[opaww]

Just a few words about open carry to everyone who is interested in doing so. First thing you need to do is read your state laws regarding open carry. Asking advice from a forum is not the best thing with regards to your state laws. Though most people like to help we oft times may get the laws wrong or give you bad advice unintentionally. This has very little comfort when sitting in jail because someone said something was OK and the Law enforcement officers thought other wise.

The second thing is that almost every state has some kind of group who advocates open carry. Get in touch with the ones in your state, and get active with them. The more people who do gather in support of open carry the more power you have. You will be less likely to be arrested if it is a group activity.

Third if an officer asked to see your handgun be polite and cooperate, show the law-abiding side of any confrontation, and in doing so shows support for the laws. Do not under any circumstances take the gun out of the holster if asked by a LEO if they can see your handgun, (don’t even touch it) let the LEO remove the gun and let them handle it. Just remind them that it is loaded for safety reasons.

Fourthly if you do not have a group already in your area then start one, I think you will find others who will join. Anytime you want to open carry do so as a group at first and make sure to notify the LEA in your area that you and the group will be open carrying at said time and place. This is to allow everyone to get used to the idea of open carry so there is less hostile confrontations when you do carry.

Remember that not everyone believes you have a right and this includes LEO’s also.

1. Know the law, and the code it is under.
2. Be law abiding at all times.
3. Work as a group, (with video camera’s)
4. Educate the public and the LEO’s

opaww

[danf_fl]

Good post.

[Pat-inCO]

Originally Posted by opaww

Third if an officer asked to see your handgun be polite and cooperate, show the law-abiding side of any confrontation, and in doing so shows support for the laws. Do not under any circumstances take the gun out of the holster if asked by a LEO if they can see your handgun, (don’t even touch it) let the LEO remove the gun and let them handle it. Just remind them that it is loaded for safety reasons.

I suggest a bit of rewording. I think rather than calling it a "confrontation" I would refer to it as a "contact". I may be splitting hairs there, but it is only a confrontation when/if there is strong disagreement.

Second part: I suggest rather than making a blanket statement of what to do if the officer asks to see the gun, I suggest you ask the officer how he/she wants to handle the situation.
- - Something like "Officer, would you like me to take the gun from my holster, or would you like to do that?" - - this establishes in the officer's mind that YOU are fully cooperative and acknowledge the officer is "in charge" (something they really like). Then just follow instructions.

I agree completely when you say be polite, cooperative and calm. That will do more to produce a "less stressful" contact, than anything else you can do.



P.S. While on the subject of being cooperative, NEVER start a contact with "I'VE GOT MY RIGHTS!" Starting with that statement virtually guaranties a confrontation.

[WannaGator]

This is a great post Y'all arrived at the answer from a different direction from what I figured.