LEO encounter

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answerguy

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Just thought I would share the first LEO encounter that I've had since getting my CPL (November 2001).

I was approaching a 4 lane highway from a side road and rolled through a stop sign. As I pulled out on the highway I noticed that the nearest car down the road (about a half mile) was a State Trooper.

The Trooper followed me a bit before putting the lights on and I pulled over.

She came up to my open window and I put both of my hands on the door and I announced " I want you to know that I have a gun on the front seat and..."
As I said that I noticed she stepped back just a fraction of a step.

"...and I have a CPL" I finished.

"Where is it?" she said.

And I pointed to my Walther PPK laying exposed on the middle of the bench seat of my pick up truck.

She merely asked for my DL, proof of insurance and registration (never actually asked to see my permit but I included it anyways) and went back to her patrol car.

She came back gave me my papers and said "Don't roll anymore stop signs Sir, have a good day" and left.

All in all a pleasant experience but if I had it to do over again I would have said "I have a CPL and I want you to know that I have a gun on the seat" .
 
I have to agree. Always offer the Permit information first. I tend to have my CHL, DL and Insurance in my hand when pulled over anyways. I don't want to waste the Cops time, nor mine.
It also turns out that permits are cheap ticket insurance:
Pulled over 3 times since having a permit, all for minor infractions, no tickets. Two out of three times I was armed. Cop didn't care.

Oh, you might consider having your pistol somewhere a little more secure, like attached to the seatbelt or something. If you get in an accident, your pistol might end up who knows where....
 
I tend to have my CHL, DL and Insurance in my hand when pulled over anyways. I don't want to waste the Cops time, nor mine.
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This is all well and good, but keep in mind that the police don't like seeing a person moving around in the car, digging through the glove box, console, etc. before they approach the car. Sure, you may only be getting your paperwork in hand, but the cops don't know you aren't rummaging around for a weapon.

Best bet is to keep your hands on the wheel, or otherwise in plain sight, and retrieve the required papers when asked. It's not wasting the officer's time, and it makes them a helluva lot less nervous. ;)


Just a thought, from an ex-deputy.
J.C.
 
Stopped speeding

A couple of times I was stopped, and one time that stands out. I looked out the side view and the super trooper was walking up to my car on the drivers side, then I reached into the glove compartment to get my paperwork and then noticed him flatten himself against the car untill I showed him my hands and my insurace and other info. :eek:

So its best to keep your hands visible and don't say anything untill they start asking you questions.
 
FWIW, unless it is required by law, I would not tell the cop I was carrying or that I had a permit. Nor would I keep the gun in plain sight. (The better course is not to run stop signs in the first place!)

Even in "gun friendly" states, some cops don't like the idea of armed citizens and will give you a rough time if you say you are carrying. In some "gun unfriendly" states/areas, police will treat an armed citizen, even with a carry permit, as a criminal, doing the "exit the vehicle, hands on the car" routine. Not required, of course, but some cops will just be nasty on general principles.

(An exception is some states where possession of a gun permit indicates you are either a big-shot politician or a member of the Mafia; either commands respect from LEOs.)

Jim
 
Here in VA when they run your tag it comes back your a concealed permit holder. The instructor who told me this who's also a retired LEO said they may even ask to see your gun to check the serial # to see if it's stolen since this can happen if you buy used.
 
In Tennessee, your CCL is directly connected to your driver's license. They both have the same number.

So the nice officer doesn't know you're carrying legally until you either show him the permit, or he runs your DL number.

Which means that although you aren't required by law to tell him you're armed, it could save you a bit of "wear and tear" if you do.

No need in having some jumpy rookie plant you on the pavement if he sees your gun, before he's had a chance to find out you're legal, after all. ( Yes, I've seen this happen. It's embarrassing, all the way 'round.... :eek: )

A little common sense goes a long way with these things. Just think how you'd like to have things done, if you were on the other side of a traffic stop, and work from there. ;)


J.C.
 
Here in VA when they run your tag it comes back your a concealed permit holder. The instructor who told me this who's also a retired LEO said they may even ask to see your gun to check the serial # to see if it's stolen since this can happen if you buy used.
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It's attached to your Driver's License, not your plates. They have no right to check your gun's serial number during a traffic stop. They can only execute the traffic stop.
 
Had my first encounter while carrying yesterday.

Completley different situation, my wife and I are motorcycle riding, me 2004 H-D Softtail Springer, her 2005 H-D 883 Sportster. So as not to worry anyone she is out of the hospital and will be fine. We are in Indiana when she pulls off the road stops her bike and puts down the kick stand. By the time I get turned around and back to her she is laying on the gas tank and before I can get to her she slides off the tank and hits her head on the road. Turns out she got de-hydrated and passed out and then a concussion when she hit her head. Two young Park County Sheriff deputies took care of traffic and there was no reason to mention the CCW. As far as I know they didn't notice or didn't care if they did. I asked one about getting a tow truck for my wifes bike he said they both ride and would ride it where ever to save us an extra expense. It was ridden to a neighbors where I picked it up today. They were very professional and more helpfull than they needed to be, I thank them very much. Jim.
 
Completley different situation, my wife and I are motorcycle riding, me 2004 H-D Softtail Springer, her 2005 H-D 883 Sportster. So as not to worry anyone she is out of the hospital and will be fine. We are in Indiana when she pulls off the road stops her bike and puts down the kick stand. By the time I get turned around and back to her she is laying on the gas tank and before I can get to her she slides off the tank and hits her head on the road. Turns out she got de-hydrated and passed out and then a concussion when she hit her head. Two young Park County Sheriff deputies took care of traffic and there was no reason to mention the CCW. As far as I know they didn't notice or didn't care if they did. I asked one about getting a tow truck for my wifes bike he said they both ride and would ride it where ever to save us an extra expense. It was ridden to a neighbors where I picked it up today. They were very professional and more helpfull than they needed to be, I thank them very much. Jim.
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It's a good thing that she wasn't riding the bike when she passed out, it probably would have turned out a whole lot worse.

In Michigan, at least, there would have been no need to show a CPL because neither of you were ever 'officially' stopped by the police. That's the only time a person needs to show the permit here.
 
Once again, the best advice here is to check what your state's statutes say. Some states do not require you to notify an LEO. Many states do require that you notify if you are carrying, and that you have your license/permit on your person while carrying. In the latter incident, the fact that the deputies stopped while on duty to render assistance means they were acting in an official capacity, and in most states with a requirement to notify, this situation would be included. It doesn't have to be an official "stop" -- just acting in an official capacity.

And remember that when traveling to or through other states, even if your state or whatever state you have your non-res license from doesn't require notification, "When in Rome do as the Romans do" -- if the state you are in requires notification, you must notify.
 
I live only a few miles from Indiana so I spend a lot of riding time there, the roads are in much better shape and the scenery is prettier than Illinois. So I am familar with their laws and Indiana does not require notification except on demand. When I go to any other states I always check laws before entering so things are fresh in my mind. Jim.
 
I got pulled over a few weeks ago. I happened to have my insurance in my console. I had that and my DL and CHL in my hand on the steering wheel when the officer came up to my window. As long as he can see my hands, I doubt he is going to get too jumpy.
I got out of it with a verbal warning to slow down. :D
 
I keep my drivers license and registration folded inside the insurance card and slip it in the little strap holder on my visor, no fumbling around and I never seem to need my drivers license for anything other than a traffic stop anyway.
My pistol permit is in my pistol case(only have three pistols, :rolleyes: need a job so I can buy more!) and thats where it "lives". I see no reason to carry it on me. I have no idea if a drivers license being run will reveal if I have a permit, but I suspect it would. I'm in NY, so there is no CCW, and it's been a long time since I was stopped by the police. I'm certain last time it happend was before I had a handgun permit.
One thing I can about guarantee you, in NYS you'd have gotten a ticket, "warnings" are unheard of anymore it seems. State don't make no moola off of warnings.
 
I have to send Jamis Jockey on the warning.

You do not want a pound or two of steel flying about the cabin in the event of an accident...
 
Texas requires you show the chl any time your are asked for identification by a police officer. People have gotten into some nasty, expensive and long term difficulties when they have forgotten to do so.
Originally, failure to display the license was good for a 2 year suspension. This has been reduced to (i believe) 90 days for the first offense and then goes to a class b misdemeanor and 2 year suspension for the second.
 
She came up to my open window and I put both of my hands on the door and I announced " I want you to know that I have a gun on the front seat and..."
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You should NEVER say the words "I have a gun...." without a whole lot more in front of it.

In my CCW class (TN), we were told we should hand our permit over with our DL whether we are carrying or not, and say, "Officer, I have a permit to carry and it is [or is not] on me." The instructor, Tom Givens of Rangemaster, said the officer would know exactly what you meant by "it" without your having to say "gun." Even though you don't need to "declare" in TN, if the officer runs your license it will come back that you are a permit holder. If you hadn't declared it, the officer may take offense, so best to just declare. The law also requires you to carry the permit at all times while carrying your firearm, so if you don't offer the permit the officer may come back and ask for it.

I haven't had to test that strategy. I've had a permit for several years now, and haven't been stopped in that time.

Incidentally, my brother is a LEO in Georgia, and my dad's best friends when I was growing up were LEOs. They all taught me to NEVER move suddenly, keep your hands in sight, and always tell the officer what you are going to do before you do it. My practice is to have my windows down (front AND rear - so he/she can easily see into the back seat without window reflection) before the officer approaches, my seat belt still on, and my hands on the top of the steering wheel with wallet in one hand. I address the officer as sir or ma'am, as appropriate. If I need to reach into the console or glove compartment, I tell the officer what I'm going to do before I make the move.

I never get tickets, and I think those practices are a big reason why. The officers recognize and appreciate what I'm doing. Some have asked whether I'm an LEO (I'm not).
 
You should NEVER say the words "I have a gun...." without a whole lot more in front of it.
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It should sound something like this.

"Heya cop. Howya doin'? I gotta gun here and it's loaded. So you'd better be very careful what you say ... and NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS! So long as you comply, we'll get along fine." :D
 
I live in Georgia, which is a pretty gun-friendly place. Since I work nights sometimes, I usually have to stop for those midnight "seatbelt checks" they do. I just have my license and permit ready, and I hand them to the officer and say, "my sidearm's on my right hip, let me know how you want to proceed." 99% of the time, the response is something like, "OK, thanks for the heads-up." It's not required here, but a little courtesy goes a long way.

The only time I've ever had any problem was in downtown Atlanta, when I was stopped for making a left turn where I wasn't supposed to (never saw the sign). The officer was clearly having a rough day, and he asked to hold the gun for the duration of the stop, but I got it back right after with thanks for being the only person that day who hadn't demanded his badge number and argued and so on. Turns out I probably wouldn't have been stopped at all, except that my driving pattern was kinda suspicious (driving slow and making alot of stops at intersections--I was lost), and the area was known for male prostitution :what:
 
I always hear cops say something like "there's nothing routine about a routine traffic stop". Many cops have died at the side of the road after pulling someone over for a minor violation so they are understandably nervous when pulling people over.

I figure anything I can do to relax the officer is going to work in my favor ... keeping hands on the wheel until they ask for my ID ... interior lights on at night ... radio turned off ... polite demeanor ... etc.

Make a cop angry or heighten their nervousness and you're less likely to get away with just a warning ;)


Thankfully here in Colorado I'm not required to tell a cop I'm CCWing, and unless they are asking you to step out of the car, I see no good reason to tell the officer ... what they don't know won't hurt them, and there's no reason to complicate the situation (plus it worries me to have some cop who is inexperienced with the manual of arms of whatever particular gun I'm carrying deciding he needs to clear my piece...guns are safest if left in the darn holster).
 
Uncle Alva:in NY state(non NYC) an unresticted permit=CCW.....I haven't gotten stopped sense I've had mine....
 
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