Traffic Stop and CWL

[sierrabravo45]

Just wanted to relate an experience to you.

I got stopped the other day for speeding. For once in my life, I actually was not speeding at the time. A guy flew up behind me in a beater and since I was in the black sporty car, the officer really didn't know who was speeding, and I got pulled over (Thats what he told me afterwards anyway). I was in town at the time and it was a local LEO.

Officer walked up and asked to see my license and registration, I did not pull it out of the glove box yet, I just waited to see what he wanted, since I wasn't speeding I was kinda wondering why I got pulled over. I was opening the glove box when I remembered that my Concealed Weapon was not at the small of my back and it was in the glove box. I stopped for a second and told the officer I was a CCW holder and I had a gun in the glove box, and it was loaded. He actually seemed ok with it. He asked me if I wouldn't mind handing it to him. I complied with the officer since the registration and insurance was below the gun in an envelope. The gun was in a holster. I handed the gun over, showed him my CWL handed him my License and Registration, (he still had my gun) and walked back to his car. He ran my license came back handed my my License and Registration told me what happened about the speeding and handed my gun back to me unloaded. I was heading to work at a Gun Store and had their shirt on, he brought up the store and we started BSing, about carry guns and some new stuff for a couple of minutes. He then headed his way and I headed to work.

Afterwards I thought of a couple of things.

1. The gun was where my Car Registration was. It would be in plain view once I popped the glove box, while I normally don't carry it there, it was that day because my back was bothering me. I felt that telling an officer about the gun, prob kept me from causing me and the officer undue stress. Reaching for a the car info and him seeing the gun without me telling him prob could have ended up A LOT different.

2. While some people might freak out about handing an officer your CCW, I had no problem with it. It made the officer feel more comfortable about the whole situation.

3. Since I live in Idaho, and I worked at a gun store, it prob helped the situation a lot. But since I was polite and upfront it helped a ton also.

The thing I mostly learned. Never keep your gun and car registration in the same place! I wouldn't have had to hand over the gun if it wasn't there, so if you are carrying in your car and you like to put it in your glove box, think twice if you keep your registration and insurance in there!

Just wanted to pass along what happened to me, in case you run into a situation like this.

 

[kurtmax]

I wouldn't give an LEO my weapon unless required by law. In my state the LEO has no authority to ask you to hand over your weapon during a traffic stop. These guys have little training and probably no training with the weapon you are carrying. I would expect a ND.

 

[SASS#23149]

I"d say you and the cop both handled it fine.
and you're right,guns and papers don't belong in the same place.Some cops are waaaay more reactive than others,and you don't want that happening.

 

[zxcvbob]

He unloaded it???

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

THE TEXT BELOW IS A QUOTE FROM ANOTHER USER.​

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These guys have little training and probably no training with the weapon you are carrying. I would expect a ND.

THE TEXT ABOVE IS A QUOTE FROM ANOTHER USER.​

​

------The Text Below This Line Represents My Reply-------​

THE PARAGRAPH BELOW IS INTENDED TO BE READ AS THOUGH IT WERE WRITTEN IN A SARDONIC MANNER. THAT MEANS IT IS SCORNFULLY MOCKING. IT ALSO USES HYPERBOLE TO EXPOSE THE SILLINESS OF THE PREMISE THAT NOT BEING TRAINED IN A PARTICULAR HANDGUN WILL AUTOMATICALLY RESULT IN A ND. IT IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY AS MY OPINION OF POLICE OFFICERS. IF THE WORD SARDONIC MAKES YOU THINK OF A CAN OF FISH, USE SARCASTIC INSTEAD.​

​

Right, because the first thing anyone does with a weapon they aren't familiar with is to spin it around on their finger yelling, "WOO WOO, LOOK AT ME! I'M A COWBOY!" I've also seen lots of people who pick up a gun they haven't seen before and say, "Hm, never seen one like this before. I bet you pull the trigger to unload it."

THE PARAGRAPH ABOVE IS INTENDED TO BE READ AS THOUGH IT WERE WRITTEN IN A SARDONIC MANNER. THAT MEANS IT IS SCORNFULLY MOCKING. IT ALSO USES HYPERBOLE TO EXPOSE THE SILLINESS OF THE PREMISE THAT NOT BEING TRAINED IN A PARTICULAR HANDGUN WILL AUTOMATICALLY RESULT IN A ND. IT IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY AS MY OPINION OF POLICE OFFICERS. IF THE WORD SARDONIC MAKES YOU THINK OF A CAN OF FISH, USE SARCASTIC INSTEAD.​

​

THE PARAGRAPH BELOW IS INTENDED TO BE READ AS WRITTEN, ALTHOUGH THE TONE SHOULD COME THROUGH AS SLIGHTLY CONDESCENDING TOWARDS KURTMAX'S BELIEF THAT COPS ARE SO POORLY TRAINED THEY CAN'T HELP BUT HAVE A ND​

​

I'll admit I haven't had a lot of training with every sort of weapon, but I'm not aware of many autos that you can't unload by dropping the mag then racking the slide or many DA revolvers you can't unload by swinging the chamber out and hitting the plunger. Perhaps if someone had a strange derringer, it might be a problem, but to say you expect a ND from a cop touching your gun is pretty silly.

THE PARAGRAPH ABOVE IS INTENDED TO BE READ AS WRITTEN, ALTHOUGH THE TONE SHOULD COME THROUGH AS SLIGHTLY CONDESCENDING TOWARDS KURTMAX'S BELIEF THAT COPS ARE SO POORLY TRAINED THEY CAN'T HELP BUT HAVE A ND​

​

 

[average_shooter]

This is why I decided to put my insurance/reg. tucked in the band around the visor. I figure that way my hands will be visible to the cop while I retrieve it since I would have to reach up to get it.

 

[CombatArmsUSAF]

I would have handled it the same way. Handing over your weapon does put the officer at ease.

As far as a LEO clearing my weapon out, I have no problem with it. It isn't all that hard to figure out how to safely unload any pistol.

Step 1 - Safety
Step 2 - Magazine
Step 3 - Chamber
Step 4 - Safety
No safety?? Proceed to step 2

Revolvers - open cylinder/dump rounds out

Like I said, not that hard.

 

[Ron James]

It's been quite a few years since I wore a county badge, but as I was trained, I would never hand a weapon back loaded. Bad Karma. And Jorg, before you start bad mouthing all police officers, walk a while in their shoes .
Sierrabravo 45 could not have handled it better. My hats off to you Sir.

 

[greenflash107]

I agree. You did the right thing, in the right manner. And I would not have had a problem with the officer unloading my firearm if it made him feel more comfortable. (As long as he returned my ammo)

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

And Jorg, before you start bad mouthing all police officers, walk a while in their shoes

Ron James, perhaps it wasn't the sarcasm coming through properly in text, although I find it incredibly hard to believe anyone would think I was seriously bad-mouthing police officers by exaggerating kurtmax's position and implying that they like to spin guns on their fingers like a Hollywood cowboy. I have, however, taken the time to mark up my post so that those who don't understand quoting, sarcasm, or hyperbole can follow the thread without resorting to accusing me of something I'm clearly not stating.

 

[Thernlund]

These threads are going around.

I posted this today in another thread...

Personally, I don't do a thing when pulled over. I pull over, put the vehicle in park, and sit there with my hands on the wheel. I don't speak until spoken to, I don't act unless requested, and if he asks me if I know why he pulled me over, I say no. He'll ask for my credentials, to which I'll reply, "They're in the glove box UNDER my pistol." He will then direct me further.

Now, if a cop wants to chat me up (as happened recently), I will oblige of course. I'm certainly friendly, and maybe he'll let me off for my offense, eh? But to be clear, we aren't buddies or anything. If I got pulled over there's a 99% to 100% chance I deserved it. I'm not about trying to "talk my way out of it". He's at work doing his job and I'm letting him get on with it. I'm not belligerent or nasty, but I don't kiss ass either. I'm caught and that's that. I'm content to get done whatever needs to be done and move on.

I run about 50% ticketed-to-warned ratio. I have thus far (20 years or so) have been able to escape the worst infractions, but usually get hammered with the small ones. Ehhh. I probably deserved all of them, so it is what it is. *shrug*


-T.

 

[igpoobah]

Although I am not required by my state to inform LEO that I am carrying, I choose to do so when I get pulled over. Cops don't like surprises and neither do I. Should he catch a glance of my sidearm it will be fine because he already knows I am carrying since I told him.

The one time an officer asked me to hand over my weapon I asked him politely if he would like me to clear it for him. He agreed, I did and then handed it over . I didn't like the situation at all. Handling a loaded firearm in the presence of an officer really made me nervous.

I guess I am scared that something will be misinterpreted/misconstrued and I will wind up with a couple of new screws in my hat rack.

I hope to avoid that situation in the future.

 

[MRIman]

I've been pulled over for speeding once,maybe twice, .
Had a loaded GP-100 next to me.
First thing I told him was I had a gun next to
me and my permit in my pocket.
Gave him my permit,DL,ins.info.
Never took the gun,but did drop the speed 7mph!!

Yes,I was speeding,just passed a guy doing 40 in a 55 in a pasing zone,
going up hill,only to meet the cop at the creast of the hill.
I pulled over and waited for him,to turn around!!
We looked at each other and I knew I was busted.
He did cut me some slack,more would have been nice though.
That was the last time I've been pulled over,pushing 20 years now.

MRI

 

[RP86]

I'm not a big fan of handing anybody a gun that isn't unloaded, mag removed, and slide back/action open. Do you think it would be wise to do this before handing the LEO the weapon(could possibly scare him/her since you are having to perform actions with the firearm), or just hand it to him/her loaded?

 

[sierrabravo45]

RP86,

I told the officer that the gun was loaded. I felt that it was safer to hand him a loaded gun then me clear it. That means I would have had to take it out of the holster, put my finger close to the trigger (even if my finger is alongside the frame its still close) drop the mag rack the slide and then hand it to him. A gun in a Holster is NOT going to have a AD.

__________________________________________________________________
The gun was a Kahr, they are pretty easy to operate. No safety's to mess with pretty easy to clear.

I WAS expecting to get the gun back unloaded. He handed me the gun, my mag and the one round.

Would you give a LOADED firearm back to someone you just pulled over??? I wouldn't.
_________________________________________________________________
KurtMax,

I probably wasn't required to give it to him, but reaching for my paperwork I first had to get around a gun. I didn't know how the officer would react. I felt it was better to inform him then get tasered or shot.

 

[RP86]

RP86,

I told the officer that the gun was loaded. I felt that it was safer to hand him a loaded gun then me clear it. That means I would have had to take it out of the holster, put my finger close to the trigger (even if my finger is alongside the frame its still close) drop the mag rack the slide and then hand it to him. A gun in a Holster is NOT going to have a AD.

I understand where you are coming from, but I was wondering what the majority of officers would prefer. I see both options having pros and cons.

 

[DJAteOhAte]

In my state the LEO has no authority to ask you to hand over your weapon during a traffic stop.

They do in Georgia.

 

[sacp81170a]

If it's in a holster that covers the trigger guard, no problem. No need to clear it before handing it over. If you had volunteered your carry permit before opening the glove box, I probably would have lectured you on having your carry gun there and not on you. I normally would have taken it from you and cleared it since it had to be handled in the first place. If it were in a holster on your belt, best it stayed where it's safest, in the holster. No need to handle it there.

If you had opened the glove box without showing your permit, you're right, we would have had a "problem".

 

[poppy]

Every state is different.

In Ohio we are required to declare our CC license. My experience with an Ohio Highway Patrolman was that as soon as he said good afternoon he expected me to declare my license, even though I knew that he knew that I had the license.

After I returned the "good afternoon" there was a pause and he asked if I had a CC license. I, of course, said yes. He asked if I was carrying and I said no. (my loaded pistol was in the console). That answer may have been technically incorrect.

He reminded me that I was required to declare the license. I said I knew that, but assumed I was to inform him when he asked for DL and resistration. He replied that I should do it as soon as possible.

After re-reading the law, my understanding is that I should have immediately informed the officer of my license as he reminded me.

Lesson learned, I think.

 

[kurtmax]

@Jorg. I don't like to give my firearms to anyone. I could care less if they are a police officer, or Joe Sheeple. I have no idea what kind of training either one has, and I'm not going to assume, just because you have a badge, that you can handle firearms. Hell, I had a family member that worked on the local police force for months before they sent him to the academy....

This isn't cop bashing, just based on facts. But I'm actually less confident that an officer will handle a firearm safer than Joe Sheeple. How come we don't hear about 'mere civilians' shooting at snakes in trees and capping a toddler a kilometer away?

 

[lawson4]

When I approach someone during a traffic stop in South Carolina, they are required to produce their CWP when I ask for I.D., if they are carrying.
If they have a valid CWP, why would I want to take their gun? They are the good guys and have had some firearm training, albeit minimal.
I have found that people that carry usually get additional training and are familiar with their gun.
Now, if I stopped the driver for weaving, etc (might be DUI) I will tell him to leave the gun in the vehicle when he gets out (he WILL be getting out).
In SC, you can carry a firearm in the glove box, etc., as long as it's closed, without a CWP. Those are the ones I worry about. I will remove the firearm myself, if I think I need to.

lawson4

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Absolutely do not attempt to clear your weapon if an officer asks for your weapon! He may mistake your actions. If it is in a holster, hand him the weapon in the holster; if unholstered, hand him the weapon in the palm of your hand with the butt toward him and the barrel facing in a safe direction. That way there can be no misunderstanding.

sierrabravo45, you did the right thing but as you say don't keep your weapon colocated with your vehicle papers. I don't mention that I have a weapon on me unless there is some reason to do so, such as what happened to sierrabravo45. If I'm asked to hand it over by a LEO I'm going to comply. If there is a problem then I will deal with it. But I don't believe in looking for problem before hand!! And that's what you are doing if you try to challenge the officer.

 

[Ed Ames]

This is a tangent, but...

Step 1 - Safety
Step 2 - Magazine
Step 3 - Chamber
Step 4 - Safety
No safety?? Proceed to step 2

Why would you unsafe the gun before dropping the magazine? Not arguing just asking. Seems like you want the safety on as long as possible. Besides that, many guns can't or shouldn't be operated that way.

I have pistols were it would be pointless to unsafe them. Make sure the safety is on, drop the magazine, pull back the slide/bolt, done. I have pistols that don't allow you to safety them without cocking first. Drop the magazine, pull back the slide, and then engage the safety or lower the hammer. I have pistols that lock the slide closed if the safety is engaged. Those you must clear as you said but I'd do it:
1) mag
2) unsafety
3) chamber
4) safety

Just askin....

 

[308win]

If you are pulled over and you are carrying a concealed handgun:
Before the officer approaches, roll down your window and place your
hands in plain view on the steering wheel.
Calmly tell the officer that you have a license to carry a concealed
handgun and that you have your handgun with you. Ask if the officer
has particular instructions concerning the handgun.
Do not touch or attempt to touch your handgun unless specifically told
to by the officer.
Do not exit your vehicle unless specifically told to by the officer.
Comply with all lawful orders given by the officer.
If you are a licensee and are not carrying a concealed handgun, this
section does not apply to you.[/QUOTE]

Poppy

The above text is from the Concealed Carry Booklet posted on the AG's website. The bolding is mine.

 

[Mr. Designer]

I got stopped for speeding and had my revolver in the glove box. I had to get my registration out of the glove box so I informed him of the revolver. He asked me to get out of the vehicle and patted me down. He got in the glove box and got my registration, checked everything including my carry permit and gave me a $120 fine. I suppose it could have been worse.