I liked the article by Sgt. Betsy Brantner-Smith on carrying the off duty weapon. I was a police officer for the Orlando (FL) PD (now retired). My wife, then fiance, and I had an experience that confirmed the need for carrying a gun off duty.
I was off duty at her apartment one evening and she had to go to the post office to drop off a letter. She worked loss prevention for Sears and was familiar with the police lifestyle and the need to carry a weapon off duty. As all officers in warm climates know, there are not may places to put a weapon when you are wearing shorts, T-shirt and tennis shoes.
I carried my weapon, in spite of the difficulty.
As we were traveling down the road we passed a convenient store where an incredibly huge male was beating his wife with a baseball bat in the middle of the parking lot. Jill and I saw the melee at the same time. She was driving and instinctively pulled into the lot.
I bailed out, badge and gun in hand, sizing up the monster with the bat and trying to caluculate whether or not my small off duty weapon would do the job if needed.
As planned, he focused on me while Jill grabbed the woman and pulled her over to the door.
Fortunately for everyone he was not mad at me and stopped swinging. I was able to talk him down, get him to drop the bat and lay on the ground. It was about 5 long minutes before the patrol units arrived and took over.
I don’t know what my reaction would have been had I not been carrying my off duty weapon that day. I do know had I not stopped, that woman would be dead today. After that, two things occurred:
1. I did not begrudge carrying my weapon off duty.
2. I purchased a larger caliber weapon to carry.
This was only one experience that was confirmed several times, off duty, in my career as a Law Enforcement Officer.