Positive LEO Experience (Traffic Stop)

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Code3GT

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I wont mention the town/department but I had a pleasant experience with a smallish, somewhat rural city police officer this morning. I have a slightly tinted license plate cover on the rear that I just havent taken the 60 seconds to remove it (counts as an obstruction even though the plate is clearly visible). That was PC for the stop. No big deal.



I gave the officer my DL and CHL to which he asked if I was carrying. I said yes, concealed in the car but not on my person. He asked me to step out (no problem), did a quick pat down and gave me a warning all the while shooting the perverbial stinky stuff for a minute. No free advice on the cons of carrying and no taser so I'd say it was a great experience!



Just another satisfied customer although I do kinda wish he woulda wanted to check out a real gun (1911) compared to his G**CK LOL
 
Ah, well, you know what they say - Glocks for show, 1911s for a pro ;)

Kinda sad, though, that a positive encounter with LE is considered surprising these days :(
 
Kinda sad, though, that a positive encounter with LE is considered surprising these days
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Also kinda sad that a positive encounter with LE includes a pat down.
 
Stopped for an utterly trivial motor vehicle infraction and subjected to a pat down after showing state documents indicating that your firearm possession is indeed lawful--that's a positive encounter?!

Not by my standards.
 
I figured some comments about the pat down would ensue...

ponder this though, wouldn't it have turned an otherwise simple, quick stop into a pissing match and escalate the situation had I questioned a simple pat? Not something either one of us needed on a monday morning IMO. I'm open to high road suggestions/discussion though, i'm interested in y'alls opinions.

How would you have handled the same situation? (other than the "am I being detained? No? Am I free to go?")
 
Perhaps a relatively good experience given the nightmare stories out there but a pat down AFTER you've admitted to legally carrying...that's not good, that's ridiculous.
 
"ponder this though, wouldn't it have ..."

Wrong thought process; Look at it as it should have been, not the worst that it could be.

You should expect no pat down, no weapons issues, and just get a ticket for your tag.
 
Code3GT said:
(other than the "am I being detained? No? Am I free to go?")
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That's always what you should say.
Other than saying that, it doesn't sound like you could do a whole lot at the time. Get a ticket and take it to court.
 
No citation or ticket? Then, I'm not one to complain. It's not like you got clubbed over the head.

Like you said, the piddle match on the side of the road isn't going to bring you much positive results. Any complaints can and should be taken up after the matter through proper channels.

Good high road form.
 
I absolutely agree with all of you. Given the circumstances, it was just more high road to comply and if I had an issue, take it up the chain. That's certainly not to say I wouldnt educate an officer blatantly (intentional or otherwise) violating any of the BOR. I'm a high road kinda person and have been in his shoes before is all. Given the circumstance, asking the "Staple 3" wouldn't have been prudent IMO. Thanks for your input, thats what makes us all a little more edumacated :)
 
Stopped for an utterly trivial motor vehicle infraction and subjected to a pat down after showing state documents indicating that your firearm possession is indeed lawful--that's a positive encounter?!

Not by my standards.
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Mine either.
 
Funny, the one and only time I've been pulled over here in Colorado I handed over my DL and CCW permit, told the officer I was carrying concealed firearms, as were both my passengers.

He was MOST appreciative that I had informed him though it wasn't legally required.

He then asked if I knew how fast I was going.... straight face, no smile, nothing, I said....

"65 mph."

"......well, 66, but.... yes. Wow. Okay, well, it's a 45, so I'm going to write you a ticket for that."

He sort of smirked, handed back my CCW permit, ran the DL and insurance, wrote me a ticket, thanked me again for my honesty, and we were on our way.

Positive all around.
 
PTK said:
"65 mph."

"......well, 66, but.... yes. Wow. Okay, well, it's a 45, so I'm going to write you a ticket for that."
...
Positive all around.
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I agree he was nice about the guns, but ... postive when he wrote you a ticket that there is absolutely nothing you can do to get it removed?
 
I was speeding, I have no problem being ticketed as I was breaking the law. I paid it already, no issues at all. :)
 
ravcon said:

Stopped for an utterly trivial motor vehicle infraction and subjected to a pat down after showing state documents indicating that your firearm possession is indeed lawful--that's a positive encounter?!

Not by my standards.
Click to expand...

Agreed. About a month ago, someone ran a red light in Detroit, and I t-boned their car. The driver fled the scene. Several witnessed got the plate and called the Detroit police.

Forty minutes later, the officer arrived to take a report. When he pulled up, I handed him my MDL, MCPL and pistol safety inspection card. I told him "I have my G26 on my ankle".

He continued to look at the paper and said, "Okay", as he handed the MCPL and inspection card back.

That is a positive interaction with the police.

Doc2005
 
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I don't think anyone is saying you should have started a "pissing match". It's just that being patted down seems like a pretty inappropriate thing for him to have done. I agree with the folks who say the appropriate response to "Here's my CCW" is "Okay. Thanks for letting me know".
 
if he can pat me down and get me in and out in 5 minutes that is positive enough for me.

However, I can see both sides of the story. That is, how people can gripe about the pat down and how people can say it is fine. I guess I am on the fence with the issue.

I guess he just wanted to make sure you were safe to stand out side and he wasn't going to get shot at while sitting in his car running the guys stuff.

If I follow through with being a cop I wonder at times whether or not I would do the same. I mean, I only get one chance to live, one chance. Risking the assumption that a man with a CHL won't flip out is still a risk to oneself. It is a long shot but...
 
I have never had someone step out of the car for a pat down after being presented with a CCW. However, the supreme court has upheld that I can remove all occupants of a vehicle on any traffic stop for safety purposes (mine and theirs).

What is that agency's policy? Are they required to do a pat down after being advised of a weapon? One of our officers was recently shot by a mentally ill person who advised he had a gun. I believe you are not mentally ill, but the officer doesn't know that. If it isn't a policy, was the officer still trained to do it? Or, maybe he is just a jerk (we have a couple of officers I hope you never get stopped by).

In Arizona you are not required to notify the officer of a firearm in the vehicle unless asked. I tell people that ignorance is bliss. If I pull you over and you give me your CCW, we will have a great time. If certain other officer's pull you over, you will be treated like a criminal and there is no way to know which is which until it is too late.

Decide for yourself, but my advice is to keep quiet about the firearm unless you are legally obligated to do so.
 
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