po po" pull up and draw weapons and start something that didn't need to happen in the first place.
Can't you all see I done been disrespected at my own damn home where I pay the bills including the property taxes that pay their salaries and what do I get? Undercover cops running around looking for a white man to mess with.
Of course that scenario might have lasted longer than three minutes and might have colored their view about making sure my neighborhood is safe.
I think I'll grab some Dunkin Donuts $10 gift cards to keep in my wallet. The fact that the passenger side officer didn't muzzle sweep me at all really deserves a scooby snack.