Confirmed Huntington bank allows CHL the hard way.

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BobK
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Confirmed Huntington bank allows CHL the hard way.

Post by BobK »

I stopped at the Huntington Bank Groveport branch on Thursday to make a deposit. While I am leaning over the counter filling out the deposit slip, the branch manager comes up and starts getting aggressive and nasty with me. "You have a gun! You aren't allowed to have a gun in here, It is against federal law!". I reply, "No, that isn't true. It is not against federal law. Further, I am duly trained and licensed to carry a concealed firearm and I am allowed to be armed in here."

"We don't allow guns in this bank. You are putting myself and all my employees at risk!" "Why do you think I am a danger to you?"

"Well, there have been 35 bank robbberies!" As I stand there in a white shirt and tie, looking like the 50-something businessman that I am, I replied, "Do you think I am here to rob you? I am simply here to conduct my banking business. Futher, I when I come into the lobby here, it is usually because I am either coming into the bank or leaving the bank with a significant amount of cash. I have a constitutional right to protect myself. Don't you want your customers to be safe?"

"When you were leaning over the counter, I could have come up from behind you and taken your gun out of your holster before you even knew it. And a robber could have also taken your gun!" Instead of arguing with her about holster retention and how she could have been badly hurt if she had tried to take my gun, I just tilted my head to the side, raised an eyebrow, and gave her one of those "are you an idiot" looks.

"Well, I still don't want you in this bank with a gun." "No, you have no signage posted forbidding firearms so under Ohio law I was allowed to enter these premises while armed. I know that Huntington has a company policy to allow concealed carry within their banks."

"It is against company policy!" "No, please check your facts, it is not against policy."

"Well, I want to make a copy of your license!" "You are not law enforcement so I have no duty to show you my concealed handgun license. As a courtesy to you, I will show it to you but you may not make a copy." I showed her the license. She stood aside and left with her implied consent.

On Friday, I called and spoke with Huntington's corporate security to verify company policy. The person I spoke with was a little terse at first, telling me it is against company policy to have a weapon on the premises, and that for the last two years every bank branch should be posted in small text as I enter the bank. I explained to him that I was a member of Ohioans For Concealed Carry, and that information on our website had indicated that Huntington and Chase were the only two large banks in Columbus that allowed concealed carry. So could he please get back to me after he had verified that was the policy, IN FACT. I also asked him if he could further verify whether that was company policy in all states or just for Ohio. He wasn't sure what I meant, so I explained I wanted to know if their branches forbid concealed carry in Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia as well, or was it only banned in Ohio. He also asked if Ohians For Concealed Carry had a website, which I provided.

He called me back 20 minutes later with a completely different attitude.

The terseness was gone, replaced by a friendly, chatty, and apologetic attitude. He explained that he had confused the company policy that did not allow employees to be armed with how the company treats their customers. He said there is no company policy regarding customers. I asked him to clarify, "Does that mean that a policy does not exist, or does that mean there is a company policy in place affirming the right of their customers to be armed?" He confirmed there is a company policy in place allowing customers to be armed. He further explained that they have a lot of small business clients who are regularly making large cash deposits for their business. He went to say something about how I should "see the lobby in our downtown Columbus headquarters sometime". There are all sorts of people there, from business owners, to off-duty cops, etc. etc. He was sure if you walked into their lobby at any time during business hours, I would be amazed how many people are armed.

He then wanted to know which branch and did I get the name of the individual. I didn't get her name in the heat of the moment, but I explained that she presented herself as the manager on duty. The teller also confirmed she was the manager. He said that he would explain company policy to her and her district manager.

I made clear that one of my complaints was that I was not treated like a customer. She was aggressive and rude and I was quite aware that it had little to do with her misguided interpretation of company policy and a lot to do with her anti-gunner hatred of firearms. He apologized multiple times. I told him that I appreciated his apology, but it wasn't really necessary. It mattered more to me if he would treat it as a communication and training issue, and help get awareness of company policy out to his branches.

As I did a little post-mortem analysis on myself, I realized that had I been wrong about Huntington policy, I could have place myself at risk by not leaving when she asked me to. However, since I would have been filmed during the encounter, I also think that showing her the license and her subsequent leaving me alone would have evidenced her consent. Maybe I was wrong in that part of it. But I did still have a deposit to make and a larger cash withdrawal than the ATM would allow. Anyway, that is my story and I am sticking with it.
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evan price
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Post by evan price »

Bravo Zulu, Sir.

Huntington is one of the good guys in terms of letting us protect ourselves. There have been times when I have to make large deposits or withdrawals and I guess, I am not supposed to expect to be allowed to protect myself if the bank is a CPZ??
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Post by GWC »

Are there no National City Banks in Columbus? They also allow guns.
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ArcherAce
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Post by ArcherAce »

Well done, Bob!

Are you going to talk to her about this next time you're in her bank?
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BobK
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Post by BobK »

ArcherAce wrote:Are you going to talk to her about this next time you're in her bank?
I'll expect her to come out to me and apologize.
I am a: NRA Life Member, Texas State Rifle Association Life Member, Texas Firearms Coalition Gold member, OFCC Patron Member, former JFPO member (pre-SAF).

This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
More Obamination. Idiots. Can't we find an electable (R) for 2016?
Redfestiva
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Post by Redfestiva »

Nice work BokK,
Good thing she did'nt try to take your gun out of your holster to demonstrate to you how easy a robber could disarm you.
foxbody88stang
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Post by foxbody88stang »

US bank in west columbus you can also carry.
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Post by DFWIII »

What seems to be the issue with banks? Seems to me banks would be a lot safer these days if they were full of good guys with protection. After all today its seems as though it is kill then steel in the mind of the criminal.

I truly feel sorry for all of the bank tellers out there. Anyone know what the increase % of crimes in banks has gone up to?
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Post by 1911nut »

too bad you didn't ask for a letter describing the company policy. I bank with Huntington also and would love to have that kind of paper work in hand when needed to shove in the managers face. I love being able to say "oh you think you're right and I don't know my rights, well have a look see at this"
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But what do I know, I'm just a high school educated security officer.
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Glenn
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Post by Glenn »

All the Keybanks in northeast (Lake Cty) that I frequent are ok with CCW
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Post by captainstormy »

You acctually learned two lessons today.

1. That huntington does allow CCW.
2. That you need to concel better.

I bank with chase myself, so far the only one I've seen posted is the whitehall one, and I'm never banking in that area anyway.

As far as national city, there are a few in town (not alot thou) but they were my first bank, and screwed me hard a few times. Then I switched to bank one which later was bought out by chase.
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Re: Confirmed Huntington bank allows CHL the hard way.

Post by kcclark »

BobK wrote:"You have a gun! You aren't allowed to have a gun in here, It is against federal law!". I reply, "No, that isn't true. It is not against federal law. Further, I am duly trained and licensed to carry a concealed firearm and I am allowed to be armed in here."

"We don't allow guns in this bank. You are putting myself and all my employees at risk!"
Olde Sawmill branch had an armed guard for awhile in 2005 after the branch was robbed. I guess no one told him he wasn't allowed to have a gun in the bank.

I visit Huntington branches all over northern Franklin and southern Delaware counties. Guess I'll have to make a special trip down to Groveport and introduce myself. :D
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Re: Confirmed Huntington bank allows CHL the hard way.

Post by kcclark »

BobK wrote:Futher, I when I come into the lobby here, it is usually because I am either coming into the bank or leaving the bank with a significant amount of cash. I have a constitutional right to protect myself. Don't you want your customers to be safe?
Re-reading your post reminded me that it was 1983 when the Columbus Police recommended to me that I be armed when I took my business bank deposit to the Huntington. Really makes me think about how dangerous the current CPZ banks are. Also reminded me that my father was robbed in a bank parking lot sometime in the late 90s.
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BobK
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Post by BobK »

captainstormy wrote:You acctually learned two lessons today.

1. . . .
2. That you need to conceal better.
I generally don't bother worrying about concealing. I carry IWB and usually let the gun slide & butt show openly. In this case, I had my shirttail pulled out loosely enough that it was 80% covered, but I knew that anyone who looked twice could see me when I walked into the bank.

I don't care if someone can see my gun or not. When I went to the range today (Powder Room), I open carried in my pancake holster on the way and back. Stopped at Dale Drycleaners. Stopped at the Commercial Pools Plus on Sawmill. Stopped across the street at Steak and Shake.

I am armed and I am legal. If someone doesn't like it, I'll make it their problem.
I am a: NRA Life Member, Texas State Rifle Association Life Member, Texas Firearms Coalition Gold member, OFCC Patron Member, former JFPO member (pre-SAF).

This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
More Obamination. Idiots. Can't we find an electable (R) for 2016?
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Post by captainstormy »

Oh, I thought she noticed when you were carrying concealed. To each their own, personally I just believe OCing will just ensure your the first person shot.
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them. - John Bernard Books(John Wayne in The Shootist)
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