GoRon
Member
Second, disarming people during routine traffic stops or Terry stops is incompatible with the idea that everyone without a record should be able to carry a firearm. What would you do if ccw was so common that almost everyone carried? Would you disarm everyone you interview? I suspect you'd tire of that rather quickly.
When I was younger I had a lets call it, a somewhat more antagonist view of the police. That is no longer true of me.
If I was carrying I would disclose it (if required) and be disarmed as a courtesy. I have cultivated a more empathetic view towards LEOs in the last 10 years or so.
I can see where some would consider it an indignity, to be treated as a suspect and disarmed. Myself, I see it as a form of deescalation of the situation. We don't know if our vehicle matches the description of something that went out over the radio.
If everyone carried it might become so routine dealing with armed citizens that disarming us would be impractical. But as of now that isn't the case.