Good encounter with NOPD, albeit kinda funny...and sad

[SpeedRacer]

Long story short, two coworkers and I had returned from Walmart purchasing air rifles to do a little after hours rat hunting in our shop. Of course, we make the 4 foot journey from the car to the entrance the exact moment an NOPD unit drives by. Next thing we know, the officer is out of the car with his Glock drawn (but not pointed at us) telling us to stop. My buddies put the rifles down, and tell him they are air rifles. I also inform him I am carrying concealed and licensed, while keeping my hands partially up.

He holsters his weapon after seeing the rifles are obviously pellet guns, all while maintaining an eye on me. He very courteously asked if he could remove my weapon, which he did. Now the funnier part...after dropping the mag, he struggled with my pistol for about 15 seconds trying to pull the slide back and empty the chamber. He then told me my pistol was messed up and the slide was stuck.

I was worried my Wilson was broken for a second, then looking at it quickly I realized and, trying not to laugh, said "it's a 1911 sir, you have to disengage the thumb safety." He fiddled with it for a few more moments, pointing it wildly around as he did everything BUT found the thumb safety. He finally gave up and put it in his car still cocked and loaded. He then checked my license real quick, we all had a good chuckle about the air rifles, he placed the pistol in my trunk, handed me my mag and went on his merry way.

All in all the whole process took less than 5 minutes. He was not rude or condescending. He did not seem bothered by my carrying. Him not knowing how to function a 1911, or even what a thumb safety is kinda scares me. But other than that it was a good encounter with a LEO just doing his job.

 

[IonicDOG]

Wal-mart sells air rifles that aren't in boxes? Just wondering, at my wally world the rifles are in original boxes.

 

[Ike]

I was talking to a guy this weekend that is an officer on the north shore. We were talking at a kids party and I asked him what he carried. He told me a Glock 22 .40. Then I was talking about other guns and he told me that he had no clue what I was talking about, he doesn't like guns and doesn't know anything about them except how to operate his. Then he told me he was carrying it unloaded when he first got hired because he was uncomfortable with it. I would think that last bit was BS but knowing this guy I believe him.

I would think the officers would get trained on different weapons in case they come across them on the streets. You can pretty much look at a 1911 and see the safety is blocking it but he should have been taught how to make it safe.

 

[topgunz1]

whoa! your not allowed to post positive stuff about cops on here, are you nuts? lol

That is kinda sad about the 1911... but you have to realize most agencies issue guns like Glock and Sig, no safeties mean most officers dont have hands on experience with stuff like that. I wish that they would incorporate some kinda of familiarization with several different basic types of firearms into the basic academy, just so officers know what they are dealing with if they get their hands on something.

 

[Slow]

whoa! your not allowed to post positive stuff about cops on here, are you nuts? lol

this thread should be locked due to lack of cop bashing. i feel like we are not getting the whole story, i mean come on! he must have done -something- wrong.

 

[Kraut]

We recovered an H&R .32 which had allegedly been fired during a domestic, and for the life of me I could not get the cylinder open. Not being familiar with H&R, but not seeing any mechanisms other than the obvious, and not wanting to look down the barrel (weak sound reported, possibly misfire/hangfires due to ammo corrosion?, the gun was filthy), we carefully placed it in the trunk and after transporting the arrested subjects brought the weapon over to Bill's shop to find out what trick I was missing. Shortly thereafter it was discovered that the cylinder was stuck due to a bullet lodged between it and the barrel, and this was found to be stuck behind another. After those were tapped back into the cylinder and it was opened, all casings and unfired ammo were removed, with the discovery then made that the perpetrator had the weapon loaded with .32 Auto.

 

[IonicDOG]

We recovered an H&R .32 which had allegedly been fired during a domestic, and for the life of me I could not get the cylinder open. Not being familiar with H&R, but not seeing any mechanisms other than the obvious, and not wanting to look down the barrel (weak sound reported, possibly misfire/hangfires due to ammo corrosion?, the gun was filthy), we carefully placed it in the trunk and after transporting the arrested subjects brought the weapon over to Bill's shop to find out what trick I was missing. Shortly thereafter it was discovered that the cylinder was stuck due to a bullet lodged between it and the barrel, and this was found to be stuck behind another. After those were tapped back into the cylinder and it was opened, all casings and unfired ammo were removed, with the discovery then made that the perpetrator had the weapon loaded with .32 Auto.

lucky for the person on the other end that the perp was

 

[Nick]

other than I think it's disrespectful for the officer to place the gun in the truck rather than hand it back to you, everything else seems like a good encounter. For the life of me I can't figure out how the officer was treated with respect, now knows that the person in front of him is licensed to carry, would not hand the gun back to you, where he found it (my parents ALLWAYS made me put things back where I found them)

 

[aroundlsu]

This is why I feel officers shouldn't just automatically disarm every guy they encounter with a CCW. It's dangerous with a high probability of an ND.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Yes, the rifles were in boxes. I even told my coworkers to keep them in the box until we got back to the shop. But you know kids and their new toys...

The internet is like the news. You only here the bad stuff. I thought it might be refreshing to post something positive. But come on give me a little credit, I mean I did pseudo-bash the LEO for not knowing a damn thing about firearms.

I agree police should be trained in different weapons. I understand not all LEOs are "gun people", but they should still know how to safely handle any firearm they encounter, especially the simplest and most common pistol ever made. Glocks should be issued because they are reliable, not as a substitute for training.

Finally, I have no problem with him putting the weapon in the trunk. It's SOP, and I understand why they do it. He did so respectfully of my property, and did not use it as a BS excuse to search my trunk. To be upset about that would be a bit of a reach.

 

[Manimal]

People are expected to do their jobs right, thats why every time someone does things right all of their bosses and coworkers don't line the halls to kiss and lick that person's ass. But if their job is important, and they do it wrong...those people will line the halls to -kick- their ass.

As it should be. :P

I'm glad it went well, for the most part. You shouldn't have been disarmed but it's better than being harassed for 45 minutes! I'm glad no one was accidentally shot during his fumbling around with your 1911.

 

[babietuan323]

lol

poor wilson... it didnt get scratched in the trunk did it? i'd shed a tear

 

[LACamper]

You should have called IA or his captain or something and filed a positive report on this cop. We need to reward cops that handle CCW's correctly!

 

[SpeedRacer]

lol

poor wilson... it didnt get scratched in the trunk did it? i'd shed a tear

No scratches, he placed it ever so gently on the carpeted floor. If it was scratched, my post would have started in a whole different direction.

 

[spanky]

The only problem I have is that you had air rifles (although I'm sure he couldn't know their were air rifles at the time) still IN THE BOX and he got out with his gun drawn? Isn't that just a tad excessive?

 

[topgunz1]

I typically put their weapon in the center console, on passenger seat, something like that, but like everything else thats subject to change. I never get involved in "whats SOP on a traffic stop" stuff because there are so many variables, no two stops are the same and you have to adapt. I've taught new officers traffic stop tactics in force on force training, and my number one answer is "It depends" lol.

The only problem I have is that you had air rifles (although I'm sure he couldn't know their were air rifles at the time) still IN THE BOX and he got out with his gun drawn? Isn't that just a tad excessive?

yeah but... you can put somebodies eye out with those things!

 

[spanky]

I guess my point was that they were still in the boxes.

 

[Y.T.]

Yes, the rifles were in boxes. I even told my coworkers to keep them in the box until we got back to the shop. But you know kids and their new toys...

.

I think he meant that they were in boxes when they bought them but they took them out of the boxes on the way out.

 

[SpeedRacer]

The only problem I have is that you had air rifles (although I'm sure he couldn't know their were air rifles at the time) still IN THE BOX and he got out with his gun drawn? Isn't that just a tad excessive?

What I meant was I tried to keep them in the box, but my coworkers couldn't resist. So they were open. The officer was totally justified in my book. He also kept his pistol down and did not aim at anyone.

 

[SpeedRacer]

On a side note, I had another good encounter tonight (seems to be a lot of "encounters" for me lately). Was pulled over for burnt out license plate bulb. I didn't inform the officer in any way about my pistol as it was in my console, and I was not asked. He went to his car to run my license, came back to my window and asked "You carry a gun?". "Yes sir." I thought I was in for another fun encounter.

But all he did was smile and say "Cool. We appreciate that. Have a good night."