I try to take the long view in trying to alleviate such problems before they become problems, by starting with some axioms.
1) Police on patrol are essentially acting as predators. This means that first, something attracts their attention, and then they try to determine is it legal or unlawful. In a way they are like young men girl-watching (as someone said, “like lions watching a gazelle”); because they too are content to just watch intently, unless something compels them to go hit on that attractive gazelle.
So the important lesson here is that if you are carrying, open or concealed, you are not looking or doing something else that attracts the eye.
In this case, his being shirtless, plus his unknowingly being in a place with recent property and gun crime, tipped the balance of attention.
2) Being known to the police as an open or concealed carry person does wonders in their attitude, but is not always practical. But there is also “community standards”, of which it is very important to be aware of. For example, in a “liberal” area, assume that a lot of people will get agitated by just seeing a gun. And that it is going to take a while for them to get over their irrational fear, or at least their willingness to call the police about their irrational fear.
3) This all points to the value of public relations. If you want to carry in an area, you can “inoculate” the area ahead of time about the legality of gun carry, your good intentions, how business owners should approach their employees, etc. Such inoculation can last several years, and avoids a lot of unwanted stress and harassment.
Likewise a friendly conversation with a police officer can inoculate his entire department, again for several years. And they might not even know your name, just that “some people are now legally carrying open and concealed, which is okay, so don’t get upset about it unless you see them doing something else. I’ve mentioned it to dispatch, so if some upset citizen calls in, they will settle them down.”
It’s sad that these police departments are not Andy Griffith who can be civil and, like, ask why the gun. Upon which one could say for the sake of safety. How does being shirtless add to anyone’s being a menace. The popo problem isn’t just a popo problem, it is a humanity problem which is a devil problem which is a God problem. (Maybe if they did that to me I’d preach the gospel to them explaining that there is a God ready to put them in eternal bonds if they are not saved from their sins.)