Advice: I am taking a class at local police station

[Matt78665]

I am participating in a Civilian Police Academy at our local police station. I can see no jail or courts listed at that address. What in the forums opinion would be the protocol for find out whether I may carry in the police station or not?

Thanks in advance

[Keith B]

I am participating in a Civilian Police Academy at our local police station. I can see no jail or courts listed at that address. What in the forums opinion would be the protocol for find out whether I may carry in the police station or not?

Thanks in advance

You can carry in the unsecured area (not jail or holding cell area) of a police station. HOWEVER, most Civilian Police Academies will NOT allow you to carry while participating. You better check the rules first as they may oust you from the program if you are found carrying.

[Waco1959]

I just started a similar class in Waco. We were told specifically that firearms are not allowed and it is in the agreement and releases we signed. I had been told by a civilian employee that even leaving a firearm locked in my car was a violation of city policy but since the parking lot law supersedes any city policy I'm ignoring this and leaving my carry locked in my car.

[Matt78665]

Thanks guys. I will check with the officer leading the class. I appreciate your responses and info.

[Keith B]

I just started a similar class in Waco. We were told specifically that firearms are not allowed and it is in the agreement and releases we signed. I had been told by a civilian employee that even leaving a firearm locked in my car was a violation of city policy but since the parking lot law supersedes any city policy I'm ignoring this and leaving my carry locked in my car.

City property, so they can't prohibit you from leaving it there legally, but they may even not want you to have it in your car if you are part of Civilian Police Academy.

[fickman]

I was part of the Fort Worth program for a while. I carried on my patrols in my own personal vehicle against the agreement. The agreement did not have 30.06 language. In FW, concealed is truly concealed. If an officer got wind of you carrying during the program, you would be removed. No wink-and-nudge deals, either. They removed a guy for saying, "but it'd be OK to carry as long as you don't know, it's just you can't give me permission, right?"

Sometimes I took my wife as a "volunteer ride along". She carried, but I didn't "officially" know that, as I didn't ask, and concealed is concealed. . .and she never signed an agreement.

The risk is your own: if there is an incident, you won't be covered by the city attorney if you are carrying in violation of the agreement.

I would not carry on a LEO ride out. Usually, those are with my BIL, so it's a matter of respect to him. Although he does start each ride with instructions on how to release the shotgun, send an emergency signal to dispatch, and a reminder that if things turn ugly, I better be coming up fast to help!

[SC1903A3]

I would not recommend carrying on a ride a long. If they ever transport someone to the jail your in violation as soon as you drive thru the sally port.

[knotquiteawake]

I did a citizens police academy as well. Our police building also had a courthouse in it though. The hours the CPA was taking place the courts were closed but I just left it in my car anyways. No sense in taking unnecessary risks. Also the first day of the CPA we did a tour and part of the tour included visiting the holding cells, so everyone had to disarm (including the LEO giving the tour). Nobody was carrying any guns but of course all kinds of knives suddenly appeared.

My advice would be to just leave it in the car, police parking lot is a pretty safe area. Pretty sure if you ask the LEO he will tell you it would be better to leave it in the car.

[Matt78665]

I called the officer in charge of the program. He respectfully ask me not to carry in the class. Since I respect him, I will abide.

[ELB]

...

I would not carry on a LEO ride out. Usually, those are with my BIL, so it's a matter of respect to him. Although he does start each ride with instructions on how to release the shotgun, send an emergency signal to dispatch, and a reminder that if things turn ugly, I better be coming up fast to help!

I am sure your BIL is in general a decent guy and isn't consciously thinking this, but standing back from the situation a little bit, the way it works out is, "If I get in trouble, it's OK for you to be armed (with the shotgun) to save my butt, but you can't be trusted to be armed with your own gun to defend yourself."

I have avoided the CPA type programs because this issue.

[Waco1959]

City property, so they can't prohibit you from leaving it there legally, but they may even not want you to have it in your car if you are part of Civilian Police Academy.

There was nothing in the releases and class info about the parking lot, only no carry allowed during the class or in the police HQ. Some of the class sessions will be held in other places so I imagine that is why the very specific about no carry during class. As for the "city policy," the only one I can find is in the policy manual and I had previously confirmed with the city legal office that hourly employees off-the-clock are NOT subject to city policy restrictions, only the restrictions that are imposed by law.

[bayouhazard]

I am participating in a Civilian Police Academy at our local police station. I can see no jail or courts listed at that address. What in the forums opinion would be the protocol for find out whether I may carry in the police station or not?

It may violate policy but I don't think it's illegal as long as you stay out of prohibited places. A Military Police Academy held on a local base is a different story.

[fickman]

...

I would not carry on a LEO ride out. Usually, those are with my BIL, so it's a matter of respect to him. Although he does start each ride with instructions on how to release the shotgun, send an emergency signal to dispatch, and a reminder that if things turn ugly, I better be coming up fast to help!

I am sure your BIL is in general a decent guy and isn't consciously thinking this, but standing back from the situation a little bit, the way it works out is, "If I get in trouble, it's OK for you to be armed (with the shotgun) to save my butt, but you can't be trusted to be armed with your own gun to defend yourself."

I have avoided the CPA type programs because this issue.

I should be clear there are two different scenarios:
When I was in the Code Blue program, I carried during my personal patrols. I carried at the community center where we had our training. I did not carry on my FWPD ride out.

My BIL works for a different city. I did a ride along with him a few times when he was still a patrolman. He absolutely trusts me to carry; I didn't out of respect for his department and with a desire to keep him out of trouble. The department policy said, "No concealed carry firearms." I signed a form (not 30.06) and his superior asked before the ride along to make sure I complied. . . my BIL answered that I was not carrying. They knew I was his BIL - not just a citizen ride along. I didn't want to get him in trouble.

Telling me how to grab the shotgun was his workaround. . . essentially arming me in an emergency while protecting himself from superiors if somehow they figured out I was carrying. He wanted somebody to watch his back. I wasn't looking to get involved in a skirmish, but if he was being pummeled on the side of the road during a stop, I was definitely going to jump in.