Uniformed Deputy Told He Can’t Wear Gun Into Greenwood Movie Theater
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 10 months ago
Warren County Sheriff’s Capt. Tim Robinson had planned to finish his end-of-the-work-day lunch break Friday by joining some friends for an early afternoon showing of “Wonder Woman” at the Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10 when he was turned away for wearing his gun.
Wearing a Class B uniform – the type of uniform with a badge embroidered on a polo-style shirt – Robinson entered the theater with friends, including some children who were looking forward to seeing the show. He was met by an employee who told him company policy forbids off-duty law enforcement officers from wearing guns into the theater.
He explained he was on his lunch break until 4:30 p.m. The employee responded by saying he could stand in the lobby until that time but still had to remove his gun before going into the theater.
“I got refused service at a movie theater,” Robinson said. He said he was “flabbergasted.”
“Really and truly, if I had not been a party to it, I would never have believed it would happen in Bowling Green,” he said.
Robinson explained the theater’s company policy does not trump state and federal law, both of which allow on- and off-duty officers to carry guns at all times. A new state law has a penalty phase that begins next month for businesses that deny officers the right to wear their guns.
“I tried to explain to them that a company policy does not override state and federal law,” he said. “They stood by their policy so I went outside and I removed my gun and shirt and went back in to watch the movie.”
[ … ]
Robinson felt wearing the shirt with the badge on it could have potentially made him a target of violence from someone with strong anti-police sentiment.
“If I’m wearing my official (uniform) I should be in a capacity where I am able to do my job and being unarmed I’m not going to be able to do that,” he said.
I couldn’t care less that you’re a LEO. I fully support the idea that you’re just like us, not better. I fully support their right to tell you not to carry, as well and your and my right to boycott their theater because of their policy. What I don’t support is your right to carry in that establishment if they don’t recognize mine.
By the way, as for this fear you have of attacks for which you’re unprepared? How does it feel? You see, wearing a uniform is only one of the things that could get you attacked. The list is long, including color of your skin, length of your hair, whether you’re wearing head covering if you’re a woman (if you live in Dearborn, Michigan), or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This problem you have with being unarmed and unable to respond to attack is the very same problem we face if we can’t carry. Join the club. But don’t expect sympathy from these quarters.
On June 5, 2017 at 12:50 pm, Jack Crabb said:
Exactly, Herschel.
Great minds think alike. What you wrote is pretty much what was running through my mind as I read the post.
A magic blue polo shirt does not endow him with extra “rights”.
On June 5, 2017 at 1:03 pm, JJ said:
Rights for me, but not for thee.
Texas LTC (License to Carry Handgun) holders are more than 20 times less likely to commit a crime than the average Texan, including law enforcement. Yet there are a lot of restrictions on where we are allowed to carry that LEO’s are allowed.
Additionally, every instructor that I have taken classes from states that their students typically shoot more rounds per year than the average LEO, and are usually better shots as well.
Carve outs for “special people” to be exempt from restrictions pisses me off.
There are very few theaters left I will go to in the rare instance there is something showing I want to see on big screen as most of them are posting signs prohibiting both licensed concealed and open carry.
On June 5, 2017 at 9:54 pm, Bill Robbins said:
Give the cop a break. He just wanted to see Gal Gadot run around in tight shorts.
On June 6, 2017 at 1:46 pm, Jack Crabb said:
I know you were just trying to be humorous, Bill Robbins, but the magic blue costumed ones don’t deserve a break.
“The whole Good Cop / Bad Cop question can be disposed of much more decisively. […] We need only consider the following:
(1) A cop’s job is to enforce the laws, all of them;
(2) Many of the laws are manifestly unjust, and some are even cruel and wicked;
(3) Therefore every cop has to agree to act as an enforcer for laws that are manifestly unjust or even cruel and wicked.
There are no good cops.”
— Robert Higgs