Comments on: All Police Officers Should Carry Their Guns Off-Duty http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/ Police Training and Officer Safety Tips Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:45:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Richard http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11966 Richard Sun, 09 Jan 2011 22:12:31 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11966 Donnie, Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts. I think it is safe to say we're on the same page! Stay safe! -Richard Donnie,

Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts. I think it is safe to say we’re on the same page!

Stay safe!

-Richard

]]> By: Donnie http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11965 Donnie Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:23:52 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11965 I've been an officer for 24 years and the last agency I worked for I was a SRO seven of my 19 years I was there. I attended as many active shooter classes I could! I have always carried a gun off duty along with an extra magazine, handcuffs, flashlight and my cell phone (usually with with a ear bud/mic for going hands free)! So many officers don't carry off duty and believe it or not a lot of guys form other agencies I see are SWAT guys without off duty guns. Come on! All officers should carry, but the guys that are or have special tactics should really be carrying guns. Also we should be carrying a weapon that is of a significant caliber and bullet weight (the heaviest bullet in the caliber you choose to use) to stop a threat and end the carnage that is taking place! Handguns that are capable of firing a .38 +P round and larger calibers should be the only calibers being carried off-duty. Most policies require .38 (not .380 Auto) or larger calibers for on duty that should transfer over to off-duty as well. I'm not a fan of .380 Auto and with the various sub-compact that come in 9mm don't cheat yourself with the inferior .380 caliber. I don't recommend .380s for officers to carry off-duty period! A couple things to think about...and are big concern when we look at active shooters are how do we identify ourselves as a police officer that is off-duty to responding on-duty officers, other off-duty officers and armed civilian? If we have intervene and when the Calvary shows up how am I going to make sure that I'm not mistaken for the bad guy; if I'm shooting back then I too am an "active shooter" too. I know my badge hanging from a chain around my neck is not the most effective means of identifying myself, but outside of wearing a black shirt with white letters that have POLICE on it what options do I have? I agree yelling POLICE will help but that to is not a guaranteed of being properly identified as a officer. Then there is the concealed carry permit holders. Okay I'm in favor of civilians carrying guns off duty for protecting themselves and the person next to them, but I am not in favor of them going after an active shooter and I am very vocal about that to those civilians who are looking at buying a weapon for "personal protection". There is an increase in active shooters in schools to shopping malls, and there is an increase in officers being attacked with guns as well, so it on;y makes sense to "pack some heat" and be prepared for anything that comes our way. The day will come where I'm sure one of us will need to respond accordingly and we all need to be prepared...if I could carry a compact AR rifle off duty I would do that as well. I’ve been an officer for 24 years and the last agency I worked for I was a SRO seven of my 19 years I was there. I attended as many active shooter classes I could! I have always carried a gun off duty along with an extra magazine, handcuffs, flashlight and my cell phone (usually with with a ear bud/mic for going hands free)!

So many officers don’t carry off duty and believe it or not a lot of guys form other agencies I see are SWAT guys without off duty guns. Come on! All officers should carry, but the guys that are or have special tactics should really be carrying guns.

Also we should be carrying a weapon that is of a significant caliber and bullet weight (the heaviest bullet in the caliber you choose to use) to stop a threat and end the carnage that is taking place! Handguns that are capable of firing a .38 +P round and larger calibers should be the only calibers being carried off-duty. Most policies require .38 (not .380 Auto) or larger calibers for on duty that should transfer over to off-duty as well.
I’m not a fan of .380 Auto and with the various sub-compact that come in 9mm don’t cheat yourself with the inferior .380 caliber. I don’t recommend .380s for officers to carry off-duty period!

A couple things to think about…and are big concern when we look at active shooters are how do we identify ourselves as a police officer that is off-duty to responding on-duty officers, other off-duty officers and armed civilian?

If we have intervene and when the Calvary shows up how am I going to make sure that I’m not mistaken for the bad guy; if I’m shooting back then I too am an “active shooter” too. I know my badge hanging from a chain around my neck is not the most effective means of identifying myself, but outside of wearing a black shirt with white letters that have POLICE on it what options do I have? I agree yelling POLICE will help but that to is not a guaranteed of being properly identified as a officer.

Then there is the concealed carry permit holders. Okay I’m in favor of civilians carrying guns off duty for protecting themselves and the person next to them, but I am not in favor of them going after an active shooter and I am very vocal about that to those civilians who are looking at buying a weapon for “personal protection”.

There is an increase in active shooters in schools to shopping malls, and there is an increase in officers being attacked with guns as well, so it on;y makes sense to “pack some heat” and be prepared for anything that comes our way.

The day will come where I’m sure one of us will need to respond accordingly and we all need to be prepared…if I could carry a compact AR rifle off duty I would do that as well.

]]> By: Mike http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11139 Mike Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:03:52 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11139 CONCERNED DEPUTY, Maybe I missed something but I thought that as of 2004 all U.S. LE officers were allowed to carry off duty. See the "Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act" 18 USC 926B. You can find all the requirements there. Did your sheriff find a way around this? CONCERNED DEPUTY,

Maybe I missed something but I thought that as of 2004 all U.S. LE officers were allowed to carry off duty. See the “Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act” 18 USC 926B. You can find all the requirements there. Did your sheriff find a way around this?

]]> By: CONCERNED DEPUTY http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11071 CONCERNED DEPUTY Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:15:04 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-11071 I CURRENTLY WORK AS A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY FOR THE #@$%%%^^& SHERIFFS OFFICE. AND WE ARE NOT ALLOWED AS PER THE SHERIFF TO CARRY OFF DUTY. THIS BOTHERS ME A LOT. THE COUNTY IN WHICH I WORK HAS SOME VERY DANGEROUS CITIES. NOT ONE DAY GOES BY THAT YOU DONT HEAR OVER SPEN ABOUT A CAR CHASE, A DRIVEBY SHOOTING , A RAPE, A MURDER OR AN ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER. EVEN THOUGH WE WORK PART-TIME, WE ARE A FULL SVC DIVISION. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE OUT WITH YOUR WIFE AT DINNER OR YOUR KIDS AT A PARK OR "SHOPPING AT THE MALL" AND YOU BUMP INTO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO YOU HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH AND HAD TO ARREST, OR YOU DO HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION UNFOLD RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU? YOUR FIRST INSTINCT IS OFFICER SAFETY EVEN THOUGH YOUR OFF-DUTY. YOR NEXT INSTINCT IS THE SAFETY OF YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEXT IS THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. OH BUT WAIT, YOUR NOT ARMED....... WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE YOU AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS?? I KNOW THIS IS A LONG COMMENT BUT THATS HOW DAMN LONG THIS S@#T HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME..... I CURRENTLY WORK AS A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY FOR THE #@$%%%^^& SHERIFFS OFFICE. AND WE ARE NOT ALLOWED AS PER THE SHERIFF TO CARRY OFF DUTY. THIS BOTHERS ME A LOT. THE COUNTY IN WHICH I WORK HAS SOME VERY DANGEROUS CITIES. NOT ONE DAY GOES BY THAT YOU DONT HEAR OVER SPEN ABOUT A CAR CHASE, A DRIVEBY SHOOTING , A RAPE, A MURDER OR AN ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER. EVEN THOUGH WE WORK PART-TIME, WE ARE A FULL SVC DIVISION. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE OUT WITH YOUR WIFE AT DINNER OR YOUR KIDS AT A PARK OR “SHOPPING AT THE MALL” AND YOU BUMP INTO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO YOU HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH AND HAD TO ARREST, OR YOU DO HAVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION UNFOLD RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU? YOUR FIRST INSTINCT IS OFFICER SAFETY EVEN THOUGH YOUR OFF-DUTY. YOR NEXT INSTINCT IS THE SAFETY OF YOUR FAMILY, YOUR NEXT IS THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. OH BUT WAIT, YOUR NOT ARMED……. WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE YOU AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS??
I KNOW THIS IS A LONG COMMENT BUT THATS HOW DAMN LONG THIS S@#T HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME…..

]]> By: admin http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-1735 admin Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:14:45 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-1735 Carl, Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences. I hope that others will listen to your wisdom. Stay safe brother! Carl,

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences. I hope that others will listen to your wisdom.

Stay safe brother!

]]> By: Carl http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-1732 Carl Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:38:38 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-1732 Entering my 32 year in L.E. , and having the last 29 in Houston Texas. I have learned to always carry Off Duty in a huge city that has never had enough Officers. I am old school so I carry my Colt .45 LW Comander with extra mag and flashlight and cuffs, with a .38 snub and reload for it. I have a knife and cell phone . My spouse carries a 9mm with a reload and her cell phone.So far over the years I have had 5 times where I had to have my gun to protect my family or others. And my wife has stopped a attack on her and my children twice in the past 12 years. I would never go naked..like those that brag they never carry...I have seen what happens to the Officers caught short. Entering my 32 year in L.E. , and having the last 29 in Houston Texas. I have learned to always carry Off Duty in a huge city that has never had enough Officers. I am old school so I carry my Colt .45 LW Comander with extra mag and flashlight and cuffs, with a .38 snub and reload for it. I have a knife and cell phone . My spouse carries a 9mm with a reload and her cell phone.So far over the years I have had 5 times where I had to have my gun to protect my family or others. And my wife has stopped a attack on her and my children twice in the past 12 years. I would never go naked..like those that brag they never carry…I have seen what happens to the Officers caught short.

]]> By: admin http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-118 admin Sat, 08 Dec 2007 05:27:04 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-118 Brent, Thanks for the comments. I was not critical of Omaha PD. In fact, I stated my assumption that they responded quickly and implemented an active shooter plan. As far as the time span of only six minutes, keep in mind that the shooter elected to stop killing at the end of six minutes. Many shooters elect to keep killing until stopped by someone else with a gun: an armed citizen or police officer. I hope that no police officer bases his decision on carrying a firearm off-duty on the notion of "luck." The fact of the matter is bad things happen. The good guys need to be able to handle them when they do. If you choose not to carry a gun, the odds of you surviving a violent encounter have been drastically reduced. Brent,

Thanks for the comments.

I was not critical of Omaha PD. In fact, I stated my assumption that they responded quickly and implemented an active shooter plan.

As far as the time span of only six minutes, keep in mind that the shooter elected to stop killing at the end of six minutes. Many shooters elect to keep killing until stopped by someone else with a gun: an armed citizen or police officer.

I hope that no police officer bases his decision on carrying a firearm off-duty on the notion of “luck.” The fact of the matter is bad things happen. The good guys need to be able to handle them when they do. If you choose not to carry a gun, the odds of you surviving a violent encounter have been drastically reduced.

]]> By: Brent http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-117 Brent Sat, 08 Dec 2007 03:08:45 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-117 Don't be critical of the Omaha PD. The violence at WestRoads Mall lasted six minutes from the first shot to the last shot when the killer took his own life. You can hardly complain about that time span. For an officer carrying his gun off-duty, you have to be at the right place at the right time. We all know that. It's pure luck. Don’t be critical of the Omaha PD. The violence at WestRoads Mall lasted six minutes from the first shot to the last shot when the killer took his own life. You can hardly complain about that time span. For an officer carrying his gun off-duty, you have to be at the right place at the right time. We all know that. It’s pure luck.

]]> By: admin http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-112 admin Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:52:39 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-112 Amen, brother. I normally do carry a 2" Smith and Wesson revolver. But, I carry it with an extra speed strip of ammo. And, it is backing up my Glock 19. Two guns off duty? Yep. My Glock has never failed, but I figure it will some day. If it fails on the day I need it most, no problem, I'll still be in the fight with my .38. Call me crazy, if you like. However, I plan on being an active participant in my family's survival. Amen, brother.

I normally do carry a 2″ Smith and Wesson revolver. But, I carry it with an extra speed strip of ammo. And, it is backing up my Glock 19.

Two guns off duty? Yep. My Glock has never failed, but I figure it will some day. If it fails on the day I need it most, no problem, I’ll still be in the fight with my .38.

Call me crazy, if you like. However, I plan on being an active participant in my family’s survival.

]]> By: Deputy Polarbear http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-111 Deputy Polarbear Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:11:11 +0000 http://www.bluesheepdog.com/2007/12/05/all-police-officers-should-carry-their-guns-off-duty/#comment-111 Call me paranoid, but I am always armed when I go out into the world; and NOT with the usual 2" revolver with no reloads. I usually carry my compact USP .45 with at least one spare mag; and that includes when I go to Mass on Sunday/Saturday night. You never know when some nutcase is going to snap. I refuse to be one of the defenseless sheep, waiting for the blade to drop. I also refuse to stand by and allow the wolf to charge into the flock and slaughter with impunity. Col. Grossman sums it up well; "If you are allowed to carry concealed, and elect not to carry that day; stop in front of the mirror before you leave and loudly say "BAAAAAAAA" Call me paranoid, but I am always armed when I go out into the world; and NOT with the usual 2″ revolver with no reloads.

I usually carry my compact USP .45 with at least one spare mag; and that includes when I go to Mass on Sunday/Saturday night. You never know when some nutcase is going to snap.

I refuse to be one of the defenseless sheep, waiting for the blade to drop. I also refuse to stand by and allow the wolf to charge into the flock and slaughter with impunity.

Col. Grossman sums it up well; “If you are allowed to carry concealed, and elect not to carry that day; stop in front of the mirror before you leave and loudly say “BAAAAAAAA”

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