Concealed carry badges in the wild?

[Tom Servo]

I've seen these for sale, and of course, they're fodder for mockery on the internet.

Until Friday, I'd never actually seen someone wearing one in public, though. It was an older gentleman, very out-of-shape, carrying a CZ82. He had the badge hanging from a pleather holder around his neck.

He started to pull the pistol out of its holster while asking me, "is this a good gun?" I told him to keep it in the holster and advised him that having a large medallion of any sort hanging from the neck was a bad idea tactically.

One person was using a different badge holder as a wallet. The third actually presented it to me as ID.

Did I miss a meeting or something? It's not only odd to see one, but to see three over the course of a weekend.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Seriously? Wow.

You should maybe change your location to "The Hillbilly Southeast".

I can't believe anyone has ever bought those things, except as a gag...

 

[Farmland]

Ok so I don't know everything and thought you were fooling around. You learn something new every day. I don't think I will be ordering one too soon. I think if I saw one in use I would hit the ground laughing.

 

[Tom Servo]

You should maybe change your location to "The Hillbilly Southest".

Actually, I'm in a fairly cosmopolitan area, with a lot of northern transplants. The man with the CZ had an upstate New York accent. Judging from his name, the one who presented it as ID was Portuguese, or possibly Brazilian.

The third person was in his early 30's, going about as tactical as one can in a pastel polo shirt and pressed khakis. He drove a Miata.

 

[MLeake]

Hey, Tom...

... probably see you on Wednesday.

Anyway, I've heard some conversations amongst LEO buddies about CCW "badges." Cops don't like them. Judges don't like them. Anything that might be construed as useful for impersonating a LEO is not likely to work in your favor in an SD incident. People carrying such badges are likely to be looked at as wanna-be cop posers, at best, or wanna-be cop impersonator armed felons, at worst.

My $.02.

 

[Hellbilly5000]

Isent the idea of a concealed weapons permit is so you keep it concealed.
Thats like an undercover cop wearing a shirt that says cop

 

[BuckHammer]

I don't even know where to start on this... :barf:

 

[tcov]

just say NO.

 

[7east]

I saw some guy at a gun show this past weekend wearing one next to the Sig he had on his hip. I overheard him talking to one of the dealers who thought it was a real badge, because it looked like one from a few feet away. The dealer asked him what he did as he nodded toward the gun and badge. The guy said as vaguely as possible, "government". The dealer's like "oh really, what do you do for the government?". "DoD". Basically the dealer kept asking him questions sensing the Bs. The guy was like 'security'. Then it was like "my security". Then finally, 'well my day job is computer programmer' as he stood there looking sheepish.

Nice dude, cool badge.

If anybody asks me what I did in the Marine Corps I tell them I was a radio operator as P.O.G. and unglamorous as that may be. Not a force recon super sniper. You're a computer programmer. Drop the badge. Don't pretend to be some federal agent/law enforcement official/security whatever if you're not. MMMMMMMMall ninja.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

Those badges are just bad, really bad ideas. :barf:

 

[christcorp]

next time you see someone wearing such a badge; laugh at them. As cruel as it sounds, you'll be doing them a favor. Let them know what a joke they are; and the badge. Tell them; the boy scouts and civil air patrol AREN'T the military; and mall security and people wearing concealed carry badges AREN'T police or feds. Laugh in their face. Maybe they'll be embarrassed enough after you leave that they might take it off. "You got to be cruel to be kind".

 

[raftman]

I'd never even heard of these badges until reading about them here. I guess it's bit a like taking a CPR class at a community college and then buying a white-lab coat and stethoscope to look like a doctor anywhere you go.

 

[MLeake]

Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol aren't the military...

... but they at least teach outdoors skills and teamwork; and in the case of CAP, provide some USAF orientation, SAR and first aid training (and sometimes actual SAR participation), and the possibility of basic pilot training.

Whereas the CCW badges provide nothing but inflated egos for mall ninjas.

While I get your intent, please don't compare two worthwhile organizations with these badges.

 

[armoredman]

Hugely bad idea.

 

[srt 10 jimbo]

Yea, they had a whole table full of them at the last Gun show in Fort Lauderdale, right next to the "I hit the target" badges.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Overheard the following (paraphrased) conversation at a gunshow a while back while two younger guys were standing by a display of CCW badges and other similar stuff.

Guy 1: "Hey, cool, look at that badge, I want one of those!"
Guy 2: "I thought you had a carry permit, why would you need a badge?"
Guy 1: "I don't but it looks cool."
Guy 2" "Didn't you tell me you got your CCW permit because you hate open carry?"
Guy 1: "Well yeah, Open carry is stupid 'cause everybody knows what you got."
Guy 2: "But wearing a "Concealed Carry" badge, isn't that like walking around screaming HEY EVERYBODY, I'VE GOT A CONCEALED WEAPON! I mean isn't that basically like walking around open carrying?"
Guy 1: "um...."
(then they walked away)

 

[Old Grump]

Never thought about it, In Wisconsin its legal to open carry as long as you don't mind getting arrested for disturbing the peace but concealed carry is a big NO. Think I'll get a few of them, one for my shirt pocket, one for my belt and one for hanging around my neck. That should confuse a lot of people and make me king of the mall. Except I hate malls. King of the hardware store maybe?

Maybe a trip to Madison or Milwaukee is in order....I'm going to end up in a bad place aren't I?

 

[ECHOONE]

Just have to ignore them,there the type of people that have the need for attention,the whole basis behind the fake tin badge.the type of person you dont want to deal with to begin with so he's just making it easy for you to see who he is.A typical BS'er,walk away let them live in there little world,not worth the bother!

 

[Owens187]

(Isn't) the idea of a concealed weapons permit is so you keep it concealed(?)
Thats like an undercover cop wearing a shirt that says cop(.)

(Sorry, had to fix the grammar)


That says it all right there! Kind of contadictory, it seems. I just don't get it.......

 

[armsmaster270]

Youse means like dis