Armed around police - the jitters do fade

[Oldgringo]

Relax, the jitters should fade over time.

We had a visit at our CG Host site from the chief Region 1 enforcement officer of MT F, W & P Saturday. It was such a nice visit that I almost offered to 'show him mine if he'd show me his'. BTW, I've not seen ANY OC since we've arrived here in Montana that wasn't under a badge. For that matter, no OC was spotted as we crossed CO or WY either.

[speedsix]

I'm still nervous around Police. Feel their reactions can go several ways and its best to avoid the excitement. Was traveling through Giddings yesterday and stopped for gas and snacks. Walked in to the store to see a uniformed officer there. I positioned myself to place the gun on the opposite side of my body as I walked past him and smiled. Back in my days of international business travel my wife taught me you should always smile at custom agents as if you have nothing to hide. Makes them less nervous.

...and they taught us in the acadamy to beware if someone smiled and acted real friendly...(my work here is done)

[texanron]

Was traveling through Giddings yesterday and stopped for gas and snacks.

Was it the Buc-ee's right as you get into town on 290?

[kjolly]

It was the Buckees on 290. In spite of the previous comment I used to get searched a couple of times on international trips as I suppose I might look a little scary but from personal experience smiling is much less threatening and helps. Have not been searched since.
One time heading to China they wanted to inspect a bag that was totaly stuffed for a 30 day trip. I told them feel free to look but if they unpacked it they would have to pack it again. They explained they do not pack the bags so I told them I didn't either. My wife packed this one and I had serious doubts of being able to repack it. They seemed satisfied with playing with the zipper.

[chasfm11]

My first encounter with an LEO while carrying was at a rest stop in Vicksburg, MS. Apparently, it wasn't the best section of town that they would have an LEO stationed there but I didn't see him until after we had the RV parked and I was out to walk the dogs. We were on a 10 State tour and I had printed out the particulars for each State so that I could study them the day before we arrived. After 5-6 States, it all starts to run together in your mind. I took a deep breath as I realized that I couldn't remember the exact things about Mississippi at that instant.

I just smiled and greeted him. He wasn't the most social guy but maybe he was pre-occupied. I was hoping that my concealment was working. I had no desire to have my first interaction with an LEO about CHL be in another State. I was around him for several minutes and we both went about our business.

Earlier that day, we had been at a truck stop and had an incident that could have been the start of a run in with a BG. I was able to gain separation for us before anything went down but it was still on my mind. With that fresh in my memory, I was probably a bit more sensitive than I might normally be.

[clarionite]

It's been just over six months since I got my plastic and I went from:

Acting nervous and twitchy when I got stuck behind a LEO in line at Pizza Hut on my first Wally-Walk day. I was carrying a tiny Beretta Tomcat and I was sooo worried that I was printing that I just couldn't sit still. My 14 year old daughter was in the car just outside the store front Pizza Hut laughing at me.

To:

My recent encounter reporting vandalism in my front yard carrying my SR9c. I did have a moment when he asked for my name and other personal info of wondering if that is the same as requesting ID. But even in the face of a little doubt about whether I should present my CHL, I was not at all nervous or even worried that he would be able to tell.

here's a newb question... if you are printing and an LEO spots it, what will happen? i imagine most would ask to see your ID and CHL to verify that you're carrying legally, but other than that what would an LEO do or say? has anyone had an encounter like this?

I was helping a photographer friend of mine on a photo shoot on the south side of San Antonio. We're both CHL holders, and were both carrying. I knew about half of the other people involved with the shoot (it was a huge shoot) from the photography circles in San Antonio. But there were quite a few that I didn't. I was carrying my Kahr P40 in a Fobus Paddle holster (this was right after I got my license and I hadn't found a good holster yet) and I must have twisted enough to print through my untucked shirt as I was carrying boxes of equipment from the truck.

I turned to go back for another box, and realized there was someone pretty close behind me. So I stopped and told him to go ahead. He just nodded, and as we walked back to the truck he asked me if it was a .380. I stammered for a second, then told him no, it's a 40. "Looks too small to be a Glock." No, it's a Kahr. "Ah, Nice gun." That was the extent of the conversation.

I let the photographer know about the conversation when I saw him next, and he just laughed and told me the guy was an off duty officer who was taking some photography courses at SAC.

[Dave2]

I don’t worry about printing.

Neither do I. A couple of months ago, my roommate and I were chatting with our friendly neighborhood LEO when my roommate just randomly said, "Say, Dave is always asking me if he's printing. What do you think?"

I figure that if the cop who knows that I have my gun on me still doesn't see it after a casual looking-over, I'm as concealed as I need to be. And yes, my roommate knows not to tell people about my CHL now.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

The Wally Walk is the approved right of passage for new CHL's.

But I think the more interesting carry is around LEO's. When you pass a LEO while
carrying, and he doesn't "make" you, then you can feel confident that your carry method
is a success.

When you first carry, your gun feels HUGE.

The longer you carry, the smaller your gun gets.

Remain calm, carry on. (British WWII poster).

SIA

[terryg]

Neither do I. A couple of months ago, my roommate and I were chatting with our friendly neighborhood LEO when my roommate just randomly said, "Say, Dave is always asking me if he's printing. What do you think?"

I bet you wanted to smack him!

[Dave2]

Neither do I. A couple of months ago, my roommate and I were chatting with our friendly neighborhood LEO when my roommate just randomly said, "Say, Dave is always asking me if he's printing. What do you think?"

I bet you wanted to smack him!

Kinda yeah, but the Friendly Neighborhood LEO (FNLEO) in question is our next-door neighbor, and I'd gone to him seeking advice on which pistol to get in the first place, so it's not like me having a gun was some startling revelation to him (though maybe me having it on me was, I dunno... I didn't ask). Anyway, after we got in the car, The Roommate (TR) asked if he'd goofed by telling FNLEO that I had a CHL. I told TR that I didn't mind FNLEO knowing since he could look it up anyway, but in general it's supposed to stay a secret. And, technically speaking, TR didn't say that I had a CHL; he just asked FNLEO if I was printing.

I was a bit nervous around some Carrollton cops once. I was having lunch with a couple friends, and the cops were positioned so that I'd have to walk past them on my right. I carry IWB 3:00ish, so my gun would've been right in front of the one cop's face if he'd turned to watch us leave.

[sugar land dave]

I'm still nervous around Police. Feel their reactions can go several ways and its best to avoid the excitement. Was traveling through Giddings yesterday and stopped for gas and snacks. Walked in to the store to see a uniformed officer there. I positioned myself to place the gun on the opposite side of my body as I walked past him and smiled. Back in my days of international business travel my wife taught me you should always smile at custom agents as if you have nothing to hide. Makes them less nervous.

...and they taught us in the acadamy to beware if someone smiled and acted real friendly...(my work here is done)

I guess I'm a suspicious guy then because I actually like police and appreciate their job. Through the years I've had a few friends who were in the busines,s and I never felt that I was being unduly scrutinized because I said hello and visited with them about their day.

[kjolly]

I was carrying when entering Rudy's on 183 and almost stopped short when upon entering saw a table with about 6 officers eating. One of them looked over at me and smiled. I have strong suspicions he saw me printing.

[speedsix]

I'm still nervous around Police. Feel their reactions can go several ways and its best to avoid the excitement. Was traveling through Giddings yesterday and stopped for gas and snacks. Walked in to the store to see a uniformed officer there. I positioned myself to place the gun on the opposite side of my body as I walked past him and smiled. Back in my days of international business travel my wife taught me you should always smile at custom agents as if you have nothing to hide. Makes them less nervous.

...and they taught us in the acadamy to beware if someone smiled and acted real friendly...(my work here is done)

I guess I'm a suspicious guy then because I actually like police and appreciate their job. Through the years I've had a few friends who were in the busines,s and I never felt that I was being unduly scrutinized because I said hello and visited with them about their day.

...sigh....we really do need a sarcasm smilie...that was a joke, Son, I say a JOKE...

[terryg]

...sigh....we really do need a sarcasm smilie...that was a joke, Son, I say a JOKE...

I love this scene - [hide and seek]:
(I can't embed it with the starting time)

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No! ... I better not look ... I just might be in there!

I remember as kid, I wanted him to look. It killed me to not know if 'he was actually in there'.

[speedsix]

...he was right up there with Bugs!!!