So what would you do in my case?
1. I am a very small, slender man. Five foot four, 109 pounds. I have been a victim of violent crime that has required over a week of hospitalization.
2. I cannot leave Los Angeles. I am an elementary school teacher. I am gay, and only two cities in the United States of America provide written contractual tenure protection of my job, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
3. I normally carry a .25 Automatic for self defense.
4. I live and work in high crime areas of Los Angeles.
5. On this forum, I constantly hear derision and ridicule for carrying a .25 Auto.
6. The Police Chief of Los Angeles, Charlie Beck
http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/los-angeles-police-chief-charlie-beck-maldef-AHqDhT.jpgis also the President of the Local Chapter of Handgun Control Inc. In his keynote address to that organization last January, he bragged about the fact that Los Angeles has 3.8 Million people, and he has only issued 23 Carry Permits.
7. The Sherriff of Los Angeles, Lee Baca,
http://www.lasdcrimeinfo.net/_lasd-images/exec_photos/BACA8X10T2-COPY.jpgalso is a proponent of gun control. Los Angeles County has Ten Million people, and Sheriff Baca has issued approximately 500 gun permits; largely to judges, district attorney investigators, arson investigators, city councilmen, and political contributors to his election campaigns.
8. Los Angeles is underpoliced. Los Angeles has about 10,000 officers, and is the second largest city in America. By contrast, Chicago is the third largest city in America, and has 30,000 officers.
The LAPD deals with gangs and street crimes by sort of overlooking the 4th Amendment protections against unlawful searches. Law enforcement in Los Angeles County, both LAPD and the Sheriff's Office have a policy: Young males in high crime areas WILL be searched for weapons. In areas like downtown, or the subway, or metrolink, police will cordon off an area and search all young males. I have gone through several stop and frisks while riding public transportation.
9. In my experience, the ONLY gun that will pass a cursory street "stop and frisk," is a high quality, compact vintage Colt or Browning .25 Automatic.
http://www.hansenguns.com/images/babybrowning1.JPGhttp://www.icollector.com/images/1160/14675/14675_0542_1_lg.jpghttp://www.gunsamerica.com/userimages/87270/996284015/pop_wm_1493573.jpg(The current Taurus .25 Autos are too heavy and bulky). I have thus far, successfully passed stop and frisk searches by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, and the Los Angeles Community College Police.
10. My current method of carrying my weapon , is via pockets I have had sewn into four of my sport coats, which carry the weapon in an unusual place. I live in Los Angeles, in a poor neighborhood, and there are a lot of illegal alien women who normally do sewing piecework at home for money, and I am used to have all my clothes custom taylored for me. For example, I am very slender, and it is my habit to have all my clothes taken in for a better fit. So it was a simple matter for me to have a few extra pockets sewn in to my jackets, although I am sure it must have puzzled the seamstresses as to why I wanted the pockets.
11. So what would YOU do in my case, instead of carrying a .25 Automatic?
LAPD ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS checks for ankle holsters. ALWAYS. Know why? They are a FELONY in California. It is an EASY way to get a gang member off the street.
King George.
If you open carry in Los Angeles, you will at the very least, spend the night in Los Angeles County Jail. You cannot open carry in Los Angeles. I don't know what anyone has told you, but you cannot do that here. You will be arrested. Period.
