Most cops in this country see the guy who carries an exposed handgun when he doesn’t have to as a show-off, especially in a setting where the overwhelming majority of others don’t carry. Particularly when one of the citizens is alarmed and makes that clear to the officer, the cop may want to know why you felt a need to flaunt lethal force in a peaceful setting. While the act of carrying may be technically legal, a citizen’s complaint about it can create probable cause for arrest on a charge of disturbing the peace or disorderly conduct, particularly if you become argumentative with that officer. At least one state has a statute that prohibits “Going Armed To The Terror of the Public.”Source
Debate Magazine
