"Friendly Advice" - REALLY?

[Divided Attention]

** disclaimer - this is not meant to be disrespectful to LEO's in any way shape or form, or imply that this is how I feel all LEO's feel about CHL's, firearms and women, as I am well aware it is not. This is just an example of the uninformed, biased opinions that are still out there LEO or not.**

Hubby and I spent the weekend becoming certified as 4-H pistol coaches - very excited to get to work with youth!! In our class was a "reserve LEO". Of course the subject of CHL came up and he said "my advice to any woman that asks me about carrying a gun is it is a better idea to get a two shot tazer. They are safer for everyone, more sure, cheaper and better for a woman". I said my "Dear Lord, please keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth" prayer, and waited. The only other woman in the pistol class said really, how do you figure that, and he went on to say he would much rather face a man with a gun than a woman, because a woman was just going to shoot you or herself or both or someone else too. He went on to add how a tazer would give you 5 minutes to call the police, (I even asked if it was so you could beat feet out of there, and he said no) and if you needed longer you had the second zap. Well, that was all I could take. I told him he needed to do a bit more research on tazers as they don't always stop the attacker.

He wondered why anyone would get their CHL when you could carry all the same places under MPA. He asked where would your carry that you can't carry under MPA - to which we answered MANY places. He listed that you couldn't carry in airports, courthouses or any place that sells alcohol. I told him he might want to research that topic as well, because as long as is is not >51% that was not true. The discussion went on to show his misunderstanding of CHL law in many areas.

He made sure we all knew about the "60 hours of firearms training" he got in the academy, and then both ladies went on to outshoot him - but I am not being catty.... the other lady and I also discussed how we each had more than 60 hours of training, just in the past year.

It was not just him, there were many misconceptions about CHL law flying around, both by those with and without CHL. That being said, my Colt snubby and I sat through more than 18 hours of class and shooting with no one the wiser me quite comfy, and learned a lot about teaching youth about firearms - specifically pistols.

Thanks for letting me vent - and the quest continues to encourage people to become educated.

[n5wd]

You'll find it in every endeavor... someone who's sure they know more than anyone else.... because.....

[C-dub]

The average LEOs knowledge of CHL laws can at times be a little shocking, but after nearly 10 years of carrying myself and speaking to dozens of CHLs and LEOs I'm convinced the level of ignorance of these laws is about equal. I wasn't necessarily including anyone from this forum, but even here we see examples of the average person's ignorance, misconceptions, and misinterpretations all the time. I consider myself far from being an expert in this area, but I am sometimes amazed at how much more I know than some folks I would have thought knew better when I do find out they have their license.

Thanks very much to this forum for most of that knowledge.

[jdlott74]

Sounds like that LEO needs to go back through some schooling on CHL and figure out if he had a women getting attacked would he rather her have a tazer or a gun to kill the guy, instead of her being killed herself before HE got there. No, Not all LEO feel this way. My husband is former military and in the police academy to be a LEO and feels like I should have a gun of my own to protect my self because he can't always be there and KNOWS the response time for LEO.

[OldCannon]

"reserve LEO"

I think I found the problem

Honestly, that LEO sounds like he's woefully misinformed and a little too misogynistic. I could just imagine the scenario that would have ensued if my daughter (also an LEO) would have been there. She might have tasered him out of spite. And in the words of Larry the Cable Guy, "I don't care who you are, that right there is funny"

[Divided Attention]

We (the other lady and I) had many discussions about how ANYONE that chooses to carry a firearm should continue their training as much as possible, and keep current on laws etc. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, or a "magic charm" that you are safe if you carry. The firearm is a tool to give you an option you didn't have before, but it is not always the tool of choice.

[Heartland Patriot]

We (the other lady and I) had many discussions about how ANYONE that chooses to carry a firearm should continue their training as much as possible, and keep current on laws etc. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, or a "magic charm" that you are safe if you carry. The firearm is a tool to give you an option you didn't have before, but it is not always the tool of choice.

VERY NICELY SAID!

[ajwakeboarder]

I'm sorry, i got caught up on his ignorance regarding the 51% law. I can carry in a liquor store all day long. the 51% law specifically prohibits handguns from businesses where alcohol is sold if 51% or more of their revenue is from the sale of alcohol for on-premises consumption.

[gigag04]

That guy is a moron. He probably got picked up as a reserve because it's so cool to tell your friends you're a cop.

[Purplehood]

Reminds me of when I was a kid and hauled a drawer-full of shooting badges out and asked my Dad what he got them for...he got highly annoyed and stated, "those aren't mine, they are your Mothers".

[papajohn1964]

Maybe he needs to spend 60 hours reading the post on here!!!

[Rex B]

Reminds me of when I was a kid and hauled a drawer-full of shooting badges out and asked my Dad what he got them for...he got highly annoyed and stated, "those aren't mine, they are your Mothers".

classic!!

[RPB]

That guy is a moron. He probably got picked up as a reserve because it's so cool to tell your friends you're a cop.

or, like 2 people I know, a career LEO's brother who is a reserve, one who wants mom to be as proud of him as she is of her Policeman son.

[speedsix]

...our old Dixie Mafia Commissioner took us in his office a few at a time, and asked us why we wanted to be cops...then told us he was gonna give us a gun and a badge...if we weren't a man when we picked 'em up...they wouldn't make us one when we put 'em on...police work is not for those who are compensating or trying to prove anything to anybody...but the gate ain't been fixed in awhile...

[C-dub]

Reminds me of when I was a kid and hauled a drawer-full of shooting badges out and asked my Dad what he got them for...he got highly annoyed and stated, "those aren't mine, they are your Mothers".

That's funny. My dad readily admits that my mom was a good shot, but he never did say whether or not she was better than him. And mom always said she didn't like shooting. Go figure.