Well, at least they're clear how they feel about it . . .

[stoneface]

From the Fort Worth PD's rules for ride-alongs:

4. Whether or not you have a concealed Handgun License, if you are found to be armed with any
firearm or prohibited weapon, your request to participate in future "Ride-Ins" will be automatically
denied. You may also be subject to arrest for any such violation as per the Texas Penal Code.

I'm a little curious as to what "any such violation" means. I might be wrong, but since they're a government agency, they can't give 30.06 notice, written or verbal, right?

[seamusTX]

I think they mean that if you do not have a CHL and are found to be carrying a handgun, illegal knife, or club, you will be charged with 46.02 UCW.

- Jim

[PUCKER]

I understand the FWPD's point of view - but I look at it like this (and I'm not saying I'm right, but I don't see myself doing a ridealong for this very reason): Say the traffic stop or call your cop is on goes BAD - as in the cop gets shot/incapacitated from an altercation with the perp(s) - do you want to be an unarmed sitting duck? I don't. As a side note, I have gone on ridealongs with family members who are LEOs...and I was packing - they knew it and were fine with it.

[nitrogen]

If something like that happens, usually there's another weapon in the car you could grab, i.e. a shotgun or rifle, isn't there?

[Target1911]

I have done ride alongs in both Ft Worth and Arlington. The first things both LEOs told me was.....Here is the red button you push for imediate help if the a problem arises....then this is what you push to release the Shotgun so you can save my donkey.

[seamusTX]

Another good reason to learn to handle a shotgun.

The biggest danger on ride-alongs is vehicle crashes.

- Jim

[PUCKER]

I have done ride alongs in both Ft Worth and Arlington. The first things both LEOs told me was.....Here is the red button you push for imediate help if the a problem arises....then this is what you push to release the Shotgun so you can save my donkey.

Excellent - that's good to hear and makes a ridealong with an officer like that something that I'd be open to. I am very comfortable with a shotgun, one of my favorite weapons.

[9mmGuy]

Plano PD has the same "rule" . i have done a couple ride alongs with them. kinda gives a new found respect for the law enforcement community. i can respect they dont want any more unknown firearms flying around in a sticky situation.

[ELB]

I suspect the rule against CHLs carrying has much less to do with concern about introducing more weapons or officers concerns about the ride-alongs (hence Target 1911's experience) and much more to do with the city's perception of resulting bad publicity (especially from anti-gun/anti-CCW parties, like most media) and lawsuits from plaintiff's lawyers if an incident does occur, regardless of whether the CHL ride-along's actions are squeaky-clean or not.

I see the situation as similar to businesses and companies who forbid CHL carry by their employees because they judge the liability to be higher than if the employee's ex-significant other comes on the property, sets the employee on fire, and shoots a few co-workers. If the ride-along is unarmed and ends up dead or wounded, I expect there are duly witnessed and signed waivers on top of the city's sovereign immunity for incompetence and lack of action. However, if the city were to knowingly allow a CHL to carry on the ride-along and the CHL acted, (particularly if he acted imperfectly), I suspect that opens a liability window for lawyers to jump through -- the city "knowingly put an untrained (in police activity) gunman..." blah blah blah. As a dead, unarmed schmuck laying alongside the dead policeman, you are far less costly to the city than as a live, imperfect shooter (and of course the dead thug's family's lawyer will be assuring the media that the thug himself was just a innocent, misunderstood child gunned down by an out of control vigilante). No doubt the city would also cite the "liklihood" that the CHL'er would shoot an innocent bystander, confuse the cops, etc (where have I heard those arguments before?), not withstanding that out of the hundreds of citizen self-defense shoots I have read, I can count on maybe two fingers the number of innocent bystanders hit.

As for Target1911's experience, it doesn't surprise me that street cops have a more finely tuned appreciation for self-defense in general and protecting their own selves in particular, but it would also not surprise me to find out it was strictly a "street-level" decision, and not sanctioned by the police brass. In fact, if you like those particular cops, I would not advertise it too much.

Cynical? Moi?

elb

[anygunanywhere]

My brother-in-law, a seargent with the Harris Co. Sheriff said he would not let me use my CHL on a ride along.

He did say that if the stuff hit the air mover I was free to use his really nice scattergun or AR. Why use a pistol when all that nice hardware is available?

Anygunanywhere

[9mmGuy]

I have done ride alongs in both Ft Worth and Arlington. The first things both LEOs told me was.....Here is the red button you push for imediate help if the a problem arises....then this is what you push to release the Shotgun so you can save my donkey.

the officer i rode with never said anything like that. and the a problem arises weapon was an AR, and you had to release it with a key.

edit: hey, silly sensor that was stuff hits the fan...