No Guns During LEO Check-ins/Fugitive Surrenders

Earlier last week I recieved a phone call from an associate of mine from across the state. She is an accomplished investigator and BEA in her own right. She is usually very professional and intelligent when conducting her apprehensions.

However, last week she called me kind of upset at a situation she experienced. She stated that she was turning a fugitive into a police department in another county that she doesn't normally work. Therefore she is an "unknown" there. She was wearing "ID Rags" and all of her "Bat toys" on her "Bat Belt" including her sidearm.

1 of the officers there became irritated at her for walking into the PD with her weapon exposed. The officer even stated that had she come in with her weapon concealed, she would have been ok.

Now, our state is an "open carry" state as long as we are walking or outside of a vehicle. The only advantage to having a CCW is to carry a weapon concealed, whether on foot or in a vehicle.

She obviously didn't appreciate being chastised in the PD lobby in front of dozens of other people, including her own fugitive. My response to her was that you don't walk into law enforcement agencies with your sidearm on !

She replied that she does it all the time in her normal AO. Well they know her there right ? But anytime we venture out of our own backyards, the rules change.

1) Do your local LEO check in.

2) Secure all weapons in your vehicles ANYTIME you enter a law enforcement agency.

Sometimes even the best and the brightest of us make the most rookie-ish mistakes.

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River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

Most of the counties that we deal prefer that we put them in the lockers. We got chewed out one time for leaving an unloaded shotgun (won't fit in the locker there) locked in the back of an SUV. Apparently this sargeant was concerned that her officers might lose control of a suspect in the Sally Port long enough for them to break the window and get the gun, even though it was mostly covered and in no way visible unless you were looking for it. The reason she saw it was because she was looking through the window at a broom handle that was visible. To her, that was also a deadly weapon and had called her attention to the vehicle.

In my local county, we can carry our weapons inside the PD/SO, but not into the jail. Since my office is right behind the jail, it is usually easier to make a quick stop and drop off anything weapon related before hitting the jail.

You can't please everyone, you just learn to adapt to what they want.

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Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

At our city/county lock-up they have weapons lockers for you to secure your weapons in before you can proceed to in processing

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The Rose Investigations LLC
Collection Agency
Security & Investigations Consultant
Retired Private Investigator & Bail Enforcement
NAM VET 1969- 1975 US Army (RECON)
Office 260-220-3877
1-888-631-5520
Fax 260-456-6062

Most of our agencies here do not allow us the use of thier "Sally Ports" when surrendering a fugitive. We have to use the front entrance, just like any other public citizen.

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River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

It varies here by county. Some require that we use the Sally Port, some require that we use the public entrance, some allow either/or. It also varies when posting bonds. Some are done in the secure area of the jail, some are done in the public area, some are done at the courthouse. It can be confusing, but once you learn a county's routine, you follow it.

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Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

Same here in CA. Some departments want us to use the front lobby and others want us to use the Sally Port. Generally when using the Sally Ports, they ask us if our weapons are secured prior to allowing entrance. I have just always made it a rule of thumb to lock the weapons in the trunk of the vehicle before entering the jails.

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Randall Crew
Randall Crew & Associates
641-289-0136

We can walk in carrying, but once you go into lockup, you stop at the wall to lock it up in the safe. The only time we didn't have to is when the LT said no one was in lockup, so don't bother....besides, we outnumbered the fugitive 5 to 1!!..the majority of the depts we deal with are cool with it...if its someplace we don't normally go to, we lock them in a safe in the car.

We enter thru the front door here at the CCSO. I always call ahead to let them know the eta and if I need, they can have someone waiting outside. They are very acommodating when it comes to the returning of peoples.
Like Kathy says, each County has its' own way of operating and we just have to figure out what they want and get it going in that direction.
There used to be lockers available here at the jail to lock our weapons in, but since the addition and re-model of the jail (2004) those are gone and even the LEOs must leave their guns in their cars.

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Around here we have to use the front entrance as well and although I am known to most of the oficers at all 5 jails, I still do not carry my weapon inside. I did when I was first getting started but started to realize, as I gained experience, I was opening myself and ohers to liability by having my weapon. I have the person in custody, cuffed and do not have to walk them more than 20 yards until we are inside a building with LEO. So I guess I am saying that I see no need to risk the liability or the exposure.
Just my thoughts.

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Dustin Thompson
La. Lic. #309685
Louisiana Fugitive Task Force
318-393-5385
"What the hell was that?"

A deputy friend of mine was telling about one that was talking along all the way up to the door of the salleyport going up when he said . . . "oh man you really are taking me to jail"
sometimes that last twenty yards can mean alot . . . BE SAFE. . . trip 'em if ya have to

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN