Cops that don't even know what sidearm they are carrying...

Okay, well they may not be "cop" cops. We refer to them as "Rent-a-Cops".

I live near Ft. Belvior, VA and frequently drive onto post(I'm an army brat). At this post and many others the gov't contracts gate security out to these rent-a-cops. Since I started the whole process of getting my CHP and begining to carry I have started to pay more attention to the guns that people carry.

I saw a Glock-17 in the rent-a-cops holster. As he was checking my ID and stickers I tried to make conversation with him by asking "Is that a Glock-17?" He had a puzzled look on his face so I clarified "is your sidearm a glock-17?"

He paused...

He said, "No, its just a 9mm."

I said "Oh" I didn't want to argue with him and I didn't have the time to end his ignorance because there were vehicles behind me but I was amazed.

How can you carry a firearm EVERYDAY and not know what kind it is???

Thats like driving your car and only knowing that its a 4 cylinder. "Is that a Honda Civic?" "No its a 4 cylinder".

Too funny. Hopefully he has done some practice and knows how to use it.

Why does that seem so incredibly unlikely?

Not even knowing what gun you are carrying doesn't give me piece of mind...knowing that he has a loaded gun strapped to his hip--and authority.

First off, they aren't "Rent-A-Cops" they are security.

Secondly, you're right. I don't know how someone could carry as part of a job and not know a little about the gun that they may have to depend upon. More than likely it is an issue gun and not a personal (I would hope that he knew more about a gun he bought).

Sounds to me like he is looking at the job as a paycheck, and the gun is just another accessory on his belt.

His puzzled look may have been a cautious look, you were looking at his handgun and asking him about it - he may not like it when that happens, especially if he hasn't confirmed your security status yet.

IMO he was being short with you, he may well know perfectly well what it is but wanted to see if you knew the difference between a G17 and a 9mm Glock with that length slide, we all know they are the same thing but he could have been playing mind games.

Am I giving him to much credit? I didn't meet him.

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Originally Posted by Pete

His puzzled look may have been a cautious look, you were looking at his handgun and asking him about it - he may not like it when that happens, especially if he hasn't confirmed your security status yet.

IMO he was being short with you, he may well know perfectly well what it is but wanted to see if you knew the difference between a G17 and a 9mm Glock with that length slide, we all know they are the same thing but he could have been playing mind games.

Am I giving him to much credit? I didn't meet him.

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He could have not known what he is carrying, the job really is only about 1% about firearms, and maybe he just isnt interested. Not many cops are gun guys. Just because they carry one doesnt mean they give two hoots about the model number or any of the fine details. It also doesnt mean they are not proficient with it.
Its also very hard to here what someone is saying from inside a running vehicle when you are listening to radio traffic, backround noises etc. Maybe he just didnt hear you correctly.

More likely, he was playing with you. I wont or dont discuss my firearm while in uniform for a number of reasons. The easiest way to cast off people wanting to discuss what ever off the shelf gun I have is to play stupid. Sometimes I'll say its a special police model that only police can get, its belt fed, or it doesnt have bullets its all electric.
I would imagine (well OK, I know) I would want to cast off anybody wanting to discuss anything while working a gate or traffic post of any kind. His goal is to do his job, keep traffic moving, and go home- not to make small talk.

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Originally Posted by Pete

Am I giving him to much credit?

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Ummm, Yes.

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Originally Posted by Pete

His puzzled look may have been a cautious look, you were looking at his handgun and asking him about it - he may not like it when that happens, especially if he hasn't confirmed your security status yet.

IMO he was being short with you, he may well know perfectly well what it is but wanted to see if you knew the difference between a G17 and a 9mm Glock with that length slide, we all know they are the same thing but he could have been playing mind games.

Am I giving him to much credit? I didn't meet him.

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hahaha I think you are definitely giving him too much credit.

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Okay, well they may not be "cop" cops. We refer to them as "Rent-a-Cops".

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Pfft ... "Rent-a-Cops"? Hell, I've known plenty of sworn Police Officers that don't know what that heavy thing on their belt is.

My parents live next door to a police officer ... we were talking about guns one day and I asked him what they issued him, he said,
"I don't know, its some black plastic thing."

I asked him if it was a Glock and he said "I guess".

I asked what caliber was issued and he said,
"I dunno ... but it comes in white and red boxes.".

He went home and retrieved his duty piece, a Glock 17 that had NEVER been cleaned.

I asked him how often he shot it, he said he has to qualify every couple of years.

I asked him if he cleaned it after shooting, he said "it looks clean enough, sometimes I wipe the dust off it".

I said, "No, I mean clean the insides".

He gave me this blank look, so I dropped the magazine (which was only half full), racked the slide (which was empty) and looked in at the poor dirty neglected little Glock.

I ended up cleaning and lubing the pistol for him and told him to top off the magazine (I left the chamber empty ... not sure I trust this guy to carry with a loaded chamber). Shoulda seen the look on his face when I took the slide off it ... I think for a minute he thought I broke it.

That's nothing. Imagine if he had to transfer that weapon to another officer at the end of shift. Some companies do not issue the weapon to the individual officer just to the job site and any officer on the job site can get any of the different weapons available. I don't know who has that contract now but in the 1980's I worked for the company (don't know if they are still in business) that had that contract, but I worked in central Virginia.

This is what happens when you expect cops to be social workers, and construct your entire hiring (and PROMOTION) process with that goal in mind.

You end up with a whole bunch of social workers, supervised by layer upon layer of OTHER social workers, all carrying guns that they're not 100% competent or comfortable with.

Why is anyone surprised?

SAD FACT: Our fighting men and women of the military are disarmed on base due to BS regulations, leaving their safety to a bunch of sad sack rent-a-travesties who look like they would wet their pants in a firefight.

I would hope he was just doing as SIXTO suggests. We obviously can't know everything, but I make it a point to know a lot about any equipment I carry. Even the stuff that isn't a gun or a knife.

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Originally Posted by azchevy

SAD FACT: Our fighting men and women of the military are disarmed on base due to BS regulations, leaving their safety to a bunch of sad sack rent-a-travesties who look like they would wet their pants in a firefight.

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I was going to go there, but how right you are. Mac brings up an excellent point too.

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Originally Posted by azchevy

SAD FACT: Our fighting men and women of the military are disarmed on base due to BS regulations, leaving their safety to a bunch of sad sack rent-a-travesties who look like they would wet their pants in a firefight.

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Its up to the commanding general whether or not you are allowed to carry on post. I was thinking about getting his permission.(Or trying to)