GJD
Regular Member
imported post
Well, after my evening class got out, I decided to pick up a few items at a local grocery store. I was open carrying. As I was just about to head to the check out line, passing the cheese section, I see a Kenosha Police officer walking over to me. Apparently the store manager had called them. Four more officers followed him. This is basically how it went. I recorded it all.:
Officer D: Why are you carrying that thing in a store?
Me: Self Protection.
Officer D: Ok. Some people were alarmed. Can I see your ID?
Me: (not wanting to be confrontational): Sure, here.
Officer D calls in my name to dispatch. He then removes my pistol and unloads it, handing me the magazine and round from the chamber. He then reads off the serial number to dispatch.
Me to other officer (Officer G): Am I being detained?
Officer G: Yeah. For now just stay put.
Me: Can I make a phone call?
Officer G: No, hang tight for now.
Officer G: You're just having a ball with this, huh?
Me: Honestly, no.
OfficerG laughs.
OfficerG and Officer D go over and converse with a sargeant and other officer.
OfficerG returns: You know that you can arrested for disorderly conduct, right?
Me: Even though I'm not doing anything illegal?
Officer G: Yeah, because other people were concerned.
Me: Open carry is legal in Wisconsin.
Officer G: Well, it can be considered disorderly conduct.
Me: So, because other people were concerned, my right to carry and self protection doesn't matter?
Officer G: If other people are scared, I'd consider it disorderly conduct.
Officer D returns
Officer D: The manager was concered about you carrying in the store.
Me: He never came over to me or said anything.
Officer D: I understand what you're saying, but he doesn't know you.
Me: True.
Me: You know, I understand why you were dispatched here. A man-with-a-gun call certainly demands a response from law enforcement. But what I am doing is perfectly legal. I even tucked in my sweatshirt so that none of my clothes would even hang over the holster.
Officer D: I know, concealed carry is illegal, but open carry is fine. It's just that when other people are concerned we have to respond to determine the situation. I talked to my segreant, and my sergeant back at the station and told them like you seem like a level headed guy and that you weren't meaning to disturb anyone. When they called us, I thought that it was just an off duty officer whose jacket came open and exposed his gun. I was just going to tell him to cover it up.
Me: Yeah, I know that you guys can carry concealed off duty.
Officer D: Exactly, but you cant and it is the complete opposite with you. It is very obvious that your gun is open for everyone to see.
Me: It would have been a lot easier the other way (concealed), I would have been home by now eating a Hot Pocket and drinking a Mike's Hard Lemonade.
Officer D laughs and asks: Are they cold? Good.
Me: So, am I under arrest or will I be charged or cited with a crime?
Officer D: No, because you are a straight forward kind of guy and I consider this manner closed.
Me: Can I reholster my gun and complete my purchase?
Officer D: That's fine.
I then turned off my recorder and went to check out. The officers were standing on the other side of the register. I saw the store manager.
Me: I'm assuming that you were the one the called the police
Manager: Yeah.
Me: You could have just asked me not to carry in the store.
Manager: Well, you just could have told me that it was legal and I wouldn't not have known.
Me: So in the future you would prefer that I come back here without my gun.
Manager: Yes, I would prefer that.
I then payed, gathered my bags and left. The officers waved goodbye to me in the parking lot and left.
Well, after my evening class got out, I decided to pick up a few items at a local grocery store. I was open carrying. As I was just about to head to the check out line, passing the cheese section, I see a Kenosha Police officer walking over to me. Apparently the store manager had called them. Four more officers followed him. This is basically how it went. I recorded it all.:
Officer D: Why are you carrying that thing in a store?
Me: Self Protection.
Officer D: Ok. Some people were alarmed. Can I see your ID?
Me: (not wanting to be confrontational): Sure, here.
Officer D calls in my name to dispatch. He then removes my pistol and unloads it, handing me the magazine and round from the chamber. He then reads off the serial number to dispatch.
Me to other officer (Officer G): Am I being detained?
Officer G: Yeah. For now just stay put.
Me: Can I make a phone call?
Officer G: No, hang tight for now.
Officer G: You're just having a ball with this, huh?
Me: Honestly, no.
OfficerG laughs.
OfficerG and Officer D go over and converse with a sargeant and other officer.
OfficerG returns: You know that you can arrested for disorderly conduct, right?
Me: Even though I'm not doing anything illegal?
Officer G: Yeah, because other people were concerned.
Me: Open carry is legal in Wisconsin.
Officer G: Well, it can be considered disorderly conduct.
Me: So, because other people were concerned, my right to carry and self protection doesn't matter?
Officer G: If other people are scared, I'd consider it disorderly conduct.
Officer D returns
Officer D: The manager was concered about you carrying in the store.
Me: He never came over to me or said anything.
Officer D: I understand what you're saying, but he doesn't know you.
Me: True.
Me: You know, I understand why you were dispatched here. A man-with-a-gun call certainly demands a response from law enforcement. But what I am doing is perfectly legal. I even tucked in my sweatshirt so that none of my clothes would even hang over the holster.
Officer D: I know, concealed carry is illegal, but open carry is fine. It's just that when other people are concerned we have to respond to determine the situation. I talked to my segreant, and my sergeant back at the station and told them like you seem like a level headed guy and that you weren't meaning to disturb anyone. When they called us, I thought that it was just an off duty officer whose jacket came open and exposed his gun. I was just going to tell him to cover it up.
Me: Yeah, I know that you guys can carry concealed off duty.
Officer D: Exactly, but you cant and it is the complete opposite with you. It is very obvious that your gun is open for everyone to see.
Me: It would have been a lot easier the other way (concealed), I would have been home by now eating a Hot Pocket and drinking a Mike's Hard Lemonade.
Officer D laughs and asks: Are they cold? Good.
Me: So, am I under arrest or will I be charged or cited with a crime?
Officer D: No, because you are a straight forward kind of guy and I consider this manner closed.
Me: Can I reholster my gun and complete my purchase?
Officer D: That's fine.
I then turned off my recorder and went to check out. The officers were standing on the other side of the register. I saw the store manager.
Me: I'm assuming that you were the one the called the police
Manager: Yeah.
Me: You could have just asked me not to carry in the store.
Manager: Well, you just could have told me that it was legal and I wouldn't not have known.
Me: So in the future you would prefer that I come back here without my gun.
Manager: Yes, I would prefer that.
I then payed, gathered my bags and left. The officers waved goodbye to me in the parking lot and left.