TexasCHLforum.com

seamusTX wrote:I don't know what they alert on, either. That's why I am suspicious about whether they are accurate.

- Jim

To tell you the truth, I could probably pick out a vehicle in Eastern KY or Western WV and say "there is a gun in there" and be correct a large portion of the time.

Anygun

I had a friend that had a CHL that worked at the local Alternative school. They brought in the drug/bomb/firearm sniffing dogs and went through the parking lot with them. The dogs alerted on his car because of spent casings from a trip to the range the previous weekend. He was made to come out and let them search his car, but his firearm was at home and the spent casings didn't cause him any grief once the LEO's figured out what was going on.

I think that even though it is not talked about much, Having a CHL is about concealment. That means total concealment. Even though it is not written in the the law it is prudent to conceal the fact that you even have a CHL. The sheep do not like the sheepdogs unless the wolves come around.

After further digging, I was able to find this from the DPS website:


August 30, 1995

Honorable Rodney Ellis
Chair

Intergovernmental Relations

Texas State Senate
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, Texas 78711

Opinion No. DM-363

Re: Whether the recently enacted con-cealed handgun law, Senate Bill 60, particularly the provision to be codified as V.T.C.S. article 4413(29ee), section 32, permits a business owner or operator to post notices prohibiting license holders carrying concealed handguns from the premises of the business, and related questions (RQ-821)........

The term "premises" as used in section 46.035 "means a building or a portion of a building. The term does not include any public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area."

Does this mean I'm home free?

You are looking at an old law. The law has changed. You need to look at PC 30.06. Privately owned open land or other outdoor facilities can be 30.06 posted.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/S ... .53449.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You do not have valid 30.06 posting. Therefore, if you are charged with criminal trespass, the charge should be dismissed.

DAs and judges have been known to get the law wrong.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:I don't know what they alert on, either. That's why I am suspicious about whether they are accurate. - Jim

From what I have read, dogs can be trained to key off different chemical compounds. Gun powders have residual solvents in them. I would think that they could also detect nitroglycerine and well as amines.

They only have to be accurate if the information is used to get a search warrant.

So bring some black powder and sprinkle a little bit on every car in the lot, as well as randomly around your entire office building. That should do the trick. :)

CHLSteve wrote:So bring some black powder and sprinkle a little bit on every car in the lot, as well as randomly around your entire office building. That should do the trick. :)

That wouldn't be very nice.

Is it really a good idea to suggest committing a felony, even if it is meant as a joke?

Black powder has a completely different chemical composition from smokeless powder (nitrocellulose). Black powder is not that common, and dogs trained to detect smokeless would probably ignore it.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:Is it really a good idea to suggest committing a felony, even if it is meant as a joke?

Black powder has a completely different chemical composition from smokeless powder (nitrocellulose). Black powder is not that common, and dogs trained to detect smokeless would probably ignore it.

- Jim

That's part of the joke, Jim. As for it being a felony... I hope you were talking about the anthrax.

Yes, I was talking about the anthrax. It's an offense to lay a trap for anyone (other than legal trapping, however that works these days), and a felony to injure a police service animal.

I'm sorry to sound like I don't have a sense of humor, but this kind of comment can be taken out of context.

- Jim

According to the wording in the policy that you have posted and what the law defines as premises you are not allowed to carry while you are inside the building, however you are able to legally keep it in your car.

barres wrote:I had a friend that had a CHL that worked at the local Alternative school. They brought in the drug/bomb/firearm sniffing dogs and went through the parking lot with them. The dogs alerted on his car because of spent casings from a trip to the range the previous weekend. He was made to come out and let them search his car, but his firearm was at home and the spent casings didn't cause him any grief once the LEO's figured out what was going on.

Were these city officers or are they employees of the school? I'm curious what there probable cause was for the search of his car. It's one thing for your supervisor to demand that you allow them to search your car due to a policy violation, but it is something else if they have the LEO do it. Having probable cause that you are in violation of an employer policy does not warrant a leo searching a car...

I'm going to guess that the dogs were from the city or county force, because ISD police don't often have dogs.

One of my complaints about these procedures -- and please note that this is an issue that goes to the core of constitutional rights -- is that dogs can signal either illegal drugs or legal firearms, and open the person to searches for legal items.

- Jim