Giving your gun to police for, "your safety."

[Denny347]

Thought-provoking idea, and not one I'd considered, Rhino. Badges are easy to buy-they're just stamped or possibly even cast metal- and in this day of laser printers and PhotoShop, an official-looking ID card, esp. from out of state, would be child's play to create.

Also... the issue of what tools one is required to carry while working is totally immaterial; a firefighter doesn't get out of his car with an axe, nor a plumber, even one on 24 hr. call, go around with a pipe wrench in his pocket, let alone in his hand.... and if either did, I think they would be quickly deprived of that item.



Blessings,
B

Your not going to see too many people if full police uniform who are not police officers. Its the plain clothes officers that you may be weary of. To add to the debate here, I expressed my feelings higher up in this thread. I don't regularly disarm a lawfully carrying CCW holder so I surly would not bother with a brother/sister LEO. Why would that be? Its all about threat level. Now I cannot pretend to know what a stranger is thinking but I can observe them enough to possibly form an opinion on the level of threat they will pose to me. I might go back to my car to write them a ticket that doesn't mean I don't still keep an eye open on them. If they start getting happy hands then I might change my mind and hold their pistol. As police officers we are trained to trust our brother/sister LEO's with our lives, even if they are from another dept. So it is not unreasonable to see that a fellow LEO would not even register a threat level. The rub comes from the officer not trusting a fellow LEO enough to allow him to stay armed. Unless the stopping officer was investigating a police impersonator there would be no cause. There is no double standard, we trust each other more than the general public, sometimes to our detriment. Right or wrong, that is how is works. If that officer was so jumpy as to not trust a fellow LEO he has no business in this line of work. When the crap hits the fan we sometimes only have each other to get us through it.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Your not going to see too many people if full police uniform who are not police officers. Its the plain clothes officers that you may be weary of. To add to the debate here, I expressed my feelings higher up in this thread. I don't regularly disarm a lawfully carrying CCW holder so I surly would not bother with a brother/sister LEO. Why would that be? Its all about threat level. Now I cannot pretend to know what a stranger is thinking but I can observe them enough to possibly form an opinion on the level of threat they will pose to me. I might go back to my car to write them a ticket that doesn't mean I don't still keep an eye open on them. If they start getting happy hands then I might change my mind and hold their pistol. As police officers we are trained to trust our brother/sister LEO's with our lives, even if they are from another dept. So it is not unreasonable to see that a fellow LEO would not even register a threat level. The rub comes from the officer not trusting a fellow LEO enough to allow him to stay armed. Unless the stopping officer was investigating a police impersonator there would be no cause. There is no double standard, we trust each other more than the general public, sometimes to our detriment. Right or wrong, that is how is works. If that officer was so jumpy as to not trust a fellow LEO he has no business in this line of work. When the crap hits the fan we sometimes only have each other to get us through it.

The issue here was not a uniform vs. plainclothes, but rather an off-duty officer who was "carrying on his badge". The question in the deputy's mind may have been an impersonator or may have been any number of other things, but all of them are immaterial.
Denny, with respect, you said that you often do not disarm a LTCH holder. Thank you. That's appreciated. The question this has turned into however, seems to be whether or not the person claiming to be a LEO might be the bigger threat to you because if his credo is false, but due to him showing it, you allowed him to stay armed, could he then get "happy hands" that you might miss due to him not registering as a threat to you. Conversely, I'm sure you're even more aware than I am of license/permit holders using their firearm to defend an officer in time of need. Those circumstances are happily very rare.
Reduced to it's simplest terms, peaceable LTCH holders are no more a threat to you than a genuine brother/sister officer. IMHO (and granted, not as a LEO,) both should be treated alike, both when it comes to armed vs. disarmed and whether or not to issue a citation.



Blessings,
B

 

[inxs]

Historically I have seen evidence that the situation was more likely reversed. Years ago police were basically more officers of the court than they have become. The owner of the property was sovereign to a much greater extent. I believe that this may be one of "those" areas where society has trumped rights. Kinda analogous to what's going on today-

 

[rhino]

Do refer to the de-evolution from "peace officers" to "police officers"?

 

[Caleb]

I'd tell them I can take care of myself