I don't think just carrying the gun should be enough but coupled with the mask and the area I think it's reasonable for an officer to make contact. This is where knowing your rights matters. He can still refuse to answer questions and there is nothing law enforcement can do. Where I was getting tripped up before was on RAS versus arrest. An officer can investigate suspicious activity but can't arrest unless he can cite a specific crime that he believes was committed.

Like I said, it's the totality of the circumstances that make it reasonably suspicious.

I thought with RAS, they needed to articulate which crime they though he was about to commit. But seeing a black dude with a gun in the Gump seems like its pretty normal. Now if he was at the country club, that might be different. I know alot of criminals, none of them would be standing on the side of the road with a gun like that, before committing a crime. I'm sure everyone in the neighborhood including the cops knew exactly who that was, even with a mask on.

If you were a lone officer would you approach that situation? Or would you set off in an observational position and radio for assistance before approaching? Maybe that situation is just a conversation so not getting involved is likely the safe option but still being observant and ready if needed.

What if you were two officers in a cruiser? That guy can spray some lead in both of your directions if he wants. So again, maybe just watching and radio for some extra assistance before approaching is the best thing. Sometimes, just a cruiser driving by will make that guy consider better choices.

Reasonable Suspicion is when a reasonable person would believe that a crime (doesn't have to be a known or specific one at the time of the inquiry), is about to be committed, being committed or has been committed in the recent past.

I love these conversations guys but I've got to get on the road so I'll have to bow out for awhile.

I agree with jawbone and others about not only this being the highest crime rate district in the city but also the mentally of the local tribes here in Montgomery. Under the current mayor’s leadership there is a sense of not being held accountable from the majority of the community. From traffic to shootings. So with this environment, damn right an LEO should question this individual.

If Terry stops were not allowed could cops perform the job at a high.level? I don't think so but I'm not a lawyer. I'm sure Terry gets abused daily but the good it creates outweighs the bad. Like when the straight arrow Baptist pastors daughter.gets popped for a full baggie of weed and 12 rolled joints in a cigarette pack an investigator interviewed every classmate she had and charges were dropped the arresting officer was fired two months later then arrested and convicted 5 months after that. Don't lie to the police they check that stuff everyday.

I would think arresting folks who have committed crimes and keeping them locked up would have greater effect than questioning someone for suspected future crime. If I was a cop. I wouldn't put myself at risk to ask this guy any questions if the DA and mayor was just gonna release them the next day if I was able to charge them with something.

In the past that would have warranted multiple units in most major cities. A good course of action for a lone officer would likely be to call for backup and then take up a position with cover some distance away (and hold your own rifle in case the situation calls for the idiot to be dropped in haste)...

The district attorney will throw the hammer at them. With MPD being a couple hundred police officers short, the current mayor and the former chief put priorities on calls instead of patrols in high crime neighborhoods. With the new interim chief and the involvement of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, there is now a higher law enforcement presence in the city. ALEA is handling speeding on 65 and 85 in the city limits and other major roads as in 231, 331, 80, 31 and other areas.

[b][/b]

Possible to be 33% right...lol

33 %

We estimate that 3 % of the total U.S. adult population and 15 % of the African American adult male population has ever been to prison; people with felony convictions account for 8 % of all adults and 33 % of the African American adult male population.

i spent 3 days in elmore county one time and the numbers were higher than that . lol

It is the MAYORS FOUGHT. Should you just back off and monitor the situation and if it goes to crap you end the threat???

2 miles down the road at midday is when and where an innocent lady got shot a couple months back just pulling off 231 to get on the Atlanta Highway.

Yep it is a fact that locallly Woodmere has been renamed affectionately to HOODMERE. Pretty much relagated to making a joke as the City should be held equally liable for the attrocities that have been allowed to occur in Montgomery's newest hood.

Section 8 and demolishing the projects destroyed all the decent neighborhoods.

The Destiny Inn looks like an office complex for the Hood management class. Room 112 for drugs, room 114 for hookers, pay your tab at front desk. Highpoints and gats are in the vending machine with the rubbers. Towels not provided.