If you was a cop

[Alpo]

Leave us assume that you are a police officer of some sort. Leave us further assume that your department does not require you to go armed off duty.

 

Would you? Anywhere, everywhere?

 

NCIS. Gibbs. He not only carries an automatic at his waist, but there have been three or four different episodes where we see he carries a j frame on his ankle.

 

The last 3 or 4 years he gave up using the department issue sig, and now carries his father's 1911.

 

The last season that Harmon was on the show, he's out barreling across the lake in that power boat he had been building for the previous seven years in his basement, and it blows up.

 

He is rescued by this old couple. The man is retired vet and he fixed the hole in Gibbs' side. And when Gibbs goes off after the bad guys, the old lady loans him her Remington 760.

 

Obviously he had no gun. Which is a good thing, because if he'd been wearing his daddy's gun it would now be at the bottom of the lake.

 

I just wondered why he would be unarmed. Aside, you know, from the fact that the script writer wanted it that way. Seemed dumb to me.

 

In the episode where Abby got shot. She's walking along with Clayton. Clayton is MI-6, and carries a gun. But apparently not that night, because when the bad guy shows up pointing a gun at them, instead of using his famous lightning-quick draw and shooting the bad guy, he jumps him, to pound on him with his rock-hard fists.

 

Again, seems pretty stupid to me.

 

Rainbow Six. Tom Clancy book. International anti-terrorist unit. Supervised by John Clark, and working out of England. The book starts with John and his wife, along with a few others, flying to England. And the plane is hijacked. John is authorized to carry a gun on board. It's in his carry-on up in the overhead. That not only seemed dumb to me, but his son-in-law, who was carrying a gun, said it seemed quite dumb to him also.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I'm not a Cop, I've never been a Cop. I go armed everywhere. The only exceptions are that I don't carry on my person, in my gym or at my Dr.'s office. But I carry TO my gym or my Dr.'s office. 

My Jeep has a lock box bolted under the driver's seat that houses a 9mm. 

OTOH, my best friend is a retired Tucson P.D. officer who does NOT carry. He figures that he's done his part, and he will just be the best witness that he can be.

 

As for GIbbs, I suppose that he figured that he was someplace where he wouldn't need a gun, perhaps figuring that being in a boat, if there was an accident, he might lose his Dad's gun. You know, like so many of the guys here. 

Clayton? He's British. Who knows.

[DeaconKC]

Just assume LEOs are armed. Like anyone, the different folks will carry whatever they want.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

4 hours ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

I'm not a Cop, I've never been a Cop. I go armed everywhere. The only exceptions are that I don't carry on my person, in my gym or at my Dr.'s office. But I carry TO my gym or my Dr.'s office. 

My Jeep has a lock box bolted under the driver's seat that houses a 9mm. 

OTOH, my best friend is a retired Tucson P.D. officer who does NOT carry. He figures that he's done his part, and he will just be the best witness that he can be.

 

As for GIbbs, I suppose that he figured that he was someplace where he wouldn't need a gun, perhaps figuring that being in a boat, if there was an accident, he might lose his Dad's gun. You know, like so many of the guys here. 

Clayton? He's British. Who knows.

I almost always go armed.  Some places I have to leave my gun in the car: VA hospital, local police station (but I can carry in the sheriff's offices, polling places, schools if posted, etc..

 

I usually have three guns in my car, one on my side, one in the glove box and one in the "secret space" behind  the info screen on the dash.

 

Sometime a few more.  I was stopped by a PVPD officer and got my license and CCW permit out (I don't want any surprises.)

 

He asked if was carrying a gun in the car.  I said "a few."  He asked me if I was afraid of something and I told hem "only rust and left wing

politicians."

 

He grinned and said he was, too and wished me a nice day.  I've run into him at various events since then and  we are sort of friends now.

[Stump Water]

1 hour ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

I was stopped by a PVPD officer and got my license and CCW permit out (I don't want any surprises.)

 

In the requisite concealed carry class we were instructed, if stopped by an LEO*, to always present DL and CC permit.  

 

Of course these days they know before they get out of the car.

 

* Or asked for ID by an LEO in any scenario.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Yes, and I do.

I survived 2 gunfights because I was armed!

[John Kloehr]

2 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

... "only rust and left wing politicians."

       Because 1 is not enough.

[Rip Snorter]

One thing you know if you have been in law enforcement.  in a physical fight, particularly with multiple individuals involved, it is very difficult to keep control of more than one gun.  

[Sheriff Dill]

When I was an officer I carried everywhere. Except NY and Boston as they are known to be very strict even on LEO about carrying without a permit even though LEO are covered federally. 
 

Now that I am no longer an officer I don’t carry as much if at all. 

[Sheriff Dill]

4 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

One thing you know if you have been in law enforcement.  in a physical fight, particularly with multiple individuals involved, it is very difficult to keep control of more than one gun.  

That is very true. It is very difficult to  maintain control when physical altercation. I had a suspect try to disarm me and a what felt like forever fight took place before I was able to get him into custody with having to use my taser. 

[Pat Riot]

IF I were a police officer I would carry off duty. 

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

When I was, I did.

 

[Rip Snorter]

For a fair number of years after I left law Enforcement I lived in jurisdictions where I could not carry.   As soon as I was able to get a permit, I did and carried everywhere it was legal.  Have done so daily for more than 20 years. 

I always carried off duty as well, usually 1911.

Edited February 27 by Rip Snorter

[John Kloehr]

Not a cop. I carry. Don;t go home without it. Tennessee is now permit-less, only real requirement is knowing you would qualify for a permit. And permit still required for parks, enhanced permit required if an instructor at a public university (I think that covers the high points of weirdnesses).

 

Anyway, got a permit as it was required then for "intending to go armed into the community." Wasn't really why I was carrying but fine. I did and do not expect trouble at the grocery store or gas station though it could happen, I "intended to go home armed." That is the place someone tried to break into one night when I was home. Even though I spent a lot of time on the left coast, homie don't play that.

[ORNERY OAF]

Almost 30 years LEO, always carried off duty, always. Always had the thought that what if I ever needed it, so I always carried. Still always do. Only reason not to is lazy. I will protect my family and my own safety. No matter what. 

[Jingle Bob Ford SASS# 42142]

I was a full time LEO for 33 years, retired for 19.  I carry just about everywhere I go.  Louisiana allows retired LEO's to carry and are exempt from certain aspects of the concealed carry law as long as you have a yearly P.O.S.T. firearms requalification

[Henry T Harrison]

I was a detective for most of my law enforcement career and carried a multitude of service weapons. The same with off duty weapons. The only constant was my back up and office gun which was a baby Browning in .25 acp

[Sedalia Dave]

On 2/27/2025 at 8:52 AM, Alpo said:

In the episode where Abby got shot. She's walking along with Clayton. Clayton is MI-6, and carries a gun. But apparently not that night, because when the bad guy shows up pointing a gun at them, instead of using his famous lightning-quick draw and shooting the bad guy, he jumps him, to pound on him with his rock-hard fists.

 

Again, seems pretty stupid to me.

 

Was written that way on purpose. Couldn't have hollyweird show defensive firearm use in a positive light.