by Moby » Sun Jan 06, 2013 6:20 pm
When I was a Boarding Officer in the Coast Guard (very different from a street stop I know but the smae reasons apply) I would always ask if firearms were on board. 50% or more the answer was yeas. I'd aks to see where they were being stored without touching them. If it looked like a leagal firearm (not a sawed off shotgun etc) I'd ask them to close the door or whatever and ensure no one went near that area during my boarding. Taking a weapon or unloading it puts me in greater harm. Although I probably would have disarmed a boater if he had the weapon on his person. But I would have put it somewhere on his boat, not mine.
Guns are like parachutes: if you don't have one when you need it, then chances are that you won't ever be in need of one again.