![\"COP1\"](\"https:\/\/hcsblogdotorg.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/07\/cop1.png\")
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With the violence directed against cops in Dallas and a few other locations recently, a few people have asked me to re-post this article.\u00a0 If you want to help a cop in trouble, read it.\u00a0 And be sure to read PART TWO<\/a>, how you can help a cop even if you aren\u2019t carrying a weapon.<\/em><\/p>\n I recently received a very interesting question from a friend and fellow blogger.\u00a0 He asked the following:<\/p>\n \u201cHow should an armed citizen best help a police officer if that officer is under violent attack from another individual or group of individuals?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s a great question.\u00a0 I think many folks with CCW licenses would be willing to help a cop in trouble.\u00a0 As a cop, I welcome all the help I can get if I\u2019m in a bad situation.\u00a0 Two recent incidents (here <\/a>andhere<\/a>) demonstrate examples where armed citizens saved police officers\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n Here are some guidelines for folks who want to help an officer in trouble\u2026.<\/p>\n Carry your damn gun!<\/strong>\u00a0 You can\u2019t easily help a cop in a deadly force scenario without your gun.\u00a0 In my experience, many CCW licensees don\u2019t regularly carry their firearm.<\/p>\n When I stop a person for a traffic violation, I get an automatic alert if they have a carry permit when I run their license on my in-car computer. If they haven\u2019t informed me that they are carrying a weapon, out of curiosity, I ask them if they are carrying when I re-approach the car.<\/p>\n The most common answer I get when I ask that question is: \u201cYes, I have a permit, but I\u2019m not carrying my gun right now.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 I would estimate that 75% of the permit holders that I stop for traffic violations aren\u2019t carrying their guns at the time of the stop.<\/p>\n You aren\u2019t likely to help a cop in a gunfight if you aren\u2019t carrying your gun.<\/p>\n