Interview with an OPP Officer

[Lotech]

FYI

Tonight, I went over to a friends place to have my son talk to my friend’s sister who is an OPP Officer. My son has always wanted to be a Police Officer and had a very good talk with her about how to get to be an Officer, University and testing. My friend wanted me to bring my TM Sig P226 over to show him the guns as he will be joining me and my wife in Muskoka May 19th for the big game. After the initial hello with the officer who showed up in an unmarked cruiser, Mark asked me to pull out the SIG 226. With true Airsoft responsibility I pulled out the locked gun case, which I was able to purchase off EBay from an American. The case is from a Real Steel P226 and even had the manual for a real P226/P229 inside, which I kept. When she saw the case, you could tell she new the gun maker well and I made sure to open slowly and let her see the P226 with a trigger guard. She picked up the gun and immediately pulled back the slide locking the gun open as the mag was not in the gun. She had never seen an Airsoft gun before and informed me that she used the P229. I did not know that the OPP used SIG pistols and with her small hands they gave her the P229. The weight and feel was as real steel and she was amazed. Inside the gun case was even a manual for the real P226/229 which she stated did not come with her gun. I think she wanted my real steel manual that came in the case. I had her inform all at the table that if she were to see this in a car she would be forced to draw her weapon. She also said that went she pulls over people and can see a trigger guard key on their car key chain; she also starts the process of searching for weapons and becoming alert to the fact that you have a gun. My friend’s sister was great and I made sure to inform her of the effort we at the ASC put in to talking about gun safety, proper storage and age requirement. I feel that it is our responsibility to make sure the Police know we are not crazy gun loving maniacs. Well.. Most of us. 8)
I have seen many posts lately with noob’s asking some stupid questions about carrying BB guns and Airsoft in there cars in the back seat or even in their school bag. They have argued with moderators about what the Police can and can’t do. Let us put this to rest once and for all. It will not make a difference what the gun is when the cop looks in your car and sees a gun. You will be handcuffed and a gun pointed at you until the Officer finds out about the gun and even then they may still write you up for improper storage. Keep the guns in your trunk and locks on everything. At the end of the day the Office may be the only one going home. My next installment will be the story about what happened right after the P226 when I pulled my MP5K with tracer unit and scope out of the other gun case. :-D
For what its worth

Lotech

[Jackals]

Interesting Story, and hopefully this will help to end the never ending debate on how to properly store your guns.

[thephenom]

Originally Posted by Jackals

Interesting Story, and hopefully this will help to end the never ending debate on how to properly store your guns.

Isn't much of a debate, it's always the best to "Play it safe". :-D

Nice story Lotech, it's always good to see some positive support for the sport.

[sniperbay]

Interesting story.. sounds liek you had a good convo with her..

On a side note.. if she thinks a TM Sig P226 wieghs as much as the real steel, she obviously has really bad wieght judgment. I thought, first off, that OPP used SIG P228's as I could swear that is what OPP back home (peterborough county) use, and I have handled thier issue and its significantly heavier.. same with a real steel glock and a full metal airsoft... no comparison.. I found they dont even look the same as the slides look very different even from numerous feet away..

anyhoo, enough of my critique.. always good to hear another responsible player promoting proper storage and handling of the equipment.. keep it up

[Greylocks]

What bugs me is that these kinds of facts have to be said at all.
Treat airsoft EXACTLY like real guns.
I just dont get what is so freaking complicated about that, or that folks can be that stupid.
But they are, we see that here almost every day.

[sniperbay]

Originally Posted by Greylocks

What bugs me is that these kinds of facts have to be said at all.
Treat airsoft EXACTLY like real guns.
I just dont get what is so freaking complicated about that, or that folks can be that stupid.
But they are, we see that here almost every day.

well one can commonly transport them in soft cases with paintball markings on it and people dont think anything of it.. but for the most part.. I would agree that treating them as real steel (such as when its ok to display/use one, storage, and such) is a good idea. But sometimes some people take it too far.. Ex. I am not locking my airsoft MP5 in a hard case with a trigger lock on it.. its excessive, and I feel I treat them responsibly enough not to warrent it.. The key is displaying them, whipping em out at a party or jsut for shits and giggles is obviously a bad call.. and yes, its a shame that one really needs to tell people that... more pathetic is after you tell people that 1000 times... they still do it... :smack:

[Blackthorne]

I have to admit, mine have been stored in locked gun cases for transport and storage, but not trigger locked.

They are still tranported the same way, but they now go into my gunsafe when they are not being used.

I already can see the argument that trigger locks are an added expense when getting into the sport, but I can't support that. Trigger locks are $15 a piece and an EL-CHEAPO lock for your transport cae can be had at the local corner store for under $3.

There is just no excuse.

[Scarecrow]

Except when you forget your keys for the locks and then someone says no problem and defeats the trigger lock with a pocket knife in 4.5 seconds.

Originally Posted by Lotech

She also said that went she pulls over people and can see a trigger guard key on their car key chain; she also starts the process of searching for weapons and becoming alert to the fact that you have a gun.

Ok, there's something I hadn't thought about. Guess I'll be moving those gun keys now...

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

Except when you forget your keys for the locks and then someone says no problem and defeats the trigger lock with a pocket knife in 4.5 seconds.

What cracks me up is trigger locks on a lever action. Totaly legit but as secure as a clip on earing.

[Lotech]

Originally Posted by sniperbay

Interesting story.. sounds liek you had a good convo with her..

On a side note.. if she thinks a TM Sig P226 wieghs as much as the real steel, she obviously has really bad wieght judgment. I thought, first off, that OPP used SIG P228's as I could swear that is what OPP back home (peterborough county) use, and I have handled thier issue and its significantly heavier.. same with a real steel glock and a full metal airsoft... no comparison.. I found they dont even look the same as the slides look very different even from numerous feet away..

anyhoo, enough of my critique.. always good to hear another responsible player promoting proper storage and handling of the equipment.. keep it up

On another side note..I went to a site that talked about the specs for the real steel P226 and it says the weight is 802g empty. I then went ot Double Edge Airsoft and looked at the TM P226 weight which was listed at 802g empty so I think she is a very good judge of weight. The Officer also told me that she does not uses what most of the other officers use due to her hands being very small.
I wish I could have played with a real P226 but the pictures in the manual for the real steel and all the real steel pictures on the net look exactly like my P226 from any distance and angle.

Thanks

Lotech

[Gryphon]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

Ok, there's something I hadn't thought about. Guess I'll be moving those gun keys now...

Don't move anything. To search someone's vehicle for weapons because you think you see a trigger lock key on their chain is asinine, not to mention illegal. You can't search a vehicle based on a key they possess unless you have reasonable and probable grounds to believe there is a crime happening, or the owner gives consent (which you are not obligated to). And last time I checked, owning a trigger lock key is not yet illegal in Canada. If you're arresting someone and are searching the vehicle already, the type of key they have is irrelevant; you'll find weapons if they've got them. Furthermore, this officer claims to be able to tell trigger lock keys from any other type on a keychain that is presumably in the ignition and hidden by the steering column? This really smacks of BS or just plain ignorance.

Nothing against cops, but hearing things like that is really irritating.

[ToRN]

Originally Posted by Lotech

She picked up the gun and immediately pulled back the slide locking the gun open as the mag was not in the gun.

No, she didn't.

Not calling you a liar or anything, but you definately have your facts mixed up.
When there is no magazine in a firearm, the slide will not lock back when operated. You must activate the slide lock with your thumb to lock it back.

Originally Posted by Lotech

She also said that went she pulls over people and can see a trigger guard key on their car key chain; she also starts the process of searching for weapons and becoming alert to the fact that you have a gun.

Totaly false, and an invasion of privacy. A key does not give probable cause for a search, and any officer who preformed a search, and detained an individual because they saw a key, would be in deep, for unlawful search, and false arrest (oh, didn't you know that by law, if an individual feels that they are not free to leave, they are considered to be under arrest?)

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by ToRN

No, she didn't.

Not calling you a liar or anything, but you definately have your facts mixed up.
When there is no magazine in a firearm, the slide will not lock back when operated. You must activate the slide lock with your thumb to lock it back.

I think what Lotech meant is that she locked the slide herself. Since GBBs won't lock the slide when the mag is absent, either. At least mine won't.

Did you intentionally keep the real SIG's manual inside the case to throw her off, Lotech?

[Scarecrow]

All I know is if a police officer asked to see what was in my car or my trunk I would comply. I have nothing to hide in either place and if it satisfies them such that I can get along with my business, I don't have a problem with it. Airsoft is usually not a problem if you conduct yourself appropriately and we get some good recruitment opportunities from these contacts with law enforcement personnel.