Tip: probable cause, reasonable suspicion ...

[VMI77]

Also, lawful possession of a firearm including OC is not PC or RS.

Art Acevedo thinks we're doing it wrong:

"If the law requires you to have a CHL in order to open carry, then how do you prohibit officers from checking if you have that CHL in the first place?" he said.

Acevedo knows the answer. It's the same way LEOs determine if someone has a license to drive - a pretextual stop with RS or PC of another violation of law.

If you plan to open carry in Austin, I'd highly recommend you study "jaywalking" and other areas of law. Because I guarantee there will be a lot of "jaywalking" type pretext stops of anyone open carrying in Austin.

I don't plan on open carrying much if at all, especially in Austin, but if I did, and an officer stopped me and asked me to show my CHL and I did and that was the end of the encounter it wouldn't bother me that much. If it became a pretext for harassment that would be a different matter.

[VMI77]

Also, lawful possession of a firearm including OC is not PC or RS.

Art Acevedo thinks we're doing it wrong:

"If the law requires you to have a CHL in order to open carry, then how do you prohibit officers from checking if you have that CHL in the first place?" he said.

Same way as they deal with people with driver's licenses.

From what I hear, there ate already plenty of jaywalking stops around 6th St.

Been awhile since I've been on 6th street, but I've been there taking photos, crossed the street in the middle of a block plenty of times, stood in the street to take photos....etc...with plenty of police around...even taken photos of the police stopping/questioning someone....and I've never been stopped or questioned by the police. I used to go by several times a year when my son was at UT. Never witnessed any kind of police harassment there either......they always seemed restrained and polite. Maybe it's my old man privilege.

[mojo84]

Also, lawful possession of a firearm including OC is not PC or RS.

Art Acevedo thinks we're doing it wrong:

"If the law requires you to have a CHL in order to open carry, then how do you prohibit officers from checking if you have that CHL in the first place?" he said.

Same way as they deal with people with driver's licenses.

From what I hear, there ate already plenty of jaywalking stops around 6th St.

Been awhile since I've been on 6th street, but I've been there taking photos, crossed the street in the middle of a block plenty of times, stood in the street to take photos....etc...with plenty of police around...even taken photos of the police stopping/questioning someone....and I've never been stopped or questioned by the police. I used to go by several times a year when my son was at UT. Never witnessed any kind of police harassment there either......they always seemed restrained and polite. Maybe it's my old man privilege.

Sounds like you've had good experience. It is common knowledge not everyone's experience is the same as yours. It also depends on the time of day and what is going on.

My former neighbor which was an Austin cop would also tell you your experience is better than many.