A Patriot's Opinion: Police, Guns, and People: Let's Talk

Oh my I don’t know where to start. The incidents of the last few weeks involving law enforcement encounters with the public have gotten a lot of national attention. Two individuals were killed during these encounters. And the resulting violence ended with the killing of the 5 police officers and the wounding of 9 others in Dallas Texas. Those officers had nothing to do with the two incidents in Minnesota and Louisiana yet they paid the ultimate price. The five officers that were killed were there protecting the protesters. Encounters with law enforcement should be a simple process but somehow that doesn’t always happen. So let’s discuss what should happen when we are pulled over by the police.
There is one guaranteed way to have a pleasant and productive encounter with law enforcement when it comes to traffic stops. And that one thing is called compliance. It’s not a very hard concept. In other words all you have to do is comply with the officer’s requests and everyone goes home safe. Why that seems to be a foreign concept to some is beyond me. You wait for the officer to give you instructions and you follow them. Sounds pretty simple right? Why some people think that talking back to a police officer is a good idea is beyond me. If you talk back to the officer in an abrasive or aggressive manner the situation can go downhill pretty quick. Your best chance at a positive experience with law enforcement is always voluntary compliance. My mom always told me you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It’s simple, be polite, comply with their instructions, and you will go about your way.
One of the officer involved shootings involved someone with a concealed handgun license. Here again there are important guidelines that must be followed during a traffic stop. First off if you have a handgun license you are perceived to be an above average citizen in the eyes of the law. You have gone through background checks and the expense to get your license. But there are still certain things that must be done when you come in contact with law enforcement. You are required by law to present your license along with your driver’s license upon being stopped. You must notify the officer ahead of time if you have a weapon in your vehicle. Most important of all is never reach for the weapon if the officer asked you if
y o u have it on you. Normally the officer will ask you if you have the weapon on you. If you do wait for instructions from the officer as to what they want you to do. During a traffic stop the officer merely wants to separate you and the weapon during the traffic stop for the officers and your safety. If you follow these simple guidelines you will never have anything to worry about.
The lack of respect for law enforcement that we have seen recently is disturbing. Here is something a lot of folks need to remember. If you have never worn the uniform of a police officer and walked in their shoes, than don’t criticize what you don’t understand. These men and women are doing a dangerous job that most of you don’t want to do. They work nights, weekends, and holidays when most of you are enjoying your family time. They risk their lives every day in order to protect us. A few complete fools have stated recently that we should do away with the police. Trust me this country would be a far worse place to live and work without them. So have respect for these folks who are risking their lives every day to protect and serve the communities we live in.