I grew up with a father that did custom leather work... lots of time spent with LEOs at the kitchen table and the range... on more than one occasion my father was asked "what are you packing today Joe?" by officers he knew... at the time it was not legal to do so, but an affirmative defense was allowed... and we knew the city prosecutor, and he carried... the officers wanted my father as backup... and now as an old man myself, I have been chastised for not carrying by my officer friends as well... they will tell you they need the help out there... most politicians and police chiefs won't acknowledge this, the the rank and file often will... the old "good guy with a gun" thing is true...
so I do it for me, my family and as a civic duty...