Several years ago, when I was a LEO (now retired), I was the only police unit available to respond to a "Robbery just occurred" radio call. I was working alone.
The location was a 7-11 convenience store, and I cautiously peered through the front windows before entering the store. As soon as the clerk saw me, he said "Please step outside". HUH? I was in full police uniform. I asked him if the store had been robbed, but he only repeated "Please step outside". That sent shivers up my spine, for it was possible that the radio call was in error, and maybe should have been "robbery in progress". There was no way of me knowing if the clerk was being held at gunpoint by someone behind the sales counter. I requested an additional unit, but none were available!
There was one customer in the store, a woman in her 60's, and she didn't seem under duress as she paid for her purchases. After the clerk had wrung up the sale, he stepped outside.
"What was that all about? Why did you ask me to step outside?", I asked the clerk. He pointed to the sign in the window, "No guns allowed". WHAT THE....!
I composed myself, got all of the info (there had, indeed, been an ARMED robbery), and even though a full 15 minutes had passed since the crime, I gave out a crime broadcast. The suspect had probably already spent the money, and was at home.
My professionalism sort of slipped when I asked the clerk why he had asked me to step out of the store. He looked at my holstered pistol, and replied, "Because you are carrying a gun". I then asked the clerk (as if I didn't already know) if the robber had a gun. "Yes, he did", he responded. "Did you ask HIM to step out of the store?", I asked. No reply.
Okay, there was a "problem" of sorts. The clerk was a Pakistani. He said that his employer (franchisee) had put the "No guns allowed" sign in the window, and had explained to all of the employees that it was his policy as well as the corporation's policy.
GEEZ! I had a tough time dealing with the language barrier, but FINALLY got through to the clerk that it was "okay" for a police officer to carry a gun inside the store! He wasn't sure if that violated the policy at first, so I had him call his employer at home.
Anyway, over the past dozen or so years, I've gone out of my way to talk with store managers/owners if I see "No guns allowed" signs in their windows. I've also gone to the trouble of explaining the 7-11 store robbery to them, and entertwine that true story with a hypothetical situation....see below.
After telling about the 7-11 store armed robbery, I explain that there are off-duty LEO's, retired LEO's (like myself), valid CCW permitees, and the ALL are probably carrying concealed weapons. Then, I explain that there are BAD GUYS who carry concealed weapons, and may even hold up their store. I ask, "Of all of those people who carry concealed weapons, which type MIGHT you actually WANT in your store when they're armed?". Of course, they all replied the off-duty and retired LEO's. Then I ask, "Why not the honest, law-abiding citizen who has gone to the trouble of applying for a CCW permit, gone through training as a requirement for their permit, and would never rob your store....but might not patronize your store because of your 'No guns allowed' policy?". About 75% of those managers/owners have either changed their mind or have said that they would try to get the policy changed! Now, maybe I just have a "silver tongue", but I'm proud of my accomplishments! When I've talked with the 25% who wouldn't budge, I've left them with some "food for thought"...."Tell your employees to ask an armed robber to 'Please step outside. You're in violation of our policy'!"
I have MUCH contempt for people who think that guns are "evil", while overlooking the TRUE evil within some people!