Posted on 07/08/2014 3:40:09 AM PDT by Abathar
In 35 years in law enforcement, said the Takoma Park Police chief, he's never had this happen.
He's never had a store tell him that he would have to leave his service weapon in the car or leave the store -- especially when he was in his police uniform.
But that's what happened July 4 in the Ikea in College Park, where Takoma Park Police Chief Alan Goldberg had stopped in with his daughter. Goldberg was in uniform because he had worked that morning at the city's July 4 parade, and would be back on duty that night for fireworks.
In between, he stopped at Ikea to shop for furniture for his daughter's new apartment. And that's when a loss-prevention officer at the store approached him.
"He says we have a no firearms policy, and you're either going to have to leave or you can lock your gun in the car," Goldberg said.
The store has signs posted on the front door that read "Weapons Free Environment."
Neither of those options seemed a good one to the officer.
"It isn't the most prudent thing to do to walk around the store in uniform with an empty holster," Goldberg said. "And I am not going to lock my gun in a commercial parking lot, with people watching me put it in there. That's just ludicrous."
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcwashington.com ...
Actually they're Swedish.
Loss-prevention officer = Rent-a-cop. Mall cops, with more attitude
As a citizen of the United States he had every right to openly carry a handgun. He had every right to be in uniform when he was not working, just as you have the right to wear your working clothes when you stop off to run an errand on your way home from work. The store has every right, as a private business, to ban guns from their premises, stupid policy or not.
“Actually they’re Swedish.”
_______________________________
Yes, my mistake. I have a number of Dutch A-holes where I live. The country sticks in my mind.
“He had every right to be in uniform when he was not working, just as you have the right to wear your working clothes when you stop off to run an errand on your way home from work.”
You might want to look into that; I know that is not the case in many departments.
“The chief should disregard the request. He should arrest anyone who tries to interfere with him performing his duties.”
Sure - if he was on duty. He wasn’t, and to me that makes a world of difference.
I guess I am missing the point of many here. I am in favor of armed police being in a store going about their business. Even if he was officially off duty. What am I missing? Off duty cops will go into action if they find themselves at a crime scene while off duty.
Maybe this will be enough to make the chief realize how stupid a “weapons free environment”/victim disarmament zone is. If he doesn’t like locking up his (department-issued) firearm in his car, imagine what the rest of us serfs feel like when we have to do the same? At least if his gets stolen from his car the department will replace it.
What do you think the odds are of this police chief turning into a 2A-rights activist as a result of this incident?
You gotta wonder.... they declare it a weapons free environment. Like they frisk people? If you walk in with it concealed its not like they are gonna know.
The cop is chief of police in Tacoma Park, MD, a nuclear-free, illegal alien sanctuary town inside the Beltway. The Ikea is just north of the Beltway from College Park, MD, home of the U of MD (fear the turtle?!?).
The cop and Ikea deserve each other.
“Some States and many County and local Government REQUIRE their Police to carry at all times. Especially smaller and rural areas where you may be on call at all times. I have bashed the Police often on this forum (for excessive shootings) but in this case the store was wrong PERIOD.”
While I am no fan of the cops, your comments are correct. Also, I find this “on duty” business strange for a police chief. They are management, and I would think that they are “on duty” 24/7. I know here in California a LEO is “on duty” any time they choose to be, and anywhere in the State irrespective of whether or not they are actually in their jurisdiction. If they see a crime being committed, they can and are supposed to act.
Well, at least it was not a ARSENAL like Lowe's or Home Depot!
Hammers, screwdrivers, box cutters, pitch forks, lots & lots of rope, crowbars, bricks, chisels, 3 foot lengths of 1" steel pipe.... the list is endless!
/s
Guess it will take a LOT LONGER to get a police officer to that store when the burglar alarms go off now.
I suggest the police chief find a different store to spend his money, if he hasn’t already done so.
“The guy had no reason to 1) be in uniform while he wasn’t working, and 2) openly carry a handgun.”
Why not? We should all be carrying openly. It is a God given right that has been bastardized through the years.
I kinda do like the idea of police being treated the same as “civilians”, as they would call them.
Sorry, you're a government employee and you're off duty. Whatever requirements you may think you have related to being a public SERVANT, you're not require to shop at IKEA. So you have a choice: shop at IKEA and leave your gun outside like your employers must do, or don't shop at IKEA. Simple. This is a free country, public SERVANTS aren't nobility. Armed trespassing is criminal behavior, regardless of the silly costume being worn by the perpetrator.
The public SERVANT should comply with the request of his masters. He should either depart the premises, or submit himself to arrest and plead guilty when brought to trial.
I support the right OF THE PEOPLE to carry a weapon openly or concealed, at their discretion. I also support the right of a PRIVATE business to prohibit carriage of weapons on its PRIVATE PROPERTY. This public servant in a silly costume was flagrantly violating the rights of the PRIVATE owners of the PRIVATE business ... however misguided we may think their exercise of such rights may be, we must respect their rights as we expect our rights to be respected.
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