"I Carry A Badge" Leather Concealed Weapon Permit Holder

[Embalmo]

Identify Friend or Foe (I think)

Aye si. I guess if one had a badge and one didn't, the one with a badge would have to be the bad guy because if it were the good guy, the alteration wouldn't have happened in the first place. (imagine forehead tapping smiley) I just want something that tells the bad guy to go bother someone else who isn't into the whole personal protection thing.

Embalmo

[Embalmo]

I wish I could rent a billboard that has me and my family smiling that says, "This man and his wife both have undergone an extensive criminal background check and routinely carry guns to protect themselves from criminal attacks." but in reality I would lose my job and be the target of personal attacks and be labeled a racist, Nazi, homophobe, hate monger, gun toting red-neck murderer.

Embalmo

[mctowalot]

I'm with you on that, sir. However I've got way to much time to sit and contemplate "what ifs". Such as, if a BG is willing to shoot somebody just to steal a $300.00 phone, what would stop them from doing the same to steal a $500.00 pistol?



Why would anybody need to carry a second gun? In case someone trys to steal the first...

Edited to add: I understand the intended purpose of the fabled CHL badge is to deploy it after exposing one's firearm for whatever reason. And I can envision rare instances where one might want it to be known that he or she is armed (to prevent an attack without having to actually draw the weapon).

[NOS]

Though people always balk around here at the idea of a CHL badge, I think there are places where IDEALLY (focus on the word ideally) concealed shouldn't always mean concealed. If I had to walk in a scary area to my car, I wouldn't be opposed to a shirt, hat, badge, sash that indicates, "Warning CONCEALED WEAPON PERMIT CARRIER," which might eliminate the need for me to react in the first place to an attack. I would love for my wife to be able to have CHL written all over her clothing.

I believe that the reason that we cannot do this is because of the fear and ignorance of the left, general public, LEO, (and don't give me grief over LEO because CHLs can/do get arrested from LEOs who've never heard of a CHL or a 30.06 sign [they do exists]) and antis in general. It is sad that I have to keep something that is perfectly legal a secret to avoid scrutiny, when getting the word out might save me and my family from attacks.

Embalmo

I can see where you are coming from, but I don't personally think that is the answer to keeping yourself safe. Avoiding the situation to begin with is a great start. Take precautions when parking in a "scary" area to be as close as you can to your final destination and find a safe path before leaving the parking area. I know you can't always find the perfect place to park, but a little scouting can keep you from making a fatal mistake. Avoidance is stressed in the CHL course, and I think that is the best lesson to be had. Look at concealing a handgun as an insurance policy, if you need it it's there. Staying alert and knowing what is going on around you is going to protect you more than your ccw. I don't think it's sad to keep your ccw a secret at all. In fact, it's your best kept secret, when you need it it's there. In a perfect world we wouldn't need to carry in the first place. That is not going to happen so get used to some people being against our freedoms. That is the way it has always been, and will always be. The more PC our country gets the more issues we will have. Just my $.02 anyway

In the case of the badge, I do see where the badge could be an important accessory if you are holding someone at gunpoint. Clip the badge on your belt while you are holding them and waiting for LEO's to show. It might keep them from shooting you when they arrive and see a person holding a gun. I'm not saying have a badge and flash it like some wanna be, but using it only in an extreme situation where you need it to show that you are the good guy, seems fine to me. In a conversation with a LEO friend of mine (sparked by a discussion on Mr. Scott in the Costco shooting and the thread about the "Miss America" CHL sash ), I set up a hypothetical situation that seemed very likely to happen. BG comes to rob you, you reach for wallet, pull out your gun and hold him until LEO's arrive. When the LEO's get there the guy on the ground screams "he's going to shoot me!" or "He took my gun, I'm the one who called!" or anything he can make up to try to get me killed so he can walk. I then asked my friend if he was responding to this and I had a badge on my belt would that help the responding LEO's to not hastily take a shot to disarm me. He agreed that in a situation like that, if he saw a badge he would initially not shoot. Giving me the time to identify myself and secure the weapon. That being said, I do see the importance of badges. I just don't see that you need to parade around like Johnny Law with them. I'll take my chances without one, but I don't see anything wrong with having one for that specific type of situation.

[beerplug]

I saw a holster in Sportsman Guide the other day that had a place for you CHL in the holster. Can you see going to get your CHL out and have to go near your gun with the LEO looking on. NO THANK YOU. Boy they come up with some STUPID things to sell these days. What's worse, is people buy it.

[Embalmo]

In the case of the badge, I do see where the badge could be an important accessory if you are holding someone at gunpoint.

Me and my wife were discussing this recently and neither of us can envision a scenario where it would be practical to hold anyone at gunpoint in a self-defense situation. In a home break-in, we have decided that, "GET OUT, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE HERE WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVE!" is just practical. Sure, holding a gun on a BD while talking to 911 dispatch gets another BG off the street, but 15 (or more) minutes is an eternity when holding a gun on a scowling assailant. Then what do you do if he/she runs away? Shoot? I say yell, "Get out/run away/leave," and fire if they take on step toward you.

It may be wrong, but my attitude toward self defense is like treating fire ants-If they build a mound next door, then it's no longer my problem, I'm only worried about keeping my own lawn safe. I'm no cop, vigilante, or hero; it's my job to protect my wife, child, self, and cat.

Embalmo

[Embalmo]

If a guy pulls a gun on me and demands my wallet while I'm carrying, ANYTHING can happen and the almost best case scenario is me losing my wallet, so I'd like something like a "Protected By ADT" sticker on my forehead.

I have no interest in a badge, a sash, or a T Shirt for a LEO to see, I'm only interested in a sash, badge, T Shirt for a BG to see. I'm reasonably sure that if I'm ever in a self defense situation, I'll be the only one there (at least alive) when the police arrive. Like I said before, I have NO interest in holding a BG at gunpoint ever! I think that's 15 minutes (or more) that the BG has to gain the advantage over me. I say let the threat run away, or be terminated.

Embalmo

[WildBill]

Soldier of Fortune!!! I had some friends that were going to become part of my company of mercenaries. We were sitting in the clubhouse working out our secret codes and what not when one of the gang member's older brother stuck his head in and demanded to know what we were planning. We told him we were going to go to South America to work as mercenaries. He shook his head and said, "How are you going to teach anyone there about the Bible when you don't even speak Spanish?"

That is very funny!

[NOS]

In the case of the badge, I do see where the badge could be an important accessory if you are holding someone at gunpoint.

Me and my wife were discussing this recently and neither of us can envision a scenario where it would be practical to hold anyone at gunpoint in a self-defense situation. In a home break-in, we have decided that, "GET OUT, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE HERE WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVE!" is just practical. Sure, holding a gun on a BD while talking to 911 dispatch gets another BG off the street, but 15 (or more) minutes is an eternity when holding a gun on a scowling assailant. Then what do you do if he/she runs away? Shoot? I say yell, "Get out/run away/leave," and fire if they take on step toward you.

It may be wrong, but my attitude toward self defense is like treating fire ants-If they build a mound next door, then it's no longer my problem, I'm only worried about keeping my own lawn safe. I'm no cop, vigilante, or hero; it's my job to protect my wife, child, self, and cat.

Embalmo

I do agree with you to some extent. If they run that's fine, as long as my family and myself are okay that is great. I apologize that I didn't explain the scenario as fully as I should have. I'm wasn't trying to say that a BG pulls a knife and you pull your gun and hold him until LEO's get there. What I meant was, what would you do in a situation where you would have to cover the BG? Say you shot the BG and he's down. You don't know if he's still armed or could possibly get up and pose a threat again. I myself, am going to cover him until police arrive for my own safety. I'm not trying to throw a million crazy off the wall scenario's out there. The possibility of shooting someone is the risk we knowingly face when getting our CHL. If I have to shoot someone because they posed a real lethal threat, you can bet my gun is going to be on them for the full 5-15 minutes until the LEO's get there. I'm not willing to take a chance that the BG could get up and harm myself or my family. Sorry that I wasn't clear in my other post.

[seniorshooteress]

Identify Friend or Foe (I think)

If Erik Scott would have had a "badge" on his belt he may still be alive. I don't think the "badge" concept is such a bad idea. You are not representing yourself as an LEO but as a LICENSED Concealed Weapon Carrier. A badge with your CHL in one spot doesn't sound so stupid to me now because of the Erik Scott incident. Anything you can do to keep LEO from opening fire on you is okay with me. Just a mere second of, oh wait, when seeing a "badge" could mean the difference between going to jail and going to the funeral home. If a LEO laughs at you cause you have a "badge" ask if he has heard of Erk Scott in LV. If they sell them at the gun shows - someone is buying them.

[WildBill]

I do agree with you to some extent. If they run that's fine, as long as my family and myself are okay that is great. I apologize that I didn't explain the scenario as fully as I should have. I'm wasn't trying to say that a BG pulls a knife and you pull your gun and hold him until LEO's get there. What I meant was, what would you do in a situation where you would have to cover the BG? Say you shot the BG and he's down. You don't know if he's still armed or could possibly get up and pose a threat again. I myself, am going to cover him until police arrive for my own safety. I'm not trying to throw a million crazy off the wall scenario's out there. The possibility of shooting someone is the risk we knowingly face when getting our CHL. If I have to shoot someone because they posed a real lethal threat, you can bet my gun is going to be on them for the full 5-15 minutes until the LEO's get there. I'm not willing to take a chance that the BG could get up and harm myself or my family. Sorry that I wasn't clear in my other post.

I believe that this is exactly what I would do.

[WildBill]

Identify Friend or Foe (I think)

If Erik Scott would have had a "badge" on his belt he may still be alive. I don't think the "badge" concept is such a bad idea. You are not representing yourself as an LEO but as a LICENSED Concealed Weapon Carrier. A badge with your CHL in one spot doesn't sound so stupid to me now because of the Erik Scott incident. Anything you can do to keep LEO from opening fire on you is okay with me. Just a mere second of, oh wait, when seeing a "badge" could mean the difference between going to jail and going to the funeral home. If a LEO laughs at you cause you have a "badge" ask if he has heard of Erk Scott in LV. If they sell them at the gun shows - someone is buying them.

If the DPS issued or authorized a CHL Badge with your plastic, then I would agree. The problem is that a badge is associated with some kind of official position or authority. A "CHL Badge" purchased off of the internet has neither.

An LEO is not going to laugh at you. They are more likely to arrest you for impersonating a peace officer. After they book you and put you in jail they might laugh their heads off when they get back to the police station.

Practically speaking, a CHL Badge on the belt wouldn't be visible unless you carried OWB. If you carry IWB and had to lift your Hawaiian shirt to show your CHL Badge, an LEO might think you are going for a gun and you might get shot like Erik Scott.

[mr surveyor]

since I actually carry a concealed firearm, by necessity of that concealment my belt is out of sight most of the time.

[5thGenTexan]

Embalmo unfortunately with a lot of the BG's out there you are dealing with some low IQ's combined with some really amped up bravado that decide to escalate the stakes at a later date if you cut em loose. They just can't take losing face over someone getting the better of them.

Being cowards they don't always come back head on or alone. I figure the BG is leaving in a vehicle equipped with a siren one way or the other. If he ain't hurt and wants to come back later to see if things have a different ending at least the cops will have a name to start searching on.

[HankB]

So long as the badge does not say "Police" or "Sheriff" or anything of the sort, it will be hard for any "impersonating an officer" charge to hold up in court. You'll probably beat the rap. (but you may not beat the ride.)

Of course, the LEO may decide to say he heard you say you were a cop - and who is the court going to believe?

Now, I have no intention of getting a CHL badge today, but I'll confess, though I've never been a police officer, I did carry a badge for a while: it said something like "Dick Tracy Junior G-Man" . . . and I was about 7 or 8 years old.