Traffic Stop has this ever actually happened to anyone?

[Pete D.]

Interesting thread

Happy to read through this thread.

If it's not required, it's foolish to give that info. The cops are paid to enforce the laws of their state regardless of whether they like the regs or not. They should not expect more than the law requires or have an opinion about someone following the law.

I agree with that. Unless required to do do, there is no reason to do so.
I have been stopped...properly so....once in the last thirty years. It was on I80 in NJ at about 11pm. I was very tired....sleepy in fact....The car was wandering on the highway. The cop may well have saved my life and my wife, who was in the car and asleep. She drove on. I got a warning.
There were weapons in the trunk. They stayed there and I did not inform the officer.
Pete

 

[mgkdrgn]

I had a Texas trooper ask me one time, "Just why to think you need to carry a gun?"
My reply "Why do you?" was not well received it would seem. I got the ticket.

I could tell the one about the Ft. Hood MP PFC stopping me on the home in base housing while in a Harker Heights Reserve uniform but it would take a novella's worth of space.

Well .... we're waiting.

 

[jdh]

Readers digest condensed version:

At 3am after finally finishing my 3 DWI reports from evening watch I go in the east gate of Fort Hood. The MPs on post considered a vehicle on the road at that time to be probable cause to stop the car so he did. Young private fresh out of AIT on his first solo patrol, BTW. He gets on the PA and tells me to bring my ID, DL, and insurance to the rear of my vehicle. As soon as I step from my car I hear him hollering GUN GUN! Me being in a full civilian police uniform with a 1911 on my belt, I start looking for the threat and realize he is talking about me. He starts to draw his issued 1911. I told him I was an active duty SSG with the commanders permission to work off base as a reserve police officer. He continued to attempt to draw his 1911 from the issued full flap holster. So I said "Private stop for a minute and think. You have a 1911 secured in a flap holster. Your 1911 has an empty chamber and no magazine in the gun. In one of your ammo pouches is a mag with 3 rounds in it. Now I also have a 1911. It is in a holster designed for a rapid draw. I has a round chambered with the hammer cocked and is on safe. There is a mag inserted which is fully loaded with seven rounds. On my belt is a double mag pouch with two more fully loaded mags. SO Private just who the <removed> do you think is going to win this gunfight? Here is my ID, DL, and Insurance." I didn't know at the time he had keyed up his radio to call for back up and the whole speech went out over the MP channel. Need I say how much back up he immediately got or how much ribbing resulted for months following?

 

[Anmut]

I got to find a roof mount like that

 

[Akita1]

Only happened to me once; State Trooper here in FL early in the AM on my way to the hunting camp. Handed her my license and my CWL, she asked where it was, to which I replied "they are" in my glove box and in the rear seat, only the pistol in the glove box is loaded. After a quick glance at all the gear in my truck and the standard walk back to her car/a quick check on her laptop: a little slower in the dark so you can react to animals please & good luck with your hunt sir. Thank you ma'am, and might I say that's a mighty fine .45 on your hip. Thank you sir and a sweet smile. She was my good luck charm because it was my new Thompson .270's first foray into the woods and together we bagged a nice 265 lb. 7 pt (rather big for a Central FL deer).

 

[CountryUgly]

I did not inform (not required to by law here) LEO so happens to see it in the back of my car, loses his cool and snatches me out the window at gun point.....

 

[420Stainless]

I wouldn't volunteer the information unless either asked or unless I was about to be cuffed and searched. Was pulled over recently (just a warning for brake lights out and cursory license, insurance and tag call in) and the question never came up so I didn't reveal anything. I was legally carrying my ccw. Just kept my hands on top of the steering wheel where he could see them at all times and informed him that I would need to access the console compartment to retrieve my insurance card when he asked for it.

Long time ago back in my foolish youth I was pulled over for a sobriety check. That officer did ask me to get out and requested to search me and my vehicle (there were empty beer cans on my floor boards - I had it coming). I consented and informed him that I was carrying a pocket knife (the only potential weapon I was carrying at the time) in my left front pocket before he searched me so there would be no surprises. I also told him where my keys and wallet were located so there would be no surprises or questions. He emptied my pockets and called in my info. Awhile later he asked me where I lived. I told him two miles down the road and he said he'd follow me for awhile and would throw the book at me if I couldn't control the truck. He turned off a quarter mile down the road and graciously let me go when I really should have been heading to the slammer.

I'm convinced that as long as you make it easy for the officers to see your hands at all times and are respectful, they will give you respect in return - assuming that your ID is valid and your history is clean. Basically said all that to say that I wouldn't let an officer accidently find my ccw. As soon as he informs me that he has reason to search, I will reveal the location of my weapon. However, I don't see how an officer is going to accidently find out about your weapon for a routine traffic stop unless you're open carrying at the time.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Let me preface this by saying that outside of my job, I haven’t had an interaction with the police in over 3 years so I’m not some thug who has run ins with the police all the time.

That said, I would never consent to a search of my vehicle. If my vehicle were searched I would ask for a lawyer and say absolutely nothing further.

A pat down I would have no discretion over so in that case I would immediately inform

 

[blue32]

"silicosys4, is it legal for a police officer to just reach in your car and grab something like that? Or are you consenting by telling him where it is in the vehicle?"

If I think you are armed and dangerous, yes, I can disarm you per Terry v. Ohio. Armed AND dangerous must apply together, not just one or the other. At that point I do not need consent or a search warrant. As one of the 15 exceptions to obtaining a search warrant, if I have probable cause to search a vehicle then probable cause is sufficient.

 

[Garmangabis]

As I mentioned in another post, I almost always carry a pair of P220 .45's, I got pulled over for a crooked headlight (fishing expedition) and when the policeman asked for my registration, I opened my glove box and he saw a left over scrap of leather from a Galco shoulder holster strap in there and pulled his gun on me and ordered me to freeze, so I did.

My two employees were in the back seat, and we were returning from a custom excavation project, and we all looked a little dirty after a 12 hour day of digging, so anyhow, the cop demanded to know if I had a gun, and I said "Inside my jacket, I have a permit." he then told me to **** and ordered me to had me exit the car, and while my hands were behind my head, he found my right hand P220 inside the left side of my jacket, he called for backup, saying "Yes, he is armed, and with a hog leg at that!" .... And in no time four cops were there, they took my P220, set it on the hood of the police car, with me standing between the cars, they all turned their backs to me to ogle my SIG. Then, in a very calm voice, (hands still behind my head) I said, "Would you officers also like to take my other pistol?" Well, they collectively turned and said "Where is it?" I said "In the other side of my jacket." They dug out my other P220 and the original officer said "I don't know who <removed> you are, but you have good taste in guns." They then could not find the mag release for that pistol, so I said "It is on the other side, it is my left hand gun." This produced a few more funny looks from them, they checked my CWP, called back to HQ about me and finding nothing, they handed me back my pistols and left..... forgetting all about that crooked headlight.

My employees, a couple of thugs from the local labor force place had nearly crapped themselves, the cops never even ID checked them. "Wow dude, we thought we were all going to jail!!"

 

[anothernewb]

Not me personally, but the driver of the car I was in got pulled over. Both of us had MN concealed permits. Apparently the information of a permit holder must be registered with the DOT because the officer asked if he was carrying right away. Officer was nice about it, but had both of us step out of the car and keep our hands visible while did his thing.