? about Connecticut and Carrying a Handgun

telcomfaust · March 30, 2010, 01:09 AM

I have always thought that the only way to carry in Connecticut was Concealed.

Looked at different laws and could not find anything that stated that the Handgun must be concealed. Just that you needed a Permit to Carry a Handgun.

in my search I found this web site and a guide that had some explanations in it.
Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc.
http://www.ccdl.us/
http://www.ccdl.us/attachments/099_C...20Brochure.pdf

Was just wondering if anyone else has done any research on this topic or has any 1st hand experience with Connecticut laws. And also on the topic the City of New Britain has a Town Ordinance that says you can not carry a gun with in city limits, permit or not.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Greg

<><><><><>Edit March 31 @1136, changed location of links to avoid confusion<><><><>

Conn. Trooper · March 30, 2010, 07:18 AM

Odd that a member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League that just had an open carry picnic last year posts this question.

CortJestir · March 30, 2010, 08:08 AM

Take a look at your carry permit. At the top right corner, it says "State Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers". Nowhere does it say anything about carrying concealed. There's a reason for this. Because as you are now discovering, CT has no laws against carrying openly.

So it's perfectly within the law, but it is ill advised. Short of actually criminally using your gun, there's no quicker way to get your firearm(s) confiscated and your permit to carry revoked/suspended than by causing a ruckus because you are openly carrying (i.e. breach of peace).

I don't know much about New Britain town ordinance. Your best bet is to call up the local police chief.

As an aside, walk into any gun store in CT and see all the folks openly carrying - this is because here in CT, you can carry in your own place of business (and home), permit or not.

ronto · March 30, 2010, 08:21 AM

Can open carry be considered "brandishing" by some law enforcement agencies?

DogoDon · March 30, 2010, 08:29 AM

Conn. Trooper, I don't think the OP is a member of the CCDL. He merely posted some links from CCDL's web site, which is where he got the information he referred to in his post.

DD

Standing Wolf · March 30, 2010, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Odd that a member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League that just had an open carry picnic last year posts this question.

Actually, it may not be odd at all: it's never a bad idea to seek multiple opinions. Here's the problem:

Quote:

Can open carry be considered "brandishing" by some law enforcement agencies?

Open carry can be called all kinds of nasty things by cops and lawyers even where it's perfectly legal. Some folks in Wisconsin have been getting all kinds of grief over it lately, as have folks in Virginia, where it's been litigated and cops ought to know better.

Concealed carry has been—and in some places still is—a long, tough, often frustrating battle. Open carry, I'm sorry to say, is another.

NavyLT · March 30, 2010, 10:24 AM

You will find a lot more open carry specific and Connecticut specific informaiton here:
http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/

KLRANGL · March 30, 2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

as have folks in Virginia

That's a fact. Buddy of mine just got detained in a city (Norfolk) that has already lost three lawsuits regarding harassing open carriers in like what, 2 years?

Standing Wolf · March 30, 2010, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Buddy of mine just got detained in a city (Norfolk) that has already lost three lawsuits regarding harassing open carriers in like what, 2 years?

I have a hunch he's going to come out dollars ahead. That town must have quite a bit more money than brains.

Conn. Trooper · March 30, 2010, 02:04 PM

I find it odd, call me suspicious, that someone who posts in his sig line the CCDL website and lists that he is a police/ems dispatcher needs to ask this question. Sounds like pot stirring to me, maybe I am wrong and just overly cynical, but I doubt it.

I do wish CT would just make OC illegal or legal once and for all instead of using BOP laws. My own 2 cents.

CortJestir · March 30, 2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

I find it odd, call me suspicious, that someone who posts in his sig line the CCDL website and lists that he is a police/ems dispatcher needs to ask this question. Sounds like pot stirring to me, maybe I am wrong and just overly cynical, but I doubt it.

Ok, I'll call you suspicious.

It does look like the websites are part of his signature, but as has been mentioned, they are not. Have a look at his profile to see his actual signature or in other posts made by the OP.

Quote:

I do wish CT would just make OC illegal or legal once and for all instead of using BOP laws. My own 2 cents.

Ah, but this is the loophole, isn't it? OC is already perfectly legal in CT. But breech of peace is how it is regulated, or essentially made nearly impossible/impractical to do.

Personally, even if OC were completely accepted by the public at large (notice my choice of words) in our state, I'd prefer to carry concealed, but to each his own. If anything, the OC movement here in CT is more about awareness and getting folks used to seeing firearms being used safely and responsibly than it is about the right to carry openly, IMV.

Conn. Trooper · March 30, 2010, 03:02 PM

My point exactly, there is no specific law against it, but prosecutors will pursue BOP charges. Either make it legal or illegal once and for all.

Standing Wolf · March 30, 2010, 07:08 PM

Quote:

My point exactly, there is no specific law against it, but prosecutors will pursue BOP charges. Either make it legal or illegal once and for all.

I concur with the proviso keeping and bearing arms is legal. Says so right in the Constitution. It's not up to states, counties, cities, towns, or villages to fool around writing laws pertaining to firearms after that.

Doing stupid, dangerous, threatening, criminal, irresponsible stuff with firearms is already illegal. We don't need more laws.

telcomfaust · March 31, 2010, 10:35 AM

sorry for the confusion about the links, they are not apart of my signature, and I am not an active member of that group, have not been to any meetings, donated any money or anything like that.

I was involved in a discussion one night with a few of the officers and we could not find anything that said the handgun had to be concealed. So i asked what would happen if I was seen walking down the street with my handgun on my side (open carry) ..... the response I got was thats a good question. So i started to do an internet search and could not find too much on the topic so i figured I would post on here to see how the discussion would go.

Conn. Trooper · March 31, 2010, 11:04 AM

It will kinda depend on the SA's in your GA area. Up by me they pursue Breach of Peace charges. Other places, maybe not. I do think that it needs to be 100% either way. Either its full CC and OC is illegal ( by specific statute, not using BOP) or its legal and no longer pursue the BOP angle. I think I heard that there is a new law in the works to decide either way. Not sure.

knight0334 · March 31, 2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Can open carry be considered "brandishing" by some law enforcement agencies?

If you display it in attempt to intimidate someone, yes. But to "brandish" you must wield or display in a menacing or threatening manner.

Simply carrying in a holster without your hand on it is not brandishing. But if you flash that holstered gun, or draw attention to it to intimidate - then yes, it would be brandishing.

1776 Patriat · August 24, 2010, 08:48 PM

There seems to be some confusion about OC in CT being legal or not. At least on this site. Well, OC is perfectly LEGAL in CT. When the police get a MWAG call, they can simply ask the caller rather or not the person in question is threating, brandishing it, or simply walking, shopping, eating etc. The problem it seems is MOST dispatchers don't or simply won't ask these questions! Why?? Instead they dispatch multiple units and treat the OC as a criminal?? BOP addresses illegal activity. So why charge someone who's NOT breaking any laws with BOP?? I'll tell you why. It seems to me that once police are called, they then feel they HAVE to charge someone with a crime, ie; BOP. I've seen this over and over on other sites and hence the fear of OC'ing. The state police have been trying to make CT a CC only state for years, while other states are legalizing OC. Doesn't make much since, but then again this is CT.........

Conn. Trooper · August 25, 2010, 08:46 PM

^^^^^
Yeah, cause I want to arrest somebody, drive the 10-45 minutes to the barracks. Process and fingerprint them. Then write a 5-6 page arrest report, secure the gun as evidence (another 4-5 forms, which need to be signed off on by a SGT.), all for no reason. Not likely.

It also appears you spelled Patriot wrong. Not really sure what a Patriat is, maybe you meant Patriot?

NavyLT · August 25, 2010, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Yeah, cause I want to arrest somebody, drive the 10-45 minutes to the barracks. Process and fingerprint them. Then write a 5-6 page arrest report, secure the gun as evidence (another 4-5 forms, which need to be signed off on by a SGT.), all for no reason. Not likely.

It also appears you spelled Patriot wrong. Not really sure what a Patriat is, maybe you meant Patriot?

And what exactly is your point?

Conn. Trooper · August 26, 2010, 02:40 PM

So why charge someone who's NOT breaking any laws with BOP?? I'll tell you why. It seems to me that once police are called, they then feel they HAVE to charge someone with a crime,

Making the point that arresting someone here in CT isn't quite as easy as writing a ticket or ordering lunch. So, I don't know of any cop that feels like they have to make an arrest just because they were called somewhere. In my Troop area we have 5 cops for 400 square miles, I don't want to take myself off the road for a few hours handling an arrest unless its needed.

1776 Patriat · August 26, 2010, 03:49 PM

"So, I don't know of any cop that feels like they have to make an arrest just because they were called somewhere."

Obviously your not aware of the Goldberg case(might want to get some info on it being a State Trooper). While you may not want to take yourself off the road for an arrest that's "not needed" the fact remains that there are many LEO's in this great state of ours that will and are arresting law abiding citizens for doing something totally legal. I've actually talked to some local LEO's who have told be straight up that they would arrest someone for OC'ing as it's "against the law". Hence, all the law suits currently going through the courts now. While I agree the Police should respond to all MWAG calls, they probably should no the law before making an arrest for OC. That's all i'm saying. Nothing against you personally. And yes, I realized my spelling arror after hitting da buttin to resistor.

Conn. Trooper · August 26, 2010, 04:20 PM

I am well aware of Mr. Goldberg and his case. His issue is with the permit review board. I agree with him in that case, if the only way to get your permit reinstated is the board. Then maybe the board should meet much more often. I also agree with making the law spelled out one way or the other once and for all. Using breach of the peace as a catch all does work, however, the statutes need to be changed to either clearly make OC legal, or clearly ( I mean 100%, no gray area) illegal. One or the other. Depending on your GA, breach has been used many times and will continue to be used as the charge for OC'ing that results in causing annoyance or alarm. My GA will pursue that charge, some may not.

Conn. Trooper · August 26, 2010, 04:27 PM

On a side note, I went on probably 15 calls today, never made an arrest. Making an arrest is not something that cops take lightly. If I dont know the law thats in question, I look it up, if I am still not sure I can either call a state's attorney or submit an arrest warrant to the court. That puts it on the court and the warrant has to be signed by a superior court judge. If I have doubts, I keep digging and figure it out. Every cop I have ever worked with operates the same way. Do mistakes get made? Yes. Are there bad arrests made? Yes. Is it common? No. Do I know any cop that just makes arrests willy nilly and on a whim? No.

Al Norris · August 26, 2010, 05:32 PM

1776 Patriat: It appears that with your first post at TFL, you went digging to find a 5 month old thread, specifically to bash Connecticut cops, and not to offer additional information.

Just so you know, we don't paint with the broad-brush here.

March 30, 2010, 01:09 AM	#1
telcomfaust Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Middletown, Connecticut Posts: 28	? about Connecticut and Carrying a Handgun I have always thought that the only way to carry in Connecticut was Concealed. Looked at different laws and could not find anything that stated that the Handgun must be concealed. Just that you needed a Permit to Carry a Handgun. in my search I found this web site and a guide that had some explanations in it. Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. http://www.ccdl.us/ http://www.ccdl.us/attachments/099_C...20Brochure.pdf Was just wondering if anyone else has done any research on this topic or has any 1st hand experience with Connecticut laws. And also on the topic the City of New Britain has a Town Ordinance that says you can not carry a gun with in city limits, permit or not. Thanks in advance for your input. Greg <><><><><>Edit March 31 @1136, changed location of links to avoid confusion<><><><> __________________ Greg Emergency Dispatcher Police/Fire/EMS EMT Emergency Medical Tech State of Connecticut Carry Permit Last edited by telcomfaust; March 31, 2010 at 10:37 AM.

March 30, 2010, 08:08 AM	#3
CortJestir Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Southern CT Posts: 1,406	Take a look at your carry permit. At the top right corner, it says "State Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers". Nowhere does it say anything about carrying concealed. There's a reason for this. Because as you are now discovering, CT has no laws against carrying openly. So it's perfectly within the law, but it is ill advised. Short of actually criminally using your gun, there's no quicker way to get your firearm(s) confiscated and your permit to carry revoked/suspended than by causing a ruckus because you are openly carrying (i.e. breach of peace). I don't know much about New Britain town ordinance. Your best bet is to call up the local police chief. As an aside, walk into any gun store in CT and see all the folks openly carrying - this is because here in CT, you can carry in your own place of business (and home), permit or not. __________________ "They have men amongst them who know very well what they are about..." - Lord Hugh Percy, on the events of April 19, 1775 Do you know what you're about? Find out at an Appleseed near you.

March 30, 2010, 08:21 AM	#4
ronto Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2007 Location: Smack Dab in the Middle of Nowhere. Posts: 505	Can open carry be considered "brandishing" by some law enforcement agencies? __________________ "We will do this: we will hang together, we will keep our organization, our arms, our discipline, our hatred of oppression, until one universal shout goes up from an admiring age that this Missouri Cavalry Division preferred exile to submission, death to dishonor". General Joseph O. Shelby, CSA (1830-1897) The only Confederate General who refused to surrender himself or his 1,000+ "Iron Brigade".

March 31, 2010, 10:35 AM	#14
telcomfaust Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Middletown, Connecticut Posts: 28	sorry for the confusion about the links, they are not apart of my signature, and I am not an active member of that group, have not been to any meetings, donated any money or anything like that. I was involved in a discussion one night with a few of the officers and we could not find anything that said the handgun had to be concealed. So i asked what would happen if I was seen walking down the street with my handgun on my side (open carry) ..... the response I got was thats a good question. So i started to do an internet search and could not find too much on the topic so i figured I would post on here to see how the discussion would go. __________________ Greg Emergency Dispatcher Police/Fire/EMS EMT Emergency Medical Tech State of Connecticut Carry Permit

March 30, 2010, 07:18 AM	#2
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	Odd that a member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League that just had an open carry picnic last year posts this question.

March 30, 2010, 08:29 AM	#5
DogoDon Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2010 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 368	Conn. Trooper, I don't think the OP is a member of the CCDL. He merely posted some links from CCDL's web site, which is where he got the information he referred to in his post. DD

March 30, 2010, 10:24 AM	#7
NavyLT Junior member Join Date: January 25, 2006 Location: Oak Harbor, WA Posts: 1,719	You will find a lot more open carry specific and Connecticut specific informaiton here: http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/

March 30, 2010, 02:04 PM	#10
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	I find it odd, call me suspicious, that someone who posts in his sig line the CCDL website and lists that he is a police/ems dispatcher needs to ask this question. Sounds like pot stirring to me, maybe I am wrong and just overly cynical, but I doubt it. I do wish CT would just make OC illegal or legal once and for all instead of using BOP laws. My own 2 cents.

March 30, 2010, 03:02 PM	#12
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	My point exactly, there is no specific law against it, but prosecutors will pursue BOP charges. Either make it legal or illegal once and for all.

March 31, 2010, 11:04 AM	#15
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	It will kinda depend on the SA's in your GA area. Up by me they pursue Breach of Peace charges. Other places, maybe not. I do think that it needs to be 100% either way. Either its full CC and OC is illegal ( by specific statute, not using BOP) or its legal and no longer pursue the BOP angle. I think I heard that there is a new law in the works to decide either way. Not sure.

August 24, 2010, 08:48 PM	#17
1776 Patriat Member Join Date: August 24, 2010 Location: Ga Posts: 41	There seems to be some confusion about OC in CT being legal or not. At least on this site. Well, OC is perfectly LEGAL in CT. When the police get a MWAG call, they can simply ask the caller rather or not the person in question is threating, brandishing it, or simply walking, shopping, eating etc. The problem it seems is MOST dispatchers don't or simply won't ask these questions! Why?? Instead they dispatch multiple units and treat the OC as a criminal?? *BOP addresses illegal* activity**. So why charge someone who's NOT breaking any laws with BOP?? I'll tell you why. It seems to me that once police are called, they then feel they HAVE to charge someone with a crime, ie; BOP. I've seen this over and over on other sites and hence the fear of OC'ing. The state police have been trying to make CT a CC only state for years, while other states are legalizing OC. Doesn't make much since, but then again this is CT.........

August 25, 2010, 08:46 PM	#18
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	^^^^^ Yeah, cause I want to arrest somebody, drive the 10-45 minutes to the barracks. Process and fingerprint them. Then write a 5-6 page arrest report, secure the gun as evidence (another 4-5 forms, which need to be signed off on by a SGT.), all for no reason. Not likely. It also appears you spelled Patriot wrong. Not really sure what a Patriat is, maybe you meant Patriot?

August 26, 2010, 02:40 PM	#20
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	So why charge someone who's NOT breaking any laws with BOP?? I'll tell you why. It seems to me that once police are called, they then feel they HAVE to charge someone with a crime, Making the point that arresting someone here in CT isn't quite as easy as writing a ticket or ordering lunch. So, I don't know of any cop that feels like they have to make an arrest just because they were called somewhere. In my Troop area we have 5 cops for 400 square miles, I don't want to take myself off the road for a few hours handling an arrest unless its needed.

August 26, 2010, 03:49 PM	#21
1776 Patriat Member Join Date: August 24, 2010 Location: Ga Posts: 41	"So, I don't know of any cop that feels like they have to make an arrest just because they were called somewhere." Obviously your not aware of the Goldberg case(might want to get some info on it being a State Trooper). While you may not want to take yourself off the road for an arrest that's "not needed" the fact remains that there are many LEO's in this great state of ours that will and are arresting law abiding citizens for doing something totally legal. I've actually talked to some local LEO's who have told be straight up that they would arrest someone for OC'ing as it's "against the law". Hence, all the law suits currently going through the courts now. While I agree the Police should respond to all MWAG calls, they probably should no the law before making an arrest for OC. That's all i'm saying. Nothing against you personally. And yes, I realized my spelling arror after hitting da buttin to resistor.

August 26, 2010, 04:20 PM	#22
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	I am well aware of Mr. Goldberg and his case. His issue is with the permit review board. I agree with him in that case, if the only way to get your permit reinstated is the board. Then maybe the board should meet much more often. I also agree with making the law spelled out one way or the other once and for all. Using breach of the peace as a catch all does work, however, the statutes need to be changed to either clearly make OC legal, or clearly ( I mean 100%, no gray area) illegal. One or the other. Depending on your GA, breach has been used many times and will continue to be used as the charge for OC'ing that results in causing annoyance or alarm. My GA will pursue that charge, some may not.

August 26, 2010, 04:27 PM	#23
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	On a side note, I went on probably 15 calls today, never made an arrest. Making an arrest is not something that cops take lightly. If I dont know the law thats in question, I look it up, if I am still not sure I can either call a state's attorney or submit an arrest warrant to the court. That puts it on the court and the warrant has to be signed by a superior court judge. If I have doubts, I keep digging and figure it out. Every cop I have ever worked with operates the same way. Do mistakes get made? Yes. Are there bad arrests made? Yes. Is it common? No. Do I know any cop that just makes arrests willy nilly and on a whim? No.

August 26, 2010, 05:32 PM	#24
Al Norris Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2000 Location: Rupert, Idaho Posts: 9,660	1776 Patriat: It appears that with your first post at TFL, you went digging to find a 5 month old thread, specifically to bash Connecticut cops, and not to offer additional information. Just so you know, we don't paint with the broad-brush here.