Michigan Police Become Educated on Open Carry

Gun Watch ^ | 12 August, 2013 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

 Open carriers in Arizona protesting politicization of the IRS


On August 2nd, 2008, five years ago, Christopher Fetters was illegally arrested for exercising his Constitutional rights during the Coast Guard festival in New Haven, Michigan.  Parts of the original article are still available on  The High Road.  Fetters was legally carrying his holstered Glock when he was disarmed, arrested, and had his pistol confiscated.

When the city attorney read the law, he realized that the City had made a mistake.  The charges were dropped and the pistol returned.    Mr. Fetters filed a Federal lawsuit against New Haven for civil rights violations.  The lawsuit resulted in a cash settlement for Mr. Fetters in 2010, along with an agreement to educate their officers about the legality of open carry, and that open carry is not probable cause for a stop.

In 2009, a similar situation occurred to Mr. Haman, in Warren, Michigan.  Another lawsuit resulted in  a $5,000 settlement for Mr. Haman, and training for Warren police officers.

In 2012, an 18 year old man exercised his constitutional rights by open carrying his birthday present, a rifle, slung over his shoulder in Birmingham, MI.  He was arrested and his rifle confiscated.  He was found not guilty in a jury trial.   He and fellow open carriers then exercised their rights in Birmingham, MI, with Mr. Combs triumphantly carrying his rifle.  

A civil suit has been filed against Birmingham.  Mr. Combs defense cost several thousand dollars, and the city refuses to admit to any wrongdoing.

In New Haven, in 2013, the police now cooperate with people exercising their Constitutional rights.   While the police requested that an open carry demonstration remain at city hall, they no longer have any doubt that open carry is legal.

Respect for Second Amendment rights has grown in Michigan, as noted by DrTodd at opencarry.org :

Yes, things have changed for the better and I can honestly say in my 8 or so years of OCing in West Michigan, real problems have become almost non-existent. Like I said earlier, I've OC'd in Grand Haven for many years, usually 6-8x a year, and have had no problems. However, just a few months ago I did have an Ottawa County Deputy get a little agitated regarding me OCing in a gas station convenience store in Hudsonville... that though is another issue.

 It may be years before we hear the result to Sean Combs civil rights lawsuit against the City of Birmingham, but it is clear that  the number of people exercising their right to keep and bear arms in Michigan is growing, and that police attitudes are changing as they are being educated.

 ©2013 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

Michigan is a clear success story for those struggling to restore the Second Amendment.

[cripplecreek]

Open carry, its educational.



Michigan legislative action thread

[JRandomFreeper]

They should find a less confrontational way of exersizing their rights... like not exersizing them... /s

/johnny

[cripplecreek]

We should also be thankful for guys like Rick Ector who is leading the open carry fight in the heart of the Detroit beast and doing it largely on his own.(Legally armed in Detroit)

[marktwain]

People exercising their rights have found that it is very handy to have a recorder/camera running when they are exercising.

Some find those cameras or recorders to be “provocative”. My observation is that cameras and recorders seem to make everyone more polite, kind of like an armed society.

[marktwain]

Rick is a patriot.

[Darteaus94025]

"...police attitudes are changing as they are being educated."

And that education results in a valuable thing: RESPECT.

[cripplecreek]

I absolutely love the fact that we can open carry in the state capitol.

[JRandomFreeper]

Some folks find EVERYTHING provocative. That's why I make fun of them. ;)

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

We're working on that in Texas. It bites that we don't have legal open carry.

/johnny

[marktwain]

You are a fun guy.

[cripplecreek]

Ector confronts a Detroit Sharpton wannabe and two hostile hosts with all of them attempting to shout him down.

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/22835675/let-it-rip-weekend-zimmerman-verdict-and-stand-your-ground-laws

[shove_it]

There’s a new Detroit Cop TV series premiering on AMC @ 10pm tonight called “Low Winter Sun”. Maybe open carry will be addressed but it’s doubtful.

[cripplecreek]

It should be interesting to see how Hollywood treats Detroit.

Ever notice in Robocop, pretty much everybody is white?

[ComputerGuy]

At the heart of the Zimmerman trial is Florida's stand your ground law...

Sorry, folks. SYG was not an issue in the Zimmerman trial.

[marktwain]

“Sorry, folks. SYG was not an issue in the Zimmerman trial.”

I think Rick Ector tries to make that point in the video clip, but he is just shouted down by everyone else. It is bizzare how the agitator next to him simply lies through his teeth about the entire case, and the “host” simply supports him.

Deranged.

[shove_it]

Here’s a teaser vid of Low Winter Sun. It’s another of those mumbling, whispering of the lines, that require constant adjusting of the volume type shows that aggravates the snot out of me ...

http://www.amctv.com/low-winter-sun/videos/sneak-peek-low-winter-sun

[cripplecreek]

Definitely checking it out. Lennie James is a great actor and very likely a real shock to any locals who encounter him. (He’s British)

[cripplecreek]

Looks like we won’t be seeing Morgan on the Walking dead for a while. Lennie James is playing a Detroit cop in Low Winter Sun premiering tonight on AMC.

[CatherineofAragon]

Shoot....I was hoping he might turn up in the next season.

Maybe at some point the LWS character will be killed off, LOL. But no, I can’t wish unemployment on the dude if he has a regular role.

[cripplecreek]

I’m not usually into cop shows but I’ll check it out since Falling Skies is done and Walking Dead hasn’t started yet.

[cripplecreek]

Whoa. Lennie plays a real bad cop.

[absolootezer0]

no! it’s the wild west! people fighting duels in the street! blood running in rivers!

/sarc

[marktwain]

The city named New Haven in the article is actually Grand Haven.

I have changed the original article to reflect this correction.

[CatherineofAragon]

"I’m not usually into cop shows but I’ll check it out since Falling Skies is done and Walking Dead hasn’t started yet."

Yeah, there isn't much worth watching right now. I'm sorry Falling Skies is over with (BTW, next year it will be 12 episodes instead of 10). We tried watching Under the Dome, but it's terrible.

[cripplecreek]

Low Winter Sun was pretty bad, almost cartoonish but I’ll give it a couple of shows to let things develop.

It started with Lennie’s character and the other cop drowning a 3rd cop in a sink and dumping him in the river. Apparently every cop is dirty and there are no good guys in Detroit.

[CatherineofAragon]

I recorded it and watched this morning. Geez, that’s one rotten police department, LOL. And Frank is living in the midst of ruins. Aren’t there any intact neighborhoods in Detroit?

I do enjoy Lennie’s acting, though. We aren’t much for cop shows either, but I’m going to try to get my husband to watch the pilot...maybe it’ll be something halfway decent to get into.

The guy who plays Frank is British, just like Lennie.

[cripplecreek]

There are actually some pretty decent neighborhoods in Detroit and that’s where the cops mostly live. On the other hand there are those single nice homes in the midst of ruin. Its a surreal place.

I was in the Delray neighborhood back in June and its about the worst. (Check it out on google earth sometime) The body on the show was found off the Delray boat launch. Fortunately the Delray neighborhood is going to be almost totally demolished for the new bridge.

When I was there, the pastor I was with stopped and talked to an old guy maybe 70 years old. He was carrying a bag of groceries and had an AR-15 slung across his back. Very friendly guy but not someone who intends to be a victim.

[CatherineofAragon]

"There are actually some pretty decent neighborhoods in Detroit and that’s where the cops mostly live. On the other hand there are those single nice homes in the midst of ruin. Its a surreal place.

I don't doubt it. I got the impression the show wanted to shout, "Hey! Look! This is Detroit!" So they put ruined houses across the street from him.

"When I was there, the pastor I was with stopped and talked to an old guy maybe 70 years old. He was carrying a bag of groceries and had an AR-15 slung across his back. Very friendly guy but not someone who intends to be a victim."

Damn. Good for him!