Connecticut State Police Finally Admit Open Carry is Lawful

State Police admit in no uncertain terms that there is nothing unlawful about NOT concealing your firearm in public.

Constitutional Carry Open Carry
Constitutional Carry Open Carry
Connecticut Carry
Connecticut Carry

Connecticut –-(Ammoland.com)- It comes as no surprise to the well informed gun owners across the state, but the State Police are finally admitting something they have been reticent to do so far:

There is no requirement to conceal your firearm when carrying it in public.

If you have a handgun, you need a permit to open carry or to carry concealed., BUT YOU DO NEED A PERMIT.

For several years, Connecticut Carry and its directors along with active gun owners have pushed the state to put an end to bad arrests of people who are lawfully carrying their firearms unconcealed. Police departments have been sued in Federal court over this issue and still the State Police stood by, mostly silent on the issue. Finally, Connecticut Carry has come into possession of a training memo issued to State Police officers across the state that should put the issue of whether someone can be arrested for lawfully carrying a firearm unconcealed to bed once and for all.

Key points from the memo:

“In Connecticut there is NO state statute which makes it illegal for someone with a valid permit to openly carry a pistol in plain view”

“State Police personnel should NOT arrest a properly permitted individual merely for publicly carrying a hand gun or firearm in plain view”

“a complaint from someone that they were merely alarmed or in fear of an openly carried firearm would not arise to the level of a ‘breach of peace’ situation”

The memo simply confirms what informed Connecticut gun owners have known for a long time, open carry is legal in the State of Connecticut.

Will the politicians like Michael Lawlor now apologize for their statements that were clearly so incorrect and dishonest about this issue, or will they continue to stand by their assertions while the State Police break ranks and abandon them?

The memo can be found here: https://ctcarry.com/Document/Download/a034b530-1221-425d-a99f-53af710ff219

State Of Connecticut State Police Training Bulletin 2013 – 01

This memo was uncovered through an investigation by Connecticut Carry Director Ed Peruta and Attorney Rachel Baird and we appreciate their efforts in securing this document in an expedited fashion as soon as they caught word of it. This will hopefully be timely to help keep other citizens from being arrested for no reason.

More information on this issue can be found on https://ctcarry.com.

Connecticut Carry is dedicated to advancing and protecting the fundamental civil rights of the men and women of Connecticut to keep and bear arms for defense of themselves and the state as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Connecticut.

Contact:
Richard Burgess
President
Connecticut Carry, Inc
Ph: 203-208-9577
Email: [email protected]
https://ctcarry.com

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Gulf Coast Matt

The Connecticut constitution allows citizens to bear arms for defense of self & state.—sec 1 #15… Some judge said a legislature can put restrictions on this ? How can a legislature make a change on a constitutional right, with out a constitutional convention….? Something stinks here in Connecticut and I think it comes from Hartford….yikes

littlemike

[sigh] Here comes “Old West” again, as if it was ever a valid argument. Yeah, everybody just shoots when they get mad at someone, happens every day—‚said nobody ever.
How do you know if somebody has a permit? Here’s a hint: unlawful carriers don’t reveal their gun unless they are pointing it at you.
I’m not hanging license plates on my ass like a car. You’re welcome.

Angus

Ok lets go back to the old west. Just shoot when you get mad at someone. Or if I see you ln a store with a gun how do I know you have permit. ?????? Maybe license that people can see?? Thanks for your time.

Lou

Can the officer take your pistol from you while he/she is checking your permit status? I don’t really feel comfortable handing my pistol to someone i don’t even know!

Rick Daigle

The problem i see is when a officer ask to see your permit how does he determine where you are reaching fo your gun or your wallet?

Sam1278

This is the best crime deterrent of all . Imagine some criminal with a gun walking in to a place to rob it and seeing a couple of guys legally carrying their firearms. I bet he’ll be getting the hell out of there. I think maybe the police are finally realizing with everything going on in America this kind of attitude might also save a few cops lives along the way!,

MaxEffectUSA

What’s wrong with your State Police? Are they politically appointed? I reside in ME and ours recently backed us for Constitutional carry. It starts this October.

Edgar

Local PDs are aware of the memo, yet I know some officers still take it upon themselves to harass a lawfully carrying citizen. I saw one video about an incident in Hartford where a typical bully police officer berates a guy in a Walmart and even tries to get the manager to say he didn’t want a firearm being carried in his store. The manager refuted that.
By the way, Walmart has officially stated the store has no problem with people carrying openly in their department stores nationwide.

Ted

Does anyone know if local police departments have received this memo and do they see it the same way as the state police?

Dallas

When are people going to get it into they’re thick stupid skulls…people who are going to commit a violent crime with a gun Do not give a SH*T! About a permit or a sign put on a store front THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY! ! You don’t need a permit to hurt someone with a firearm! Why would they bother “Damit! NO GUNS ALOWED! …maybe next year …..those darn signs get me every time! LOLOLOL!!

kenny naylor

Can open carry in ct or not .

littlemike

There’s a law against strolling around?

Russell

I was told years ago by local PD that open carry was ok as long as I was sober and minding my own business.

CT Permit Holder

Open carry…..West Haven cops arrest Derby man for refusal to show gun permit

https://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20130603/west-haven-cops-arrest-derby-man-for-refusal-to-show-gun-permit

Lynn

I just called the State Police and confirmed this was true. Can open carry in CT. 860-685-8290.

James

I do openly carry while strolling around town. It has nothing to do with showing anyone anything. Just because I’m not going to the store doesn’t mean I don’t have the right to carry or defend myself. Nowhere on my permit does it say I can only carry if I have somewhere to go. That is not breach of peace. All the comments I’ve seen about this saying that you are just trying to cause trouble by doing that are ridiculous. It’s the law that we can open carry no matter what we happen to be doing. I shouldn’t have… Read more »

CARRIE

IT DOES ALMOST SOUND LIKE A SET UP DOESNT IT?? GOOD POINT LUTZ.

Brian

Lutz the memo actually says the opposite, you have to fit the elements of the crime to be arrested for breach of peace. The presence of an openly carried firearm is NOT sufficient on its own to be considered breach of peace, however it can be a contributing factor. So someone calling up the police say “some wacko is carrying a gun” while it will be investigated. If your just out for a walk to pick up milk at the corner store, they are instructed to simply check that your licenced and tell you to have a nice day. If… Read more »

Lutz

If you read the memo it states that you can still be arrested for breach of peace.Then when you get arrested you can lose your permit because you now have an arrest record.If I read this correctly.

littlemike

No court has ever ruled that mere visibility of an openly carried firearm by itself rises to the level of breach of peace.

Jen Z

Well now this will give the legislature a new reason to harass gun owners when they get back in session. They must be positively giddy about this.

Buck

It won’t take long for the state dictators to do something to complicate or end that They are so anti-gun they should have sided with the British during the revolutionary war , and Massachusetts as well , all the heroes in those states are obviously dead or they could not stand the cowardice and left .

Jeffrey

Score 1 for the goodguys!

jamie

It doesn’t really make a lot of sense that its ok to carry a gun hidden with a permit, but that if your shirt rides up or something and someone sees it then it is illegal. On a different topic, I am pretty sure it is illegal for people who are here illegally to receive any sort of government benefits, you can however receive benefits if you are here legally as an immigrant. A lot of immigrants actually pay in SS and payroll taxes are deducted but they never get anything back because they are here illegally so they can’t… Read more »

Steve

The “State Police” are just that, state controlled! They don’t care what the law is, they enforce/ignore the laws when ever they choose!

The reason they’ve given in is because a really big stink was made about it!

5 War Vetwran

Open carry has always been lawful. Concealed Carry was “legislated” to be unlawful” as a form of taxation without representation. The “Right to Keep and Bear Arms” never said anything about them being concealed or not. It is just like Drivers licenses. While having a requirement to pass a driver’s test is common sense acceptable, charging a fee every so many years is simply taxation. Birth certificates do not show that you were “born” just standing there shows you were born. The certificate shows where you were born. And since the current US president did not have to provide even… Read more »