Pulled over Ticket then Questioned?????

[Dogmatix]

Hey Everyone,

Okay everyone I just want to know if my anger is justified or unjustified. The other day I was driving home on a two lane highway at night and was pulled over for speeding. I was doing "76 in a 65" I guess the speed limit drops a few miles per hour on the road I was on at night. Oh well, my bad. Anyway, the Highway Patrol Officer came up to my window as they do usually and informed me of the speedlimit then took my licence and all that jazz back to his car. He told me he'd only ticket me for "75 in a 65" that way I didn't get points on my record. "Okay, thanks?" I say.

Now for the odd part. He sits back in his car for like I swear to God 15 minutes, then out of no where, he turns ever freaking light on his car on and just beams the back of my car. I mean it was so bright I had to turn all my mirrors away and hold my head off to the side to avoid the light. Then he comes back to my car 5 minutes later and says "Sorry about the lights, Your drivers license flagged my computer saying you have a CCW permit. Are you carrying now?" To which I replied "yes? why?" Then he proceeded to question me, "Why do you have a CCW permit? Why are you Carrying? What are you Carrying?" etc....I was absolutely floored. I couldnt believe I was being interrogated for speeding and having a CCW. ***? Does this seem odd to anyone else? Should I have told him to back the "F" off? Do I have to admit to carrying? Isn't that the freaking point of a CCW, that i get to freaking conceal that ?????

Let me know if i'm justified...or if i'm just being a little overly pissed off?

Thanks all....oh and btw...it was only a 20 dollar ticket...first speeding ticket ever and i was honest about not knowing about the speedlimit...i think i should have gotten a warning...cops anger me sometimes.

 

[boofus]

Maybe he was wondering what kind of piece you had. Some cops are interested in the latest and greatest fads too.

 

[Snookay]

yes you should of told him to F off. Only time u need to tell him about your CCW is IF he asks "any weapons in the car."

 

[Dogmatix]

What was the point of Nailing my car with ever freaking light he had available to him? I mean I was lit up better than an airport runway trying to land a crashing 747 or something...stupid analogy i know but work with me here.

 

[R.H. Lee]

Maybe he just moved to MT from CA.

 

[azredhawk44]

Don't know about montana, but in some states it is your responsibility as a CCW holder to notify an officer that you are armed if he has a legitimate reason to stop you or detain you.

Failing to do so can also be prosecuted.

Haven't taken CCW course yet, but I believe that is the case according to friends who have taken it in AZ.

He was probably a bit upset that you didn't inform him voluntarily.

 

[aguyindallas]

Well, in Texas, you must inform IF you are carrying. The DL System and/or disptach will tell them anyway. If you fail to tell them, I think they can suspend your CHL for a period of time. I might be wrong about that. You do not have to inform them if you are NOT carrying.

Now, my personal opinion is to just hand them my CHL along with my DL and inform of my carry status (armed or disarmed)...carrying or not. From what I can tell, it puts them at ease and you are probably more likely to get a slap on the back and be sent on your way.

Yeah, I think it was a bit out of line for him to be jacking you up like that, but the other thing is that if he knew up front, none of it would probably happened.

I know there are some people out here that think my opinion is stupid, but hey, its mine.

YMMV

 

[exoduster18]

Check your CCW laws and find out there. Some states require you to let LEO's know. Check www.packing.org and see what they tell you about it.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

20 dollars for 10 over? damn i gotta move....

 

[Dogmatix]

Now, my personal opinion is to just hand them my CHL along with my DL and inform of my carry status (armed or disarmed)...carrying or not. From what I can tell, it puts them at ease and you are probably more likely to get a slap on the back and be sent on your way.

I like that idea, I'll do that next time. I guess it just caught me off guard to be interrogated, and as far as montana law goes with a CCW I was never informed about having to make an officer aware of my status.

 

[M2 Carbine]

It sounds like he was way out of line.

"Why do you have a CCW permit? is none of his damned business.
I would have been polite, but I would have asked him why he was asking.

In TX you show your CHL when you show your driver's license, if armed, but I would show nine anyhow.

I've never had ANY problem with any LEO since years ago when I got my CHL.

As a matter of fact I've been stopped at least 13 times and never even got a ticket (except warnings). Only once was I asked what I was carrying. I think the LEO was a shooter.

 

[migoi]

Why are you carrying?

From a cop I would think that is a very easy question to answer: "Why officer, the same reason you carry a firearm. There are some folks out there that would just as soon kill you as look at you. You carry a firearm to make sure you make it home every night, so do I."

Of course being in a state that interprets the word "may" to be defined as "not ever in your lifetime", I pretty much just have to take my chances.

migoi

 

[DKSuddeth]

I believe that MT does not require you to inform unless the officer asks you if you have a permit but I can't find anywhere in the code that states this, still, It is usually better to inform to keep issues from occurring.

 

[riverdog]

"Why do you have a CCW permit?" Because without one I'd be breaking the law.

"Why are you Carrying?" Because in Montana it's legal.

"What are you Carrying?" Why do you ask?

 

[Richard.Howe]

My question to folks generally is, "Why would you not tell the LEO?"

Unless he is in the small minority of gun-fearing/hating wieners, most LEO's I know actually look kindly upon CHL holders. You've had (and passed) a background check. You voluntarily paid hard-earned money to comply with the law through obtaining a license.

In short, you're one of the good guys. And if a LEO knows you're one of the good guys, it's easier for him to believe that whatever law you just broke was probably a mistake.

If I was a LEO on a dark night, and someone I had just pulled over failed to tell me that he was a CHL holder and was carrying -- and in addition had failed to turn on his dome light and keep his hands on the wheel -- my blood would run a little cold, too...

Be careful!

Rich

 

[George S.]

While MT laws may require you to present your CCW to an LEO if you are stopped for whatever reason and are carrying (and checking www.packing.org is a good way to find out), I guess I would be upset if I was asked why I had a permit or why I was carrying. Having a valid permit makes me "legal" in the eyes of the state and that is all the LEO should have been concerned with at that point.

The "why's" are really none of his business and I probably would have written a letter to the Chief of the Montana Highway Patrol along with a copy to the LEO's district commander and complained about this guy's questioning.

I wonder what he would have done if you were not carrying at the time? Berated you for having a CCW and not being armed??

As far as turning on his lights, the fact that he has stopped somebody with a weapon may be simply a Patrol requirement in that situation. Here in WA even simple traffic stops along the freeway usually have the State Patrol cars using all of their lights; it's probably more of a safety issue for both the motorist and the officer than the situation.

 

[Zundfolge]

...that is a very easy question to answer: "Why officer, the same reason you carry a firearm...

Wrong answer.

Now you've gone from "fine upstanding citizen" to "rogue wannabe cop".


Best answer I've heard is; "...better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, officer, wouldn't you agree?"

Or just give him this look

 

[Kentak]

According to Packing.org, you do not have to inform LE about your CCW status. Lots of states do have that requirement. I guess he was lighting you up to make sure you weren't going to do anything that might endanger him while he finished his business with you. I think he was out of line to ask those questions. It would have been interesting to know what would have happened if you had refused to answer. Hopefully, nothing bad.

K

 

[Shootcraps]

I'd be pissed too. He was acting like an @$$. I would have gotten his badge number and reported him to his supervisor.

Unless he is in the small minority of gun-fearing/hating wieners

Sounds like he is.

 

[secamp32]

The lights are to make harder for you to see him and shoot at him

I guess he got scared when he found out you had a gun. You probably better off telling him up front that you are carrying.

 

[Shootcraps]

You probably better off telling him up front that you are carrying.

Sure. Give up your rights to appease a "gun-fearing/hating wiener"?

I don't think so Tim.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I doubt there's ever been a shortage of nosy people.

 

[gezzer]

Sure. Give up your rights to appease a "gun-fearing/hating wiener"?

+1

He knows you have a license SO WHAT?

In a Free State one does not have to bow to the lords.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Geez, it sounds to me like the LEO was polite even after he found out the guy was carrying a weapon. The lights was a good idea. If it had been me I would have done the same. As for the questions I do not see any indication that he was being an a$$. The way the guy phrased it he seemed to be quite polite and still let him off with a small ticket when he could have nailed him for doing in excess of 10 mph over the limit. As for the what and why are you carrying I would have asked the same thing to see whether you were a currier or some other job where you would be required to be carrying. I know some officers asked this and if your answer was.."I volunteer for my local sheriff's office", or something similar, your ticket often turned into a warning. How did some people turn this into a reason to be a rude, abrasive jerk by saying something like "same reason you are" or making making him a "gun-fearing/hating wiener"? Some people.... Then they wonder why things go badly for them and people treat them like jerks.

 

[Tomekeuro85]

I think the point of lighting up your car was to be able to see what you were doing just to make sure you weren't about to take out the gun or somehting. He may have been questioning you just out of curiosity, not to be mr. tough guy interrogator. Think of it as when you go to the range and ask someone something about a gun they have there... maybe he was just doing the same thing. No need to bash the cops for being cautious. Although you may see it as offensive, he may see it as a necessary thing to keep himself alive.