# why would a LEO carry a gun on vacation? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311 "2011-09-14T17:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/41 "2011-09-16T13:37:10Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > The thread title is: **“why would a LEO carry a gun on vacation?”** > > I didnt realize vacation now meant “traveling within the States”. Don’t just read the title. Read the OP. It says “in another city,” not “in another country.” The thread this one spun off from was about New York City. Everything has referred to LEGAL carry by a licensed law enforcement officer, not international policy. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/42 "2011-09-16T14:05:48Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I do think the stop was a BS stop, but the cop didn’t seem to think that my gun was a big deal. What did he tell you to do with the gun for the rest of your time in that state? ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/43 "2011-09-16T15:46:55Z")
To Dr Who and Flatlined: Seeing as how we’re presently visiting in SCal and should be returning to our place in AZ after the beginning of the month, I guess Hubster better make a few phone calls before we go back on the road. And I’ll uncross my eyeballs and re-read those laws again. And I’ll DEFINITELY keep my purse on the floor and my hands on the dash should we ever be stopped by law enforcement. I don’t even LIKE guns. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/44 "2011-09-16T18:33:32Z")
. Originally Posted by ducati More directly to the OP - some agencies require their officers to carry 24/7, 365, no matter where (in the country) they roam. > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > I know it’s IMHO and all, but this begs for some sort of cite. Sorry. I’m old and pulling from 25 years of swapping stories with LEOs from a hundred different local, state and federal agencies. I seem to remember my friend Axel from Detroit PD is required to carry no matter when or where… > [@Bri2k](#): > > . > > One last question: is it common or even expected that an off-duty LEO from another jurisdiction jump into a situation where they’d need a gun or should they call 911 and let the local police handle it? If a cop sees a cop in trouble or eminent danger, he’s going to help somehow. If you have your kids or family with you, hide under the table and cover them; I won’t think poorly of you. Recently, I was leaving the mall at night. I noticed a county officer chatting up about a dozen utes on skateboards, clearly telling them that they couldn’t be skating at this particular place and time. I slowed and watched as one of the crowd started circling around behind the cop and raising his board. A large brush-covered median was between me and the next lane over. I turned my truck across it, drove across the road, and jumped the curb into the parking lot behind the cop with red lights flashing. Only then did the cop notice sk8erboi behind him. On my PA, I said “I got your back.” and stepped out to observe. He dispersed the kids and came back to me, thanking me for not only watching, but doing something pro-active. We both have no doubt that it would have been a different night for him if I had not. You don’t have to be a cop to help out when you see trouble, but I don’t know any cops who wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/45 "2011-09-16T19:00:20Z")
Ho-kay! Straight Dopers, I thank you for your diligence and response! Hubster just checked with local (SCal) law enforcement agencies, and sure enough, California no longer recognizes CCWs from other States. So the weapons will be placed in locked boxes for our transport back to AZ. But I still think should we EVER be stopped, I’ll have my purse on the floor and my hands on the dash. A little anecdote to carry with you. Our home in AZ has been robbed twice in the past year, while we were gone to SCal. The second time, the robbers helped themselves to Hubster’s locked gun cabinet. Those idiots had a helluva time rassling that out of the house. That sucker was slicker than snot, very unwieldy, and the corners were SHARP. It had two locks on the door. It was also EMPTY, because Hubster would bring all his guns with him when we’d come to SCal. I still get a laugh out of that. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/46 "2011-09-16T19:09:54Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > It was also EMPTY, because Hubster would bring all his guns with him when we’d come to SCal. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/47 "2011-09-17T00:42:11Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > What did he tell you to do with the gun for the rest of your time in that state? The gun never came up again. I had done nothing wrong and was legal and within my rights. The nice cop explained that while people usually followed the “2 second” rule in other states, in Texas it was 1 second for every 10mph. Hence the stop for following too close. I thanked him, got back in the car, put my gun back in my holster, put on my seat belt, signaled, pulled back out into traffic and went on my way. > [@VOW](#): > > Straight Dopers, I thank you for your diligence and response! > > \ > > It was also EMPTY, because Hubster would bring all his guns with him when we’d come to SCal. > > I still get a laugh out of that. > ~VOW I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t laugh about hearing about someone’s possessions being stolen…but I did. I’m glad you had Hubster check, it would really suck to find out you were doing something illegal when you thought you were doing the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/48 "2011-09-17T00:52:29Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > The gun never came up again. I had done nothing wrong and was legal and within my rights. Sorry, I thought you were carrying concealed in a state that did not recognize your license. That’s what I get for posting when I have Bubonic Plague. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/49 "2011-09-17T01:00:41Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > The thread title is: **“why would a LEO carry a gun on vacation?”** > > I didnt realize vacation now meant “traveling within the States”. Considering that we have a huge-ass country, and lots of Americans in the middle states don’t even have passports, yes, going on vacation for most Americans does pretty much mean _in America_. It’s not really necessary to state “remaining in the country” because it’s so much more uncommon to leave it. I don’t know anyone (any American) who would assume that an American meant they were leaving the country if they said they were going on vacation. Hell, I know lots of people who don’t even leave their STATE when they’re going on vacation. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/50 "2011-09-17T02:04:03Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Sorry, I thought you were carrying concealed in a state that did not recognize your license. > > That’s what I get for posting when I have Bubonic Plague. 🙂 Dang about the Plague. Do you have proper signage on your door? If you can still post, you should probably get some plywood out and make a ramp for your body to be rolled out when they come to pick up the dead. 😉 And I probably wasn’t clear. Texas is reciprocal with Arizona. I was trying to address **VOW** ’s fears about getting roughed up for carrying a gun. I’m willing to guess…I am not a cop, I just talk to them…but I would guess that if Hubster had gotten pulled over in Calif for a minor traffic problem, showed his CCW card with good intentions and reacted as he learned in his CCW class, his encounter would have been much like mine. There would be lots of scolding about not knowing the law. I really don’t think that unless Hubster suddenly turned into a self entitled “I know the law” person that anyone would end up face down on the street. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/51 "2011-09-17T02:44:38Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Dang about the Plague. Do you have proper signage on your door? If you can still post, you should probably get some plywood out and make a ramp for your body to be rolled out when they come to pick up the dead. 😉 I think I’m only Mostly Dead. > [@flatlined](#): > > And I probably wasn’t clear. Texas is reciprocal with Arizona. Ah, so that is why the Cop was so nice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/52 "2011-09-17T03:24:12Z")
To Flatlined: MAYBE Hubster would have gotten away with just a scolding if he showed his AZ CCW card, and demonstrated his exceedingly polite, courteous, and charming manner that he reserves for law enforcement. However, if we were stopped in LA, all bets are off. He called both Riverside County and San Bernardino County Sheriffs’ Offices, and folks were very nice and told him that his info was out of date, and the laws had recently changed. Again, we both thank you for the heads’ up. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311/53 "2011-09-19T22:04:56Z")
So some dude was shot to death just outside of the hotel where I’ve been staying 4-5 days a week for the past year or so. I’ve walked to LAX in the early hours from this hotel, and walked around several times. It is right on the edge of Inglewood, which is not considered exactly the nicest neighborhood. > **[Police Investigate Shooting Death Near LAX](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/police-investigate-shooting-death-near-lax/)** > > Los Angeles police, Sunday, continued to sort out the details following the shooting death of one man, and the wounding of another, outside an upscale hotel near LAX. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-leo-carry-a-gun-on-vacation/596311.md?page=2)