I was on my way into the SHOT show this morning, and it was a about 8:20 AM. I was supposed to meet someone at the entrance to a restaurant to pick up my pass. I asked one of the three ( 
) police officers manning the crosswalk if he could tell me where The Terraces restaurant was. Hoo, boy.
Now, I can understand being careful. I can especially understand being careful in "high risk" situations. I have a difficult time understanding giving a clean-cut, neatly dressed young man who politely asks where a restaurant is a grilling. That's what I got.
I was gruffly informed that this was an insider show. (Thank you, officer friendly.) Then he asked if I was a member of a right-wing organization. I laughed. "Don't laugh, son," he said, sweeping the hat from my head to frown at my stubbly hair. "You're wearing black." I was asked why I was there again, then asked if I was carrying any weapons, then asked if there was a graphic on the t-shirt I was wearing underneath my new sweater (!). He asked my age (27), and looked at my id (he happened to see my CCL, as well as my driver's license). He relaxed about this time, and advised me to relax a second later, then commented that one can't be too careful...and, that this would be an interesting item to remember! Then he called the dispatcher for directions to the restaurant...which ended up being about 15 yds away. My day went well from there.
I am 5'6", and a very young-looking 27 (at least, to some people). I was clean shaven, and have 1/8" hair. I was wearing black slacks and shoes, a nice (at least, I thought it was
) gray, blue, and sundry other color sweater, and a black baseball cap. I wouldn't have exactly called myself threatening. I believe a lot of the reason the officer reacted so strongly, was that he thought I was much younger than I am, and therefore, did not belong at an obviously adult gathering. (I saw this officer as I was leaving SHOT at about 1415. He commented that I had found a different hat, and then, as I walked away, I believe I heard him tell his fellow officers that, although I looked 17...)
I had always assumed that demeanor is a major factor in how an officers treats those he encounters. Is this not the case? I am not at all suggesting that this officer was rude to me, just that he reacted well over what the situation would seem to demand.
) police officers manning the crosswalk if he could tell me where The Terraces restaurant was. Hoo, boy.Now, I can understand being careful. I can especially understand being careful in "high risk" situations. I have a difficult time understanding giving a clean-cut, neatly dressed young man who politely asks where a restaurant is a grilling. That's what I got.
I was gruffly informed that this was an insider show. (Thank you, officer friendly.) Then he asked if I was a member of a right-wing organization. I laughed. "Don't laugh, son," he said, sweeping the hat from my head to frown at my stubbly hair. "You're wearing black." I was asked why I was there again, then asked if I was carrying any weapons, then asked if there was a graphic on the t-shirt I was wearing underneath my new sweater (!). He asked my age (27), and looked at my id (he happened to see my CCL, as well as my driver's license). He relaxed about this time, and advised me to relax a second later, then commented that one can't be too careful...and, that this would be an interesting item to remember! Then he called the dispatcher for directions to the restaurant...which ended up being about 15 yds away. My day went well from there.
I am 5'6", and a very young-looking 27 (at least, to some people). I was clean shaven, and have 1/8" hair. I was wearing black slacks and shoes, a nice (at least, I thought it was
) gray, blue, and sundry other color sweater, and a black baseball cap. I wouldn't have exactly called myself threatening. I believe a lot of the reason the officer reacted so strongly, was that he thought I was much younger than I am, and therefore, did not belong at an obviously adult gathering. (I saw this officer as I was leaving SHOT at about 1415. He commented that I had found a different hat, and then, as I walked away, I believe I heard him tell his fellow officers that, although I looked 17...)I had always assumed that demeanor is a major factor in how an officers treats those he encounters. Is this not the case? I am not at all suggesting that this officer was rude to me, just that he reacted well over what the situation would seem to demand.
