Plainclothes/Concealed Carry: Worst Possible Outcome

I also hate to monday mrng quarterback. responding officers are in charge was another good point. if the weapon is out it needs to be dropped immediately - hopefully it is holstered upon arrival. commands must be followed, but you must in a loud, commanding voice say: "I'm Law Enforcement. I'm Law Enforcement." You must communicate this message and then follow the lead.
 
We issue "Raid jackets" to every Trooper and we are required to carry shield and ID at all times. Usually when we have plainclothes cops mixed in a crowd, we teach them to yell the year we were founded. Had a big fight at UCONN one night and there were actually three departments undercovers mixed up in it, all of them yelling years the department was founded. During the briefing
( I was in uniform) we were told of the three years to listen for and I looked at my partner and said "Ok, don't OC spray anybody yelling ANY year."
 
Interesting method, and good decision for you and your partner. Nobody else is likely to yell any year at cop when about to be OCed. :)

Badges are good. Complying with uniformed officer's orders immediately is good too. I think this might be a subject where there is no perfect solution, unfortunately.
 
I am not involved in law enforcement but find this topic interesting. Don't undercover or plain clothes officers carry radios? If not seems like there would be radios small enough to conceal. Also what about cell phone GPS. This would give the command center information on the undercover officer at the scene that could be communicated to the uniformed officers.
 
Tyrant

Thanks for the interest. First off there is a huge difference between undercover officers, and plain clothed officers. For the most part Undercovers are wearing an alternate identity. They are pretending to be someone other than themself. Usually a criminal of some sort. Even in the very short term as in a buy n bust operation they maintain a non police personna. So given that undercovers never carry a radio, although they are sometimes wired for sound. They ususlly dont carry any police ID and if they have a firearm it's a non police type gun.

Plainclothed officers are usually armed as they would be in uniform, and carrying radios ID's and the usual police equipment. Instead of being in uniform they dress in civilian clothes in order to blend into the community so they can observe without being seen.
These officers are more often detailed to curtail street crime, and various conditions. Most friendly fire accidents happen when these "anti-crime" and off duty cops being misidentified by others.

And you are right... the radio is one of the best tools around to avoid these incidents.

Just to keep the thread interesting... as gun guys... what kind of a firearm would you recomend for an undercover officer? And how would you carry it?
 
What firearm for an undercover officer?
Easy, a Glock or a Beretta 92 in caliber of their choosing. Both weapon types are boringly common.

What method?
Border-style, with holster. For a RH shooter, take a LH IWB holster, place it directly behind your right-side kidney, and draw with your right hand, palm away from you.
 
Last edited:
Drop the gun and shout 'I'm a cop' at the top of your voice until they believe you

U/c weapon = G26 in ankle holster
 
My method is the badge on a chain around neck and "Do what the nice officer tells you to do"

What type of firearm? I carry a Sig 226 357Sig SS Hip and S&W J Frame Airweight 357 in pocket
 
Just to keep the thread interesting... as gun guys... what kind of a firearm would you recomend for an undercover officer? And how would you carry it?
Click to expand...

Hi-Point C9 carried Mexican style.
 
Glock compact in IWB wherever the individual prefers. I myself (right handed) would carry right side IWB behind hip bone.
 
For those suggesting Mexican/appendix carry, OneSource Tactical has this neat little kydex holster that is worth checking out. It's called the Zack Concealment holster.

http://www.onesourcetactical.com/zackconcealmentholster.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSvy5nQnd64 ..I would use a shorter length of cord than this guy, but you get the idea. Could be used anywhere around the waist as well, not just in the front.

Regarding the gun.. I would inquire about what the local department has confiscated most frequently and select one of the top three, based one 1) what I shoot the best, 2) what caliber is most potent, and 3) what is most concealable, in that order. Overall I'd lean towards a high capacity .45 semi-auto.
 
For the cops, there isn't much focus/training on dealing with possible plainclothes armed officers or how to react when uniforms arrive. I've heard from many "rookies" that said they would immediately display their badge at responding units. BAD IDEA
 
I don't fear the uniform officer arriving on the scene of a shooting with civilians involved. It seems to be commonsense you follow his orders. He will make them LOUD and CLEAR in case one is confused about dropping his firearm and getting on the ground quickly. Now, regarding what some report on the internet as "negative personal experiences" with officers shooting at them like it was the OK corral, that's hearsay and probably bull****.

What I fear is the conceal carry civilian who 'wants-to-be-a-hero'. Yup, the guy who carries daily and can't wait to shoot his gun and be on the news as the guy who saved the day. How does one legal CC civilian identify himself to another legal CC person at the time of a shooting? Don't fear the trained LE professional, fear the unknown civilian who is also armed. Because a failure to communicate can be deadly among the good guys.
 
my guess would be anyone responding to a shots fired or man with a gun call will already be on edge, reaching for your credentials at the sight of a uniformed officer could be seen as a BG reaching for a gun.
 
Say what?,,,

,,,with officers shooting at them like it was the OK corral, that's hearsay and probably bull****.
Click to expand...

Tell that to the dead cop whose scenario we are discussing.

LEOs aren't bestowed with magical LEO powers,,,
They are excitable human beings just like we all are,,,
They make mistakes like this all the time in the heat of the moment.

Just like the U. C. Riverside police officer who pulled a gun on my wife,,,
She had dropped her keys by the car door and he thought she was breaking in the car,,,
He pulled his gun on her and shouted for her to "get her ass on the effing ground right now!

So what you might ask?,,,
He was simply doing his job?,,,
She was one of the PD dispatchers,,,
And she was wearing her danged uniform.

I was a CSO for that same PD,,,
Basically I was a walking burglar alarm with a radio.

In two years of doing that job,,,
I had to stare down the barrel of a gun twice,,,
They knew I was out there yet they got freaked out and pulled their weapons.

Hearsay to you maybe,,,
Reality to me and my wife.

So cops make errors in judgement on as regular a basis as we civilians,,,
The moral of my story is that you can not put your faith that any LEO will do the proper thing.

They are human,,,
To err is in their/our very nature.

Because of that a person carrying had better spend a bit of thought on what to do when the cops get there.

my guess would be anyone responding to a shots fired or man with a gun call will already be on edge, reaching for your credentials at the sight of a uniformed officer could be seen as a BG reaching for a gun.
Click to expand...

My point exactly!
Aarond
 
One of the picture targets displayed a man armed with a handgun aimed at the shooter..but also holding up a badge in his other hand. This target was almost invariably shot, with none of the shooters ever seeing the upheld badge. Food for thought.
Click to expand...
Sobering, to be sure. My thoughts and prayers go out to the PC officer's family, and also to the officers involved in the shooting, as they deal with what's to come.
 
As a citizen I am not going to try and capture anyone or hold anyone at gunpoint. If I must use a firearm, I will do what I must then move to safety, reholster and contact 911. My thought is to make myself a non-target as soon as possible.
 
Juntau?

I dont know what department your rookie friends work for... but I'd say their inexperience is showing. Or perhaps their department is scimping on training. Oh yeah... they are Rookies.

9MM1033

You give me food for thought. A untrained civillian getting involved, and making a mistaken identity. That senario will be included in some future CCW class's. EXELENT point. My thanks to you.

The question about the undercover gun?

ATW525 is in my opinion the winner. Although I think I'd go a little better quality than a High Point. But he's absoloutly right.

Thanks for the answers everyone...

Glenn D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top