Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Cant please everyone.
Bill

totes6 wrote:

SgtBill wrote:This is called stupidity on her part and I am sure she has paid for it over and over along with a decent suspension. But again you can't condem all Police Officers for one stupid mistake the same as you can't condem one private citizen for one stupid mistake.
Bill

And yet Bill they have condemned the rest of us citizens by the acts of the bad few. On the basis of "Officer Safety" they deprive us of our Guns. This does not even speak to the issue of running the gun's serial number when there is NO suspicion that it is stolen/used in a crime. The officer by the simple fact of removing the weapon from the citizen's possession in my opinion has deprived the individual of his/her 2nd amendment right without due process. (No trial, No Jury) I have known many police officers, some even friends. However some officers I have met are just straight up idiots and how they manged to get through basic training is beyond me. I still contend that the safest spot for a firearm is in its holster. How many cases have you heard of a gun going off when it is properly holstered?

I agree with you totes, particularly about the OP, but Bill was responding to the video. The video showed an officer who had an accidental discharge. This is a common occurrence with LEO because under stress your body unconsciously tightens up and you lose some fine motor control. The LEO mistake was having a finger on the trigger at all. This is a common problem with LE and not CC because with CC you can't draw your gun until you can shoot. LEO draw their guns all the time to take control (rightly or wrongly) of a situation. This is partially why tasers are so popular too. This clearly was not intentional. She needs more training and a certain degree of punishment (doesn't matter why, but she put a citizen in harms way). IMHO, unless this is a repeated problem with that particular LEO, reasonable punishment does not include ending a career or jail time.

That being said, I have zero tolerance for police brutality. I have virtually zero tolerance for police violating our civil rights too. Confiscating my gun while legally carrying is way out of bounds. Unless there is probably cause, get on with the actual offence.

gunderwood wrote:

totes6 wrote:

SgtBill wrote:This is called stupidity on her part and I am sure she has paid for it over and over along with a decent suspension. But again you can't condem all Police Officers for one stupid mistake the same as you can't condem one private citizen for one stupid mistake.
Bill

And yet Bill they have condemned the rest of us citizens by the acts of the bad few. On the basis of "Officer Safety" they deprive us of our Guns. This does not even speak to the issue of running the gun's serial number when there is NO suspicion that it is stolen/used in a crime. The officer by the simple fact of removing the weapon from the citizen's possession in my opinion has deprived the individual of his/her 2nd amendment right without due process. (No trial, No Jury) I have known many police officers, some even friends. However some officers I have met are just straight up idiots and how they manged to get through basic training is beyond me. I still contend that the safest spot for a firearm is in its holster. How many cases have you heard of a gun going off when it is properly holstered?

I agree with you totes, particularly about the OP, but Bill was responding to the video. The video showed an officer who had an accidental discharge. This is a common occurrence with LEO because under stress your body unconsciously tightens up and you lose some fine motor control. The LEO mistake was having a finger on the trigger at all. This is a common problem with LE and not CC because with CC you can't draw your gun until you can shoot. LEO draw their guns all the time to take control (rightly or wrongly) of a situation. This is partially why tasers are so popular too. This clearly was not intentional. She needs more training and a certain degree of punishment (doesn't matter why, but she put a citizen in harms way). IMHO, unless this is a repeated problem with that particular LEO, reasonable punishment does not include ending a career or jail time.

That being said, I have zero tolerance for police brutality. I have virtually zero tolerance for police violating our civil rights too. Confiscating my gun while legally carrying is way out of bounds. Unless there is probably cause, get on with the actual offence.

I cant disagree with anything that Garret has to say here, especialy the zero tolerence for Police brutality.
Bill

SgtBill wrote:Cant please everyone.
Bill

I agree but when the officer walks up to your vehicle and knows you have a valid CHP that should count for a little courtesy on his/her part. As a CHP holder and law abiding citizen I would expect a routine traffic stop to stay routine even if I'm carrying. To me that means I'm not even asked if I'm carrying.

Like I said, cant please everybody.
Bill

I agree with zephyp. Common courtesy is called for in such situations.

I have been stopped carrying, never said a word to the LEO, treated them friendly, and respectively, they never asked.

I remember the advice I got from both my attorney, and other LEO's with which I have contact.

Answer the questions "Yes", and "No", don't volunteer ANY information, and move sllllooowwwlllyyyy!

Great advice
Bill