To directly address the OP's question:
I am a Texas LEO (a bit to the left on the map, and in a city WAAAAY to the left on the political spectrum of Houston/Harris County).
Me personally, I wouldn't ask that question unless I had some suspicion or probable cause to believe there was a weapon in the vehicle (say you have a CHL, or a shotgun case on the back seat).
The answer should be the truth. "Yes sir I do. I'm headed to the range (back from the range, etc.)" It's not illegal to transport a firearm in your vehicle in Texas provided you're not a convicted felon, or have previously been convicted of a family violence offense, so why worry about it?
Me personally I'll probably get into a discussion about guns with you, as will some of the other officers I work with. Some of the officers I work with will tell you step out of the car and hang out away from the vehicle until they're done with the stop. Obviously the first is preferable to the later, but I can't actually fault a fellow officer for taking a measure that is non-intrusive that they feel provides added officer safety.
In short, be honest, be polite, and 99.9% of the time the officer will return the favor. The exact same goes for officers, if we are polite and respectful, even the meanest most rowdy SOB can and usually is talked into cuffs rather then fought into them. It's a two way street that I personally always try to take advantage of.
Saw a couple of posts I felt I should address:
"1. "Am I being detained, officer?"
2a. If no, "Have a good day, officer."
2b. If yes, "On suspicion of what crime am I being detained, officer?"
3a. If none, go to 2a.
3b. If something (whether cockamamie or not), "I'd like for your supervisor to be present, officer."
If you get a "Step out of the vehicle, please," then lock your doors as you get out and close your door behind you. Get the officer's name and badge number. If you have a cell phone, call the local police, a friend to be a witness, or (even better) a friend who's a lawyer."
Regarding the above: a traffic stop is a detention, the SOCOTUS has ruled as such, so you can automatically skip 1. From there you're not being stopped and detained on suspscion of a crime normally. You're being stopped and detained after we observed a violation of the Texas Transportation code.
You have every right to request my supervisor be present, but please be aware that may take upwards of 30 minutes for them to get on scene. Far as locking your door as you get out and the like, sure if you feel like it. If I'm going to be searching your car, I'm either going to have your permission to do so, or be doing so under the legal authority to be able to open the car. So it really doesn't matter. You will however not be able to call anyone, as I do not know that you are in fact calling a friend, you're lawyer etc, it's an officer safety issue.
As others have said, if a cop asks for permission to search your car, it indicates the he does not have probable cause.
Also not true, it's generally much easier, and less paperwork to get consent then to have to write out your probable cause. For instance if I smell the odor of burnt marijuana in a vehicle I stop I now have a legal right to search the entirety of the car. If I ask if they mind if I look in the vehicle, it does not negate my probable cause search. It can get sticky in court on a variety of technical matters however, which is why we are taught to just go ahead and search if we've got PC, rather then ask for consent.
I don't think a policeman is always, or even often, interested in dragging out the encounter, etc. But I don't think many are only interested in enforcing only the laws that protect individuals from having their life, liberty and property violated. And that means that there are very few laws that they should be enforcing.
I get paid to enforce the laws of the State of Texas, and the ordinances enacted by the municipality that pays my salary. I frequently and often enforce laws and ordinances that I find pointless, ridiculous, stupid, etc. I however do not create the law or ordinance, and I do not think so highly of myself that I feel that I can decide what laws and ordinances are good/correct/useful/etc. and enforce only those. We all do things are work that we personally feel really are a waste of resources, but someone pays our salary to do them. In my case at least it's the citizens I work for who tell me what to do. If they want a change, it's their responsibility to enact that change. It is not my authority to simply enforce the law as I see fit. Rather it is my responsibility to enforce the law as the community wishes me to.
Quote:
These folks get shot during routine stops and while cops know some in their midst are insecure losers who give them a bad name (we all have a small percent of these in any profession, IMHO), I assume they are good guys and gals who put their lives on the line every day.
Ummm.....no they actually don't. Look up the stats. Being a cop is nowhere near as dangerous they claim.
Okay this one irks me.
www.odmp.org Specifically
http://www.odmp.org/officer/184-trooper-carlos-ray-warren I drive by Trooper Warrens marker every night I work, he took several rounds to the back as he walked away from the car. He stopped the suspect vehicle for no head lights. I agree we don't get in shoot outs every day, but we've got a lot more risks then a paper cut or broken water cooler.
Lets do a little thought experiment about this. Suppose the state legislature decided that monetary fines would no longer be the primary punishment for traffic infractions and abolished them, to be replaced with something else (say community service).
Its unlikely drivers won't still speed a little here and there, or do other things that are nominally illegal.
After a year of no fines, how many traffic citations are likely to be issued versus while the fine system was still in place? 5%? 10%?
The results of this thought experiment will tell you exactly what traffic enforcement is about.
Having done a couple of death notifications regarding accidents that occurred due to excessive speed, I'd keep writing just as many tickets as I do now. I'm NEVER doing another death notification again if I can help it.
-Jenrick