why one should ALWAYS carry your weapon

[jonyyuma]

And if he had been white you would have no doubt done the same. I know if you had asked me what I was doing I would have told you to kiss off.

Rightfully So, Then watch you like a hawk...

 

[dmccarty]

Bad deal, black boy walking with skittles vs white neighborhood watch captain with pistol in a car. Boy gets shot and watch captain not charged. On the surface doesn't seem right....surely more to the story...or maybe not.

It stinks to high heaven. The kid was unarmed. The guy shot and killed him. Was the watch captain smaller than the teenager? At first I saw it was Sanford so I was thinking old dude approaching young dude but the watch captain was 25. What was the reason for the use of deadly force?

It stinks.... It smells....

I assume no witnesses so that makes things more difficult. I also assume the POlice know more but ain't saying.

Later,
Dan

 

[TripleR]

If you were in my neighborhood, standing around or sitting in a car, we would call 911. We have done it many times on people we do not recognize and doing odd things. Race has nothing to do with it.

Later,
Dan

When I was working, I always stopped by the local Police Department or Sheriffs Office and told them I was going to be in the area doing surveillance, home checks and such whether it was in a black, white or mixed neighborhood or area. People routinely called the Police to report me as they should and would notify me via radio. We should always be aware of what is going on around us and if concerned contact someone. Sometimes it can be handled by simply asking if you can help someone, but the situation fully assessed before hand.

 

[2manyrocks]

There are some neighborhoods where the police will stop an unfamilar car whether there's other probable cause for a stop or not.

 

[TripleR]

There are some neighborhoods where the police will stop an unfamilar car whether there's other probable cause for a stop or not.

Sadly that is not at all unusual. I call it "stopped for driving at night". I use to prefer to take trips at night when there was less traffic, but I often got pulled over with some story of weaving within my lane, crossing the white line or something. I was once taken out of my car while my young son was with me. I was kind of curious as to how far he would go, but when he approached my son, I put an end to it. Some people really should not be in Law Enforcement.

 

[jonyyuma]

Been there, it is not pleasant, and probably not right, but most of the time you are at their Mercy???Then LEO is thought badly of in the future??

 

[TripleR]

Been there, it is not pleasant, and probably not right, but most of the time you are at their Mercy???Then LEO is thought badly of in the future??

It helps to know the law as set forth in Terry v Ohio 392 U.S. 1 (1968) as well as any relevant statutes in the particular state, but you are right, if that fails, you are at their mercy at that time with remedial action to be taken after the fact.

I really hate to come across too pro or con on such issues, but I can't deny there can be problems. Years ago, I was stopped at an inspection road block. Missouri had no CCW in those days and a weapon had to be in plain sight. I just happened to have my handgun on my console when the Trooper asked to see my gun, I complied thinking it was out of curiosity. He then asked if I had any other weapons in my car to which I replied, "Sure, I have two or three somewhere in the back." As they were not within "easy reach and convenient control" even concealed they were not illegal. He got all excited and demanded that I give them to him. At this point I identified myself and gave him my credentials. His attitude changed real quick and we parted fast friends. I can only imagine how that day would have turned out for an ordinary citizen who was doing absolutely nothing illegal.

I did not identify myself immediately upon being stopped as I did not want to appear to be trying to get any favors. Our policy later changed to require we identify ourselves immediately upon being stopped and advise we were armed.

 

[dmccarty]

Sadly that is not at all unusual. I call it "stopped for driving at night". I use to prefer to take trips at night when there was less traffic, but I often got pulled over with some story of weaving within my lane, crossing the white line or something. I was once taken out of my car while my young son was with me. I was kind of curious as to how far he would go, but when he approached my son, I put an end to it. Some people really should not be in Law Enforcement.

ABSOLUTELY!

When I used to live in a city, I was driving home late one night. There was no traffic to speak off and I got to a major intersection. I saw that a POlice car had seen me and pulled off into a parking lot to watch me. He REALLY was hoping I was going to run the light since there was no traffic in sight. :laughing: Not me. He was a hoping though.

The officer did not do anything wrong though but they sure hoped I would. :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[texasjohn]

Race had nothing to do with my talking to the fellow standing around, alone, at 8PM.....Female reporting the fellow to me did not mention race, only that it was unusual for anyone to be standing there...she frequently passes that location at that time of night. I drove past him once doing my own personal observation, turned around placing him on the car's passenger side, drove up with doors locked, window rolled down, and asked him if I could help him or if he had lost something. Ensuing discussion convinced me he was sober, mentally competent, not obviously on any drugs and not nervous or seeking to avoid observation. Thus I saw no need to involve 911.

There is nothing wrong with caution and situational awareness... but a balance needs to be struck between non-involvement or a blind eye, vigilante-ism and calling 911 for any little concern. Every situation is different, every person's threat perception is different, as is their ability to respond.

What should NOT happen is to get killed while bringing skittles to your brother!

 

[TripleR]

[/U][/I][/B]

ABSOLUTELY!

When I used to live in a city, I was driving home late one night. There was no traffic to speak off and I got to a major intersection. I saw that a POlice car had seen me and pulled off into a parking lot to watch me. He REALLY was hoping I was going to run the light since there was no traffic in sight. :laughing: Not me. He was a hoping though.

The officer did not do anything wrong though but they sure hoped I would. :laughing:

Later,
Dan

I sat in on a "Motion to Suppress Hearing" several years ago as a claim was made that there was no probable cause fr the stop. The first Trooper testified that he first became suspicious when he observed the vehicle driving exactly at the posted speed limit as he said, "No one drive exactly at the limit, they are either over or under. He went through the median and pulled in behind the vehicle and admitted he followed it in order to observe a violation to justify a stop. He followed for about forty miles and when he was reaching the end of his patrol zone, he radioed ahead to have the next Trooper begin following him. Within five miles the other Trooper observed an "improper lane change" and pulled him over. Amazing how the guy managed to drive all that way and not make one mistake then do one so quickly with a different Trooper. I knew all of the Troopers and the first Trooper issued more citations than any of the others, but if you got a ticket from him, you could rest assured, you had done something wrong.