Corrections officer charged with carrying gun in New Jersey
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A Pennsylvania corrections officer who says he was the victim of a car accident in New Jersey ended up facing charges himself when he told police he had a handgun.
Raymond Hughes told The Associated Press on Friday that he and his wife were on their way home from a concert and dinner in Atlantic City last month when the crash occurred in Glassboro.
He told police he had a handgun under his seat, and officers secured his personal 9mm Glock handgun while he went to the hospital, he said. But days later, he was charged with not having a New Jersey permit despite having a license to carry in neighboring Pennsylvania.
“I’m one of the good guys,” Hughes said. “Now they’re trying to make me one of the people I protect society from.”
In the spirit of consistency I’ll go ahead and say this guy should not suffer for his paper ‘crime’ because this law is idiotic and evil and should not exist.
In the spirit of Schadenfreude, I only want to say “Neener neener.” This guy knew all about the law and didn’t think he was breaking it because he thought he had a get-out-of-jail-free card embedded in the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, which carves out exceptions from the consequences of all such carry laws for Only Ones. But surprise! It doesn’t cover prison guards, so under the bus he could possibly go.
And I think that is an absolutely terrible thing. Really. Absolutely.
And again we are reminded that the first rule of talking to police under any circumstances is, don’t. That rule applies even if you are part of the brotherhood.
This lesson I learned from a cop several years ago. While I was with a group of guys ice fishing this lost 17 year old kid stumbled upon our hut. It was after dark so we just couldn’t send him away. Two of the guys, who were police officers, drove the kid to the nearest police station. When they got back I asked what the cops at the station said. My friend who was a Police Sargent said “Talk to the cops? Are you nuts? We’ve been drinking and would have been charged.” Then he looked me in the eye and said “Unless you are forced to interact with police, don’t.” That lesson from a cop has stayed with me to this day.