Disarmed in my backyard.....

[ENSANE1970]

I have never been in that situation before, but it sounds like you did okay.

One time, about a year ago, my wife and I heard strange noises and thought someone was breaking in. We called the police, explained our concerns, and notified them that we were armed. The call taker asked me to put away my weapon while I wait for the police to arrive. When I refused she hung up and had the County Sheriff call me back and desperately try to get me to disarm. I still refused. I can understand the desire for me to disarm when the police get on scene, but to disarm when the police aren’t even there yet seemed like a bad idea.

When the police did arrive I answered the door while armed, until I was sure it was really the police at the door. The local police never batted an eye. They look at the weapon in my hand and didnt say a word about it. They where polite and searched the entire area. They never found anything, and it all turn out well in the end.

Good job on standing your ground, I can't believe they wanted you to disarm without police on scene. Once the police arrive different story, set the weapon aside and let them do their job, like you did, until then...............well you know the answer to that.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[skippythenurse]

I would've done the same thing. However, if they stepped through my GF's flower bed, THEN we have a problem.

[gimpy]

It seems that everyday the news has a story about law enforcement officers being shot during the performance of their duties. Those of us non-LEOs who have gone through the necessary steps to get our CWLs have done so in order to be ready to defend ourselves should it become necessary. Today, even with the increased rate of criminal assaults, the statistical probability of a non-LEO coming face-to-face with a criminal intent on ending that non-LEO's life is very small compared with the danger faced by a LEO. I would like to think that the reasonable among us would, given the increased dangers faced by LEOs, understand their reason for being extra cautious when it comes to encountering anyone with a gun. LEOs, like the rest of us, want to do their job each day and then go safely home to their families. If we get so side tracked that we take offense, and assume our 2nd Amendment right is being violated just by being asked by an officer to secure our weapons when he is trying to do his job, then maybe we have lost sight of the big picture. I believe the old saying "walk a mile in his shoes" should apply. Just my $.02

[PcMakr]

I think you did the right thing. I probably would have asked them why they had me disarm, AFTER they were through dealing with the situation, just for my own info.

[bobcat35]

same reason soldiers in iraq that have to pass through someones house on the way out of an area have them disarm. you just never know who's gonna try something dumb.

[ttpete]

No sense beating around the bush, the officer didn't trust you. If you accept that this is the general consensus, you won't be disappointed in the future. Every time I take a new weapon down to the cop shop for its mandated "safety inspection", I'm treated like a complete idiot in spite of the fact that I'm better qualified to handle weapons than ninety percent of them. I've learned to live with it, and I get a little of my own back when I have to do things like tell the desk guy how to open the cylinder of a Colt revolver. I let him push on the latch for awhile, then took pity and explained it......

[paramedic70002]

Not bashing you, just stating how I would have felt:

If you had left your cover on it would have been a non issue. Maybe you should have offered to cover it so they're sensibilities couldn't be offended. Are they going to ask everyone they meet to strip down to make sure they aren't missing any weapons? The idea that they would only ask the obviously armed man to disarm while ignoring others who might be armed lacks sane explanation. Either everybody gets disarmed or nobody does. You were on your property, they were trespassing. You were not subject to investigation or detention. If ever there was a time to arm yourself, I'd say it's when 2 cops blow through your back yard for particular reasons unknown. If they need to be there, I need to be armed. They weren't there to protect you. Cops get shot too, but seldom by people who carry in holsters.

So I would have not refused; I would have gone inside and secured my home while keeping watch until any potential threats were mitigated.

[LongRider]

I'm sorry but if you honestly feel that you can't go out in your own yard for 30 minutes without HAVING TO BE ARMED, you need help.

I must need a therapist than because If my pants are on my gun is on. Fact is, I doubt I will ever need it on my property. I live 1 1/2 miles up a dirt road my drive way is about six acres deep. There are web cams that take pics of you & your license plate and a no trespass sign that says in effect by proceeding onto my property without an invitation or warrant you state your intent by action to do me or my family harm, that I will respond accordingly I have three 120 plus pound dogs and two attact turkeys. So my family is reasonably secure. Still if I am wake I have a gun.

After they handled the call the officer came back over to me and thanked me for being understanding and apologized, for any inconvenience. I told him it took me by surprise, he had me disarm, due to the fact I was completly legal, but his job was hard enough and I wasn't going to make a federal case out of it. This guy was obviously young and probably a rookie, he wasn't a jerk in any way shape or form, very professional and had no attitude at all.

I think you did right. He was respectful and reasonable. You were respectful and reasonable. That is as it should be. I'd have probably gone inside and grabbed along gun, just in case.

[retsupt99]

In my own yard?...I would have agreed to just go inside my house...

STAY armed...stay safe...OMO!

[DarinD]

Ensane1970, you did right and maybe made afriend that day!

[d.40v]

I would have complied with the officer. No need to have bad blood between us and LEO's for no reason. They were on duty and performing their duties and need to keep focused on what's going on around them. I wouldn't want them to get in a bad situation because their mind is on the a$$ in the next yard with a gun. Besides, even if it's not on your person it would be within close proximity if needed and the cops are right next door.

[ENSANE1970]

Not bashing you, just stating how I would have felt:

If you had left your cover on it would have been a non issue.

I agree with you 110%. After the incident I went into the house and thought to myself, if I had just taken a minute to put my cover shirt back on, none of this would have happened. It would've been a simple, can we cross your backyard? Sure, have a nice day. I guess this is a good example of, expect the unexpected. I wasn't expecting the police, in my neighborhood, so my complacency lead to this incident. I never OC, outside my house, why I chose to that day, I don't know, but believe me it won't happen again.

[Scot Van]

I have three 120 plus pound dogs and two attact turkeys

Am I the only one who is more frightened by attack turkeys than dogs? Something very Hitchcock about that...I think I'll be sure to phone ahead when dropping by to see you, LongRider!

[hpj3]

Please don't take this as a flame - it's not. I disagree with most of the responses here. You were legally armed on your own property. There was no reason for him to ask you to disarm. Doesn't sound like they were in hot pursuit of a major bad guy - and why did they have to cut thru your yard to talk to a kid next door?

There have been several cases recently of SC LE not knowing the weapons laws in the state. Many are rookies, but several have been around a while. The only way we're going to change the perception (and the onerous laws) is to stand up for our rights. As a poster said before, there are diplomatic ways to handle the situation...

Howard

[Bark'n]

To me, I see no reason to have made an issue out of it with the officer.

For whatever reason, (maybe trivial to most) but apparently it wasn't to the officer, he asked you to please remove the weapon until they finished their business.

Sure you could have stood your gound and asserted your rights under the law, but what would that have done? And for what? (What would you have done? called him paranoid of honest citizens?)

As other officers later told you... Now that officer knows you're one of the good guys!

I see nothing you did that was wrong and no reason for you to have gotten flamed for on another forum.

As far as I see it, it was one of those "no harm, no foul" type situations that everything ended well.