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Gun owner receives apology from police chief
Knoxville News/Sentinel (Knoxville, TN) ^ | September 22, 2007 | Matt Lakin

Posted on 09/22/2007 3:09:59 PM PDT by libstripper

Trevor Putnam knew the gun laws. The officer who stopped him didn’t.

“When I told him that I hadn’t done anything, he said he’d find a reason to put me in jail,” said Putnam, 24, who works with guns every day as vice president of Coal Creek Armory in West Knoxville.

“It’s not that I have a problem with police officers. I deal with police officers nationwide from Arizona to Maine every day. But I lost my confidence in a legal right that I knew I had.”

Knoxville police officers will get a refresher course on the state’s gun permit laws after an officer who didn’t know the law stopped, frisked and threatened to arrest Putnam for legally carrying a gun inside a Wal-Mart this summer.

(Excerpt) Read more at knoxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: apology; badcopnodonut; banglist; beserkcop; ccw; donutwatch; knoxville; leo; policechief; walmart
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Great outcome to what could have been a bad case. I live about 8 miles away from the Wal-Mart mentioned in the story and the same distance from Coal Creek Armory. I often shop at that Wal-Mart, shoot at the Coal Creek Armory, have a CCW permit, and always carry heat in my vehicle.
1 posted on 09/22/2007 3:10:01 PM PDT by libstripper
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To: libstripper

Second story today about a cop who said he’d “find a reason” to put an innocent man in jail. Can’t wait for the cop groupies to show up.


2 posted on 09/22/2007 3:12:56 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: libstripper
The officer in question ought to ask his former Senator, and future President, about the 2nd.

I'm sure Fred could s'plain things to him.

3 posted on 09/22/2007 3:13:50 PM PDT by AFreeBird (Will NOT vote for Rudy. <--- notice the period)
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To: libstripper
Trevor Putnam knew the gun laws. The officer who stopped him didn’t.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. :-)

4 posted on 09/22/2007 3:17:51 PM PDT by lowbridge (All I Have To Say Is....KERMIT THE FROG IS IN SESAME STREET GOD DAMNIT!)
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To: ozzymandus
The officer in question was clearly wrong...but as to how wrong, it really depends upon which quote is right. Here's one from the article: “I’ve been doing this for 12 years. I can put you in jail for something. It’s called inducing a panic.”

It's not quite the same if you drop the last sentence.

Without it, it's Intent to deprive under color of law. With it, it's a dumb cop.

5 posted on 09/22/2007 3:20:58 PM PDT by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: libstripper

I used to donate to the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) occasionally before I realized that most of the Police Chief’s throughout the country are a anti-2nd amendment.
The average police officer isn’t against the 2nd amendment, but police chief’s have a gun-grabber attitude more often than not.


6 posted on 09/22/2007 3:26:16 PM PDT by Mogollon
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To: libstripper
Trevor Putnam knew the gun laws. The officer who stopped him didn’t.

They often don't.

7 posted on 09/22/2007 3:28:14 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo ("Hidin' in a corner ...of New York City, lookin' down a .44 in West Virginy")
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To: libstripper

1) I’m surprised the article gives a what appears to be a fairly even-handed account.

2) I hope the cop doesn’t carry a chip on his shoulder after this. Most cops aren’t fond of being proven in the wrong publicly.


8 posted on 09/22/2007 3:32:25 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: ozzymandus

I consider myself very strongly pro-cop, but certainly not a groupie. I can’t find anything about the actions of this officer to defend. I admire the cops who concentrate on getting the truly dangerous people off the streets, and it’s too bad that some of the cops use up so much time on petty crap like this.


9 posted on 09/22/2007 3:34:14 PM PDT by Enterprise (Those who "betray us" also "Betray U.S." They're called DEMOCRATS!)
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To: libstripper

What’s the use of carrying a gun if it’s not cocked, locked and ready to rock?


10 posted on 09/22/2007 3:34:40 PM PDT by wastedyears (George Orwell was a clairvoyant.)
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To: robertpaulsen; beltfed308; snarkybob; DaveLoneRanger; dragnet2

2nd amendment, cops get a lesson, PING!


11 posted on 09/22/2007 3:37:24 PM PDT by Issaquahking (N.H. FNC Debate "What did you do for America today?" Duncan Hunter for President!)
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To: libstripper

Typical knee jerk cop reaction. These stupid cops should be glad that regular citizens are willing to carry for their protection and the protection of others. With the amazingly high number of criminals all over the country who are never caught. The citizens need the right to carry. In many cases its the cops who are getting help. Cops react after the crime. A concealed carry holder has a chance to react as crime happens.


12 posted on 09/22/2007 3:37:31 PM PDT by cquiggy
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To: lowbridge
Ignorance of the law is no excuse. :-)

Show me one Judge that's never used that phrase before.

I had a rookie officer complain to me because I didn't tell him
there was a Firearm in my vehicle. I had pulled over before he could
complete his license check which would have revealed my CCW.
I think it scared the heck out of him because he was unprepared.
And he didn't even write me up on my speeding ticket. Oh Yea.

13 posted on 09/22/2007 3:38:31 PM PDT by MaxMax (God Bless America)
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To: ozzymandus

Well, I’m one of those cop “groupies.” I nearly always take the side of law enforcement, or at least give them the benefit of the doubt.

This case is different.

The RKBA, in my opinion, is our most important right, and it galls me to think that an officer could be so cavalier about violating it.

I also don’t like it when bad cops make the majority good cops look like thugs, by threatening citizens w/ false charges.

But in some cases, cops are justified in threatening to arrest folks who are just out to goad them, or test them, for no other reason than that they think they can.


14 posted on 09/22/2007 3:39:03 PM PDT by jim35 ("...when the lion and the lamb lie down together, ...we'd better damn sure be the lion")
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To: Enterprise

I’m not anti-cop, but I’m anti Bad cop, and there seem to be more and more of them. I also detest the cop groupies who show up on every thread saying cops can do no wrong. My perfect solution for these boot-lickers would be for them to run into a bad cop.


15 posted on 09/22/2007 3:39:37 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: cquiggy

When in danger, dial 357. When the danger is over, dial 911.


16 posted on 09/22/2007 3:41:07 PM PDT by wastedyears (George Orwell was a clairvoyant.)
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To: libstripper
I have to say the police chief handled it very professionally.

Dollars to donuts his LEO will be trained and this mistake will not happen again.

17 posted on 09/22/2007 3:47:39 PM PDT by Popman (Nothing + Time + Chance = The Universe ---------------------Bridge in Brooklyn for sale - Cheap)
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To: Issaquahking

Thanks for the ping! Looks like the police chief handled this well.


18 posted on 09/22/2007 4:00:26 PM PDT by beltfed308 (Rudy: When you absolutely,positively need a liberal for President.)
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To: ozzymandus

The Police—Guaranteed to be there in MINUTES when SECONDS count !


19 posted on 09/22/2007 4:01:49 PM PDT by Renegade
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To: wastedyears
When in danger, dial 357. When the danger is over, dial 911.

911..., the only officially government sanctioned "Dial A Prayer" line!

20 posted on 09/22/2007 4:08:19 PM PDT by ExSES (the "bottom-line")
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