[jwpjr]

Several years ago I was chief of paramedics for the county's ems system here. I played a lot racquetball and would frequently stop in a convenience store on the way home from the courts about midnight and get something cold to drink. I was in the habit of putting my county radio in my back pocket when I was going to be out of the car. One night I was in the convenience store and a young man walked up to me while I was standing by the drink cooler, showed me a badge and sheriff's ID and asked if he could talk to me outside. When we got out of the store he asked "what is the radio for?" I explained I was chief of paramedics and on call 24/7. He was very polite but explained that I was taking a hell of chance carrying that radio into the convenience, pointing out that if I were to walk in on an armed robbery and the criminal heard the radio he would assume that I was law enforcement and would probably shoot me without hesitation. I thought about it for a minute and realized how right he was. Needless to say, after that I went in to get my drink sans radio. I feel the same way about this volunteer. The uniformed major who oversees the volunteer disabled parking brigade needs to point out to them that pulling in behind and blocking someone who is just getting back into their car from visiting an atm is a good way to get yourself shot!

[Copernicus]

I thought about it for a minute and realized how right he was after which I always carried my pistol whenever I walked into a Convenience Store with my Paramedic Radio.

Just a thought.

Best regards,