Open Carry?

[cohiba550]

Yesterday we were walking through a local Houston Mall and there was a man walking with his wife (assume it was wife/GF) and had his weapon on his belt for all to see. He had no LEO Badge displayed, was in regular street clothes, etc.

Question: I understand LEO's are allowed to "Open Carry" but when they are not in uniform do they have to display their Badge?

[Beiruty]

not sure, Dallas homicide investigators were seen on TV with no visible badges, however, they were working the crime scene.

[witchdoctor575]

might be a gov't agent of some sort, my dad never wore his badge unless he was on duty, however, he had to carry his gun.

[57Coastie]

When I lived in Galveston County I frequently saw constables and their assistants in civvies carrying openly with no badge apparent.

Jim

[cohiba550]

Just struck me as strange, kind of like asking to be stopped by any uniform officer.

[C-dub]

Did anyone else seem to notice or be startled by him? Did he seem to draw anyone else's attention at all?

[cohiba550]

Did anyone else seem to notice or be startled by him? Did he seem to draw anyone else's attention at all?

Nope, not even sure anyone else noticed.........LOL

[C-dub]

Wow. Given other things we've read about Houston here I'm surprised a SWAT team didn't show up.

[mr surveyor]

in my neck of the woods a very clean cut person wearing nice clothes, with a quality hand tooled belt/holster and nice looking handgun, probably wouldn't get a second look either, badge or not.

Personally, I'm old and crotchity looking, don't dress nice, don't have a BBQ belt/holster rig (but I do have some nice handguns ), so I would get nailed for "the man with a gun" thing if I stepped into the R.O.W. of the County Road in front of my semi-rural home. Funny thing is, we have had some local "constables" that open carry that I have seen in eating establishments occassionally that I would tend to give a second look at even if it weren't for the conspicuous handgun on the belt. You just can't judge by the appearance sometimes.

surv

[jbirds1210]

Not required by law to wear the badge, but many are required to by agency policy.

[wgoforth]

Everybody tells me I look like a cop anyway. I did have a light blue Mercury Marquis, from time to time I would drive through some areas of Abilene and see people hide behind trees or run into the house, lol.

[cohiba550]

Wow. Given other things we've read about Houston here I'm surprised a SWAT team didn't show up.

Kind of thought the same thing.........LOL

[Rawb77]

Its about time Texas got their act together and passed Open Carry. I signed the petition a short while back. I think its kind of odd that Texas, being one of the most conservative states...happens to be one of the last ones to legalize it.

[Dudley]

Its about time Texas got their act together and passed Open Carry. I signed the petition a short while back. I think its kind of odd that Texas, being one of the most conservative states...happens to be one of the last ones to legalize it.

They allow it in Pennsylvania and other pro gun states but there's big opposition from the antigun lobby in Texas.

[casingpoint]

While digging up the skinny on gun carry in Alabama, I came across this. It echos a consistent thread among the few cops I talk to that open carry in public is undesirable for tactical reasons. I thought this guy said it pretty well:

My take on it is if you are a law abiding citizen and interested in protecting yourself, your family, or whomever you feel the need to protect, why not carry concealed? Why do you feel the need to carry open? Is it just because you can?
Like has been stated, in this day and age, if you open carry without a law enforcement badge or ID on your hip next to your firearm, you are going to get a hard look and alot of scrutiny from just about everyone, including me. Rest assured you will get stopped, likely at gunpoint, by some LEO's who don't want to take a chance when conducting a field interview with you on why you have a weapon displayed on your hip. I don't know you from Adam, and you might be a great and law abiding person, but I am not about to approach you with a weapon displayed without taking every precaution I can take. I feel safe to say most, if not all cops will agree with me on that.
The ONLY time I carry open is while I am on duty and that is because I am a Detective and have to. When I am off duty, the last thing I want to do is wear a firearm open on my hip and draw unwanted attention. Plus, your chances of surprising a bad guy in the event you need to draw your weapon are much greater if you carry concealed.
Trust me on this, it may be legal for you to do so, but carrying open and not being a LEO is going to be MUCH greater trouble than you will want to deal with.

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