My Encounter with the Colorado State Patrol

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pith43

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Just wanted to share an experience I had yesterday with a LEO from the Colorado State Patrol.

We were traveling home from my son's wrestling tournament, and we were traveling on a two lane highway with a 65 mph speed limit. We got to a section in the road with a passing lane, and I sped up to over 80 mph to get past the car in front of me. I looked back and noticed an unmarked CSP car right behind me. Oops.

The lights come on, so I pull over. I do everything my cop friends have told me:
1) Pull over far enough to get car well out of traffic.
2) Shut engine off.
3) Roll down window and keep hands on steering wheel untill cop contacts me.

He asks me how fast I thought I was going, and I tell him, "I don't know, 70 or 75". He tells me it was 80, but he got a lock at 76.

He asks for my license, registration, and proof of insurance. I say "yes sir" and hand him my all my information, plus my CCW card.

The next thing he asks is if the gun is on me. I say "yes sir, at 3 o'clock".

The very next thing he says is that he appreciates the heads up he is just going to give me a warning. Slow down next time and get my family home safe.

I never made it out to be a big deal that I was carrying, and he didn't either, he just appreciated me letting him know.

The background to this story is that a couple of weeks ago, a member of our police force was shot and killed in a felony warrant arrest. We live in a very small town with only 5 members on the force. There were over 1,500 leo's from all over the state and country that attended his funeral. It has been an very emotional couple of weeks for our town and the entire states leo community.

The Trooper has polite and professional thoughout the whole incident, but when we were finished, my wife thanked him for all that he did for us. I could see the tears well up in his eyes and he said "be safe", and headed back to his car.

I gleaned a couple of things out of this incident: I'm glad I live in a state where it's not a huge deal to be carrying a firearm, and I'm glad I don't have a job where the next guy I pull over may be trying to kill me. Courtesy and politeness go a long way.
 
Every situation is different. I've been stopped by cops before, and I always acted politely, and gave them the same things each time (DL, proof of insurance, CHL). Sometimes I got a warning, other times I got the ticket. Who knows what mood the officer was in at each time.:confused:
 
I may be wrong but didn't they start out as the Colorado Courtesy Patrol. Instead of making arrests their main mission was highway safety and road assistance. If that was their original name or close to it I'm glad to see that they have not forgotten their roots.
 
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Good story. I have nothing but the utmost respect for LEO's. They have an impossible and dangerous job.
 
Colorado Trooper are a good bunch of folks. I've never been asked abot a firearm!
Dan

I've had the same expierencies in Wyoming and New Mexico....guess westwern pistol packers are a different breed!
 
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I'm old enough to remember when the CSP was known as the "Courtesy Patrol".

I deal with the Pueblo CSP office through my business and I went to school with the (now retired) commander of this area.

Most of the CSP is a class act. (I guess I shouldn't say "most". I haven't run into any yet who are not.)
 
My dad was Wyoming Highway Patrol, and I go into Colorado a lot. I think CSP is one of the classiest outfits out there. The few times I've had interactions (mostly not through violations, through my dad, Broncos/Rockies games, traffic control, etc.) I have found them to be very courteous and professional.
 
I too remember the Courtesy Patrol. If a feller is straight and honest with them or the WHP they will most often get treated the same way.

LawScholar, Please to meetcha. I'm bettin' we know some of the same people. I spent 10 years on the WHP. The present Colonel did his ride along training with me.. :)
 
I think it's a bit disconcerting that a positive encounter with an LEO is considered news at all.

This exactly what should happen. You're not a wanted felon or doing anything ridiculously dangerous. Just a regular law abiding guy who went a little too fast on the highway. And the cop treated you accordingly.
 
My mom, dad and sis live out in Colorado. They say most of the local cops don't want to hear about your gun in the car because if you tell them about it they have to run the serial numbers and do paperwork and it's a hassle.

Maybe the state guys are better at doing the paperwork?
 
They say most of the local cops don't want to hear about your gun in the car because if you tell them about it they have to run the serial numbers and do paperwork and it's a hassle.
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As a former CSP Trooper, what? My FTO and I just took them back to the car, placed it on the dash and ran the DL like normal. Once it cleared we returned the firearm. And if I remember correctly there is no requirement to inform, but it is nice.
 
I must say all Colorado HP officers are not the same, and your results could vary.

While stationed at Ft. Carson CO, one CHP stopped my wife on HW-115 and made her get out in a snow storm and wash her KS license plate off with spit on her fingers.
Because he couldn't read it through the road slop covering it!

I figured then it was an aberration, and I didn't condemn the whole Colorado HP for one A-hole CHP out of hundreds of good ones.

rc
 
I was on a county road and when the speed limit changed from 50 to 40, I forgot to reset my cruise control which was set at 52. I came around the curve and at the gas station the 40 mph speed limit was for was the sheriff running radar. As soon as I saw him, I turned on my hazard lights, pulled off on the road across the main road from the gas station and waited.

He came up to me, I handed him my driver's license, registration and insurance card and told him I forgot to reset my cruise control when the speed limit changed.

He said, "Thanks for stopping, I'll check your driver's license, and if it's good, you can be on your way." Came back and handed my stuff to me and said, "Thanks again for stopping, have a good day."

My CPL was never mentioned, nor was the gun I was openly carrying in a holster on my belt.

ColdDeadHand said:
They say most of the local cops don't want to hear about your gun in the car because if you tell them about it they have to run the serial numbers and do paperwork and it's a hassle.
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Somebody lied to your mom, dad and sis, or that police department has policies that completely violate the 4th amendment.
 
Do you have to advise them in CO?

Here we dont have to, and I never do, I dont see the point. If he asked me to get out, then I might bring it up, depending on the reason why.
 
Somebody lied to your mom, dad and sis, or that police department has policies that completely violate the 4th amendment.
Click to expand...

I'm not aware of a test case that challenged charging/conviction based on possession of a stolen handgun determined by running the serial number after it was given to an LEO during a traffic stop . . . but I'm pretty sure that would be a losing proposition for the accused. Serial numbers are in plain view on a weapon -- and attempts to obscure them would justify the reasonable suspicion that that something criminal involving the gun were going on (even if the obscuration did not rise to the level of criminally trying to obliterate/remove it).

Might be a good one to see, and may go a ways on appeal, maybe even SCOTUS, but regardless of the hypotheticals lawfully surrendered firearms have their serial numbers run all over this country every day during traffic stops. That's discretion of the officer(s) involved, and not everyone does it, but it does happen -- and, as I say, I'm not aware of any case law that prohibits it even if they gun was obtained under a legal obligation to inform and surrender the weapon.
 
Gus,

No, I don't believe you have to tell them, but as the other gentleman did, you hand it to him, let him make the decision! Most times they'll ask if its on your person, if you answer yes, they'll thank you and hand documents back an you're on your way. NOW, I've only been pulled over one time in the last 25 years, don't want you to think its a daily affair! LOL
 
My mom, dad and sis live out in Colorado. They say most of the local cops don't want to hear about your gun in the car because if you tell them about it they have to run the serial numbers and do paperwork and it's a hassle.
Click to expand...

Must be a city ordinance, there is no state law that you have to tell them you are carrying. I just do it as a courtesy. The thing I always try to remember is that they don't know if you are a risk or not.

I have several friends on the local pd, and CSP stationed in our small town. All of them I've talked to would rather deal with a ccw, because there is less of chance of something going wrong. Someone with bad intentions isn't going to show them a ccw.

I know there are a few on here that don't feel they need to tell a LEO they are carrying. I don't have a problem with it. The few times its come up, I've never had a single cop that had a problem with it. In fact most of the cops I know think its a very good idea for law abiding citizens to have a ccw.

Btw, you would be amazed at the amount of ccw's in our area, men and women. Might be a small town thing.;)
 
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