gapfast;11762063 said:
It's a monday night around 10:00 pm in a small country town in TN.
I was at a friends house. A LEO called my friend and wanted to talk to him about something that happened over the weekend. (no big deal though)
Anyway as my friend was talking to the leo in the car i walked outside to get me a smoke. As i was walking back inside he yelled over the intercom "come here buddy" as i approached his car he asked if i had a carry permit for the weapon on my side?
-did he have a right to ask?
-i was on private property
So i said yes i do have a permit. He then asked to see it. Well my wallet was in my truck right next to me. I know i'm suppose to have it on my person but didn't think much about it since i was at a friends house.
He made a real big deal about it.
He also said my gun was suppose to be concealed. And that i couldn't open carry.
-i'm pretty sure i can open carry right?
-He also asked if the gun i was carrying was the gun i got my permit with.
-does that mean if i buy that .45 i been wanting i can't carry it?
I did everything he asked me too.
what would you have done and said?:dunno:
gapfast;11766074 said:
Thanks for the insight. And all the thoughts.
To paint a better picture of why the cop was there:
My buddy has made his girlfriends parents really mad i guess. He got her pregnant bla bla bla. The want something to be done since she is under age. (17) My buddy is 20. Thats why they were there. Just to talk to him and warn him. Not to serve anykind of papers or to snoop around.
I forgot to post the one thing that made me mad.:steamed:
When i handed him my permit he asked "Mr. *****, where do you work?"
I responded and told him that i worked at a boat plant.
He responded "Then why do you carry?"
maybe i read into it a little much and he didn't mean anything by it. But to be honest it really offended me. Like he was calling me a coward or punk. i dunno though. maybe i just took it wrong way.
gapfast;11767856 said:
I done a little research. I can't find one thing saying it is illegal. so i'm thinking i can OC. I would hate to file a complaint. Just because it's a small town. I would hate for him to be mad at me.
Yes, with your HCP you can open carry.
You're new around here. Welcome to GT and Carry Issues.
Enough of the niceties...
I had a longer post planned, but let me give you the short version.
Your friend is a year shy of statutory rape, a Class E Felony - up to 7-years in jail. The officer was there at 10:00 PM to give your friend a warning. You don't mention how the exchange went between him and your friend. No matter...
You amble out to have a smoke(?). You are open carrying. My personal opinion is that is definitely neither the appropriate time nor place for open carry. You are interjecting a firearm into a situation you are not a party to. As far as the officer is concerned, you just increased his pucker factor considerably.
Can he ask you questions? Of course he can. And, like someone else said, you don't have to answer them. My guess is he was just getting you to talk to see if you were nervous, angry, calm, antagonistic, friendly. Had you or your friend been drinking?
Look, I am an advocate for open carry, but not when a cop comes callin' on official business at 10:00 PM. I wouldn't even consider it, too much room for a misunderstanding.
