There are many here saying to go with option #3 and just keep it in the bag, take it inside and and keep your mouth shut. Let me play devil's advocate for a minute because I tried that once and here is what happened. And yes, this is an absolutely true story.
I also work in a corporate office and we have a no weapons policy. But my cubicle is literally in a corner at the very end of the 3rd floor. If there were ever to be an active shooter scenario I could be trapped, since the nearest stairwell is about 40 - 50 feet away. So one day I decided to throw my .38 snubbie in my laptop bag and take it inside with me. I was testing the waters more than anything to see if this would be a viable means to carry while at work.
As Murphy's law would have it, I had completely forgotten that was the day I was supposed to ride with a co-worker down to the Statehouse in Indy for a meeting. Of course I couldn't very well leave my unattended bag and gun at my desk while I was gone, so I took it with me with the intention of leaving it in my co-worker's car while we went inside.
We had some items we were delivering to the Sec. of State's office, so when we arrived downtown at the Statehouse we parked out front to unload the boxes. I left my bag in the backseat while we unloaded, and after we finished, my co-worker drove the car a few blocks away to park.
I start carrying the packages inside and waited for her to get back. Low and behold, when she arrived she was carrying my laptop bag. She handed it to me and said, "you left this in the car. I didn't want to leave it in plain sight while the car was parked, so I brought it back to you so you can keep an eye on it." Of course at this point we're right up on the security checkpoint and she starts putting her stuff through the x-ray machine, getting ready to walk through the metal detector.
I can't very well turn around and go back to the car. She has the keys and is already through the checkpoint. I did my best to try and casually ask the Sheriff's Deputy if I could leave my bag with him because there was a prohibited item inside. Of course he was like 90 years old and didn't hear me so he yells, "You got what inside your bag?"
I got closer and told him that I had a firearm inside but I didn't want my co-worker to know, and asked him to please give me some guidance. He motions to a state police trooper standing about 20 yards away and waves the trooper over. I try to explain the situation using my "inside voice" with my co-worker now looking back at me wondering what the hold-up is.
The trooper tells me my only option is to take it back to the car, under his supervision. He radios another trooper and requests a lock box be brought down to the security checkpoint. Now I'm standing there with two Indiana State troopers and a Marion County Sheriff's Deputy while my co-worker stares back at me. I have to ask her for her car keys while the trooper pulls my holstered firearm out of the bag and places it in the lock box. He then escorts me out of the building and personally walks me back to the car three blocks away so I can remove it from the lock box, put it back in the laptop bag and lock everything in the trunk.
After all was said and done it took nearly 20 minutes from the time I originally walked into the building with the gun, to the time I came back without it. When I returned, my co-worker was chatting with the other trooper, no doubt trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Now this co-worker isn't exactly my boss, but we work in the same department and she definitely outranks me. When we met up she said something to the effect of, "the trooper told me you had some tools or something in your bag?"
I told her I had some prohibited items inside and left it at that, but I know she saw the trooper pull the gun out of the bag and put it in the lock box. This happened about three months ago and we haven't spoken about it since.
The moral of the story is, you never know what could happen during the day that could end up exposing your firearm. Best laid plans can go to hell real quick, and often due to circumstances out of your control.
If I were the OP I would probably just leave the gun at home that day, or find a reason to drive myself instead of car pooling. Better yet, the OP could offer to drive, and secure the gun before he picks up his co-worker. Just my
earned through a real uncomfortable experience.
I also work in a corporate office and we have a no weapons policy. But my cubicle is literally in a corner at the very end of the 3rd floor. If there were ever to be an active shooter scenario I could be trapped, since the nearest stairwell is about 40 - 50 feet away. So one day I decided to throw my .38 snubbie in my laptop bag and take it inside with me. I was testing the waters more than anything to see if this would be a viable means to carry while at work.
As Murphy's law would have it, I had completely forgotten that was the day I was supposed to ride with a co-worker down to the Statehouse in Indy for a meeting. Of course I couldn't very well leave my unattended bag and gun at my desk while I was gone, so I took it with me with the intention of leaving it in my co-worker's car while we went inside.
We had some items we were delivering to the Sec. of State's office, so when we arrived downtown at the Statehouse we parked out front to unload the boxes. I left my bag in the backseat while we unloaded, and after we finished, my co-worker drove the car a few blocks away to park.
I start carrying the packages inside and waited for her to get back. Low and behold, when she arrived she was carrying my laptop bag. She handed it to me and said, "you left this in the car. I didn't want to leave it in plain sight while the car was parked, so I brought it back to you so you can keep an eye on it." Of course at this point we're right up on the security checkpoint and she starts putting her stuff through the x-ray machine, getting ready to walk through the metal detector.
I can't very well turn around and go back to the car. She has the keys and is already through the checkpoint. I did my best to try and casually ask the Sheriff's Deputy if I could leave my bag with him because there was a prohibited item inside. Of course he was like 90 years old and didn't hear me so he yells, "You got what inside your bag?"
I got closer and told him that I had a firearm inside but I didn't want my co-worker to know, and asked him to please give me some guidance. He motions to a state police trooper standing about 20 yards away and waves the trooper over. I try to explain the situation using my "inside voice" with my co-worker now looking back at me wondering what the hold-up is.
The trooper tells me my only option is to take it back to the car, under his supervision. He radios another trooper and requests a lock box be brought down to the security checkpoint. Now I'm standing there with two Indiana State troopers and a Marion County Sheriff's Deputy while my co-worker stares back at me. I have to ask her for her car keys while the trooper pulls my holstered firearm out of the bag and places it in the lock box. He then escorts me out of the building and personally walks me back to the car three blocks away so I can remove it from the lock box, put it back in the laptop bag and lock everything in the trunk.
After all was said and done it took nearly 20 minutes from the time I originally walked into the building with the gun, to the time I came back without it. When I returned, my co-worker was chatting with the other trooper, no doubt trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Now this co-worker isn't exactly my boss, but we work in the same department and she definitely outranks me. When we met up she said something to the effect of, "the trooper told me you had some tools or something in your bag?"
I told her I had some prohibited items inside and left it at that, but I know she saw the trooper pull the gun out of the bag and put it in the lock box. This happened about three months ago and we haven't spoken about it since.
The moral of the story is, you never know what could happen during the day that could end up exposing your firearm. Best laid plans can go to hell real quick, and often due to circumstances out of your control.
If I were the OP I would probably just leave the gun at home that day, or find a reason to drive myself instead of car pooling. Better yet, the OP could offer to drive, and secure the gun before he picks up his co-worker. Just my
earned through a real uncomfortable experience.
