According to this story from guns.com, a Texas police chief was asked to leave a doctor’s office this week because he was carrying a firearm, as well as his badge and police ID.
The story says Conroe Police Department Chief Philip Dupuis shared the story on Facebook and said he had “never been so embarrassed (pissed) in my 35 years of law enforcement.”
Dupuis also spoke to Houston’s Channel 2 News about the incident and offered some more details.
He told the TV station he had been checking in for an appointment on Tuesday at the Texas Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists in The Woodlands.
“”I walked in, gave them my name and my appointment time. They took my information; my drivers license and insurance card and then the clerk asked me to go put my gun in my car,” Dupuis said. “She said, ‘it’s our policy. No guns allowed.’ I said I’m a police officer and I’m not going to put my gun in my car.”
The chief left and posted about it on Facbeook. Later, after seeing the post, a manager with the medical practice called Dupuis to apologize.
The practice also issued the following statement:
“We regret the situation yesterday involving Chief Dupuis and a member of our staff. We have personally apologized to Chief Dupuis for any inconvenience or embarrassment he experienced. Our team is working diligently to insure that a situation like this does not occur again. Our company values law enforcement officers and first responders for their selfless service and will serve them and our communities with the utmost respect.”
But that hasn’t placated Dupuis.
“While the office has made general statements on Facebook that the actions of their employee(s) were out of line and improper, I ask them to affirmatively state that on duty or uniformed police officers that are displaying the proper credentials will not be treated this way in the future,” Dupuis said. “Officers should not be required to disarm or change out of their uniform while seeing their doctors or other professionals.”
State law in Texas says police officers are legally allowed to carry their guns into private businesses, even if those businesses have posted Gun-Free Zone signs, like the doctor’s office.
After serving as a police officer for 35 years, this is the first time Dupuis says he’s ever been asked to leave a business because of his firearm.