Public Buildings in Houston
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 7:06 pm
Hello everyone,
As Steve pointed out, I tend to be at the "pointy end of the sword" when it comes to annoying city policy in Houston. Today was a day that afforded me some free time, so I went around to a couple of public buildings (as well as The Hobby Center) to get badged and move about the buildings.
I was armed today with a SteyrM40 in a FIST Kydex IWB holster at the 3:00 position and a Kahr K40 in a Desantis ankle rig, inside left leg. I had a tape recorder in my pocket and a mic under my collar, so I have a copy of everything on tape.
The first building I went to is one of my favourites for "testing the system": Bob Lanier Public Works Building (600 Walker). As usual, I stepped in and went up to the security desk and presented my TDL and CHL. I still hate having to show my CHL to the non-LEO security people at the desk. The lady who red-badged me has red-badged me before, so she was at least familiar with the process. The recorded conversation is as follows:
Cast:
Me - himself
SG1 - first security guard
SG2 - second security guard
HPD - HPD officer
Me: Hi. I need to... (points)
SG1: Go to Human Resources?
Me: Yeah.
SG1: You have to sign in.
Me: Sign in over here? (SG1 nods) Alright.
(SG1 and SG2 chit-chat while I wait in line.)
Me: Hello. Good afternoon.
SG2: How are you?
Me: Pretty good. (I hand TDL and CHL to SG2)
SG2: You have the gun on you?
Me: Yes, I do.
SG2: (loud audible sigh) Ooooo.
Me: (yells to HPD about 20' away) He has a gun.
HPD: Okay. Does he have his license?
SG2: Yeah.
HPD: Okay.
SG2: They have to call [T-call it?], to let other people know you in the building and you got a gun.
Me: Yeah, I know.
SG2: They gotta go through all a that. (to SG1) They gotta call [Telah?] and tell him he got a --
SG1: I'll tell him. (goess to call [Telah?])
SG2: Okay.
Me: I think I'm the only who to ever get that permit (sic), becuase I get the same number everytime.
SG2: (laughs) You right.
Me: Yep. I get the same visitor's badge everytime.
(pause while SG2 fills out paperwork and badge)
Me: Who do you have to call to let them know I'm here?
SG2: The other security is watching the security.
Me: The people watching the cameras?
SG2: Mm-hmm.
Me: Okay.
SG2: (hands me badge) Let me screen you through.
At this point I walk towards the metal detector. The HPD officer tells her that I don't have to go through the metal detector (last time I had to). He waves me over to go talk with him. SG2 mentions my gun several times very loudly in the process.
Me: You want me to go over here?
HPD: Yep. Where you going?
Me: Human Resouces.
HPD: Human Resources?
Me: Yeah. I'm gonna go look at the job postings.
HPD: (inaudible)
Me: Excuse me?
HPD: Where is your gun?
Me: One here (point with elbow to right hip) and there's one in an ankle rig. Yeah?
HPD: Just, uh. Did you sign in?
Me: Signed-in. Got the badge.
HPD: You gotta... put the badge on.
Me: Gonna put the badge on now. Gonna put it here on my shirt. (I put the badge over my left pectoral)
Me: There we go.
HPD: Go overe there in the corner where they're applying for jobs and stay as long as you need.
Me: Alright. Thanks very much. Have a good afternoon.
I then browsed the job section just to have a look. I was not really interested in a job, but I figured it was a good excuse to get badged and go in the building. The lady in the HR department told me they update the job postings each Wednesday, so maybe I'll stop by each week to see what's new.
There are still some things that irritate me:
(1) I do not like showing my CHL to a Securitas employee. I'd rather volunteer it to HPD only.
(2) I do not like the red badge. I know it was a concession the City of Houston made with the state when SB501 came about, but it still irritates me to death. They should just stamp "Man with gun" on my forehead and tie some cans on a string to my leg. Only security and HPD knows what it means? Yeah right.
(3) When the second security guard (SG2) blurted out that I had a gun, a guy next to me in line damn near crapped his pants right there in line next to me. They need to add a "discreetness clause" to their employee manual or something.
Today I also stopped by the City of Houston Annex at 900 Bagby and had an interesting discussion with the commissioned security officer there. As it turns out, I was the first CHL holder he had ever met. He has taken the CHL class, but didn't want to apply for the license, since it only last one year and cost $155. I told him it now lasts 5 years and costs only $140. I also showed him UT and PA licenses and let him know they are also valid in TX. Overall, he was very friendly.
After 900 Bagby, I went by the Houston Public Library and found no illegal posting, but ran into some trouble when they said I could not take pictures. I made the security guard get her supervisor, the supervisor get his supervisor, and finally the supervisor get the Public Library PR Lady. I, of course, got my pictures.
I will post more details about those trips in other positings. I need to get the pictures and stuff into my computer before I type up those stories.
Since we haven't yet met at the TexasCHLForum weekend that will hopefully take place, I should let you know that I am an intellectual-looking type, usually dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. I probably look like the least likely CHL candidate around, but I pack, and I pack always.
Have a good one.
Stay safe...
SteyrM40
As Steve pointed out, I tend to be at the "pointy end of the sword" when it comes to annoying city policy in Houston. Today was a day that afforded me some free time, so I went around to a couple of public buildings (as well as The Hobby Center) to get badged and move about the buildings.
I was armed today with a SteyrM40 in a FIST Kydex IWB holster at the 3:00 position and a Kahr K40 in a Desantis ankle rig, inside left leg. I had a tape recorder in my pocket and a mic under my collar, so I have a copy of everything on tape.
The first building I went to is one of my favourites for "testing the system": Bob Lanier Public Works Building (600 Walker). As usual, I stepped in and went up to the security desk and presented my TDL and CHL. I still hate having to show my CHL to the non-LEO security people at the desk. The lady who red-badged me has red-badged me before, so she was at least familiar with the process. The recorded conversation is as follows:
Cast:
Me - himself
SG1 - first security guard
SG2 - second security guard
HPD - HPD officer
Me: Hi. I need to... (points)
SG1: Go to Human Resources?
Me: Yeah.
SG1: You have to sign in.
Me: Sign in over here? (SG1 nods) Alright.
(SG1 and SG2 chit-chat while I wait in line.)
Me: Hello. Good afternoon.
SG2: How are you?
Me: Pretty good. (I hand TDL and CHL to SG2)
SG2: You have the gun on you?
Me: Yes, I do.
SG2: (loud audible sigh) Ooooo.
Me: (yells to HPD about 20' away) He has a gun.
HPD: Okay. Does he have his license?
SG2: Yeah.
HPD: Okay.
SG2: They have to call [T-call it?], to let other people know you in the building and you got a gun.
Me: Yeah, I know.
SG2: They gotta go through all a that. (to SG1) They gotta call [Telah?] and tell him he got a --
SG1: I'll tell him. (goess to call [Telah?])
SG2: Okay.
Me: I think I'm the only who to ever get that permit (sic), becuase I get the same number everytime.
SG2: (laughs) You right.
Me: Yep. I get the same visitor's badge everytime.
(pause while SG2 fills out paperwork and badge)
Me: Who do you have to call to let them know I'm here?
SG2: The other security is watching the security.
Me: The people watching the cameras?
SG2: Mm-hmm.
Me: Okay.
SG2: (hands me badge) Let me screen you through.
At this point I walk towards the metal detector. The HPD officer tells her that I don't have to go through the metal detector (last time I had to). He waves me over to go talk with him. SG2 mentions my gun several times very loudly in the process.
Me: You want me to go over here?
HPD: Yep. Where you going?
Me: Human Resouces.
HPD: Human Resources?
Me: Yeah. I'm gonna go look at the job postings.
HPD: (inaudible)
Me: Excuse me?
HPD: Where is your gun?
Me: One here (point with elbow to right hip) and there's one in an ankle rig. Yeah?
HPD: Just, uh. Did you sign in?
Me: Signed-in. Got the badge.
HPD: You gotta... put the badge on.
Me: Gonna put the badge on now. Gonna put it here on my shirt. (I put the badge over my left pectoral)
Me: There we go.
HPD: Go overe there in the corner where they're applying for jobs and stay as long as you need.
Me: Alright. Thanks very much. Have a good afternoon.
I then browsed the job section just to have a look. I was not really interested in a job, but I figured it was a good excuse to get badged and go in the building. The lady in the HR department told me they update the job postings each Wednesday, so maybe I'll stop by each week to see what's new.
There are still some things that irritate me:
(1) I do not like showing my CHL to a Securitas employee. I'd rather volunteer it to HPD only.
(2) I do not like the red badge. I know it was a concession the City of Houston made with the state when SB501 came about, but it still irritates me to death. They should just stamp "Man with gun" on my forehead and tie some cans on a string to my leg. Only security and HPD knows what it means? Yeah right.
(3) When the second security guard (SG2) blurted out that I had a gun, a guy next to me in line damn near crapped his pants right there in line next to me. They need to add a "discreetness clause" to their employee manual or something.
Today I also stopped by the City of Houston Annex at 900 Bagby and had an interesting discussion with the commissioned security officer there. As it turns out, I was the first CHL holder he had ever met. He has taken the CHL class, but didn't want to apply for the license, since it only last one year and cost $155. I told him it now lasts 5 years and costs only $140. I also showed him UT and PA licenses and let him know they are also valid in TX. Overall, he was very friendly.
After 900 Bagby, I went by the Houston Public Library and found no illegal posting, but ran into some trouble when they said I could not take pictures. I made the security guard get her supervisor, the supervisor get his supervisor, and finally the supervisor get the Public Library PR Lady. I, of course, got my pictures.
I will post more details about those trips in other positings. I need to get the pictures and stuff into my computer before I type up those stories.
Since we haven't yet met at the TexasCHLForum weekend that will hopefully take place, I should let you know that I am an intellectual-looking type, usually dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. I probably look like the least likely CHL candidate around, but I pack, and I pack always.
Have a good one.
Stay safe...
SteyrM40
