Wow, I can’t even believe this:
“On a Sunday afternoon, a Pennsylvania resident was walking up Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia, bound for an auto parts store, and happened to be legally openly carrying a Glock pistol on his hip, under PA state law.
A passing Philadelphia Police officer saw his walking up the road, pulled over his squad car in the middle of the busy street, and drew his weapon on the man, threatening to kill him multiple times if he moved.
That is one of my worst nightmare scenarios. Gotta love the tough guy “I’m gonna kill you” confrontational attitude the officer stuck with the whole time.
Pretty funny at around 5:00 when they find the guy’s recorder. I’m just glad they didn’t know how to turn it off. LOL To top it all off they were all concerned it was a “set up” which made it obviously they knew they were doing something wrong.
Note: The video contains 4 parts I added to a playlist… they will play back to back.

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I see a lot of you people saying that he should have complied with all of the officer’s demands, even though those demands violated his rights. I for one would have complied with everything except getting on my knees. At that point it goes from being a precaution for the officer to being humiliating for the victim. I would however maintain a calm demeanor while peacefully asking the officer to holster his firearm. I would let him know that he is welcome to carefully disarm me and I would make him aware of whether or not there is a bullet in the chamber. If he doesn’t want to do this, I’d be more than happy to turn away from him and slowly remove my own firearm. The biggest problem is that the officer did not know that it was legal to carry a firearm openly and acted over-zealously in what should have been a simple “Can I see your permit?” situation. He did not know the law and he did not know how to properly present himself in a way that positively represents his community. THAT is the problem. If he had conducted himself decently, not spouting out obscenities every few seconds, then most of this probably would not have been a problem.
Myself and my family have been victims of an uneducated or just unwilling to help sheriff’s department and county attorney. I have been told that shooting safely at a range I constructed on my own property well outside of city limits is considered a public nuisance, because my neighbors don’t like it. My mother was at one point assaulted by a neighbor, leaving physical bruises on her face and rupturing a disc in her spine. The sheriff’s department refused to make an arrest, and the county attorney refused to prosecute, instead deciding to charge both parties with disorderly conduct. I guess that’s his way of teaching someone a lesson for making a legitimate complaint in his county.
This kind of treatment has to be stopped. Law abiding citizens are being treated like criminals, while gang bangers continue to run free on our streets. We as gun owners need to fight this corruption and stand up to protect our 2nd Amendment rights. Educate people, join the NRA, do whatever you can think of to help spread the word about responsible gun ownership.
Mike, I appreciate and agree with your indignation that the officer was not clear on the law. I do feel the need to point out, though, that the officer was acting in a manner that was self-protecting and, under the circumstances, understandable. If you drew on someone you thought was a threat, would you be as courteous and indulging as you expect the officer to be? I think not; I think you would be on edge, hyper-vigilant, and suspicious. I think you would require the potential threat to assume a vulnerable and nonthreatening position that gave you the advantage. I think you would do so using a voice of authority and determination; maybe even a few curse words, huh?
You suggest that this is an example of law-abiding citizens being mistreated. I ask you to consider that the officer is right to perceive an open carry as a threat because he cannot know that the carrier is a law-abiding citizen and cannot confirm that as long as the potential threat exists. It’s not as easy as just seeing your license; anyone can get a fake license. It has to be checked out against the current record and that means that the threat has to be eliminated or controlled. In addition, it is impossible for the LEO to arrest gang-bangers while having to waste his time dealing with some yahoo who only wants to test the law or show off his big gun while he publicly displays his 2nd amendment pride.
YOU would ask the officer to holster his weapon?? HAHAHHAHAHA. Come down south and try that shit, you moron.
You are either a cop, a cops asshole buddy, or just a loser with a cop fetish. I am betting on the latter.
Most of the cops in my area in the South wouldn’t hastle the guy. Of course most of the law officers in my area still regard themselves as common law peace officers and haven’t fallen into the NYPD Blue/KGB communist mentality that divides OFFICERS from civilians–they have enough sense to know they are “civilians” too. As we used to tell the SWAT guys when they would come to Benning for ‘training’: You might be playing Airborne Ranger on the streets, but you aren’t one.
This is why the general public dislikes the police. They abuse their authority. Remember people tape these thugs so they can be locked up in the jails they like to fill with the innocent, the poor,and the weak.
This could easily have been LAPD. They talk to normal, penny-loafer-and-sweater wearing public like they are gangsters. Cops here think they can do anything, park anywhere, talk any way they want, take freebies, and they make a TON of money! These cops should lose their rank for this AT MINIMUM. I hope they get their asses sued right off. QUESTION: how can you be SET UP if you are treating people respectfully and acting lawfully? THEY TOTALLY VIOLATED this guy’s rights. Let’s just say this owner is a douchebag trying to trick the cops…. SoTFW? Did he force them to not know the law and treat him like crap. If cops carry guns on their hips and can behave in a lawful manner without being put on their knees, why can’t a citizen who is not screaming, crazy, and OUT OF CONTROL like these effing ego-trip, militant, “I’m the man” power trippers carry one the same way? They acted like he was brandishing!
These guys are at it again.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Local-Cop-on-Cop-Dispute-Hits-YouTube-118862779.html?dr
LOL what a disaster
That’s the professionalism I hope to see in my peace officers! /sarc
That was at Bridge & Pratt… a bad ass neighborhood filled with lunatics. The cops have their hands full …lots of shootings, rapes, assaults, tons of drugs, hookers etc..
Nobody open carries in Philly and the cops are not used to seeing it , ever. On top of that, Philly makes up their own rules, I’m not saying it’s right, it’s just the way it is. They don’t allow open carry in philly but you can get a permit to conceal carry as many folks do. When that guy refused to do exactly what
the cop was telling him to do he had a very good chance of being shot. He was really lucky he hadn’t.
The way to protest philly rules on open carry would be to go to Harrisburg or go to your local politician
and not go down in a war zone and put the cops through a bunch of crap that they have no say over.
The way to protect yourself in philly is to get a conceal carry permit and arm yourself to the hilt.
Open carry in philly is stupid as someone could walk up behind you and grab your loaded gun and they would do it all the time if everyone open carried.
There is no such thing in Pennsylvania as a concealed carry permit. There is a License to Carry Firearms, which is issued in accordance with state law, and which places no obligation whatsoever on anyone who bears one to conceal a lawfully carried firearm.
Further, LTCF holders are specifically exempted from the state law prohibiting open carry in cities of the first class, which would be Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Police Department, and Sgt. Dougherty specifically, need to start following the law, not simply making up their own extra-legal rules and then threatening to shoot people who don’t conform to their unlawful view of how a submissive citizen should behave.
Seems like open carry in Philly is protected by the constitution of the commonwealth. Maybe this guy should read that particular document. Here is an even better idea–maybe everyone should carry open like the cops, you know, following the whole principle of equal protection under the law which is supposed to apply across the board, and maybe your crime rate would drop.
“Open carry in philly is stupid as someone could walk up behind you and grab your loaded gun and they would do it all the time if everyone open carried.”
That’s why all the cops in Philadelphia carry their guns concealed.
Far too many cops are bullies who seek compliance with their own will rather than with the laws of the land. Every cop in the nation needs immediate comprehensive remedial training on the US Constitution and on the laws they enforce with refresher training every month. Those who persist in bullying the people or imposing their own version of the laws must be terminated.
I wouldn’t mind writing a letter of complaint to this Philadelphia Police District Chief. Which district is Sgt Doughtery part of? This guy should be off the street and his buddy that pulled up screaming “F***in shut up…blah..blah” what a bunch of moron cops. All they had to do was calmly ask the guy for his permit and info and to hold his firearm until they could verify the information. All the treats to shoot him or taze him were extremely unprofessional. Sgt Dougherty’s statement “I don’t know who you are” applies to 99% of the people they come in contact with. Stupid, stupid, a Sgt should know better and be an example. Sloppy police work, ignorant police.
this is BULLSHIT. All you dicks supporting the cops, just shut the fuck up! I dont car3e what the situation is, in the Academy, they tell you to be calm, yet assertive, patient, yet firm. Not cuss the citizen out, or completely shut him down whn he tries to explain. The officer doesnt pull a firearm unless necessary either. They are ONLY supposed to pull their tazers. So all yopu pricks who dont know shit, shut the fuck up. Those cops were WRONG.
Will, the 1st amendment gives everybody the right to voice an opinion, so telling anyone to STFU is just out of line. I don’t think anybody is suggesting that these officers were the epitome of fine police work and professionalism, but the initial officer WAS completely justified in drawing his weapon in the face of the potential threat that the gentleman posed. He was also fully justified in calling for backup. This guy was definitely seeking a confrontation, so he got what he was looking for. The officers could have been better informed and a bit more courteous, but the fact that they didn’t shoot him indicates to me that they were fairly measured in their response.
Listen closely to the officers conferring in the background. At 11:05 you hear one say “You know what? You just got the training”.
Guess it only counts if they pay attention to the training…
“The carrying of arms in a quiet, peaceable, and orderly manner, concealed on or about the person, is not a breach of the peace. Nor does such an act of itself, lead to a breach of the peace.” (Wharton’s Criminal and Civil Procedure, 12th Ed., Vol.2: Judy v. Lashley, 5 W. Va. 628, 41 S.E. 197)
Objectivity. so it was lost in this occurrence. lucky for the PPD the kid didn’t get capped. yeah, when i was 14 in co springs co. ( 1974 ) running from the cops because they crept up on us, in an open field, all my bud’s fleeing in all directions, lazer’d on me. running up an embankment trying too unload an oz. of mexican reefer from my pants…no luck, cop has me in his sight w/ 38 spec. i cooperated, until he without notice, reached in my jeans, i flinched, he pulled me into a full nelson, broke my arm, went to jail, doc at precinct took notice, cop investigated that nite, deal reached that nite, no charges made. released to parents on condition THEY WOULDN’T SUE COLORADO SPRINGS POLICE DEP.!! parents were liberal idiots thinking they got a real deal…they didn’t have the broken arm. 2 oz’s were a misdemeanor back then! now i carry hand gun carry permit. would i take aim at a cop who was irrational and ignorant, you bet ya baby! they, the law keep pressing us ( UNITED STATES CITIZENS ) AND WITHOUT REGARD TOO OUR 2 ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, THINK WE WILL CAPITULATE AND SURRENDER OUR RIGHTS?! HELL NO BROTHER’S AND SISTER’S! WHEN DO WE SHOW THESE BASTARDS THEY WORK FOR US?!! THE GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF CONTROL AND WILL CONTINUE TOO GROW IN THIS DIRECTION AS LONG AS THERE ARE FAR LEFT IDIOT COMMIE’S IN CHARGE. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, AND REMEMBER THE ‘FRAMERS’ OF THIS GREAT NATION THOUGHT VERY CAREFULLY WHEN THEY GAVE US PROTECTION FROM THE BIG GOV. ELITE FASCIST PIG ASSHOLE’S WHO THINK THEY’RE IN CHARGE. WE ARE THEIR PAYCHECK’S, THEY ENFORCE THE LAW’S OUR LEGISLATOR’S IN-ACT. DON’T FORGET BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE PEOPLE. WE ARE ONLY ONE GENERATION FROM A LOST SOCIETY WITHOUT A CONSTITUTION! AMEN.
After the audio was posted on YouTube, a warrant was issued for the OC’ers arrest. Obviously nothing more than retaliation by Philly PD, as they embarrassed themselves in the audio clip by their lack of professionalism and lack of knowledge on the law they were attempting to enforce. He was charged with disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment of another person. (oddly enough, those charges sound appropriate for the Officers in the audio clip. They should be charged with the same.)
Fast forward to today’s court date. The OC’er was found Not Guilty on all charges!! Congrats Mark!!!!
stay safe,
smithwessn.
I realize that there are varying opinions about this, so I’ll try to stick mostly with the facts as I understand them and offer my personal opinion at the end. First of all, the idea that open carry is legal in PA is a legal theory, not a statement of law. The fact is, the PA law is silent on open carry, so it is ASSUMED that it is not prohibited. To my knowledge, no case precedent has been definitively set on this matter, so it is still theory.
I have come in contact with several Phil. LEO’s and all of my interactions were good. One must understand that these are inner-city urban cops, so they deal with assholes every day and they lay their life on the line every day. This can make some people very crusty and “edgey”. In dangerous situations, they tend to throw courtesy out the window, especially when they perceive that their authority (real, perceived, or imagined) is being questioned. They also get real pissed off when they feel like their time has been wasted or they are being used. I’m not saying that is right or wrong; I’m just saying that it IS the reality of being a cop in a city as dangerous as Philly.
I carry because I can, because others don’t, and because I feel that I am the first line of defense against an attack on me or my family. I carry concealed because it gives me an edge, because it prevents others from having negative perceptions about me, and because it doesn’t create fear or panic in public. In my opinion, anyone who chooses to carry openly in Philadelphia is doing to be intentionally provocative. Surely, you understand and expect that you WILL draw attention; no one is so stupid as to think they won’t. If this guy wants to put his right to carry and his life at risk and test the law, then that is his choice, although it should be noted that he failed because he was not charged with a firearm violation. IMHO, it was a stupid thing to do.
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