Madison WI policy: they will harass people who follow state OC law

[melensdad]

In the state of Wisconsin the ONLY legal way to carry a weapon is to carry it openly. There is no legal way for civilians to conceal carry. So if you choose, or if you need, to carry a weapon then you must do so openly and in plain sight.

5 men did exactly this thing, they openly carried their guns, went about normal life, met up at the Culver's in town for a meal and they got arrested. It should be known that none of them broke the law. Even the 2 who chose not to provide their names did not break the law by refusing to give their names.

So the official reply from the Chief of Police, we will beat you down into submission because we don't like you :hammer:

The actual press release issued by the Chief of Police:

City of Madison News Release​

 

[littletommy]

I'd like to see the day when cops get a MWG call, and show up and tell the scared sheep to leave if they don't like it.

Madison WI sounds almost as bad as Chicago, what is it, some kind of strange fog coming off the great lakes up there?

 

[88GT]

It would seem like this is a perfect time for Madison residents who wish to keep their rights to exercise it collectively in large numbers on the same day. Sort of a firearms carry version of the civil rights sit-in. Inundate the system and bring it to a stand still. I still hold by the argument that they can't arrest and convict everybody if enough people started doing it.

 

[jedi]

^This...

What I do see occuring is that this sets-up yet another case which will go to the WI SC by the NRA. I think they just had one of these which the WI SC or maybe the appellete court said that OC is allowed AND it is not DC.

 

[PatriotPride]

Someone needs to put that PD in their place. I say sue them into oblivion.

I think we all agree that this is a true example of police who are acting unlawfully. They need to be dealt with by the citizens in their jurisdiction, and if that doesn't work, perhaps it's time to call in some outside help (FBI etc).

 

[Phil502]

I'd like to see the day when cops get a MWG call, and show up and tell the scared sheep to leave if they don't like it.

Madison WI sounds almost as bad as Chitcago, what is it, some kind of strange fog coming off the great lakes up there?

College town bull****.

 

[MTC]

MWG calls

So it's all about how the busybody "feels".

About 25 yrs ago, while living in a large metro area in another state, I turned on the radio on the way to work and first heard the short ad blurb:
"Don't forget - man with a gun, dial 9-1-1. Man with a gun, dial 9-1-1."
I can only guess who paid for the ad spot. Took note of it, 'cause it had the same mindless bumper sticker bounce as others I'd seen, heard, or read about, such as ...
"Hey, hey, LBJ! How many kids did ya kill today?!" or
"Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh! Ho Chi Minh is gonna win!" or
"Hell no! We won't go!" or (later)
"No draft! No war! US out of El Salvador!" or (later still)
"Bush lied! People died!"

Such propaganda ads exploit "feelings" and plant the seed in the minds of many that that the proper thing to do when they see anyone carrying a gun, other than a uniformed police officer, is to call 9-1-1 and "report" it. Upon receiving such a call, per department SOP officers have to respond to that call. (LEOs present can correct me if I'm wrong.) Whether everything goes relatively smooth, or especially if the responding officers overreact or are considered to have acted improperly, the result is all too often ten or more page threads of escalating insults, accusations and counteraccusations, followed by a lock. Meanwhile, the nosy nanny who, either through fear, ignorance, or spite, made the call in the first place, is forgotten.

It certainly makes it worse, though, if the chief has something against regular folks bearing arms in public.

 

[ATM]

Those who make the exercise of your rights a hassle are the very same ones who make the exercise all the more necessary.

 

[jedi]

Meanwhile, the nosy nanny who, either through fear, ignorance, or spite, made the call in the first place, is forgotten.

So where is this lady now?

 

[LEaSH]

The head legal advisor of the state of wisconsin has declared it a non arrestable offense in recent past. If he or she is silent about this case I do not know. They were charged with disturbing the piece I think.

This is an example of a pay to play legal system. The chief of police doing whatever he wants with an enormous amount of taxpayer funded legal services, versus 5 law abiding Americans with limited financial resources.

 

[TJSieling]

I lived about a half hour South of Madison until two years ago when I moved here, and the only firearm that I had ever seen before were my grandfather's shotguns for hunting. Now it makes sense why I had never seen a handgun before, and had only rotten things said about people who owned them, I was naturally scared when I moved here and a co-worker was telling a story about buying a 1911. Now I'm perfectly ok with them and carry one myself. It's just a matter of showing them that we're not crazy, but maybe I'm not the one to do it. I go up there a couple times a year for family and holidays, and I am honestly thinking of talking to a few people about getting a group together to do a carry event. Any thoughts?

 

[ATM]

Lawsuit in progress:

Welcome to Wisconsin Carry, Inc.#

An appeal to not blame the caller but focus on the response:

An Appeal from one of the Madison 5

Perpective of discussion on LE site:

2 Wi carry members ticketed - American Police Beat Forums powered by OfficerResource | Law Enforcement Forums, Police Forums

 

[DarkRose]

In other words I could be arrested or ticketed because someone ELSE was afraid of my legally carried firearm?

Wow.

Stupid cops scare me, arrest them.

 

[Woodsman]

I'd like to see the day when cops get a MWG call, and show up and tell the scared sheep to leave if they don't like it.

Madison WI sounds almost as bad as Chitcago, what is it, some kind of strange fog coming off the great lakes up there?

It's worse than that almost. Illinois & Wisconsin are the two holdouts for passing CCW permits. The AG in WI several years ago ruled that open carry was indeed legal because an old law (that was apparently overlooked) maintained this was an acceptable policy. Several instances of police involvement have occurred, where most have been initiated by citizens reporting them.

This has been all over the news lately. I don't blame the officers so much, as the police chief and the politicians. That's where the real problem is. This, and the over sensitivity in the general public because of stories like Columbine and the university shootings.

It's the old guns are evil storyline, not the asshats who use the guns.

 

[paddling_man]

I worked in Green Bay for about 2 months when my corporation bought a new holding there. I liked it. Everyday kinda folks where even the blue-haired-grannies load up a pitcher of draft at the family buffet on Sunday.

I've spent several days in Madison and considered a job offer there once. I hated it. It is populated by grouchy, unattractive women who don't shave their legs (and could stand to shave their face.)

 

[SirRealism]

I wonder what would happen if lots of folks started calling 911 and reporting MWAG each time they see a police officer eating dinner with his family.

 

[DarkRose]

I've spent several days in Madison and considered a job offer there once. I hated it. It is populated by grouchy, unattractive women who don't shave their legs (and could stand to shave their face.)

So what do you REALLY think of it?

 

[Woodsman]

...
I've spent several days in Madison and considered a job offer there once. I hated it. It is populated by grouchy, unattractive women who don't shave their legs (and could stand to shave their face.)

They don't like being women, and they don't like males either. It's quite a complex some of them have. They're almost a new species.

 

[Lobo]

The problem is not solely the local police attitude towards open carry. The heart of the problem is the Wisconsin disorderly conduct statute, which should be struck down as unconstitutionally vague. Wisconsin law does not even require that a disturbance actually occurs. The mere tendency of the conduct to cause or provoke a disturbance is enough for an arrest or citation. In other words, if the police or local citizenry don't like what you are doing, despite the conduct being otherwise lawful, you can be arrested/cited for disorderly conduct.

I found a summary of some case law regarding the Wisconsin disorderly conduct statute, and couldn't believe how ridiculous some of the rulings were. It is truly against the law in Wisconsin to offend, agitate or say (or write!) anything that can be construed as hurtful, offensive or improper. Plainly speaking, if some citizen gets butthurt, and the police agree that they should be butthurt, you can go to jail or get a ticket.

Here is the link: 947.01 Disorderly conduct.

How a disorderly conduct statute can trump the US Constitution, or even Wisconsin's own constitution, is beyond me. The right to bear arms in the Wisconsin constitution is fairly easy to understand:

Right to keep and bear arms. SECTION 25. [As created
Nov. 1998] The people have the right to keep and bear arms for
security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose.
[1995 J.R. 27, 1997 J.R. 21, vote November 1998]

After reading the summary of cases in the link, I'm not surprised at the attitude towards open carry, given the state's propensity to throw other rights, like free speech, in the toilet as well.

 

[Phil502]

Wisconsin surprises the heck out of me, I have some distant family there, all big outdoorsman, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling you name it. How the hell they stand all this crap I never understand. I never asked them either, so I don't know how they think.