Do you carry

I doubt this is on many sports writers have experience with ... but
Have you ever carried a gun with work?

Over the last few months local politics have become pretty contentious. We have a fringe group of nut jobs who are making threats against officials, officials I cover as part of my beat.
I am concerned at least one of these nut jobs is ripe to go on a shooting rampage. I am also concerned I would be a target because of some stories I have written.
Concerned enough to consider getting a concealed weapons permit.

My employer doesn't permit us to carry dangerous weapons. Which I understand, but I have a policy not to get shot as a result of my job.

My dad, who worked in the coal industry carried a pistol during strikes. He only pulled it once.

I am considering carrying some protection.

 

Because of that, and the stabbing at the TV station a week or so ago, you should push for a discussion about newsroom security. And security in general.

I have a CCW permit. I've never carried on the clock, unless you count having a pistol under the seat while on a work-related road trip.

How comfortable are you with firearms? Do you shoot regularly? I'm talking at least once per month. If not, consider pepper spray. While you'd probably get canned for carrying a pistol on the clock, I doubt if they'd have a problem with pepper spray.

 

Your situation sounds different than ours, where there have been multiple shootings in the newspaper's immediate vicinity, including in broad daylight on a busy block downtown about a five-minute stroll from here. I carried pepper spray every day that I lived in NYC, but not here. I pretty much conceded that in any run-in with the bad guys, I likely would die. Also, I bought some cheap pepper spray. Eventually, that plastic safety thing on top came loose and the spray discharged in my trousers. Good thing I was home ... really stung my thigh and came inches from the nads.

 

I don't think your employer has a choice, depending on what state you're in.

 

wow, frank. when the spray discharges in my trousers, it takes on a whole different meaning.

 

Is this the companion thread to "Do you shoot"?

 

I am comfortable with firearms. I own several rifles, all of which are hunting related, an a 9 mm. I am proficient with firearms, but I do NOT shoot regularly.
I am safety conscious.

Pepper spray don't cut it.
I am not worried about a random shooting. I am concerned about a particular nut who fits a profile of a shooter. I don;'t think pepper spray would stop them.

Our office security is a joke.
Anyone can walk in during office hours, unchecked. We have a locked door and buzzer system with a camera for after hours but they let in anyone who buzzes - without checking the camera.

 

This is a disaster waiting to happen. Get HR's attention on this.

 

I don't own a gun (but had a member of law enforcement pull one on me when I was reaching for my keys once as he was walking toward me down the street - I shook them and yelled "KEYS!" as loud as I could), but even as a extraordinarily low level public figure, I've still been seriously stalked twice, and as a result have not had a public street address or phone number for almost two decades.

There's nuts out there. And I do carry a knife. I'm not big on guns, but I do understand it.

 

If you're going to start carrying, you must shoot regularly. And not just "Go to the range and shoot at a target" style. You've got to practice drawing your weapon from a concealed location, releasing the safety and firing in a smooth, controlled manner. If possible, take a class (not just the one required for the CCW permit, those are a joke) from a firearms instructor on self-defense shooting.

And pepper spray will stop just about anybody. Just get the kind designed for use on bears, not humans.

 

That's what I thought it was.

 

Every place I worked had a policy against firearms on company property. I don't own a gun, never have, never will.