Rob99VMI04

2. Three Fairfax County police officers prove the Keystone Kops are
alive and well
************************************************** ********

We haven't had any issues with the Fairfax County police in quite a
while now. I have found them to be one of the best run police
agencies in Virginia.

However, three officers tarnished that image last week when they
unlawfully arrested a North Carolina resident who was legally carrying
a handgun and had a North Carolina CHP.

Hold on tight - this is a weird story.

The gun owner was pulled over for running through a red light, a
charge which the gun owner disputes.

The gun owner, believing that he had to disclose he was lawfully armed
as they do in North Carolina, dutifully told the officer he had a NC
CHP and was indeed armed.

The officer seemed to ignore the statement, but very shortly two more
patrol units pulled up. The next thing the gun owner knew he is in a
"felony stop" mode. He was asked to walk backwards towards the
officers, who then disarmed and handcuffed him.

While trying to unloaded his gun, THEY DROPPED IT ONTO THE ROAD!

The two officers and a SERGEANT then proceeded to tell him that he was
under arrested for:

1. Having hollow point bullets, which they claimed were illegal in
Virginia (!)
2. Taking a loaded gun across the state line, which the gun owner
was told was a FELONY (!)
3. Having a concealed gun that the police said he couldn't have since
he was from North Carolina (!!)

His car and gun were impounded and he was taken off to a magistrate.

The magistrate looked at the charges and told the police officers that
they had just made a false arrest.

The officers pointed out the possession of hollow point bullets. The
magistrate asked, "are they teflon coated?"

"No," replied on of the officers.

"Then they are legal."

Trying to find something that would stick and justify the false
arrest, one of the officers said, "We couldn't verify that his North
Carolina permit is valid."

The magistrate looked at the permit, noticed the phone number on the
back where one can call to verify the permit, called the number, and
within a few minutes found out the permit was indeed valid.

The gun owner was ordered to be released.

After being released from custody, the gun owner was given a hard time
by another officer about getting his gun back, but he did finally get
it back.

If all of that isn't bad enough, the arresting officer went ahead and
gave the gun owner a ticket for the alleged offense of running a red
light!

In essence, with that brilliant move, the officer was practically
BEGGING the gun owner to PLEASE sue Fairfax County for the false arrest!

I have already talked to my high-level contact with the Fairfax County
PD about this entire situation and the gun owner has filed a formal
complaint.

In the past, Fairfax County PD has been very good when such internal
investigations are required. Now we will wait and see what happens.

What is clear is that Fairfax County PD needs to educate its officers
on:

1. Possession of hollow point bullets
2. Reciprocity laws
3. Lawful carriage of firearms across state lines
4. Safe gun handling (a few years ago unsafe gun handling by an
officer cause a gun to discharge, killing an unarmed, handcuffed man)

__________________
To be effective in carrying a gun for self defense requires 3 things a #1 positive- aware-mindset, #2 good training #3 good equipment. Equating this to numbers shows us that if you lack one of these=ZERO times anything is STILL ZERO!-4th grade Math

"When seconds count.....Cops Respond in Minutes"

ccw9mm

It would be interesting to see the arrest report, which presumably would document the specific statutes this man allegedly failed to follow. If such statutes don't in fact exist, then what was the factual claim being made to the judge upon arraignment ... that their impression was sufficient cause, and that no specific statutory infraction was required?

__________________
Your best weapon is your brain. Don't leave home without it.
Reports: CZ P01 pt1, pt2.
Thoughts: Justifiable self defense.
US v Emerson, 2001: The 2A protects the individual RTKBA,
regardless if serving in a militia or military.

msgt/ret

Wow ugly situation; please keep us updated on its resolution. As a North Carolina resident who frequents Virginia I would hate to see this become a trend.

pgrass101

Yes please keep us updated.

__________________
Noli nothis permittere te terere

I refuse to compromise my morality for another mans greed.

EB31

It occurred in the Commonwealth of Va. This story doesn't surprise me at all. In a state where they actively apply a "foul language law" and officers (albeit, a seperate county from Fairfax) wait outside of bars to catch PEDESTRIANS with drunk in public citations (I guess they were supposed to use the underground tunnels to take their taxi home).....nothing surprises me.


Fairfax may not be all that bad, but please heed this....don't bother visiting or even passing through Culpeper County. Not only is there really nothing here of value or interest....you'll do yourself good to steer clear of the shady PD, Sheriff's Office, Lawyers and courthouse. All it takes is a quick look at the arrests listed in the Star Exponent (Google for website) to see what I mean.


Thankfully my employer is nation wide. I'll be taking my show on the road once I gain some time on the job and can ask for a transfer.

__________________
US Army '95-'99

Rob99VMI04

A friend at my job wife works with FCPD.

When I saw this I went Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!!!!

A) There has to be more to the story!

B) If there isn't I hope the NC CCW holder sues for False arrest.

__________________
To be effective in carrying a gun for self defense requires 3 things a #1 positive- aware-mindset, #2 good training #3 good equipment. Equating this to numbers shows us that if you lack one of these=ZERO times anything is STILL ZERO!-4th grade Math

"When seconds count.....Cops Respond in Minutes"

SIXTO

was this in a newspaper or how did you come across the story?

__________________
Only in America .....do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.

MattLarson

The story is on the VCDL's website (Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL)) but no sources are provided.

Matt

__________________
Hope is not a plan.

Kerbouchard

That's definitely ugly. It's hard to believe there are police officers who think hollow point ammunition is illegal. It's also hard to believe that there are officers out there that don't know what reciprocity is. The entire situation could have been cleared up with a call to a supervisor. In any case, I'm glad the magistrate knew what he was talking about.

I predict the NC resident will have plenty of money to pay that Red light ticket after this is all said and done.

__________________
Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever.

http://miscmusings.townhall.com/

Who is John Galt?

SIXTO

Thats what I thought... No offense to anyone here, but I haven't been to impressed with a lot of gun rights organizations abilities to gather facts on these types of stories. Other than "I'll bet a paycheck there is more tot he story" I'll reserve further comment.

__________________
Only in America .....do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.