Inform the officer or not when concealed carry?

[bob16066]

There's no such thing as a "Routine" Thaffic Stop

In some Jurisdictions it is the Law.

Otherwise: It's my policy to give the Cop as little information as possible.

And he might not be stopping you for a minor Traffic Violation. It could easily be a case of mistaken identity and he's going to arrest you for the Murder you're unaware just happened down the road. If you say anything remotely resembling "gun" it could end badly.

I figure that if they want to know they'll ask. I will answer any and all questions as truthfully and as briefly as is possible. But: Why bother giving them more information than they need or want.

Just give me the ticket. I'll say thank you. And then we both get on with our lives with as little drama as possible. It's not the 1st ticket I've ever gotten!

Keep in mind that some cops are dumber than a bag of rocks.

The briefer the encounter the better.

I scrolled through some of the responses to this post and saw that some had long legalese speeches and I think that's the wrong approach. The more you say the more chance you have of being misunderstood!!!

If you feel you must notify (believe me. I understand) I suggest you have your Drivers License and Carry Permit ready with your window already down and hand it to the cop immediately. Or more accurately let him take it from your hand.

Most Cops are already worrying about whether they're gonna be shot or not.

Many believe this is the Quickest was to put the Cop at ease.

His seeing it immediately establishes that you don't have a felony record or you wouldn't have passed the background check to get the Carry Permit.

And: If he asks why you gave him your Carry Permit you can always say you thought it was required by law. Further establishing your cred as a Law Abiding Citizen.

 

[Grognard Gunny]

OK. In NC one is expected to give the nice Officer a "heads up". Having just recently gone through my "once in a decade" traffic pullover and nearly frightened the poor lad to death when I informed him..... I'm begining to wonder if it is worth the effort?

Except..... and here's my question.... it would be just my luck to have the fact that I have a CC permit "tagged" to my lisence number at the "central files". I have no information one way or the other. Does anyone know for sure?

I'd hate NOT to tell the nice Officer and then have him "bust" me for NOT informing him.... and probably lose my CC permit.

Ya GOTTA love jumping through the hoops to keep a "right"! :angry:

GG

 

[billwot]

Except..... and here's my question.... it would be just my luck to have the fact that I have a CC permit "tagged" to my lisence number at the "central files". I have no information one way or the other. Does anyone know for sure?

"! :angry:

GG

Yes, your NC CC permit is noted on your vehicle registration, and on your Driver's License. (Note that your CC permit number is the same as your DL number)

 

[antietam]

brolin1911a1:
I appreciate your good LEO experience and hope future encounters will be as benevolent. You come across as an above average approachable person and the LEO probably sensed that and felt like loosening up with you, conversationally. Your general opinion of LEO encounters with CCW-holders is as valid as mine. But, here's mine: I worked in radio communications engineering, FCC-Licensed, for over thirty years and law enforcement agencies, from municipal to FBI, US Marshal Service and Secret Service, comprised 80% of my career, fixing their radio "stuff." I was closer to them than I wanted to be. Most were clams, verbally and personality-wise. A few were real - guys and gals who seemed to know why they chose the job and appreciated the reverence and solemnity of the constitution, not like some – even CCWs on this forum, who mock constitutionalists and whose own patriotism leans more towards the old KGB tattlers upon their own family members to get ahead than honest, historically grounded, lovers of the concept of the US Constitution. The key words are: "most" and "few." I found when the "clams" eventually opened up that their view of the public was obscene - they viewed the "public" whom they were sworn to "protect and serve," as inferior, and adjectives used I won't repeat. There exists an element, a dynamic if you will, which attracts a sobering number of social dysfunctionals to the law enforcement industry - and please know that it is an "industry!"

 

[antietam]

You're suggesting that we, 24x7 condition ourselves to submit to the mind(s) of stressed LEOs under the "GUISE" of his/her "SAFETY" at the expense of the the golden and truthful assumption of US citizenship.

 

[NavyLCDR]

You're suggesting that we, 24x7 condition ourselves to submit to the mind(s) of stressed LEOs under the "GUISE" of his/her "SAFETY" at the expense of the the golden and truthful assumption of US citizenship.

I've decided that upon seeing a police officer, I will approach him with my hands over my head, introduce myself, offer my driver's license, military ID card, and CPL (which I will wear in a pouch around my neck) and turn my strong side to him and ask him if he would like my gun while he checks me out. Oh, and I am going to put my gun's serial number on the back of my CPL so he doesn't have to write it down to run it and see if it stolen. Maybe I'll keep a spare, completed fingerprint card with me too, as an "olive branch" type offering. After all, it's only the polite thing to do to ensure the officer goes home at night safe to his family, right?

 

[cabrera]

To settle my own curiosity, I decided to ask several officers myself regarding a traffic stop or a DWI checkpoint.
The 1st was outside the Police station as we were leaving just after my wife was fingerprinted for the CCW.
The 2nd was the office at my my kids H.S.
The 3rd was a cop who was going into the supermarket in uniform.

All three acknowledged that Virginia law does not require disclosure but the would appreciate it. They also advised that once they run you driver's license, they would know about the CCW (or CHP here) so they would then ask.

As a courtesy, I would have no problem advising them at the time of the initial stop. I would simply hand them my license & permit & advise them of my firearm location, especially since they will be back asking anyway.

 

[Treo]

To settle my own curiosity, I decided to ask several officers myself regarding a traffic stop or a DWI checkpoint.
The 1st was outside the Police station as we were leaving just after my wife was fingerprinted for the CCW.
The 2nd was the office at my my kids H.S.
The 3rd was a cop who was going into the supermarket in uniform.

All three acknowledged that Virginia law does not require disclosure but the would appreciate it. They also advised that once they run you driver's license, they would know about the CCW (or CHP here) so they would then ask.

As a courtesy, I would have no problem advising them at the time of the initial stop. I would simply hand them my license & permit & advise them of my firearm location, especially since they will be back asking anyway.

If they were going to find out when they ran my license anyway I might just hand them the permit.

Since they won't find out in Colorado I see no point

 

[S&W645]

To settle my own curiosity, I decided to ask several officers myself regarding a traffic stop or a DWI checkpoint.
The 1st was outside the Police station as we were leaving just after my wife was fingerprinted for the CCW.
The 2nd was the office at my my kids H.S.
The 3rd was a cop who was going into the supermarket in uniform.

All three acknowledged that Virginia law does not require disclosure but the would appreciate it. They also advised that once they run you driver's license, they would know about the CCW (or CHP here) so they would then ask.

As a courtesy, I would have no problem advising them at the time of the initial stop. I would simply hand them my license & permit & advise them of my firearm location, especially since they will be back asking anyway.

If they run my DL, I doubt they would know. Many states don't tie them together.

 

[NavyLCDR]

To settle my own curiosity, I decided to ask several officers myself regarding a traffic stop or a DWI checkpoint.
The 1st was outside the Police station as we were leaving just after my wife was fingerprinted for the CCW.
The 2nd was the office at my my kids H.S.
The 3rd was a cop who was going into the supermarket in uniform.

All three acknowledged that Virginia law does not require disclosure but the would appreciate it. They also advised that once they run you driver's license, they would know about the CCW (or CHP here) so they would then ask.

As a courtesy, I would have no problem advising them at the time of the initial stop. I would simply hand them my license & permit & advise them of my firearm location, especially since they will be back asking anyway.

So let's analyze this for a bit...

The cop goes and runs your driver's license and it comes back that you have a permit for a concealed firearm.

They come back to your car. Now, they KNOW that IF you have a concealed firearm on you that it IS LEGAL. SO, I've just got to ask this, WTF is to be gained by the cop asking about a gun at this point?!? I just don't understand. All they have to do at this point is get you to sign the ticket or give you a warning. What on earth is possibly to be gained by asking about a gun at this point when they just found that IF you do have a gun, IT'S LEGAL?!?

Are they afraid that if you do have a gun that you will shoot them, especially if they give you a ticket vice a warning? Do they ask, so they can disarm you before they give you the ticket in case it pisses you off and you shoot them because they are going to give you a ticket? Is there any other point to asking you if you are carrying a gun that they now know IS LEGAL? I just can't wrap my mind around any reason for them to ask about a gun after finding out that you have a permit...AND the traffic stop is nearly over AND they know you at least passed the background check to get the permit and that you cared enough to make sure you were legal to carry a firearm.

 

[S&W645]

I've decided that upon seeing a police officer, I will approach him with my hands over my head, introduce myself, offer my driver's license, military ID card, and CPL (which I will wear in a pouch around my neck) and turn my strong side to him and ask him if he would like my gun while he checks me out. Oh, and I am going to put my gun's serial number on the back of my CPL so he doesn't have to write it down to run it and see if it stolen. Maybe I'll keep a spare, completed fingerprint card with me too, as an "olive branch" type offering. After all, it's only the polite thing to do to ensure the officer goes home at night safe to his family, right?

You left off the :sarcastic: smilie. :biggrin:

 

[NavyLCDR]

You left off the :sarcastic: smilie. :biggrin:

:sarcastic: to the fourth degree....

 

[NavyLCDR]

Wouldn't it be simpler just to flash your CCW Badge?

I knew I was forgetting something!

 

[cabrera]

So let's analyze this for a bit...

The cop goes and runs your driver's license and it comes back that you have a permit for a concealed firearm.

They come back to your car. Now, they KNOW that IF you have a concealed firearm on you that it IS LEGAL. SO, I've just got to ask this, WTF is to be gained by the cop asking about a gun at this point?!? I just don't understand. All they have to do at this point is get you to sign the ticket or give you a warning. What on earth is possibly to be gained by asking about a gun at this point when they just found that IF you do have a gun, IT'S LEGAL?!?

Are they afraid that if you do have a gun that you will shoot them, especially if they give you a ticket vice a warning? Do they ask, so they can disarm you before they give you the ticket in case it pisses you off and you shoot them because they are going to give you a ticket? Is there any other point to asking you if you are carrying a gun that they now know IS LEGAL? I just can't wrap my mind around any reason for them to ask about a gun after finding out that you have a permit...AND the traffic stop is nearly over AND they know you at least passed the background check to get the permit and that you cared enough to make sure you were legal to carry a firearm.

Personally, I think it's a power trip for LEOs. I agree, you would think that if you have a carry permit, passed a background check, and have gone through all the legal steps, that a LEO would feel comfortable with a "responsible" citizen being armed.
Although I must admit that here in Va., police have no big issues with CCW guns since they DO know the driver has one, so up front disclosure makes them feel warm & fuzzy. They rarely disarm you. (but it has happened)

What I find funny is a retired cop pulled over would never be questioned let alone disarmed.

Like I said since in Va the fact that the driver has a CCW is a matter of record, I disclose as a courtesy. When I carry outside Va. I would only disclosed IF required by law. There is no need to draw attention to the issue.

 

[S&W645]

Personally, I think it's a power trip for LEOs. I agree, you would think that if you have a carry permit, passed a background check, and have gone through all the legal steps, that a LEO would feel comfortable with a "responsible" citizen being armed.
Although I must admit that here in Va., police have no big issues with CCW guns since they DO know the driver has one, so up front disclosure makes them feel warm & fuzzy. They rarely disarm you. (but it has happened)

What I find funny is a retired cop pulled over would never be questioned let alone disarmed.

Like I said since in Va the fact that the driver has a CCW is a matter of record, I disclose as a courtesy. When I carry outside Va. I would only disclosed IF required by law. There is no need to draw attention to the issue.

Now my thinking would be more toward disclosing if out of state. I have Florida tags so I already have one strike against me.

 

[cabrera]

Now my thinking would be more toward disclosing if out of state. I have Florida tags so I already have one strike against me.

If carrying concealed then I keep it that way unless it is inevitable that it will be disclosed or required by law. As you say strike 1 is out of state plates (actually strike 2, strike 1 is you got stopped LOL).
Unless disclosure up front is mandatory by law, I would just get through the stop as quickly as possible. Of course if the LEO asks I would not deny it. I would just say...with both hands on my steering wheel:
"I have a concealed carry permit and my FIREARM is holstered on my waist at 4 o'clock, my permit is in my shirt pocket."

Different states react differently to CCW, this it's why it's extremely important to know the laws of the states you are traveling through. So why stir the hornets nest. It's like getting audited...Answer only what they ask, offer up nothing.

 

[Treo]

Personally, What I find funny is a retired cop pulled over would never be questioned let alone disarmed.

If you are a cop there are two kinds of people in the world, cops and not cops.

Many, many years ago I dated a woman who was a cop. She came home one day absolutely livid because the St. Petersburg (Fla) PD had ticketed her car.

She had tried to get the ticket fixed by flashing her badge but SPPD wasn't havin' any.

When I pointed out that she had, in fact, parked illegally and that she wouldn't have thought twice about ticketing any other citizen who had done so, her response was "But I'm a cop."

In her mind the first rule of police work was that cops don't bust other cops and no matter what she couldn't see past that.

She lasted about a year.

 

[mrjam2jab]

They come back to your car. Now, they KNOW that IF you have a concealed firearm on you that it IS LEGAL. SO, I've just got to ask this, WTF is to be gained by the cop asking about a gun at this point?!? I just don't understand. All they have to do at this point is get you to sign the ticket or give you a warning. What on earth is possibly to be gained by asking about a gun at this point when they just found that IF you do have a gun, IT'S LEGAL?!?

.

ya beat me to it. makes absolutely no sense what so ever.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Now my thinking would be more toward disclosing if out of state. I have Florida tags so I already have one strike against me.

I think what cabrera is saying is that in his home state, VA, his CCW permit is going to come up anyway (Washington is the same way). So, in VA, he might as well show the permit up front in order to offer the officer a piece of evidence that he is an law abiding citizen so the officer can feel more at ease right at the beginning of the stop.

If he is out of state, the permit is not likely to come up with the driver's license check AND he does not know how the police act generally out of state when presented with a carry permit. In New York, for example, giving the cop a CCW permit would likely get you removed from the vehicle and frisked, at the very minimum.

 

[cabrera]

When I pointed out that she had, in fact, parked illegally and that she wouldn't have thought twice about ticketing any other citizen who had done so, her response was "But I'm a cop."

Treo, you misquoted her. Knowing many cops personally, in many different states & cities, I am confident that what she really said to you was:
"But I'm a F&%king cop." LOL!