Dealing with the police

[ford.304]

Ohio has the requirement to inform, and they drill into you in the CCW course to make sure you *practice* what you are going to tell the officer. They've had far too many people panic, get tongue tied, and just start gesturing and saying "gun."

The side effect of this is that every time I have a dream that involves getting pulled over, I now recite in my dream the specific sequence of "Officer I am a CCW permit holder and I am carrying on the right hip. My permit and my license are in my wallet which are also on my right hip pocket."

It ends up being a little pointless, though, since the license shows up when they run your plates. I've had several friends whose fathers had permits say that they were planning on getting theirs, just because every time they were pulled over the cops treated them like they were armed anyway.

[LittleLebowski]

I don't like surprising cops so I inform if pulled over (I've been pulled over once in about 7 years) and I will record audio if I have time.

[LOKNLOD]

Here in OK it's required to give immediate notification on first contact and failure to do so carries a pretty hefty penalty. There is a bill in the state senate right now that would change it to something about "first opportunity" instead. Unfortunately it is the same bill with open carry provisions, so I hope it doesn't get nixed because of that.

It's most problematic if you intend to be carrying in non-permissive places (signs are not legally binding here) or around people you don't want to know you are carrying. If I chose to carry at work against policy, that would get me when I had to take a ride with someone unexpectedly and then we got pulled over or stopped some how. Last week had to give some roadside assistance to a guy that works for me, after hours, and after having gone home. I almost armed up before heading back out, for obvious reasons, but chose not to because I figured we would end up dealing with LE due to the location he was stranded. Sure enough we needed help from a OHP Trooper and had I been armed I would have had to out myself in front of the employee or risk violation. It was after hours, and I was in a personal vehicle, so it may not have been a big deal, but had it been during business hours or if it would have been me in the company vehicle it could have been bad.

[Joe in PNG]

I have a procedure I've used all the one time I've been pulled over
1) Emergency flashers on, pull over someplace the officer will have a good, safe area to do his thing
2) Window down, dome light on, engine off, hands on wheel
3) Do what he tells me to do, and tell him what I'm doing before I do it.

4) I will give him my permit with my driver's license. I don't have to, but then again, that is something I like to get out of the way early on in the process. I'll let him tell me how to take it out.
5) I also stay polite- using honorifics as apporpriate.

Then again, I think my technique of obeying traffic laws as much as possible is a bit of a cheaper, easier, and better way of avoiding the above steps...

[KeeFus]

Seeing a gun on the dash or on the unoccupied passenger seat during a traffic is common place here in NC. I have stopped a many a folks who put it there just prior to the stop. As long as their beaters aint touching it I am cool with it. Also, this past legislative season, the politicians saw fit to honor every states CCW permit.

"Other States' Permits Honored Here

Effective December 1, 2011, North Carolina automatically recognizes concealed carry permits issued in any other state."
Copied from the DOJ website. There is other applicable information on that website.

I'm cool with that as well but just remember that here in NC you have to notify that you have a concealed weapon and hand over the permit w/ your license. Then again, civillians and OC'ers dont really bother me while I'm on duty. Although I think its a tactical error, I'm not really worried about the citizen who likes to OC. As our society becomes more firearm friendly we as LEO's have to have a proper mindset to deal with the citizens that choose to exercise their 2A rights.

My mindset is this after 17 years as a LEO here. If they took the time to go through the back ground checks and spend their money on a CCP I'm not gonna sweat them as long as they are cool. I tend to give verbal warnings to CCP folks anyway. I think OCing is a mistake but there are no laws that prohibit it. If you OC and get called on by someone just be polite and deal with the officers in a respectful manner. Dont go all "2A" on them as that will tend to piss everyone off.

[voodoo_man]

Around here we like to know. Chances are if you are a law abiding citizen and you do not give us any BS, are straight forward with everything, you will drive away with a positive experience.

The only time I have ever had an issue on this matter was with a guy who had stickers of gun companies (glock, springfield, larue, etc) on the back of his truck. I came up, asked for his info and asked him if he was carrying. He said no. I went back and ran his name to see if he had a permit to carry, which he did and did not show us. My partner went up and asked the same question he got a yes. Well he was "held up" for a good two hours while we crossed every t and dotted every i.

[David Armstrong]

Louisiana requires us to notify, but even if it didn't I think it is a good idea. I can't see too much bad coming from it, I can see a lot of potential for trouble if you don't. I never liked surprises when I was making a stop so letting the officer know items that might be of interest reduces the chance of a misunderstanding.

[htomeheb]

Here in OK it's required to give immediate notification on first contact and failure to do so carries a pretty hefty penalty. There is a bill in the state senate right now that would change it to something about "first opportunity" instead. Unfortunately it is the same bill with open carry provisions, so I hope it doesn't get nixed because of that.

It's most problematic if you intend to be carrying in non-permissive places (signs are not legally binding here) or around people you don't want to know you are carrying. If I chose to carry at work against policy, that would get me when I had to take a ride with someone unexpectedly and then we got pulled over or stopped some how. Last week had to give some roadside assistance to a guy that works for me, after hours, and after having gone home. I almost armed up before heading back out, for obvious reasons, but chose not to because I figured we would end up dealing with LE due to the location he was stranded. Sure enough we needed help from a OHP Trooper and had I been armed I would have had to out myself in front of the employee or risk violation. It was after hours, and I was in a personal vehicle, so it may not have been a big deal, but had it been during business hours or if it would have been me in the company vehicle it could have been bad.

I've never tried, but I've wondered how kosher it'd be to request to speak to the officer outside of the vehicle, or in your case, "In private.", then move to a location where the other party cant hear when you inform the officer that you're carrying and dont wish for others to know.

In Ohio, If they run my plates, they already know I have a CCW, but if I'm driving someone else's, manage to get pulled over, they'll have no idea until I tell them.

Im not sure how often they get asked something like that, or how well they'd respond to it. I'd have to imagine it'd depend on the officer.

[jar]

Louisiana requires us to notify, but even if it didn't I think it is a good idea. I can't see too much bad coming from it, I can see a lot of potential for trouble if you don't. I never liked surprises when I was making a stop so letting the officer know items that might be of interest reduces the chance of a misunderstanding.

This varies greatly depending on where you are and how common LTCs/CCW permits are and the general LE attitude toward them. I was pulled over in downtown Boston. I didn't mention my gun and it never came up. I got a citation and was on my way in 10 minutes or so. There's a not insignificant chance that if I'd mentioned it, I'd've ended up proned out on the sidewalk while they took my gun and ran the serial number.

If I think the officer might discover the gun, I'll inform before he/she does. Otherwise, I'm not saying anything unless directly asked.

[krazykiddjoe]

I've never tried, but I've wondered how kosher it'd be to request to speak to the officer outside of the vehicle, or in your case, "In private.", then move to a location where the other party cant hear when you inform the officer that you're carrying and dont wish for others to know.

In Ohio, If they run my plates, they already know I have a CCW, but if I'm driving someone else's, manage to get pulled over, they'll have no idea until I tell them.

Im not sure how often they get asked something like that, or how well they'd respond to it. I'd have to imagine it'd depend on the officer.

As a cop, This is going to be touchy. Most cops that I work with would think something is up and probably call an additional officer and it would create more headache then it would help. IF you were going to try this, DO NOT get out of the car to ask to speak with him. Simply ask, [Officer] [Trooper] [Deputy] may I speak with you at the front of your vehicle. If they grant that, just exit slowly and and put your hands calmly by your sides palms forward, IMPO if you were to exit and have your hands UP it would create more anxiety on the LEO's part. You want to mitigate any anxiety. You act calm, we act calm, you act nervous so on and such.

Under the NC statute requiring you to notify it is upon direct contact, meaning to me, if you're the passenger and I don't directly involve you in my traffic stop (ask if you have id or a drivers license or direct questions of that nature) I would argue that you have no need to inform me. If someone were helping a coworker with a disabled motor vehicle I would have simply walked up to the trooper as he pulled up and notified him of my carry and inform him that I don't advertise that fact with co-workers who you were helping. Most cops are not assholes. I am an asshole only when I need to be one. If I walked by you in a retail store or restaurant and in passing said Hi, how's it going. I would not in the least expect you to notify me of your CCW. If I walk up to you and state Hi, Sir, Can you answer a few questions if you have a second, we just had [blank] happen across the street. THEN I would expect you to notify me of the CCW.


§ 14‑415.11. Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit.

(a) Any person who has a concealed handgun permit may carry a concealed handgun unless otherwise specifically prohibited by law. The person shall carry the permit together with valid identification whenever the person is carrying a concealed handgun, shall disclose to any law enforcement officer that the person holds a valid permit and is carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer, and shall display both the permit and the proper identification upon the request of a law enforcement officer.