Uniformed Officer Denied Vote

[Five-0]

I'm thinking this officer probably reacted better than I would have. Granted I think I work with some of the most squared away poll workers ever, and they would not make this sort of mistake. Granted my agency actually picks up and transports ballots along with enforcing all laws applicable to polling places.

Click the link for the full story:

Bangor police officer denied right to vote after refusing to surrender weapon - Bangor Daily News
Bangor police officer denied right to vote after refusing to surrender weapon



10/31/10 01:53 pm Updated: 11/1/10 09:45 am
By Eric Russell
BDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine — In the 18 years that he has been a police officer in Bangor, James Dearing couldn’t think of a single time when someone has asked him to turn over his firearm.
Until last Friday.
Dearing, who was patrolling his assigned beat near the Bangor Civic Center, decided to stop in and cast an early vote. He walked into the polling place in full uniform and stood in a short line with other voters.
One of the election officials told Dearing he couldn’t bring his gun inside. The officer said he thought it was a joke.

[Pudge]

I'm thinking this officer probably reacted better than I would have. Granted I think I work with some of the most squared away poll workers ever, and they would not make this sort of mistake. Granted my agency actually picks up and transports ballots along with enforcing all laws applicable to polling places.

Click the link for the full story:

Bangor police officer denied right to vote after refusing to surrender weapon - Bangor Daily News
Bangor police officer denied right to vote after refusing to surrender weapon



10/31/10 01:53 pm Updated: 11/1/10 09:45 am
By Eric Russell
BDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine — In the 18 years that he has been a police officer in Bangor, James Dearing couldn’t think of a single time when someone has asked him to turn over his firearm.
Until last Friday.
Dearing, who was patrolling his assigned beat near the Bangor Civic Center, decided to stop in and cast an early vote. He walked into the polling place in full uniform and stood in a short line with other voters.
One of the election officials told Dearing he couldn’t bring his gun inside. The officer said he thought it was a joke.

I think I'd have recruited the entire agency from the Chief down to all go in and vote in uniform at the same time. Going to deny us all and cite safety?

[Car 4]

Small people with inflated ideas of their power...see them everywhere.

I took my Navy son to the the regional multi-service recruiting office in downtown Seattle some years ago. I was working and was in full uiform. Some Staff Sergeant shows up and says "give me your weapon". I politely declined. He said if you don't, I'll have to escort you out of the building....I asked if he would really like to spend the rest of the day in the King County Jail. He thought about that and then told me he would have to call the Seattle Police. I asked him if he really thought that an SPD line officer would try to disarm a uniformed Major in the Sheriff's Office...he thought about that one for a while too. At that point, I came to my senses and realized that I could be making trouble for my son....and agreed to go outside.

I havn't been so pissed in many years and almost let my anger override my better judgement. It was just a small person trying to get over on an authority figure that he thought was easy. I swallowed it and let my son finish his business. Funny thing was that I knew the admiral who ran all the recruiting stations in Washington and was pretty sure he wouldn't be amused by the sergeant's attitude....but as I said, my son's future was more important.


Car 4

[ChesCopPodz]

I worked the 4th of July parade in a large neigborhood back in VA. One year, this self inflated neighborhood HOA president was instructing us on where our cars needed to be (two major intersections) and other things. There were three of us. Then she made the comment "God I LOVE (emphasis true) telling cops what to do". The three of us looked at each other, looked at her, and told her to have a good day, we were leaving.

She was making some sort of stuttering noise when I got in my cruiser and left.

[lewisipso]

Small people with inflated ideas of their power...see them everywhere.

I took my Navy son to the the regional multi-service recruiting office in downtown Seattle some years ago. I was working and was in full uiform. Some Staff Sergeant shows up and says "give me your weapon". I politely declined. He said if you don't, I'll have to escort you out of the building....I asked if he would really like to spend the rest of the day in the King County Jail. He thought about that and then told me he would have to call the Seattle Police. I asked him if he really thought that an SPD line officer would try to disarm a uniformed Major in the Sheriff's Office...he thought about that one for a while too. At that point, I came to my senses and realized that I could be making trouble for my son....and agreed to go outside.

I havn't been so pissed in many years and almost let my anger override my better judgement. It was just a small person trying to get over on an authority figure that he thought was easy. I swallowed it and let my son finish his business. Funny thing was that I knew the admiral who ran all the recruiting stations in Washington and was pretty sure he wouldn't be amused by the sergeant's attitude....but as I said, my son's future was more important.


Car 4

Class act.

[lewisipso]

I'm thinking this officer probably reacted better than I would have.

Agreed.

[Five-0]

There is hope for Maine yet....see this poll related to the story:

Should citizens be allowed to vote while armed? - Bangor Daily News

Not should cops be allowed to vote while armed, but citizens. Damn right they should be allowed to vote while legally armed.

[MacLean]

Class act.

He's older and wiser than I am.

I'd have liked to see what happened when SPD showed up and read the rank tabs.

[pharmer]

One year, this self inflated neighborhood HOA president was instructing us on where our cars needed to be (two major intersections) and other things.

This, and too many similar stories, is why I will NOT live in a subdivision (or within town or city limits for that matter). Just one of my quirks I suppose...

[StoleIt]

Small people with inflated ideas of their power...see them everywhere.

I took my Navy son to the the regional multi-service recruiting office in downtown Seattle some years ago. I was working and was in full uiform. Some Staff Sergeant shows up and says "give me your weapon". I politely declined. He said if you don't, I'll have to escort you out of the building....I asked if he would really like to spend the rest of the day in the King County Jail. He thought about that and then told me he would have to call the Seattle Police. I asked him if he really thought that an SPD line officer would try to disarm a uniformed Major in the Sheriff's Office...he thought about that one for a while too. At that point, I came to my senses and realized that I could be making trouble for my son....and agreed to go outside.

I havn't been so pissed in many years and almost let my anger override my better judgement. It was just a small person trying to get over on an authority figure that he thought was easy. I swallowed it and let my son finish his business. Funny thing was that I knew the admiral who ran all the recruiting stations in Washington and was pretty sure he wouldn't be amused by the sergeant's attitude....but as I said, my son's future was more important.


Car 4

So your son joined the Navy? Terrible choice!!!

(I kid...I kid...but seriously...)



Yea I can't imagine ever telling a Cop he wasn't allowed to carry. I am almost 100% sure a LEO can even carry on the flight line on base (provided they are allowed to go on it in the first place though). But we have LEO's all the time on base and they are always armed (as well they should be).

[Bigdaddy1]

A few possibilities come to mind. The guy was given the wrong information, IE "no weapons allowed" in this facility. Some people can be rather robotic in regards to instructions given. Or the person could have a grudge against LEO's (my assumption) and decided to push the envelope. Either way it was poor decision making on his/her part.

[Five-0]

Yea I can't imagine ever telling a Cop he wasn't allowed to carry. I am almost 100% sure a LEO can even carry on the flight line on base (provided they are allowed to go on it in the first place though). But we have LEO's all the time on base and they are always armed (as well they should be).

It has never once even been brought up on any flight line I have been privy to be on while in uniform.

[213th]

So your son joined the Navy? Terrible choice!!!

(I kid...I kid...but seriously...)



Yea I can't imagine ever telling a Cop he wasn't allowed to carry. I am almost 100% sure a LEO can even carry on the flight line on base (provided they are allowed to go on it in the first place though). But we have LEO's all the time on base and they are always armed (as well they should be).

It would depend on what type of jurisdiction it is, but every flight line I've worked on is concurrent with local LE. To include when Air Force One was on the flightline, State Police were there along side us.

[MacLean]

So your son joined the Navy? Terrible choice!!!

(I kid...I kid...but seriously...)



Yea I can't imagine ever telling a Cop he wasn't allowed to carry. I am almost 100% sure a LEO can even carry on the flight line on base (provided they are allowed to go on it in the first place though). But we have LEO's all the time on base and they are always armed (as well they should be).

LEO's carry during official functions when they are invited, otherwise they disarm at the armory.

Some bases allow armed LEO's who are on duty to transit the base as a courtesy.

No LEO is armed inside the red lines except SF with the exception of official functions.

(For a closed base like McChord, not a concurrent base like some ANG bases.)

[Car 4]

Stole it.....Maclean is my Air Force shooter. Had to have one to balance out the Navy thing.


Car 4

[lewisipso]

I spoke with the people in charge of our polling place tonight. They say they have never been informed to tell any LEO to disarm. They said they would check and get back with me. Except for one instance I've voted there I have had occasion to be in uniform and armed. If I hear back from them I will update everyone.

[adroitcuffs]

I'll be headed home in a few minutes. I was going to go home & change but now I think I need to stop by the polling place before I get to the house. The polling place is on the way home anyway.

[ChesCopPodz]

LEO's carry during official functions when they are invited, otherwise they disarm at the armory.

Some bases allow armed LEO's who are on duty to transit the base as a courtesy.

No LEO is armed inside the red lines except SF with the exception of official functions.

(For a closed base like McChord, not a concurrent base like some ANG bases.)

Is it more often allowed than not? Reason I ask is that Ft Carson, Peterson AF base, Schriever AF base, and the AF Academy (all local) all let us come and go as we please on duty and at all times of the day. That's 4 out of 4

[213th]

Is it more often allowed than not? Reason I ask is that Ft Carson, Peterson AF base, Schriever AF base, and the AF Academy (all local) all let us come and go as we please on duty and at all times of the day. That's 4 out of 4

The bases we served on we always allowed local LE on, whether they wanted to use the gym the chow hall, or other purposes. It's really up to each base. If we didn't know the LEO we'd ID them, and most of them had it out anyway but other then that they were free to come on. They knew which area they had to stay out of and respected that.