I'm going to unpack a few of these.
As a responsible gun owner, what is your duty when a police officer stops you for a traffic violation?....
Your legal duty is defined by statute:
a bunch of Florida legislators said:
....The licensee must carry the license, together with valid identification, at all times in which the licensee is in actual possession of a concealed weapon or firearm and must display both the license and proper identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer. Violations of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a noncriminal violation with a penalty of $25, payable to the clerk of the court..... Fla. Stat. Ann. § 790.06 (West)
So, if you're carrying your pistol, you have to carry your license and some other proper identification, too. You don't have to inform, unless the officer asks. If the officer asks, you have to present your ID and your CWP.
I'll tell you that at this point, how you say something can be every bit as important as what you say. From an officer's perspective, there's a world of difference between the two following scenarios:
- Officer asks for your CWP and you reply, "Yep. There it is and yes, I'm carrying a pistol. It's a small semiauto in a holster just behind my right hip."
- Officer asks for your CWP and you reply, "I KNOW MAH RAHTS! I KNOW MAH RAHTS! I HAVE A GUN!"
Obviously, there's a whole spectrum of possibilities in between those two, but the point is that you should be aware of how you are likely to appear to an officer. Context matters, too. If it's 2 a.m., and you're in a bad neighborhood when you get pulled over, you're likely to have a jumpy officer on your hands.
I highly recommend that you take a basic introduction to concealed carry class that includes a block on the legalities in your state
This would be an excellent start.
....As always, Police are not lawyers and may themselves be ignorant of the law. Some folks like to carry a copy of the relavant statutes in the vehicle.- cant hurt. . . . .
As in all interactions with law enforcement, know the law, be respectful, comply with commands, and youll be fine.
Good points. I don't carry a copy of statutes, and I don't know of any officers that would be willing to read them on the spot. Not because they don't want to know the law, but because that would take too much attention from the stop at hand. Still, it can't hurt you to have them in the car.
In any event, the side of the road is not the place to have the argument.