An interesting discussion about police harassing open-carry people
I hadn't actually thought about this point, but it is nice to see it being made. From the Salt Lake Tribune:
Gun toters want cops to holster harassment
By María Villaseñor
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 06/18/2008 01:32:14 AM MDT
WEST VALLEY CITY - With his Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic holstered on his right hip, Travis Deveraux addressed the mayor and City Council on Tuesday.
Deveraux says he has been harassed by West Valley City police for carrying that gun and treated like a criminal.
"A criminal does not want [police] attention, and they will not openly carry a gun," Deveraux said.
With 10 other gun-toting civilians - who came from as far as Bountiful, Santaquin and Lehi - to support him, Deveraux told the council that their police department has consistently overreacted to his gun carrying. And in one occasion last year, he said, the police officers violated his civil rights. . . . .
Labels: ConcealedCarry, GunControl
posted by John Lott at 8:26 PM
2 Comments:
Right - the positive externality of open carry is awesome! It flushes out unlawful police procedures often quietly applied to concealed carriers, sets the conditions for the police to be corrected, and educated the public about their long forgotten gun rights! This is happening now in Pennsylvania on a common police policy to seize guns from gun owners in the streets until they can "prove ownership." Like the Colorado Springs Gazette Editorial said a few days ago, open carry is a positive trend because "if gun owners can educate the public on positive aspects of firearms, everyone is better off." See "Carrying firearms a chance to educate public," athttp://tinyurl.com/4eun5w.
It's a great point. When is the last time you saw or heard of gangbangers dressing in a shirt & tie, tucked, with khaki's and a holstered firearm?
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