CCW Badge

[.cheese.]

I saw somebody wearing one the other day.

I own one.... but never wear it. It's just stashed in the back of my safe for the "What-if one day there is an actual appropriate usage for it, or if one day by some fluke it becomes required".

Every book I've read regarding CCW'ing recommends against it.

Just wondering if anybody here wears one?

My position is against it because if you're concealing, the whole point is nobody knows...... so why plaster a badge that gives people red-flags that you're armed?

 

[Biker]

My badge and patch says DILLIGAF!?.

Biker

 

[wooderson]

one of these would be great pinned on my laptop bag in between the Black Flag bars and the St. Pauli Girl football (Jolly Roger) pin.

Would I ever wear it seriously? Not unless you paid me a lot of money.

 

[SniperStraz]

I don't carry one, but I always thought it could be useful.
Here's the scenerio:
1. Your in the store and you reach for the top shelf, under your jacket OWB is your 1911. The little sheeple standing next to you sees it and freaks out. The sheeple then continues to call the police and cause you a delay in getting your ice cream home before it melts.
2. Your in the store and you reach for the top shelf, under your jacket OWB is your 1911. The sheeple standing next to you sees the gun and a badge of one sort or another. Assuming your a cop, the sheeple gives you a weak smile and continues on it's way. You go home and eat your (still frozen) ice cream.

Who knows

 

[GUZZ]

I am curious how the person you saw was wearing/displaying it. On their belt like a detective or pinned smack on the left hand shirt side like the Sheriff.

I have seen those badges advertised and have never actually figured out what good purpose they serve. Part of wearing concealed is the secrecy of it in my opinion. If not, then why not open carry?

Plus the topic has arisen if you could actually be charged in certain circumstances for impersonating a law enforcement officer when wearing one of those?

I think once of the best lines I ever read about those badges was either on this forum or one like it, where the guy flashes his badge and yells:

"Freeze, Concealed Handgun Permit Holder"

 

[kungfuhippie]

I'd never want people to think that I'm a cop unless I were one. I have a variety of reasons, but they are all obvious. The guy with that badge is likely a wannabe cop, IMHO.

 

[Autolycus]

Its not a good idea. The badge is just a pointless thing to own and gimmick to the cop wannabe crowd in my opinion.

Take it for what you paid for it.

 

[SniperStraz]

"Freeze, Concealed Handgun Permit Holder"

LOL, thats great. It does take away from CC, but if you do OC then its a nice addition that might keep people from giving you looks, if you care about such things. I don't think that you could be charged for impersonating an officer as long as you don't claim to be one. If anyone asks you have to say "no I'm not a cop." Good point though.

 

[swingset]

Meaningless, useless gimmick. That they sell them in the back of crappy magazines only bolsters this argument. Money would be better spent on X-ray specs, or the $4.95 fully automatic pellet gun.

 

[wooderson]

If these aren't issued by any authority in your state, is there any chance one could land you in hot water for 'impersonating a blah blah blah'?

You don't have to actually do so for it to be a hassle. You're using something unofficial to appear more official to the layman - whatever it actually says or your usage might not matter to a cop or a PITA DA.

 

[evan price]

Personally I could give a rat's behind if someone "Sees my holstered gun". I have a CFL and it's legal. If the PD wants to see my papers I'll gladly show them. That's why I got the silly license in the first place, to legally carry whenever and nearly wherever I darn well please. In Ohio (until March 14 at least when the new law takes effect) we are required to open carry in our vehicles, in plain sight. This means when entering or exiting your vehicle you are wide open. We call it a "Buckeye Tuck". This guarantees that every enter/exit cycle of a vehicle someone will probably see you. Like in gas stations. Convenience stores. Video stores. Etc.

I really think sometimes people spend more time worrying about being seen carrying a gun than they do about how best to carry it and therefore don't carry. Back when I tried my open carry experiment for three solid days I only had a couple of people openly notice enough that they reacted minimally (As in, one wondered to her companion if it was real, and the other, a vending machine service man, asked me, with a grin, if I was going to shoot somebody with it...I have since discovered this guy has his own CCW!). The vast majority either did not notice or else they were undisturbed.

IMHO these CCW badges are great tools for bolstering the egos of small unimportant people who want to be seen as big important people. A CFL is not a Junior PD commission nor is it a license to become Batman. It is the utmost in irresponsibility to do anything that might make it appear that you are a LEO when you are in fact NOT an LEO, or perhaps might be seen as pretending to be an LEO. The purpose of carrying concealed is to blend in with the surroundings. A big cheap gaudy piece of tin that empowers nothing to the bearer somehow seems contrary to that purpose.

If your only reason for wanting one is so that you won't cause worry in the hearts of the sheep while perusing the sour cream selection at the Costco maybe you should spend the money on a better holster and a better wardrobe to conceal it with.

 

[mustanger98]

I'm not for it or against it. But that they're sold as gimmick items is telling. However, if it ever became manditory, there's a right way and several wrong ways to go about it.

The right way to go about it, in the unlikely event they were to become legally mandatory, would be to have a separate badge wallet which would also contain the carrier's CCW permit. That way it wouldn't be seen when you take your wallet (money, driver's license, charge cards) out to pay for stuff thus tipping off someone you didn't want to tip off.

Those why want this legally mandatory, don't hold you breath. On the other hand, state legislatures are known for doing things nobody understands.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I have a taxi driver badge, a bus driver badge and my favorite, a rubbish collector badge. The bus driver badge was bought in the Sierra Nevada when I visited a train museum. The rubbish collector was given to me by a friend and the taxi one I paid $20 for. Do any of these count?

 

[Geronimo45]

Impersonating an officer? Maybe. In states like Texas, where you're in big trouble if you're gun's not concealed (no public open carry except on your own premises), might be a CYA measure if your gun comes loose from your holster, your cover garment gets swept away...
I think it's silly, and wouldn't do it m'self. If the cops saw me shooting at someone, they'd surely say: "Look at that magnificent chappie with the gun! Looks like a Greek god! He must be a double-oh agent! We'll wait until the firefight's over, then see if he has any witty catchphrases for us."

 

[pete f]

In several states, carrying a badge of any kind in an attempt to give the impression of being Law Enforcement means felony time. it might impress some drunk trailer trash chick at the bar, but that is the only person likely to be impressed.

 

[expvideo]

The kind of people that carry those badges really worry me. I would consider it unhealthy to give the impression of authority when you do not have it. Both socially and mentally. I have no dillusions of grandure, and if I wanted to carry a badge I'd march on down to the county sheriff's office. They're hiring.

I don't think that "Conceiled Weapons Permit" or "Law Abiding Citizen" badges do anything other than to cause confusion and risk presenting a false sense of authority. I think anyone that wears a badge like that should wear a shirt with big SWAT style lettering reading "Vigilante". That's how the DA will see it.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the beauty of opinions. They aren't meant to read as fact. take it or leave it.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I've only known one person who carries one of those. He uses the line about if people see his jacket falls open and see the badge, they won't freak out. I have a feeling his jacket falls open quite a bit more than it would had he not had the badge clipped next to his piece. The same fellow also drives a surplus Crown Vic.

I think his intentions are pretty clear.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I think 99% of the people who buy these badges are looking to bolster their ego and look cool in front of strangers.


That being said, I think SniperStraz's argument has merit. Let's face the hard facts. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need CCW licenses at all, and no one would care if anyone else had a gun. And in a little less perfect world, people who see other law-abiding citizens with guns would at least not freak out, and just go about their business.


But we don't live in either of those worlds. We live in a world where the vast majority of people think the only ones who should have guns are police and military. And that anyone else who has one, is probably a criminal just waiting to strike. If having a small piece of metal next to your carry weapon can stave off undue hassle and aggression, than I don't see the harm.

I do see harm in actively passing yourself off as a police officer. If you purposelessly flash the badge, let it show, wear it someplace openly visible, or in any other way impersonate an officer, you're a moron. And I think that most people who buy these badges sadly have these ideas in mind. But I think the general concept behind them is not inherently wrong. I really wish I could open carry, or at least not worry about my concealed weapon showing. I wish I could wear an open button up shirt, or just a t shirt with my weapon. I wish I did not have to pick out my clothing specifically to hide my weapon. I wish I did not have to worry about printing or showing my weapon by accident. I wish I did not have to worry about the police being called on me if some soccer mom sees my legally concealed weapon and thinks "CRIMINAL" while frantically dialing 911 on her cell phone. So I say again, if some small piece of metal right next to my holster placates these people and lets me go about my business un-hassled, than I really don't see the harm. BUT if one carrying one of these badges does anything beyond or more conspicuous than just having it next to their weapon, than I DO see the harm. And like I said, most people who buy these badges do indeed have conspicuous intentions.

So while it's a good theory, and it would be a good practice if there were a lot less tacticool wannabes out there, there are unfortunately too many of these tools out there for it to be a good idea for the rest of us.

 

[mnrivrat]

A CFL is not a Junior PD commission nor is it a license to become Batman.

Damn ! And I was just getting my " Gad ZooK Boy Wonder ! " down pat .

Badge ? Serve no purpose for my needs

 

[Ala Dan]

Badges

for NON LEO types is a really bad idea~!

 

[Delta608]

We dont need any steenkin badges.......

 

[johnmcl]

Never

Hi all,

I'd never considering wearing one of those CCW badges.

I don't want to be in the position of explaining why I'm *not* impersonating a police officer. Carrying a badge of any sort would contribute to the appearance of doing so, don't you think?

Secondly, if I was ever involved in a self-defense scenario, I would not want to give the anti-2A media any help at all. It'd be very easy for them to write me up as a cop-wannabe/impersonator. After all, I have a make-believe badge, right?

Summary: Be smart and reduce risks whereever you can. Leave the toy badges at home.

 

[hso]

Poser Badges?

 

[sacp81170a]

There has been some discussion in other threads about the Utah mall shootings and the utility of a CCW badge. The major problem I have with folks wearing a CCW badge is that there's no control over who can get one. The BG's could buy and wear one of these just as easily as a CCW holder. Personally, if I see someone with a badge that I can't identify, I'm gonna investigate further, and if that person doesn't have official credentials it WILL mean a quick trip to the greybar hotel, regardless of what the "fake" badge may say. I'm pretty sure most of the LEO's on this board would react in a similar fashion.

It doesn't pay to skirt breaking the law on the off chance that someone might see your carry piece. Concealed means just that, concealed. If you can't take the care and effort to ensure your concealed weapon remains so, then leave it at home. :banghead:

 

[steelhead]

One of the most stupidest things I have ever heard.

I immediately have a vision of CCW badge holder as someone with 10 magazines of ammo for his primary and 2 backups that are carried in his "tactical man bag/purse". While also carrying ballistic plate just waiting or the day when the POTUS calls him to save America......

It not just stupid it is P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C.