Apparently it is illegal to carry a firearm in vigo county!

[cce1302]

LOL @ BOR and most of you other guys.

It's like we've been through this before... (a thousand times??)

Vigo county, Bloomington, Fort Wayne, who cares? Concealing, open carrying, however you carry, it's legal, and in the experience of most of us who post here, 99% of the time, nobody notices, and of those that do notice, nobody cares.

 

[Comp]

the really, really cute police officer

pics or it did not happen

 

[elaw555]

Guys, guys... you're missing Al's point here... he said this is the officer he'd most like to frisk him. Ergo, he WANTS to be detained and frisked repeatedly by this officer.

The fact is that if this happened to me more than once by the same cop, I would be politely and respectfully visiting the chief of police very soon thereafter. Open carry is lawful and is any and every law-abiding citizen's right. Personally, as I've said, I choose to carry concealed, but I see nothing wrong with carrying openly, either.

Al... I'm glad you found that cute police officer... and hopefully for your sake, he's not married.

Blessings,
Bill

Someone finally found a reason to Mexican Carry!!!

 

[rhino]

I carry openly in Bloomington (and Terre Haute) pretty much any time I'm in either town. I've carried openly in the Red Lobster in Bloomington at least half a dozen times in the last year. I can't count the number of times and places in Terre Haute.

Hi

Things may be a little different in Bloomington: College campuses with a population that more than doubles the town's total population tend to be a little bit... ummm... overactive, liberal-thinking-wise.

I'm not going to OC anyhow, so it didn't matter to me. I'm hard pressed to figure out a way to put myself at the top of a felonious shooter's to-do list more efficiently than advertising that I'll shoot back if I'm able.

(Hmmm... I seem to be unable to describe someone, technically, as a male donkey. Ah, well. Live and learn.)

 

[kevinj110]

So who was this guy who said he could call the police. Is he the manager or an employee or just someone who was there.

 

[dburkhead]

Guys, guys... you're missing Al's point here... he said this is the officer he'd most like to frisk him. Ergo, he WANTS to be detained and frisked repeatedly by this officer.

The fact is that if this happened to me more than once by the same cop, I would be politely and respectfully visiting the chief of police very soon thereafter. Open carry is lawful and is any and every law-abiding citizen's right. Personally, as I've said, I choose to carry concealed, but I see nothing wrong with carrying openly, either.

Al... I'm glad you found that cute police officer... and hopefully for your sake, he's not married.

Blessings,
Bill

I think I would be making that contact--perhaps starting with a phone call rather than a visit--if it happened more than once by the same department. In fact, I think I'd be making that phone call if it happened once. A law-abiding citizen, doing nothing illegal, being cuffed and placed in the back of a police cruiser because somebody else gets in a panic?

 

[Roadie]

Hi

When I got my carry license, the really, really cute police officer who gave it to me said, and I (pretty much) quote...


I try not to ignore Words of Wisdom.

Let me try re-wording this a bit, and see if you still agree with it.

Riding a motorcycle isn't illegal in Indiana, so it is, in fact, legal.

HOWEVER!

If you ride a motorcycle and someone makes a man-on-a-motorcycle call on you, we have to treat it just like any other man-on-a-motorcycle call.

That means you spend your...and OUR... lunch break handcuffed in the back of the cruiser while we listen to them talk about how dangerous motorcycles are and then try to explain that you weren't doing anything illegal.

You'll be released as soon as we can be reasonably sure we won't get another call as soon as you get out of the cruiser, but if we do get one, it's back in the back for you... again... and on with the same discussion for us... again.

Do us all a favor: Ride where people can't see you, Ok?

Does that sound reasonable to you?
You have to have a special endorsement on your license to ride a motorcycle in Indiana.
You have to have an LTCH to carry a handgun in Indiana.

Every time I see a person with a gun, he MIGHT not be licensed, so I should call the cops?
Every time I see a man on a motorcycle he MIGHT not be licensed, so I should call the cops?

 

[.30 Cal Al]

Hi

Let me try re-wording this a bit, and see if you still agree with it.

Does that sound reasonable to you?
You have to have a special endorsement on your license to ride a motorcycle in Indiana.
You have to have an LTCH to carry a handgun in Indiana.

Every time I see a person with a gun, he MIGHT not be licensed, so I should call the cops?
Every time I see a man on a motorcycle he MIGHT not be licensed, so I should call the cops?

It's not about what people should do: It's about the doodoo they do do.

And actually, if the police department has a, man-on-a-motorcycle policy and they get a man-on-a-motorcycle call, then yes, it does sound reasonable.

....

....well, to me, anyhow.

I guess that I've thrown too many SOPs at people over the course of my life to be much disturbed by people saying, "you're surrounded by the proverbial unwashed -- but voting -- masses, and if they get riled up then we're going to have to throw the SOP at you long enough to placate them."

After all, SOPs exist so that when someone calls the local newspaper and complains that the police didn't protect them from the terrible Motorcyclic Hairy Fat Raider in Red Bracers, the constabulary can point to the page and say, "this is what the city council has approved for us to do in the event of a man-on-a-motorcycle call... take it up with them."

Of course, the city council is likely to be more concerned about which side of their toast is going to get cat hair on it to worry too much about things like constitutions or state laws, but while The Mills of the Gods are grinding exceeding fine, they do, in fact, take a long time to get the job done, so there's a built-in mechanism for fending off the local stars of, "Short Attention Span Drama Theater," and both make them happy...ish... and not have to change any status-quo-ey bits significantly.

Procrastination can be a wonderful thing when Government is involved.

 

[ocsdor]

This evening I was lucky enough to have a mildly heated discussion (him not me) with someone about whether it was legal to carry a gun in any public place in Vigo County. I was even asked if I wanted him to call the cops and spend a night in jail in order to test it out.

Next time, just say: "Ok, do it." or "Sure, go ahead. Sounds like fun."

In fact. If the police do come out, and the media happens to do a report on it, they (the media) might slip-up and accidentally tell their audience that it is legal carry a handgun in public with a permit.

What a great way to tell this guy he is wrong via TV.

 

[Bill of Rights]

...
And actually, if the police department has a, man-on-a-motorcycle policy and they get a man-on-a-motorcycle call, then yes, it does sound reasonable.

....

....well, to me, anyhow.

I guess that I've thrown too many SOPs at people over the course of my life to be much disturbed by people saying, "you're surrounded by the proverbial unwashed -- but voting -- masses, and if they get riled up then we're going to have to throw the SOP at you long enough to placate them."...

OK, back up a second here...Let me make sure I understand you correctly. You're saying that because a police department has a policy that violates Constitutional protections of fundamental, natural rights, you support the policy over the Constitution, never mind supporting the policy over the natural law of our Creator?

A person performing a completely lawful and harmless activity should be subject to police detention and possibly arrest? Really? That seems reasonable to you?

How about instead, when the proverbial unwashed but voting masses call in hysterical panic <insert shrill tone> "There's a man with a gun here!!!!!1!!!one!!!!eleven!!!", the dispatcher calmly determines that no unlawful activity is taking place, just a guy who happens to have a cell phone clipped to one side of his belt and a pistol to the other, and then informs the person that calling 911 is reserved for emergencies only and if s/he does so again, an officer will be dispatched to cite the caller for tying up emergency lines in the absence of an emergency. (I don't know and don't care to look right now as to whether that would fall under "false reporting" or not.)

After all, that is something our legislators have codified into law as well, and taking up a dispatcher's time and an officer's involvement for something that is no crime at all prevents those people from being available when there is a real crime taking place... like your neighbor's 2 year old daughter being kidnapped, and the officer would have been on patrol to pass by that area, but is instead busy with a report on a non-crime that hurts no one.

Proper response would be to inform the public so that those calls are reserved for the times when the MWG has it out of the holster, pointed at an honest cashier, demanding cash, not just happening to have it with him that day.

Departmental policy in opposition to local ordinance is wrong and must be changed.
Departmental policy or local ordinance in opposition to state law is wrong and must be changed.
Departmental policy, local ordinance, state or federal law in opposition to the Constitution is wrong and must be changed.
Constitutions may be amended, but that process is exceptionally difficult, and our Founders did not do that by accident.

I don't frankly care if Susie Soccermom is scared of the big bad pistol. She's going to be a hell of a lot more scared when there's no one to stop the predatory *maternal fornicating* criminal wanting her money, SUV, sexual virtue, child, or life because the good, armed, law-abiding citizen is stuck in the back of a da*n police cruiser with the good, armed, law-enforcing officer, wasting both their time and leaving the flock unprotected.

What is she, the proverbial unwashed but voting now-victim going to complain about when she's targeted, presuming she survives the experience?

Oh, I forgot... it's everyone else's job to protect her.

No, Al, I'm not angry with you, and if this post comes across that way, let me clarify. What angers me is the entitlement mentality that the "unwashed", to use your term, feel they can decide what's best for everyone and then have a right to complain about it when the unicorn farts don't smell like the pretty flowers. It ticks me off that the time and attention of good LEOs is wasted dealing with this crap over an unConstitutional policy. Something (like "public education") needs to be done and the dispatcher is in a great place to do it, but our mollycoddling society would rather think they have a right to never be scared, rather than a right to do something about it themselves... like maybe go over and talk to the guy... or just leave the area.

What the hell ever happened to personal responsibility? </rant>

Blessings,
Bill

 

[wolfman]

Caller: Oh my God, I just saw a man with a gun on his hip!
911 Operator: Was he doing anything suspicious?
Caller: Yes! He had a gun on his hip!
911: Was it in a holster?
Caller: Yes! Right there out in the open on his hip!
911: What was he doing at the time?
Caller: Ordering a cheesburger!
911 Operator: So, he was just ordering lunch, not robbing the cash register or anything?
Caller: No, but was wearing a gun! Out in the open!
911 Operator: Ma'am, 911 is for emergencies. There are several legitimate reasons a citizen could be carrying a gun. Call us back if he does something illegal.

This call is ficticious, but could someone please explain to me why it couldn't be handled this way, rather than by violating a citizen's rights by forcibly detaining him in his daily business because he was engaging in an activity that is not only legal, but specifically mentioned in the Constitution?

I want to start by being clear that I agree with dross, but here is a ficticious reason why it probably never will be handled that way.

And now on NEWS CENTER 00 we bring you the 911 call from the Mc Doodles armed robbery yesterday.

911: 911 what is your emergency
CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with the gun I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just shot the teenager behind the cash register 15 times. Does that count as something illegal?

 

[Roadie]

Hi



It's not about what people should do: It's about the doodoo they do do.

And actually, if the police department has a, man-on-a-motorcycle policy and they get a man-on-a-motorcycle call, then yes, it does sound reasonable.

....

....well, to me, anyhow.

I guess that I've thrown too many SOPs at people over the course of my life to be much disturbed by people saying, "you're surrounded by the proverbial unwashed -- but voting -- masses, and if they get riled up then we're going to have to throw the SOP at you long enough to placate them."

After all, SOPs exist so that when someone calls the local newspaper and complains that the police didn't protect them from the terrible Motorcyclic Hairy Fat Raider in Red Bracers, the constabulary can point to the page and say, "this is what the city council has approved for us to do in the event of a man-on-a-motorcycle call... take it up with them."

Of course, the city council is likely to be more concerned about which side of their toast is going to get cat hair on it to worry too much about things like constitutions or state laws, but while The Mills of the Gods are grinding exceeding fine, they do, in fact, take a long time to get the job done, so there's a built-in mechanism for fending off the local stars of, "Short Attention Span Drama Theater," and both make them happy...ish... and not have to change any status-quo-ey bits significantly.

Procrastination can be a wonderful thing when Government is involved.

So you would be OK with an SOP dictating that you could be pulled over at any time, just to make sure you are licensed and insured?

 

[Bill of Rights]

I want to start by being clear that I agree with dross, but here is a ficticious reason why it probably never will be handled that way.

And now on NEWS CENTER 00 we bring you the 911 call from the Mc Doodles armed robbery yesterday.

911: 911 what is your emergency
CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with the gun I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just shot the teenager behind the cash register 15 times. Does that count as something illegal?

Except for one thing: How many criminals do you suppose will want to carry openly, letting others know they are armed prior to making their move? I don't have data on that any more than you do, however I think it's probably fair to say, "not many"

Granted, at present, most lawful gun owners don't carry openly either, but if I was a betting man, I'd say the percentage is far higher. Wouldn't you agree?

Blessings,
Bill

 

[dross]

Let me try re-wording this a bit, and see if you still agree with it.

Does that sound reasonable to you?
You have to have a special endorsement on your license to ride a motorcycle in Indiana.
You have to have an LTCH to carry a handgun in Indiana.

Every time I see a person with a gun, he MIGHT not be licensed, so I should call the cops?
Every time I see a man on a motorcycle he MIGHT not be licensed, so I should call the cops?

An irony in your excellent analogy is that operating a motorcycle IS a privilege, whereas carrying a gun is RIGHT. So to me, being detained for carrying a gun is much worse.

 

[dross]

I want to start by being clear that I agree with dross, but here is a ficticious reason why it probably never will be handled that way.

And now on NEWS CENTER 00 we bring you the 911 call from the Mc Doodles armed robbery yesterday.

911: 911 what is your emergency
CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with the gun I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just shot the teenager behind the cash register 15 times. Does that count as something illegal?

CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with the car I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just ran over a teenager 15 times. Does that count as something illegal?

CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with softball bat I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just hit a teenager 15 times. Does that count as something illegal?

CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with hunting knife on his belt I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just stabbed a teenager 15 times. Does that count as something illegal?

CALLER: Ummm you know that guy with the gallon of gasoline I called you about a few minutes ago?
911: Yes
CALLER: He just lit a teenager on fire. Does that count as something illegal?

Ridiculous.

CALLER: You know that guy I didn't call you about because he was carrying his weapon concealed and I couldn't see it and therefore report it? Well, he just shot a teenager 15 times.

 

[dross]

OK, back up a second here...Let me make sure I understand you correctly. You're saying that because a police department has a policy that violates Constitutional protections of fundamental, natural rights, you support the policy over the Constitution, never mind supporting the policy over the natural law of our Creator?

A person performing a completely lawful and harmless activity should be subject to police detention and possibly arrest? Really? That seems reasonable to you?
.....

Blessings,
Bill

This is why we have a Constitution. This is what the founders understood.

Government is made up of perfectly nice people who belong to a system that doesn't care one bit about anything but sustaining itself. You don't need a belief system, just refer to the regulations. Have an idea for improving efficiency? Check to see if the SOP allows it. Violate rights? I don't understand your question.

Just as there is no way the fly can appeal to the spider - the spider isn't evil, she has no emotion and no reason guiding her, it's just the way she's wired - there is no way to appeal using reason and emotion to a government worker. Both will stare at you uncomprehendingly, and then eat you.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Apparently peace officers take people to jail without cause and knowing they won't file charges on a regular basis.

I don't know any "peace officers" in Martin county but the police and sherrif's department there pretty much do as you've described. They'll hold them in jail there for months too trying to make them "confess" or testify against some one else.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Personal experience has shown that Bloomington doesn't care about OC any more than the other places I've lived. I'm not trying to brag, or convert you, just wanted to point out that the idea "Bloomington is less accepting of OC" is, arguably, a myth. Never had anything noteworthy happen, good or bad.

Seconded.

I even spent a half hour wandering around Joanne fabrics the other day while my wife shopped just to see what would happen. Usually I sit in the car and wait but I figured if there was any place in that county with prissy panicy cop callers it would be a sewing store. Skinny belt with my 45 in a floppy uncle Mike's black holster, t shirt and jeans, old fat guy you kids think you'll never be. I went up and down every single aisle and right in front of every single customer and employee just like a 20 year old who just got his carry permit yesterday.

No cops showed up. No one wanted educated about gun rights. No one told me I couldn't do that or any thing else. They grinned when I was looking at the lace I thought about spraying camo paint through for a leafy pattern and they took me right over to all the camo cloth they had when I ask if they had any.

No problem. The only one rolling their eyes was my own wife.

I think you have to be searching out the soap box pretty hard to run in to most of these "OH MY GOD, MY RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED!" thread situations.

 

[cce1302]

You'd be surprised (well, maybe not you, Jack, because you've done it) how the nice ladies at Joanne's don't seem to notice a handgun on your belt. I've OCd in there 7 or 8 times in the last couple years and nobody minded at all.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I did learn that I "think I can do whatever I want."

Isn't that the reason for this country being in existence.