Posted on 09/24/2010 5:06:00 AM PDT by marktwain
Last Saturday the Madison, WI police department responded to a 911 call about five men openly carrying holstered handguns near a Culver’s restaurant. Police soon arrived, detained the men, now referred to by some as “the Madison Five,” and demanded they produce identity credentials.
The police ultimately cuffed, searched, and charged two men who refused to provide ID with “obstruction of justice.” Days later “Madison Police North District Capt. Cameron McLay said he believes officers acted appropriately in responding to . . . the [911] caller's concern that something might happen.”
However the 911 call recording obtained by the Examiner.com pursuant to an Open Records Act request from Dane County does not support Capt. McLay’s characterization. The caller, Ms. Phyllis Micke, emphasized to the 911 dispatcher that the guns were in holsters, and that “there’s no problem” . . . [the men are] “just sitting there extremely relaxed.”
After the dispatcher explained that open carry was legal unless they are threatening or disturbing people, Micke declared that
“there’s no problem and it’s no emergency . . .I feel bad then, if they’re not doing anything wrong then it’s my mistake.”
Wisconsin Carry Inc. (WCO) President Nik Clark is not surprised by the tenor of the 911 call. Clark said that “every time somebody has called the police about open carriers it has essentially been to ask if open carry was legal, not to report a disturbance.”
If we’re to get America back to greatness, the mindset of peace officers has got to change.
I made it clear throughout the thread that I disagreed with the charges, actually.
What about the five firearm owners that the police accosted?
Yes, I am one of the ones who pointed it out.
The response of the PD to this tape release should be interesting.
Also remember the claim by the PD that they had 2 complainants, not just one.
Will they tell us about the other one, or retract the claim?
From the portion of the article that was posted here:
After the dispatcher explained that open carry was legal unless they are threatening or disturbing people, Micke declared thatJust answering.“there’s no problem and it’s no emergency . . . I feel bad then, if they’re not doing anything wrong then it’s my mistake.”
Wisconsin Carry Inc. (WCO) President Nik Clark is not surprised by the tenor of the 911 call. Clark said that “every time somebody has called the police about open carriers it has essentially been to ask if open carry was legal, not to report a disturbance.”
“If the law allows open carry, why did this individual take it upon himself to call the police if those who were carrying were not causing any problems?”
Remember this is Madison we’re talking about...
Oh, give me a break. Somebody calls 911, the cops are required to respond. Somebody calls 911 with a report of guys carrying weapons, the cops are sure as hell going to respond.
That's just life in the real world, as opposed to life in the loonietopia some of you folks seem to live in.
Two people, one call. Wanna bet that the “other” complainant was the gals dinner companion?
I called 911 when a dog attacked my pet chickens! I was hysterical at the time and the 911 operator calmly told me to hang up and she’d call animal control, which she did. I imagine she has quite a story to tell to this day. Ha! Bless her for being so kind, though.
Good point. Something tells me it probably was not a man.
“every time somebody has called the police about open carriers it has essentially been to ask if open carry was legal, not to report a disturbance.”
That surprises me.
“Are we all back in high school or what?”
Strongly held opinions and strongly argued discussions help to bring out the truth.
Thank you for participating.
Really? Why?
Most people are at least 5o'clock news aware of our RKBA. If the person carrying isn't doing anything else wrong, the folks calling in may just want to verify what the law is, just in case.
That's why this case stands out. The cops actually responded, even though they knew what the law was. They even admitted as much in the first couple of articles and in their press release.
"Just in case" doesn't meet "probable cause". Exercising a Right peaceably is not "disorderly conduct".
It's what we were trying to explain to you yesterday.
OK, I was wrong in saying “What BS! Everybody who calls 911 is worried. Why else would you call?”
Apparently, this caller wasn’t so worried. Maybe they are basing everything on caller #2.
I guess I expected more complaints.
We have open carry here in NC, but it’s still quite rare to see anyone openly carrying other than LEO’s and company police.
I’m fairly certain that if I attempt to open carry, I’ll be stopped due to a 911 call.
Bump
“every time somebody has called the police about open carriers it has essentially been to ask if open carry was legal, not to report a disturbance.”
That surprises me.
I have been involved with open carry advocates for many years. I first open carried in Wisconsin over 30 years ago. It doesn’t surprise me. Open carriers tend to be very polite and non confrontational. As they have become more common in the last few years, in every situation in Wisconsin (that I know of) that involved the police being called, the caller asked if open carry were legal.
Blame the MSM. They have brainwashed the population into believing that guns in the hands of citizens are evil, but guns in the hands of the State are good. This results in contradictory responses from people who are ignorant of the law.
“Maybe they are basing everything on caller #2.”
I do not believe there is a caller #2. Why do you think one exists?
Seems to me that the city of Madison is intentionally perpetuating the ignorance of the law, thus causing the average, ignorant citizen to call the police with an inquiry regarding the open carry law.
Subsequently, the police get to go out and harass law-abiding citizens.
IF the city were concerned about their citizens, they would be doing something about informing the public. They should also make it clear to their 911 dispatchers that inquiries do not require a police response.
Possibly. I know the Open Carry types have been having meet-up's here in MN. So far, so uneventful. For the first one, they let the local PD know they were going to have an OC event ahead of time. 30-40 people showed up for a barbecue without so much as a hiccup.
I've been tempted to bring the wife and kids and join 'em, but the schedule this summer was a little hectic.
Changing public perception takes time. Yes, the Brady Bunchers will try and use sympathetic law enforcement to harass those trying to exercise their Rights.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. This needs to happen. It's worth it.
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