PSA - A couple things to think about when carrying concealed
Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 12:42 pm
I know there are a number of us that carry a little friend (Or Two) when we are out and about. I recently read an article that reminded me about a few things that I always shared in the CCW classes I taught civilians and the things I would share with the Officers in the academy. I may have shared them here, or not. Memory isn't what it used to be, but it never hurts to touch on these things again... Might help someone out some day.
First - knowing that you carry, you need to make sure your loved ones KNOW their part in the day to day activities. What they should or should not do when you are out together. Their actions could have dramatic effect on the way an event will play out. A couple examples:
In an armed robbery in a diner, as they sat quietly hands on the table as instructed, a young wife said to her off duty police officer husband as the duo was robbing the customers in the diner, "You are a cop and have a gun, do something." One of the robbers turned and shot him in the chest.
I told ALL my family members, or anyone I travel with that KNOW I'm carrying, that they are never to mention that fact to anyone. There are often people that spend a whole day with Tina and I that never know we are carrying. The kids knew to never brag to their friends that daddy always carries. They don't know who the friends would tell or who their parents might tell. We also reinforced that they didn't discuss or talk about the contents of the home. I explained that they might trust their best friend, but when information is shared, we don't know where it goes from there.
Secondly - I told them that IF I had to ever take action in a situation when they were around, it might draw negative attention to me. Violence of some sort. Not necessarily shooting, but physical violence of some nature. If they saw that this might happen, or I signaled them; quietly move away from me to a safer location. I would reinforce this lesson now and then when riding with the kids in the car, to insure they understood. I made it clear to them that my plan would be to observe if they were with me and be a good witness.
One evening, we stopped for milk and eggs at a rural country store and I noticed a lone male in a zipped up hoody acting a bit strange at the counter. The girls and I were at the back of the store at the refrigerated cases picking up the milk and I paused there to watch the situation. I looked down, the girls were gone. They had moved to the far aisle, at the end cap and were concealed from the man at the counter behind that end cap, four aisles from me. I stayed, discretely watching the man with the clerk. In a couple minutes he took his items and receipt and left the store. I nodded to the girls and they went down their aisle, I went down mine, and we joined at the counter. The clerk looked a bit shaken.
"Thanks," he said, "That guy gave me the creeps."
"I was watching your back."
"I saw that." He knew who I was, had seen me come through the store at the wee hours after an evening shift in uniform several times.
"Have a good night."
I asked the girls in the car why they went over to the end cap.
"We saw you watching and your whole attitude changed. We thought it was a good idea."
Gee, guess they do listen. If you have to use your firearm to defend the family, or use physical force, you don't want them clinging to your legs as you try to move and position yourself to react. We discussed "Safe Locations" in various situations. They did exactly what I told them to do in the 7-11 scenario.
First - knowing that you carry, you need to make sure your loved ones KNOW their part in the day to day activities. What they should or should not do when you are out together. Their actions could have dramatic effect on the way an event will play out. A couple examples:
In an armed robbery in a diner, as they sat quietly hands on the table as instructed, a young wife said to her off duty police officer husband as the duo was robbing the customers in the diner, "You are a cop and have a gun, do something." One of the robbers turned and shot him in the chest.
I told ALL my family members, or anyone I travel with that KNOW I'm carrying, that they are never to mention that fact to anyone. There are often people that spend a whole day with Tina and I that never know we are carrying. The kids knew to never brag to their friends that daddy always carries. They don't know who the friends would tell or who their parents might tell. We also reinforced that they didn't discuss or talk about the contents of the home. I explained that they might trust their best friend, but when information is shared, we don't know where it goes from there.
Secondly - I told them that IF I had to ever take action in a situation when they were around, it might draw negative attention to me. Violence of some sort. Not necessarily shooting, but physical violence of some nature. If they saw that this might happen, or I signaled them; quietly move away from me to a safer location. I would reinforce this lesson now and then when riding with the kids in the car, to insure they understood. I made it clear to them that my plan would be to observe if they were with me and be a good witness.
One evening, we stopped for milk and eggs at a rural country store and I noticed a lone male in a zipped up hoody acting a bit strange at the counter. The girls and I were at the back of the store at the refrigerated cases picking up the milk and I paused there to watch the situation. I looked down, the girls were gone. They had moved to the far aisle, at the end cap and were concealed from the man at the counter behind that end cap, four aisles from me. I stayed, discretely watching the man with the clerk. In a couple minutes he took his items and receipt and left the store. I nodded to the girls and they went down their aisle, I went down mine, and we joined at the counter. The clerk looked a bit shaken.
"Thanks," he said, "That guy gave me the creeps."
"I was watching your back."
"I saw that." He knew who I was, had seen me come through the store at the wee hours after an evening shift in uniform several times.
"Have a good night."
I asked the girls in the car why they went over to the end cap.
"We saw you watching and your whole attitude changed. We thought it was a good idea."
Gee, guess they do listen. If you have to use your firearm to defend the family, or use physical force, you don't want them clinging to your legs as you try to move and position yourself to react. We discussed "Safe Locations" in various situations. They did exactly what I told them to do in the 7-11 scenario.
