uskrusader
Regular Member
imported post
First encounter with an off-duty officer while OCing
Monday, 24 August 2009 at 1330hrs.
My family and I went to Hopeville Pond in Griswold to check out a new beach and go for a swim. After a few hours, we lured the children out of water with the promise of ice cream at nearby Buttonwood Farms. While driving to Buttonwood Farms I decided to Open Carry and I put my S&W 442 in a Blackhawk Serpa holster on my belt.
We arrived in the parking lot. My wife and I extracted our two young children from their car seats and we proceeded together to the ice cream take-out window. I did not expect any issues at Buttonwood Farms because of its country setting and since it was Monday. There were very few people there (perhaps no more than 15 customers and employees).
After we received our ice creams we moved off to the side and prepared to make our way to a nearby picnic table. Suddenly, a young woman walked past us towards the window and asked for a straw… in passing the woman turned to me and stated:
Her: “You forgot to leave your gun in the car”.
Me: A little surprised I turned to her “ahh…no I didn’t, it's legal”
Her: “It’s illegal in CT” (with attitude)
Me: “No, its not”
Her: “Yes it is, I know, I’m a cop. You could be arrested for it (clearly with attitude and loud enough that other customers can now hear)
Me: “Its not in the statutes”
Her: “OK” (as to shrug me off like I’m an idiot who won’t listen) She then walked past me towards where she was sitting with a friend and some kids.
Me: Louder: “Excuse me ma’am, you can check out ccdl.us for information on…/ (She turns, cuts me off)
Her: with some civility: “I know all about you guys…I know it’s us against you” …she then turned and left.
I’m left standing there with my family …burning at the arrogance and ignorance of her public challenge to my LEGAL right to open carry. I took my family to the other end of the picnic area with our ice creams in hand…and there I gathered my wits…remembering the 2 documents in my wallet that state that Open Carry is legal….(Sadly I forgot to bring my CCDL business cards).
I decided to approach her with the documents in hand.
Me: “Excuse me ma’am” (she was in conversation with a friend)
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt or to be confrontational but I carry these two documents in my wallet just in case there could be such a misunderstanding as this when people carry openly.”
Her attitude seemed to disappear.
I then showed her the two documents from the commissioner of DPS and the OLR report that both state that open carry is not illegal. I explained that there was an attempt to mandate concealment last February by the state government, but that it failed. I told her about CCDL…and again she stated she knew all about us and had friends who carry….(but I have my doubts about her CCDL knowledge).
She looked the documents over….then said “That’s fine, but I’m telling you people in my town get in trouble for this”. I informed her that no one has lost their permits since the Goldman case….I’m not sure if she knew what I was talking about. She replied: “I didn’t say they lost their permits.”
I closed our conversation with basic pleasantries. “Hope you and your friends have a great day“….she responded politely and I think I left her on good terms. I wish I could have been a fly in her ice cream to hear the conversation that followed.
First encounter with an off-duty officer while OCing
Monday, 24 August 2009 at 1330hrs.
My family and I went to Hopeville Pond in Griswold to check out a new beach and go for a swim. After a few hours, we lured the children out of water with the promise of ice cream at nearby Buttonwood Farms. While driving to Buttonwood Farms I decided to Open Carry and I put my S&W 442 in a Blackhawk Serpa holster on my belt.
We arrived in the parking lot. My wife and I extracted our two young children from their car seats and we proceeded together to the ice cream take-out window. I did not expect any issues at Buttonwood Farms because of its country setting and since it was Monday. There were very few people there (perhaps no more than 15 customers and employees).
After we received our ice creams we moved off to the side and prepared to make our way to a nearby picnic table. Suddenly, a young woman walked past us towards the window and asked for a straw… in passing the woman turned to me and stated:
Her: “You forgot to leave your gun in the car”.
Me: A little surprised I turned to her “ahh…no I didn’t, it's legal”
Her: “It’s illegal in CT” (with attitude)
Me: “No, its not”
Her: “Yes it is, I know, I’m a cop. You could be arrested for it (clearly with attitude and loud enough that other customers can now hear)
Me: “Its not in the statutes”
Her: “OK” (as to shrug me off like I’m an idiot who won’t listen) She then walked past me towards where she was sitting with a friend and some kids.
Me: Louder: “Excuse me ma’am, you can check out ccdl.us for information on…/ (She turns, cuts me off)
Her: with some civility: “I know all about you guys…I know it’s us against you” …she then turned and left.
I’m left standing there with my family …burning at the arrogance and ignorance of her public challenge to my LEGAL right to open carry. I took my family to the other end of the picnic area with our ice creams in hand…and there I gathered my wits…remembering the 2 documents in my wallet that state that Open Carry is legal….(Sadly I forgot to bring my CCDL business cards).
I decided to approach her with the documents in hand.
Me: “Excuse me ma’am” (she was in conversation with a friend)
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt or to be confrontational but I carry these two documents in my wallet just in case there could be such a misunderstanding as this when people carry openly.”
Her attitude seemed to disappear.
I then showed her the two documents from the commissioner of DPS and the OLR report that both state that open carry is not illegal. I explained that there was an attempt to mandate concealment last February by the state government, but that it failed. I told her about CCDL…and again she stated she knew all about us and had friends who carry….(but I have my doubts about her CCDL knowledge).
She looked the documents over….then said “That’s fine, but I’m telling you people in my town get in trouble for this”. I informed her that no one has lost their permits since the Goldman case….I’m not sure if she knew what I was talking about. She replied: “I didn’t say they lost their permits.”
I closed our conversation with basic pleasantries. “Hope you and your friends have a great day“….she responded politely and I think I left her on good terms. I wish I could have been a fly in her ice cream to hear the conversation that followed.