This story and dialog between a gun rights activist and two West Sadsbury police officers at the local Walmart a couple of weeks ago was posted on Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association bulletin board over the weekend.
The only reason to carry a gun at Walmart is to disperse the long checkout lines to get out of the place quicker.
The likelihood of him having a positive impact on the outcome of a crime at the store is nill, zero, nada.
This guy deserves a feature page on the People of Walmart.
The complete, unedited story is below. This ledger will help understand the acronyms used by the author:
- OC or OCing = Open Carrying
- CC or CCing = Concealed carrying
- LEO = Law Enforcement Officer
- LTCF = License to carry firearm
- MPOETC = Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission
Sunday, June 19: After enjoying my first official Father's Day with my family I had to run out to Wal*Mart (Parkesburg / Chester County). So, my brother and I ran up to Wal*Mart. I'm OCing and he's CCing. We had grabbed what I needed and we were talking about buying some gold fish. So, we went on over to the pet section. While browsing around, I noticed out of the corner of my eye 2 LEOs approaching me. One female officer and one male officer.
Female officer: Hello.
Me: Hey.
Female officer: I bet you know why we're here.
Me: Kinda.
Female officer: You have ID?
Me: ::hands her my ID and LTCF::
Male officer: If you have a concealed carry license you need to be concealing your gun.
Me: I don't have a concealed carry license. I have a License To Carry Firearm.
Male officer: Yeah. So it needs to be concealed.
Me: ::hands male officer OC flyer / MPOETC update::
Male officer: What is this?
Me: This is your training that you took. Tell me where it says I must conceal my firearm just because I have a LTCF.
Female officer: OK. Well, you're not wanted and everything is OK. We were just called here because a customer had seen you walking around the store with a gun on your side. We know there's nothing we can do. But, why must you OC?
Me: Because I feel more comfortable OCing. Plus, it's hard to me to CC. ::covers my firearm with my shirt and has a huge buldge showing:: Wouldn't that make you more nervous seeing that weird buldge then knowing what's there?
Female officer: OK. I see your point. But, just consider how many people get nervous with you being so close to Coatesville and consider their crime rate.
ME: That's why I carry. Especially in this area. Because of their crime rate.
Male officer: This (OC flyer / MPOETC) doesn't say anything about having to conceal a firearm with a LTCF.
ME: Thank you.
Male officer / Female officer: Well, we're gonna get going cause there's real crimes being commited somewhere else. You guys have a good day.
Me / My brother: Thank you. You too.
Both officers were nice and professional. Except for the male officer insisting I needed to CC if I have a LTCF. The female officer was very nice. Neither of them once tried to take my firearm, put me in handcuffs or even hint that I was in trouble.
I'm pretty sure I know who called the LEOs on me. Cause he was following me around the store.
NOTE TO CUSTOMER: What I was doing (OCing) is 100% legal in PA. Know the laws before you start calling the LEOs and harrassing a law abiding citizen!
5 comments:
Sounds like everything went the way it should....except for the phone call part, what goes thru peoples heads?! I could be wrong but it is my understanding that you need a firearm licence to conceal a weapon, you need nothing at all to strap it to your side, as long as it is visible. I frequent that walmart and I think if more people behaved the way you and your brother did, always, the crime rate would drop like a rock! You would actually get people to think before they did something stupid....or not! Good job, it warms my heart and its long over due but its time to take back America.....however ya gotta do it?! Jasper Clovis
You're kidding, right. I don't know what circles you run in but its been almost 39 years since I was anywhere near a crime being committed. 1972 to be precise. So if I carried a gun, thinking I could stop a crime, I would have carried a gun in vain. Besides, I don't think the leaders of Walmart want customers intervening should a robbery happen in their store. My guess is they would prefer their customers lay low until the professionals (the police) get there.
Pennsylvania is an open carry state. Anyone at/over the age of 18 can carry a firearm openly. You only need a permit if you desire to carry the firearm concealed. That is the law and the West Sadsbury police were aware of it prior to this incident. No store can refuse service to you for carrying a firearm openly, nor can they preclude you from entering the premises because you are carrying a firearm either openly or concealed. The PA Supreme Court found the right to carry a firearm (aka rifle, shotgun, handgun) to be a basic human right in the state of Pennsylvania. You are only restricted to a few places into which you can not carry a firearm (school, etc.) if it is concealed. Concealed carry permits are issued by the Sheriff's Office and are accepted by each county/city/borough/township in the state of Pennsylvania.
Thank youne June 2nd anonymous. Sounds like you know what you're talking about. Is there a link you can send me that details PA's carry laws?
http://www.pafoa.org/law
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