Bad LEO Encounter last night

[txfireguy2003]

First a little background: Some of you may know that I am a Peace Officer, but since I only work on fire/arson related cases, I sometimes miss a few new laws, but usually none that pertain to weapons/2A rights.

I was working at the FD last night and my better half was at the home of some of our friends for a BBQ. When she returned home at about 8:30 last night, she walked in the front door and was greeted by our Lab, Golden Retriever and Jack Russell, all of whom were outside when she left. She made it about 3 steps inside and realized the back sliding glass door was wide open, and she remembered closing it before she left. She got scared and backed out of the house, called me, then called the PD to have an officer come by to clear the residence since I was unable to leave the station. The dispatcher told her to wait in her car with the doors locked and asked how many and what types of weapons were in the house. She told the dispatcher what weapons were present, where they were and which ones were loaded. First officer shows up about 20 minutes later, makes contact, then makes entry, followed by a second officer a short time later. After they cleared the house, the second officer was telling her it was clear and nothing to worry about, trying to figure out how that door got opened etc. Generally being what I call a good cop, even tried to help her cope with the stress of the situation. Then, the first cop that showed up, came up to her and started in, lecturing, and had her in tears before he left. When she called me back to tell me that everything checked out okay and nothing was missing, she was bawling, so naturally I asked why and she told me that the officer had lectured her. I asked about what and she said that he "found" our handguns, one in each nightstand, loaded, holstered with flashlights right next to them. I said, "So what? I have the right to have a loaded weapon in my house." She then said that he yelled at her (enough to make my Lab, the most loving, playful, friendly dog on the planet, stand between her and the officer and growl/bark) and that he threatened that if he ever came back to our house and found loaded weapons unsecured, that he would take them and I would have to pick them up at the evidence room, then meet with the Chief of Police!

I WISH I had been present! But I was not, so I ended up calling dispatch and having his supervisor call me back. I explained the situation, and told him that the officer had threatened to confiscate my weapons, then told him that I didn't think that was legal, his reply was, "NO SIR, IT''S NOT! I'll get to the bottom of this right away!" "Thanks, that's all I needed to hear, have a great evening Sarge."

Now, after thinking about it, I was torn about whether to file a formal complaint or not, but have decided to let it go unless I hear further from him. On the other hand, I just wonder what the NRA would have to say about this incident, and what they would say had he actually confiscated my weapons. Any thoughts guys?

[txflyer]

IMHO, that first cop needs a serious attitude adjustment and without folks filing complaints, it probably won't happen.

Personally, I probably would have sent a letter praising the second cop and filed the complaint against the first. I have zero tolerance for people being rude when there is no cause. And from your description he had zero cause to be rude.

[LaserTex]

I would probably do the same thing as you did. Being an AF Vet, I would hope the chain of command thing would still work. I might call in a few days if I hadn't received a phone call/letter from the offending LEO to see what happened; what his explanation would be. If nothing satisfactory occured, then I would resort to the formal, pen to paper fire and brimstone letter.

Doug

I am still baffled at the last story of the guy being arrested for having 30000 bullets. Where in the world has he been shopping? With him in jail, maybe I can find some ammo now.

[boomerang]

Formal complaint.

If he treated a LEO spouse that way, imagine how he treats other people.

[nitrogen]

Formal complaint, write to the NRA and/or call Cam & Company's web show, and get Cam Edwards all wound up about it.

http://www.nranews.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tfrazier]

That's one of those "Wish they'd try that on me situations". Guy was hopefully a rookie and his seniors will set him straight, but you never know. He may also have handled a child injury or fatality call due to an unattended firearm sometime in the past that has left him a bit over-zealous.

I would have been hard put to be polite and not tell the guy "It's my bloomin' house and I'll leave a loaded gun in the middle of the living room floor if I want to." My wife, being slightly more straight-forward than I, probably would have told him, "Sorry I called you. By the way, have your partner step over here so I can have a witness that I am formally warning you never to step foot back on my property under the criminal trespass statutes." (Wouldn't fly for a cop responding to a call, I know, but she'd tell him anyway.)

Every day I hear more reasons NOT to call the cops and just handle things on my own if I can legally do it without interacting with the authorities. Some folks will call me a fool, but I'll tell my wife to go down the street and wait at the grocery store while Moses (pit bull) and I clear my own house if this situation ever arises. I don't want cops or anyone else snooping around in my residence if there's another legal alternative.

Most LEOs are good guys, but like Forest Gump said, "You just never know what you're gonna get." and I'll add, "when those guys make less money than the average New York City cabbie."

And I was used ta be da' poe-lease.

[nitrogen]

Every day I hear more reasons NOT to call the cops and just handle things on my own if I can legally do it without interacting with the authorities.

tfrazier, we may not agree on much but we certainly agree on this.

[tfrazier]

Every day I hear more reasons NOT to call the cops and just handle things on my own if I can legally do it without interacting with the authorities.

tfrazier, we may not agree on much but we certainly agree on this.

Uh-oh...Lucifer is ice skating down there...

[Rocket_Cowboy]

Tx ... since you are in a unique position to have an easier ear with the supervisor/chief and have already exercised that privilege, I would wait a couple of days then check back with that supervisor if you haven't received an apology from the officer. IMO, by contacting the officer's superior, you've already "filed" a complaint, just an unofficial one at the moment. If you don't get a a response or worse get a negative response, then I would proceed with filing a formal complaint.

I like the idea of a praise letter for the second officer, but think that would have had more traction if sent before the call to the supervisor. If you go that route, I would definitely send the praise letter before filing an official complaint on the other officer.

[Fangs]

Every day I hear more reasons NOT to call the cops and just handle things on my own if I can legally do it without interacting with the authorities.

Almost every single time the LEOs have gotten involved in any situation I've seen, it gets 10 times more complicated. In a bad way.

That, and "the Police never think it's as funny as you do."

[txfireguy2003]

Thanks for the comments guys, I did praise the second officer before complaining about the first, oh and I forgot to mention that the first officer didn't even give his name or badge number, while the second one did. Had I been present, I would have asked what his name and badge number were, and informed him on the spot that his supervisor was going to recieve a call, right before asking him to leave my property and not return, and warning him that a 2a/4a lawsuit would not be sell recieved by his chief. I was REALLY riled up last night, but luckily, instead of calling direct to the PD, I called dispatch and had the Sarge call me back, which gave me a few minutes to calm down. I'm thinking I may just let it all go, or I may call back to talk to the supervisor in a day or two to see what came of it. I truly don't expect a callback on it, but if I do get one, it's that much better! On another note, I spoke extensively with my neighbor this afternoon, because she happened to be outside when all of this was going on, and helped to return the dogs that the first officer let out of the house (not his fault). It just so happens that her son's Boy Scout leader is the Chief of Police (unbeknownst to me) and she told me that she was appalled at how that officer acted. She said that she had already decided to ask the Chief about that situation tonight at their weekly meeting! She and her husband are kinda pro RKBA I learned today! Maybe I'll recieve a call from the Chief himself, but who knows, it's a department with about 150 patrol officers, plus detectives and admin staff, so he's somewhat distanced from his front line officers as I understand it.

I do understand the idea that maybe he was involved with a child injury caused by an unattended firearm, however, we have no children, just the 3 dogs, and anytime friends with kids come over, the FIRST thing I do is lock up all the guns.

[tfrazier]

Sounds like the cards have all stacked up in your favor on this one. Hope the officer learns his lesson, and glad you're obviously not white-washing the entire department over it. The guys using common sense and doing a good job of being objective need all the support they can get.

I wouldn't just let sleeping dogs lie. I'd be sure to follow up and find out what came of it as politely as I could.

I tossed in the comment about possible past experience with child injury due to unattended weapons just to remind everyone that sometimes, even when a person is wrong, they have a motivation that, if known, would change the intensity of our response.

[Jeff B.]

It's good your making your dispelasure with Officer #1 known, while making it clear that Officer #2 was doing a proper and good job. It's all too often, in any line of work that it's the screw ups that we hear about, not the solid performers.

Jeff B.

[mymojo]

I asked about what and she said that he "found" our handguns, one in each nightstand, loaded, holstered with flashlights right next to them.

I'd be less upset about him yelling at my wife than I would be about him obviously rifling through our drawers.

[KRM45]

I'm a little confused. Do you work for the FD in the same town? Did your wife mention that to the officer?

I'd be hard pressed not to go straight to the officer in question and have a little heart to heart.