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I took my mother out to an Austin area restaurant for lunch today (Happy Birthday, Mom!) and about halfway through the meal a couple of folks on their way out passed our table - they came from behind me and the guy was wearing a regular tucked-in shirt and jeans . . . and a 1911 in a belt slide holster at 4:00. You know the holster type, no more than 2" wide, it exposes both the butt of the pistol above the holster and a couple inches of the muzzle end of the slide below. No jacket, vest, or any cover garment.

I didn't see him from the front so I don't know whether or not he had a badge clipped to his belt, but I was wondering . . . how common is it for Texas LEOs to appear in ordinary street clothes and essentially "open carry" their sidearm? And are there any uniform regs that address this? I was sort of under the impression that plainclothes officers were generally expected to carry their sidearms discreetly . . .

I don't have a problem with it, I'm just curious . . .

I've seen both Texas Rangers and at least one Sheriff wearing what would appear to be western style plain clothes and open carrying but a badge was usually visible somewhere either on their shirt pocket or belt as I recall.

That is a common method of carry for plainsclothes cops in TX and LA. I don't think they have any concerns about it marking them for extinction first if things go bad.

See it all the time in CENTEX... no idea what there duty position is,,, detective, off duty uniform, property cage attendant. But I see the badge clipped to the belt, weapon in OWB open carry all the time.

In my county it is not the most common method for them to carry while off duty but it is common enough. 99% of the time they have a badge near the weapon although they are not required too.

G.A. Heath wrote:In my county it is not the most common method for them to carry while off duty but it is common enough. 99% of the time they have a badge near the weapon although they are not required too.

I grew up in West Texas and Id see it there pretty often. Didnt see it much when I lived in Austin or San Antonio, and I havent seen it here in Houston.

JAguirre wrote:

G.A. Heath wrote:In my county it is not the most common method for them to carry while off duty but it is common enough. 99% of the time they have a badge near the weapon although they are not required too.

I grew up in West Texas and Id see it there pretty often. Didnt see it much when I lived in Austin or San Antonio, and I havent seen it here in Houston.

I have. I pass by the medical examiner's office in Houston daily and frequently see LEOs open carrying in plain clothes when bringing in evidence.

JAguirre wrote:

G.A. Heath wrote:In my county it is not the most common method for them to carry while off duty but it is common enough. 99% of the time they have a badge near the weapon although they are not required too.

I grew up in West Texas and Id see it there pretty often. Didnt see it much when I lived in Austin or San Antonio, and I havent seen it here in Houston.

I see it all the time here.

I've seen it 1000 times and I've often thought that if I were to wear a starched shirt, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat I could open carry to my heart's content.

casingpoint wrote:That is a common method of carry for plainsclothes cops in TX and LA. I don't think they have any concerns about it marking them for extinction first if fit hits the shan.

What? Surely there have to be scores of stories about someone knocking them in the head to take their guns... we're promised regularly that's what will happen if we can legally practice open carry!

I have seen it a number of times here in Houston. I tried to strike up a conversation with a guy at the Bubbles Car Wash that was OCing with some sort of LEO polo shirt on. His body language told me that he didn't want to be bothered with chatting with me, and I could barely get a word out of him. He radiated attitude.
I was appalled that my charisma failed me.

also might not have been tx leo. could have been federal agents. My parents were treasury department agents and were plain clothes and frequently open carried.

chabouk wrote: What? Surely there have to be scores of stories about someone knocking them in the head to take their guns... we're promised regularly that's what will happen if we can legally practice open carry!

I was thinking the same thing. I'm amazed that everyone in the building also didn't get up, scream 'MAN WITH A GUN!!', raise their hands above their head and run for their lives, trampling eachother as they ran for the door.

dicion wrote:

chabouk wrote: What? Surely there have to be scores of stories about someone knocking them in the head to take their guns... we're promised regularly that's what will happen if we can legally practice open carry!

I was thinking the same thing. I'm amazed that everyone in the building also didn't get up, scream 'MAN WITH A GUN!!', raise their hands above their head and run for their lives, trampling eachother as they ran for the door.

Strange how that doesn't happen!

I was wondering if my seeing LEOs open carry in street clothes and often without a badge is why I think open carry would not be an issue in Texas while someone else might not support the issue because they just don't see it. I never even thought that anyone in this state has not seen it as often as I have. My local sheriff never wore a uniform of any kind until maybe a year or two ago. He was always in a western shirt, jeans and boots with a cowboy hat every now and again or a baseball cap. He was one that wore a badge on his shirt or belt but never even a "cop" shirt. Even our town police only wear a t-shirt with some department print on it and a LEO belt with their gear. Maybe that is a reason so many non-urban people generally know open carry would not be much of an issue while those who live only in cities generally think it would be a problem.

dicion wrote:

chabouk wrote: What? Surely there have to be scores of stories about someone knocking them in the head to take their guns... we're promised regularly that's what will happen if we can legally practice open carry!

I was thinking the same thing. I'm amazed that everyone in the building also didn't get up, scream 'MAN WITH A GUN!!', raise their hands above their head and run for their lives, trampling eachother as they ran for the door.

There are a couple of things that influence this:

Does the guy 'look' like a LEO? I know not all LEO's have the look, but many do. If the person could pass for a LEO, then folks 'assume' that maybe he is, just like the OP did.

If the person doesn't take on the look of a LEO (long hair, biker tats, Banditos vest, etc.) then the alarm level goes up and the 'man with a gun' call gets made. It can also depend on what type of gun is being carried and how. Nice leather holster, high-end 1911 vs a High-point stuck in the belt or plastic paddle holster, etc can make a difference too.

Let's face it, people who see a person with a gun are going to profile them. If they don't shrug it off the fact that they are possibly a LEO in their mind, then the potential for a MWAG call is going to become a real possibility.