Whew- this email is going to generate some serious heat. How do I know? Because that of "CCW Badges" is one of the most heated topics that I've ever encountered in the concealed carry 'world'.
Just in case you're new to CCW Badges- A CCW badge is a badge that looks exactly like a police officer badge, but says something about "CCW Permit Holder" instead of "Law Enforcement Officer".
I'm not exactly sure what they say, because I've never actually seen one in person. I'm not going hide it- I am against the idea of people carrying "CCW Badges", but that's just my opinion. Now, listen to this:
Long story short, I've been getting a lot of emails and questions about these badges. Everything from people asking "are they a good idea" to people telling me what a good/bad idea they are.
And so, I got an expert to weigh in- Mr. Marty Hayes, President and Director of the Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc., and one of the founders of the Armed Citizens' Legal Defense Network. He has over 30 years experience in law enforcement and firearms training, along with extensive experience as an expert witness and legal consultant.
Did I mention this guy is an expert? Well, here is what Mr. Marty Hayes has to say about CCW Badges. Read on, my friend!
Regarding CCW badges.by Marty HayesArmed Citizens' Legal Defense Network
I strongly recommend against the practice of carrying a badge that identifies you as a concealed carry practitioner. There are several reasons for this recommendation. First off, you are much more likely to have contact with a police officer outside the context of a self-defense shooting, as you would be likely to have that contact after a self-defense shooting. When a police officer sees a private citizen carrying a badge, he immediately starts thinking "Strange Ranger" and will start treating you like one. This means taking whatever you say with a grain of salt, even if it is the obvious truth. If the police officer thinks you are attempting to impersonate a police officer, that is also a crime.
The next good reason to leave that CCW badge in the bottom of the junk drawer is that you might be mis-identified as a police officer by someone else in society, and be expected to act like one. The phrase "Officer, you have a gun DOOOOO something" comes to mind.
Third, if you are holding a silver object in your hand when the cops show up, do you think it might be mistaken for a silver gun? I have run thousands of people though tactical exercises where the targets were identified with badges, and many times, the person either ignored the badge and shot the target because it also had a gun, or mis-identified the badge as being a gun.
So, what is the solution for not being mistaken for a bad guy after a shooting?
Pretty simple, you already have the equipment. Your two empty hands, fingers outstretched with palms facing forward and your arms stretched above your head will absolve you of the crime of impersonating a bad guy when the cops show up. The idea that armed citizens get shot by police when the cops show up is more an urban myth than one founded in fact. If the armed citizen has his gun put away when the cops show up, with his hands above his head with palms exposed, he should be okay, even when confronted by the rankest of rookies.
Don't complicate your life any further, folks. Carrying a gun is complicated enough. [END OF ARTICLE]
Incredibly well said, and a big thank-you to Mr. Hayes for writing this, and to Kathy Jackson (the editor of our beloved Concealed Carry Magazine) for helping me get his expert opinion.
Take care and stay safe,
Tim Schmidt
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