I know you guys/gals probably get this kind of question all the time, but what would you as a "cop" recomend for a legal self defence weapon??? I live in Tennessee and I think they are pretty weapon friendly here. Also does anyone know of a really good website for every weapon legality in certain states??? I would appreciate the info. Thanks in advance.
A question for Police Officers...
- Thread starter Satt
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Gary Crawford
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Hi Satt, I am not a cop,but having lived in Tennessee for the last ten years,I can tell you this: There is no such thing as a "legal weapon". It's all at the descretion of the judges and prosicutors. As far as what is legal to carry,anything that has a non-combative use is ok. It all depends on the situation and what mood the judge is in. I hope this helps.
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Tgace said:
Well, I guess that's part of the question. The other part is what is your recomendation as far as what to carry out of the selection of legal things. In other words...what would be the least likely thing that could get me in trouble and would still be effective in self defence??? I have been really curious about this lately. I could go through the whole concealed weapon permit thing, but I want to carry something anyway you know. I hope that cleared up my questions. It might have made it worse though.
Martial Tucker
Black Belt
Certainly not to be confused with the effectiveness of a handgun. knife, or even a cane, but my favorite "non-weapon/weapon", is a simple plastic comb. Usually the cheap, unbreakable black ones that bend easily are the best. The kind that has a large "tooth" on either end. Hold it so that one end sticks about half-way out of your hand, with your index finger along the "spine". If someone grabs you, you can dig the large end tooth into their hand or forearm, or their ribs, or rip it across their face/eyes. This will absolutely slice their face open, creating a lot of blood to scare or blind them. I usually wear painter jeans with a thigh pocket, and I always have a comb in there, even though I don't need it for my hair. No cop or judge in the world would question you carrying or using this. Again, this is no substitute for a real weapon, but it's cheap, effective in a lot of situations, and "safe" for you.
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Tgace said:
Anything really. I was kinda thinking of stuff like Kubotans, tazers, pepper spray, ink pens, etc... stuff like that. What would be the most recomended of the small concealables like these??? I've thought of getting a small pistol with a permit, but that's so expensive...
When I lived in California I had to take a (one-day) course at the local community college to get a permit to carry chemical spray.
Thing is, if an altercation takes place and you defend yourself using martial knowledge, you may then be required to register yourself as a deadly weapon in the precinct where you live and possibly where you work, and possibly in the precinct where you defended yourself with your hairstyling tool or other substitute weapon.
Your best bet is to contact your local police dept. and inquire with them. They should be able to tell you what is legal/illegal.
Mike
Mike
BlueDragon1981
Brown Belt
I have a question .... I'm being serious about this too. I mean no disrespect to cops...but why are small town cops so arrogant.
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Satt said:
I am not a law enforcement officer, but I can still give you a few suggestions.
My suggestion would be to carry around a pocket knife. Despite the term "pocket knife," a good quality lockback / folding knife, such as a Spyderco Delica (2 7/8" blade) or a Spyderco Endura (3 7/8" blade), would be an excellent tool for opening up boxes that could also be used as a wonderful personal defense weapon.
In your state, Tenneessee, such folding knives are perfectly fine, as long as their blade lengths do not exceed 4".
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/tn.txt
http://www.donath.org/Rants/StateKnifeLaws/
Very easy to carry, and slips into your front pocket quite nicely. It's also very easy to deploy, since all it takes is a single hand, using the thumb in the trademark thumb hole, to open. Much faster than trying to fiddle around with a balisong / butterfly knife, and Spyderco guarantees them for life.
Some people would suggest jumping through the hoops to get the permit to carry around a baton. In order to do this, you need training, and a certificate issued by the authorized trainer (ask your local police dept on how to get one). That's fine, but even the best of collapsible batons are a bit bulky for concealed carry.
http://www.selfdefenseforums.com/forums/printthread.php?t=1433
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What about a leatherman? Its SO much more like a tool... but those needlenose tips on the pliers are plenty sharp...
Because some of them trained in the big city. Actually it seems to be a sweeping problem. While not all cops are arrogant, I have only met one or two who weren't. It's sad and unnecessary, but I think it might be a by-product of the nature of their job, so ... I try really really really hard to be understanding.BlueDragon1981 said:
Very commonly used as a weapon, is it not? Can't get on a plane with one, but you can get on plane with a comb or steel pen.Technopunk said:
Martial Tucker
Black Belt
shesulsa said:
The problem in the area where I live (Chicago) is, that even though some items might be legal to carry, e.g, kubotan, those items are still considered in local courtrooms to be "weapons by design", and as a trained martial artist you are scrutinized much more harshly if you use such a weapon on a "poor, unsuspecting assailant". I certainly agree with the old "better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6" adage, but we have had several local police/detectives train at our school, and when this topic is discussed, the unfortunate consensus is that, as martial artists in our area, it is better from a legal standpoint to carry items that are not designed to be weapons, but can be used as weapons. That's certainly not to say it's better from a self-defense standpoint. Obviously, the final decision on what to carry should depend on both local laws and the risks of the area in which you intend to frequent.
I am not sure you should concern yourself with which weapon to carry or to become familiar with. You should first study and understand the use of force for a certain situation. It does not matter if you use a gun, knife, or a rolled up newspaper. If you use it to bring harm to another individual you will have to answer for your actions. If you are in the right, you may still have to pay either with time in court defending your actions or with money paying the person for the harm you brought to them. If you carry a weapon you are more likely to use and not always for the better. Make sure that no matter what you decise to carry you are very familiar with it and that you know what you are getting yourself into if you pull it.
Martial Tucker
Black Belt
shesulsa said:
Yep....or a cane, or an umbrella, which can both inflict a lot of damage.
Another emergency weapon of sorts on a plane is an empty soda can, which, with a little practice, can be torn in half and fashioned into a sharp weapon in
about 3-5 seconds. Certainly not as effective as a real blade, but better than nothing, and potentially very damaging.
