Texas police chief asked to leave doctor's office for carrying gun

August 14, 2017, 07:00 AM

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017...or-carrying-gun.html

A Texas police chief said he was asked to leave a doctor’s office because he was carrying his gun.

Conroe Police Chief Philip Dupuis told The Courier he was wearing his badge, lanyard with identification and gun when he began to check in for his appointment at Texas Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists in The Woodlands on August 8.

The receptionist reportedly took the officer’s information, then asked him to put his gun in his car. Dupuis said he refused, and was asked to leave.

"It's just bad," Dupuis told The Courier. "My badge is clearly displayed. I have my lanyard on with 'police' on my ID card hanging around my neck. I had handcuffs. The lobby was full of people, and they asked me to leave because of who I am."

Licensed police officers in the state of Texas can legally carry guns openly, anywhere in the state. But private business or property owners can create "weapons-free" zones, according to The Courier.

"These people have the right to do what they did and refuse my service," the police officer said. "Legally, they can ask me to leave because I'm not there on official business."

Texas ENT Specialists posted a statement to Facebook following the incident, noting they apologized to Officer Dupuis and will “make every effort to ensure this does not happen again.”

“We regret the situation that occurred on August 8, 2017 involving Chief Dupuis and a member of our staff. We have personally apologized to Chief Dupuis for any inconvenience or embarrassment he experienced. Our company values law enforcement officers and first responders for their selfless service and will serve them and our communities with the utmost respect.

Texas Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists will continue to treat armed law enforcement officers who have the appropriate identification. Again, we sincerely apologize to Chief Dupuis for the situation and the embarrassment he may have felt. We will make every effort to ensure this does not happen again in any of our locations.”

August 14, 2017, 07:09 AM

tacfoley

quote:
Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017...or-carrying-gun.html

A Texas police chief said he was asked to leave a doctor’s office because he was carrying his gun.

Conroe Police Chief Philip Dupuis told The Courier he was wearing his badge, lanyard with identification and gun when he began to check in for his appointment at Texas Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists in The Woodlands on August 8.

The receptionist reportedly took the officer’s information, then asked him to put his gun in his car. Dupuis said he refused, and was asked to leave.

"It's just bad," Dupuis told The Courier. "My badge is clearly displayed. I have my lanyard on with 'police' on my ID card hanging around my neck. I had handcuffs. The lobby was full of people, and they asked me to leave because of who I am."

Licensed police officers in the state of Texas can legally carry guns openly, anywhere in the state. But private business or property owners can create "weapons-free" zones, according to The Courier.

"These people have the right to do what they did and refuse my service," the police officer said. "Legally, they can ask me to leave because I'm not there on official business."

Texas ENT Specialists posted a statement to Facebook following the incident, noting they apologized to Officer Dupuis and will “make every effort to ensure this does not happen again.”

“We regret the situation that occurred on August 8, 2017 involving Chief Dupuis and a member of our staff. We have personally apologized to Chief Dupuis for any inconvenience or embarrassment he experienced. Our company values law enforcement officers and first responders for their selfless service and will serve them and our communities with the utmost respect.

Texas Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists will continue to treat armed law enforcement officers who have the appropriate identification. Again, we sincerely apologize to Chief Dupuis for the situation and the embarrassment he may have felt. We will make every effort to ensure this does not happen again in any of our locations.”

In TEXAS???? Hard to believe, eh?

tac

August 14, 2017, 07:13 AM

Pale Horse

Hopefully Latrine-a and one of her baby daddies robbed the place as soon as the officer left.

August 14, 2017, 07:13 AM

caneau

Want to lose a quarter of your customers? Because that's how you lose a quarter of your customers.

August 14, 2017, 07:24 AM

Anarion

quote:
Originally posted by tacfoley:
quote:
Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017...or-carrying-gun.html

A Texas police chief said he was asked to leave a doctor’s office because he was carrying his gun.

Conroe Police Chief Philip Dupuis told The Courier he was wearing his badge, lanyard with identification and gun when he began to check in for his appointment at Texas Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists in The Woodlands on August 8.

The receptionist reportedly took the officer’s information, then asked him to put his gun in his car. Dupuis said he refused, and was asked to leave.

"It's just bad," Dupuis told The Courier. "My badge is clearly displayed. I have my lanyard on with 'police' on my ID card hanging around my neck. I had handcuffs. The lobby was full of people, and they asked me to leave because of who I am."

Licensed police officers in the state of Texas can legally carry guns openly, anywhere in the state. But private business or property owners can create "weapons-free" zones, according to The Courier.

"These people have the right to do what they did and refuse my service," the police officer said. "Legally, they can ask me to leave because I'm not there on official business."

Texas ENT Specialists posted a statement to Facebook following the incident, noting they apologized to Officer Dupuis and will “make every effort to ensure this does not happen again.”

“We regret the situation that occurred on August 8, 2017 involving Chief Dupuis and a member of our staff. We have personally apologized to Chief Dupuis for any inconvenience or embarrassment he experienced. Our company values law enforcement officers and first responders for their selfless service and will serve them and our communities with the utmost respect.

Texas Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists will continue to treat armed law enforcement officers who have the appropriate identification. Again, we sincerely apologize to Chief Dupuis for the situation and the embarrassment he may have felt. We will make every effort to ensure this does not happen again in any of our locations.”

In TEXAS???? Hard to believe, eh?

tac

Even in Texas we get receptionists who confuse their personal preferences with company policy. It seems that the ENT practice is doing what they can after the fact to ensure a future incident does not happen.

August 14, 2017, 07:30 AM

GGF

The apology on Facebook did not mention whether the receptionist will still employed there or not. Apology not accepted if she still has a job.

August 14, 2017, 07:34 AM

Veeper

quote:
Originally posted by GGF:
The apology on Facebook did not mention whether the receptionist will still employed there or not. Apology not accepted if she still has a job.

OOooooor if she's just ignorant, someone could take her shooting, or teach her about firearms, etc. Win her over to our side. It might just be that she's got a view because of what she's been shown on primetime TV. If she's red-pilled, so to speak, she's an asset.

August 14, 2017, 07:45 AM

tatortodd

quote:
Originally posted by Anarion:
quote:
Originally posted by tacfoley:
In TEXAS???? Hard to believe, eh?

tac

Even in Texas we get receptionists who confuse their personal preferences with company policy. It seems that the ENT practice is doing what they can after the fact to ensure a future incident does not happen.

Yesterday, I drove up to Conroe to see a movie and have a late lunch at one of those dine-in movie theater places. I hadn't been there before and was shocked to see a 30.06 sign on the entrance. It's a Class C misdemeanor for a LTC holder to ignore the sign and conceal carry anyway so I voted with my wallet and took my money elsewhere.

Conroe is growing by leaps and bounds and it's bringing big city liberalism with it.

August 14, 2017, 07:53 AM

Sportshooter

Hey, that's local to me. Fortunately, my Doc and I spend more time talking about guns than about health matters.

August 14, 2017, 07:53 AM

JALLEN

quote:
Originally posted by Anarion:
quote:
Originally posted by tacfoley:

In TEXAS???? Hard to believe, eh?

tac

Even in Texas we get receptionists who confuse their personal preferences with company policy. It seems that the ENT practice is doing what they can after the fact to ensure a future incident does not happen.

Every medical office and lab I go to has 30.06 and 30.07 signs up. It sounds like an imperfect understanding of the purpose and limitations of the signs.

I was sitting at a lab for blood draw a few weeks ago and a Deputy Sheriff came in, all uniformed up, but no gun. I didn't want to risk embarrassing him so did not ask, but it occurred to me that he was probably off duty for this personal business anyway.

I sometimes would torture the folks at the lab about the futility of signs, but they are inevitably mere spear carriers without voice or influence in policies. The fact of a sign is a sure indicator that the owners are morons.

Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.

When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson

"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown

August 14, 2017, 07:54 AM

MNSIG

quote:
Originally posted by GGF:
The apology on Facebook did not mention whether the receptionist will still employed there or not. Apology not accepted if she still has a job.

Oh for cripe sake. The office had a (misguided) policy that she tried to enforce. They probably didn't tell her "except for LE". The article and chief both said it was within their legal right to deny him carrying on the premises.

Receptionists are frequently the position with the highest turnover in the office. It's dang near impossible to cover every possible scenario in training. The policy has been clarified.

August 14, 2017, 08:00 AM

Palm

I am trying to make sure I understand the situation. Is this location one that prohibits carrying of guns and is that prohibition legal? (Sounds like yes from the Chief's statement).

With the Chief himself acknowledging he was not there on official business, the receptionist was probably simply acting on existing policy.

So does their apology really mean "oh crap, we didn't intend this bad publicity and we will not prohibit police officers from carrying their weapons even if they are here for a personal appointment, but we will continue to prohibit weapons for regular citizens." ?

August 14, 2017, 08:17 AM

parabellum

In most of these places, they have some minimum wage dolt as the "receptionist". It doesn't take much in the way of brains to check someone in and perhaps verify insurance.

I'll wager that I can provide an accurate general description of the rocket scientist in question.

August 14, 2017, 08:22 AM

Elk Hunter

Their business, their rules.

Now, all constitution loving residents should exercise their God given rights and take their business elsewhere!

I will not patronize any business that will/does deny me my rights!!

August 14, 2017, 08:27 AM

SIG4EVA

The receptionist was probably a California transplant that moved to escape rampant regulation, corruption, and high taxes. Maybe she just wanted to bring a slice of liberal retardation to one of the best states in the US.

August 14, 2017, 08:29 AM

parabellum

quote:
Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
The receptionist was probably a California transplant...

I doubt it. I wonder if Shaquina was disciplined for her actions.

August 14, 2017, 08:33 AM

gw3971

quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
quote:
Originally posted by Anarion:
quote:
Originally posted by tacfoley:
In TEXAS???? Hard to believe, eh?

tac

Even in Texas we get receptionists who confuse their personal preferences with company policy. It seems that the ENT practice is doing what they can after the fact to ensure a future incident does not happen.
Yesterday, I drove up to Conroe to see a movie and have a late lunch at one of those dine-in movie theater places. I hadn't been there before and was shocked to see a 30.06 sign on the entrance. It's a Class C misdemeanor for a LTC holder to ignore the sign and conceal carry anyway so I voted with my wallet and took my money elsewhere.

Conroe is growing by leaps and bounds and it's bringing big city liberalism with it.

Yeah, when I lived in El Paso in the 90's every business there had 30.06 sign. For me Texas felt more like Cali.

August 14, 2017, 08:34 AM

TXJIM

Sounds like some dingbat front desk jockey doesn't have the critical thinking skills to parse out the nuances of a 30-07 policy. Yawn.....

August 14, 2017, 08:39 AM

a1abdj

quote:
Their business, their rules.

Now, all constitution loving residents should exercise their God given rights and take their business elsewhere!

That's it. I don't care what goofy rules people want to apply to their business so long as those rules are applied equally across the board. It's not discrimination if everybody is subject to the same standards.

quote:
I will not patronize any business that will/does deny me my rights!!

Sometimes that's tough to do, for me at least. I'm assuming Missouri is similar to Texas in that regard. With few exceptions you can simply ignore the signs and in a worst case scenario be asked to leave. So long as you leave when asked, no harm no foul.

Banks around here are a great example of this. I don't believe I have ever seen a local bank that did not have a no guns sign up. I spend a lot of time in banks.