I’m in NY this week (Long Island) & I’ve noticed that the fire marshals out here go about armed.
I have to wonder, how often are fire marshals getting into gun fights or other incidents where carrying a gun as part of the job is a called for?
Not that I object, but this is NY, where guns are bad, or something.
I’ll also note that I saw this while in a burger joint that was full. There were 5 armed men in there wearing blue trousers, a white shirt, and a patch on the sleeve that said Fire Marshal. Not exactly a complicated uniform to copy. No one questioned their legitimacy. No one freaked out.
Long Island?? Shoot me an email and we might be able to get together.
On Oregon, Investigator/Fire Marshals must pass the Police Academy, and they’re certified as Police Officers as well as Fire Officers.
I always figured any sort of official, high-speed-low-drag looking sort of uniform-ish thing that wasn’t technically a police or other “imposter” uniform would allow you to open carry without a second glance. Have some patches with a Greek or Latin motto, sharp creases, shined leather, short haircut, shades, and no hassles from the lemmings. Might be the possibility of some sort of interesting interactions with real/i> uniforms, but that’s a different issue.
New York City Fire Marshals? Oh yes. The guns help encourage business owners to pay the graft at inspection time. Don’t ask how I know this one.
Francis, thanks for the offer, but I’m back in Seattle already (I saw the Marshall’s on my last day there).
Really I just worry about the propensity of government agents to go about strapped when co-mingling with the criminal element is not part of their job description. I mean, if the liberals are right & carrying a gun just increases the likelihood of a shooting, then they should be livid about such things.
Or something…
Saw a security guard while waiting for the subway many years ago. Black uniform, creased and bloused pants and wearing a 1911 in a shoulder holster. Nobody batted an eye.