What to do when Police arrive.

[Guest KCSTEVE]

Lets say that your neighbor called 911 and reported that you have a gun.

So for whatever reason here you are standing in your driveway with your pistol in your hand when the police drive up.

The next two minutes could change your life forever. What do you do?

Obviously you don't point it at them.

What is the proper response when the police arrive?

[Sidinman]

I'd say holster it and keep both hands where they can see them.

[Guest Guy N. Cognito]

Avoid standing in your driveway with your pistol in your hand?

I'm trying to imagine why, except for a self defense situation, I would be standing in my driveway with a pistol in my hand. If I did find myself in that situation, I would SLOWLY drop the pistol to the ground, making sure not to point it anywhere near an officer or other innocent. Then, I would follow all instructions to the letter.

[Guest m&pc9]

As I see them pull up ,I would lay the pistol down and back away from it. And do what the leo tells me.

But I dont know why I would be holding a pistol in my drive.

[Mike]

Drop the f***ing gun. Don't lay it down, "slowly drop it", holster it, or anything else. Throw it away. It's not worth getting shot over.

Once it's all over tell your neighbor to get bent.

Mike

Edited December 24, 2010 by Mike

[Guest Bronker]

As I see them pull up , I would lay the pistol down and back away from it. And do what the leo tells me.

But I dont know why I would be holding a pistol in my drive.

This.

[Guest Letereat!]

True Story.

Many years ago, in the Fort Sanders area just off the UTK campus a friend was neighbors with the Local Drunk.

Local drunk was on his front porch(drunk of course) shooting at squirls with his BB gun.

KPD comes screaming down the street, officer Jumps out of his cruiser gun drawn and starts

shouting commands at the guy with a serious degree of urgency and force.

Drunk guy tosses the BB gun aside and does a spead eagle face down.

Officer calms down a bit and the Drunk says something along the lines of " What the hell man its just a BB gun, im just shooting at squirls!!??"

Officer drops his head in relief and disgust, holsters his weapon and replies to the drunk.

Some lady in the neighborhood called in that "There is a crazed man on his porch with an assault rifle shooting the neighborhood up"

Officer leaves, Drunk never "brandishes" his BB gun in public again.

[TGO David]

Mike, I'm really not buying in to the whole "throw the gun to the ground" or "drop the gun" nonsense that I see so urgently expressed on other forums. The only conceivable reason that I can see that I'd be standing in my driveway holding a gun in the first place is if I just shot someone for a legally justifiable reason and was in fear for my life from his accomplices, friends or family. In which case I'm retaining my weapon until the police are on the scene and then I'm obeying their commands.

I'll place the gun on the ground with great haste but I'm not tossing it, dropping it or kicking it into the pavement where maybe... just MAYBE... the planets might all suddenly align and all of the bad karma in the world come crashing down on me at once and the damn thing would discharge upon violently striking the pavement, resulting in some hair-triggered constable letting loose on his own accord.

I've seen the whole "THROW IT DOWN" nonsense spread elsewhere and believe that this is sadly one of those cases where Internet mythology has taken root but to the opposite extreme.

If a police officer arrives, sees me complying with his command to put the weapon down and then shoots me because I wasn't fast enough yet the firearm was never pointed in his direction, that ill-trained trigger happy son of a bitch, his department and the city/town he works for is going to end up making me or my survivors very wealthy.

Besides, if this crap was real... Voldemort would be dead by now.

[Guest db99wj]

Assumption that since the neighbor called, the cops are rolling up with sirens on and skidding to a stop, I'm laying it down at first sight of the police, hands up on head awaiting further instruction.

Again, I'm not one to walk around my yard with a gun in my hand. If it is, there is a reason.

Edited to add clarification and emphasis on what the OP laid out in his scenario.

Edited December 26, 2010 by db99wj

[Guest Bronker]

Mike, I'm really not buying in to the whole "throw the gun to the ground" or "drop the gun" nonsense that I see so urgently expressed on other forums. The only conceivable reason that I can see that I'd be standing in my driveway holding a gun in the first place is if I just shot someone for a legally justifiable reason and was in fear for my life from his accomplices, friends or family. In which case I'm retaining my weapon until the police are on the scene and then I'm obeying their commands.

I'll place the gun on the ground with great haste but I'm not tossing it, dropping it or kicking it into the pavement where maybe... just MAYBE... the planets might all suddenly align and all of the bad karma in the world come crashing down on me at once and the damn thing would discharge upon violently striking the pavement, resulting in some hair-triggered constable letting loose on his own accord.

I've seen the whole "THROW IT DOWN" nonsense spread elsewhere and believe that this is sadly one of those cases where Internet mythology has taken root but to the opposite extreme.

Aaaaaaand this.

I'm awaiting instructions, so the officer's perception of the event commands the situation. He'll realize pretty quick that if I meant him harm, I'd not be standing still in the middle of my driveway in a non-threatening stance.

I'm not throwing anything. Plus...why am I standing in the middle of my driveway with a pistol again?

[mikegideon]

I'm not throwing my gun anywhere, but it won't be within my reach either by the time the cops are out of their cars. Not a time for exercising your "rights", 'cause one simple misunderstanding can get you killed.

I was in my driveway, pistol drawn and pointed not too long ago. It was broad daylight, and there were neighbors around. Long story.

[Guest Bronker]

I was in my driveway, pistol drawn and pointed not too long ago. It was broad daylight, and there were neighbors around. Long story.

We've got time. Do tell...

[mikegideon]

Neighbor's rottweiler. The same one that had taken a plug out of my arm a few years earlier. He was loose, had his eyes on me, and really needed killin'. The only reason I didn't shoot him was because another neighbor's house was directly behind him (and a little concerned that the .38 wouldn't stop him). He finally turned and went the other way.

Once the excitement was over, I went to the Bass Pro and bought the dog his very own Remington 870HD. Animal control finally got him before I had a chance. I told the police dispatcher that I was going to shoot the dog.

[Tempest455]

Some lady in the neighborhood called in that "There is a crazed man on his porch with an assault rifle shooting the neighborhood up"

I can't tell you how many thousand pellets I've shot off my deck while enjoying a beer or Gin & Tonic!

One of those, depends where you live.

[Mike]

Mike, I'm really not buying in to the whole "throw the gun to the ground" or "drop the gun" nonsense that I see so urgently expressed on other forums. The only conceivable reason that I can see that I'd be standing in my driveway holding a gun in the first place is if I just shot someone for a legally justifiable reason and was in fear for my life from his accomplices, friends or family. In which case I'm retaining my weapon until the police are on the scene and then I'm obeying their commands.

I'll place the gun on the ground with great haste but I'm not tossing it, dropping it or kicking it into the pavement where maybe... just MAYBE... the planets might all suddenly align and all of the bad karma in the world come crashing down on me at once and the damn thing would discharge upon violently striking the pavement, resulting in some hair-triggered constable letting loose on his own accord.

I've seen the whole "THROW IT DOWN" nonsense spread elsewhere and believe that this is sadly one of those cases where Internet mythology has taken root but to the opposite extreme.

If a police officer arrives, sees me complying with his command to put the weapon down and then shoots me because I wasn't fast enough yet the firearm was never pointed in his direction, that ill-trained trigger happy son of a bitch, his department and the city/town he works for is going to end up making me or my survivors very wealthy.

Besides, if this crap was real... Voldemort would be dead by now.

I'm not talking about a spiking it into the ground. But if LEOs are there they will be pointing guns at the (perceived) threat, you. I'm opening my hand and letting go of mine. Look up OIS with "furtive movements" as justifications for the shoot.

I'm not saying I'm an expert on this, just what I would do if I were in the situation. Everyone has the video reel of "their fight" going on in their heads. So your scenario is most likely much different than mine.

Mike

[mav]

It a situation like that. I would probably gently place my firearm on the ground while saying, "I am putting my weapon down." I would then probably back away and follow the LEO commands. For different reasons than those previously mentioned, I am not going to throw or drop my gun to the ground. If I am carrying one of 1911s, which I usually am, I ain't dropping it. They are just too expensive for that.

After everything was said and done, I would probably give my neighbor three things: a copy of the constitution, a printout of TN firearms laws, and the middle finger.

[Mike]

If I am carrying one of 1911s, which I usually am, I ain't dropping it. They are just too expensive for that.

Priorities. Out of order.

Mike

[TGO David]

I'm not talking about a spiking it into the ground. But if LEOs are there they will be pointing guns at the (perceived) threat, you. I'm opening my hand and letting go of mine. Look up OIS with "furtive movements" as justifications for the shoot.

I'm not saying I'm an expert on this, just what I would do if I were in the situation. Everyone has the video reel of "their fight" going on in their heads. So your scenario is most likely much different than mine.

Mike

Meh. I know some schools... local ones... teach this mentality, and there's anecdotal evidence supporting all sorts of weird crap out there on the Internets, but I'm still not convinced that this is the one-size fits all tactic that every civilian should resort to. I'm going to let the cops dictate my response. If they demand that I DROP the firearm, I'll comply. If they tell me to put it down, slowly, I'll comply. If they tell me to shove it up my ass and dance the Macarena, I'll unwillingly comply.

Yes, I realize that a gun is a tool and you shouldn't be worried about getting your tool bent up a little by tossing it to the ground, etc. blah blah blah but I'm going to use a little common sense and discretion too.

You and I are usually on the same page but I'm not sure the Camden Drop* is always going to be necessary.

[Mike]

You and I are usually on the same page but I'm not sure the Camden Drop* is always going to be necessary.

Not always, true. But you can't be scared of damaging your pistol if the alternative is getting shot. I know you know that getting shot sucks.

Mike

[mikegideon]

Not always, true. But you can't be scared of damaging your pistol if the alternative is getting shot. I know you know that getting shot sucks.

Mike

I don't KNOW it, but I always assumed

[mav]

If they tell me to shove it up my ass and dance the Macarena, I'll unwillingly comply.

Ya know, some might be willing to pay good money to see that.

[Guest tnxdshooter]

Lets say that your neighbor called 911 and reported that you have a gun.

So for whatever reason here you are standing in your driveway with your pistol in your hand when the police drive up.

The next two minutes could change your life forever. What do you do?

Obviously you don't point it at them.

What is the proper response when the police arrive?

I would have already unloaded it and set it aside before they arrived and automatically assumed the felony stop position just to be on the safe side. You know ankles locked on your knees hands locked behind your head.

[mav]

Not always, true. But you can't be scared of damaging your pistol if the alternative is getting shot. I know you know that getting shot sucks.

Mike

I understand what you are saying. Now, this may be naivety on my part, but I don't think LEOs have such itchy trigger fingers that they are going to shoot me as I am laying my gun on the ground and saying, "I am putting down my weapon."

I am not afraid of get my handguns messed up. They can always be fixed, refinished, or replaced. However, in this situation, I believe I may be able to do what I stated. No point in messing up your gun unless it is absolutely necessary. In the end, I don't really have to worry about it because I wouldn't be in the situation the OP presented.

[Mike]

I don't KNOW it, but I always assumed

I was speaking to David on that particular part.

[Mike]

I would have already unloaded it and set it aside before they arrived and automatically assumed the felony stop position just to be on the safe side. You know ankles locked on your knees hands locked behind your head.

Hypothetically, if the dude you just shot had friends in the neighborhood and they came up to help thier friend. You would not do well laying there unarmed. Retreating into the house would probably be an excellent option at that point.

Mike

Edited December 24, 2010 by Mike