Armed Encounter with a Yuma County Sheriff’s Deputy

AmmoLand ^ | November 16,2021 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

In early November 2021, this correspondent was doing some target shooting and chronograph work on public land, in an unused sand and gravel pit with a good backstop, off a dirt track north of the Foothills/I8 interchange. The weather was clear and calm, about 72 degrees.

I had just fired my last shot when a Yuma County deputy pulled up behind my vehicle. It was about 0940. I put down the pistol I was shooting. It was suppressed. I waited for the deputy to advance about 50 feet. The pistol was in full view.

The deputy asked if I knew how far I was from houses, I said it was more than a quarter-mile. A quarter-mile distance from occupied dwellings is required to shoot on public land in Arizona. The deputy said that I was an adequate distance from any buildings.

I was carrying my old Glock17, concealed. He asked if I had a firearm on me. I said I did. He asked if I would please refrain from touching it while we talked. I said that was fine.

He indicated someone had called in about someone shooting in the area, and, while what I was doing was legal, I might consider changing the location or geometry a bit.

He asked for ID and I handed mine to him. It was my Arizona driver’s license, with the option of not having the Social Security number on it.

Was that necessary? Probably not. I believe you pick your battles and choose your ground. This ground was about legal shooting, not whether the deputy had the authority to demand to check my ID.

This correspondent has been in his shoes. I knew he was following protocol. It doesn’t hurt that I am known in the county. There have been other incidents where deputies have contacted me during Second

[dirtymac]

when I was in high school, several students would have their rifle in the back window. (they used to make gun rack ). the only time a cop would pull us over was when he wanted to know the make and model of the rifle. We would usually have a lengthy conversation about it. He would then leave. Maybe he was checking or maybe he was just being friendly.
{circa 1965}