Conversation with an Brit Cop

March 1st, 2012

I spoke today with a British “copper” who is not only a fellow law enforcer, but another Harley rider as well. We talked for almost 10 minutes downtown and I gave him directions to the Harley shop on the Riverwalk so he could buy a “Alamo City Harley” t-shirt to take home with him. (It’s a Harley thing: I have one I bought in Fayetteville last week!)

I couldn’t help but ask him how the grand experiment was working over there. He reported that it was now next to impossible to legally obtain a firearm in the UK, but the crooks could get a pistol for 40 pounds (however much that is!)and the law-abiding citizens were defenseless. He related that he was an un-armed cop and he was becoming more and more concerned about his safety! He was amazed to hear that crime in Texas had gone down since Texans began concealing handguns and wanted to know more about it. I pointed at the San Antonio River.

“See the Riverwalk? See how crowded it is?”

“Yes”

“Well, as you walk down the Riverwalk looking for the Harley shop just keep in mind that about 10% of the folks around you are armed, and there are no wild west shootouts and the crooks don’t know who to jump….except for you, that is!”

“Why me?”

“Because they hear your accent and they know you don’t have a Texas carry license!”

“(laughing) You sound as if you agree with all these blokes having guns!”

He quit laughing when I showed him my license…