“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.