How do you guys feel about Concealed carry (the legal kind with permit) ?
In Michigan, we have much more relaxed gun laws then California does. We have Open Carry of loaded handguns as long as they are in plain site and there are a lot of people that do that. I have a Concealed Pistol License and carry that way most of the time. This also allows me to carry the loaded pistol in my car in any way I want to. (I normally have it in the glove box or console of the car in a holster)
I know in California, some county sheriffs do issue Carry Permits.
I agree with you guys about the open carry people. I agree they have that right but, it seems a lot of them just do it to get in people’s faces and it’s going to backfire on them. The only time I open carry is if I’m in the woods where there might be bears or snakes. I believe that if you have the CCW permit, you should keep it hidden.. It keeps the people from calling the cops with a “Man with a gun†call. It also makes more sense not to be target #1 if a bad guy comes into a store you are in to rob it.
As a second question, do they allow you guys to Carry off duty in California ? (not asking if you do, just if they let you) Here, our county sheriff REQUIRES his deputies to carry off duty unless they are drinking.
Sorry for the long email.
Keep up the great show!
-Mike – Michigan
Thanks for the questions Mike.
Concealed carry is fine with me as long as the person has a concealed weapon permit. Here in CA, Police Chiefs and Sheriffs can issue concealed weapon permits to citizens who apply for them with a legitimate reason and only after passing a background and criminal history check. People with concealed weapon permits have been checked out and are legally cleared to carry a concealed firearm. If we contact a person with a licensed concealed weapon they usually tell us they have a weapon on them and that they are licensed to do so, that way there are no surprises if we see a weapon or discover one during a search.
And yes, although it is legal in CA, open carry can present issues. People with no gun training whatsoever can strap a gun on one side and loaded magazines on the other side and walk into a store. And you are right, if a suspect goes into a store to rob it and sees a gun on the guys belt, the robber will shoot him without hesitating believing he is a cop or that the person might draw down on him first. And the last thing law enforcement wants to see is a gun battle between two untrained people in a crowded store. Hopefully most open carry advocates are experienced shooters but anyone who passes a background check can open carry even though they have never fired a gun in their life. That’s dangerous. And as a law enforcement officer, I don’t like the idea that I cant run a check on someone carrying an unloaded gun and ammo in public to make sure it’s not a convicted felon or someone barred from owning firearms. I would much prefer to see people who want to carry guns obtain a concealed weapon permit and carry them that way.
In CA, law enforcement officers may carry firearms off duty. Not sure if any agencies require it but all allow it. With my agency, we must pass the same range qualification course with an off duty firearm if it is a different firearm than our duty weapon. Officers may carry their duty weapons or other firearms they have qualified with while off duty as long as they are not drinking. And officers who retire from law enforcement are usually issued a concealed weapons permit to carry a firearm.
It’s funny to see newly hired officers, they carry weapons all the time. Probably have it strapped on while mowing their lawn……..
Allot of new officers carry all the time because "they can". Always strapped to their sides no matter where they go. As cops get more time on, you see that less. If you ask veteran cops if they carry off duty, some will say they carry all the time and some will say only sometimes. I carry a compact .380 at times depending on where I am going but I carry a lot less than I used to. I don’t like the thought of being a victim of a robbery while unarmed but if it happened, I’d be a good witness. The last thing I want to do is get into a gunfight with my wife or young grandson nearby.
Gun rights and open carry laws always stir debates. Maybe we can get some comments for pro and con we can post on our website or discuss them on another show.
Thanks again for writing in,
Mark
