Inform the officer or not when concealed carry?

[NavyLCDR]

LEO's are often much more friendly if they know you arent trying to hide anything.

And this is what I don't understand. Why is it viewed by some to be hiding something if I don't tell the officer about my lawfully carried firearm? Am I hiding my cell phone from him, if I don't show that to him? Am I hiding my lunch from him, if I don't show him what's in my lunchbox in the back seat? Am I hiding my CD collection from him, if I don't show him those?

 

[Ruger357SP101]

And this is what I don't understand. Why is it viewed by some to be hiding something if I don't tell the officer about my lawfully carried firearm? Am I hiding my cell phone from him, if I don't show that to him? Am I hiding my lunch from him, if I don't show him what's in my lunchbox in the back seat? Am I hiding my CD collection from him, if I don't show him those?

Come on, be reasonable. LEOs are shot dead during traffic stops.
YouTube - Cop shot in the face
When they pull you over this afternoon how in the hell are they supposed to know that today isnt THE day you finally went off your rocker and will pull that gun out to shoot them when they get to your car door ?

We're not talking about checking preschool kids lunchboxes...altho if this was Vietnam 40 years ago that might not have been a bad idea.

We're talking when we are already being pulled over at a traffic stop for most likely breaking speeding or some other traffic law.
I realize that people dont want to accept this fact, but a LOT of felons are caught during traffic stops. Cops are already on notice that something can happen.
And how do they know before they get to your car that you havent been carjacked and someones got a gun on you?
Come on now....we CARRY for a REASON. Either we understand that ANYTHING CAN happen....or we're carrying for some reason OTHER Than self defense.

There isnt a single thing wrong with LAW ABIDING citizens ASSISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT in any and every REASONABLE manner possible. Even if its just helping them feel more at ease so they know this traffic stop isnt one where they got shot at or killed.

I'll keep informing them when Im pulled over myself. Cops are guys just like me. They dont want to get shot any more than I do.
This 'us versus them' garbage by law abiding folk only makes this crap worse than it needs to be.
Instead of US acting like the jerk cops we hate, how about WE set the example so the good cops can do their jobs without so much hassle ?

 

[NavyLCDR]

This 'us versus them' garbage by law abiding folk only makes this crap worse than it needs to be.
Instead of US acting like the jerk cops we hate, how about WE set the example so the good cops can do their jobs without so much hassle ?

How is it ME against the COP simply because I choose not to tell him about a perfectly legal activity that I am engaged in?!? I am not at war with the cops. I simply value my privacy and prefer to exercise my 4th amendment rights to that privacy.

Can you guarantee the cop is going to be reasonable when I show him my CCW permit? Can you guarantee he is not going to "ask" me to exit the vehicle and pat me down? Can you guarantee he is not going to search the immediately accessible area of my vehicle? Can you guarantee his not going to take my gun from me, unload it (<--- and that is all if he chooses to stay withing the bounds of case law precedent), hopefully without shooting me or himself in the process, and call the serial number of my gun in to check if it is stolen? Why should I put up with all the inconvenience simply to "put him at ease"?

If he isn't at ease enough when I pull over in the safest spot possible for him, with my window rolled all the way down, with my right hand out the window holding my driver's license and military ID card, with my glove box open and the folder containing my registration and insurance on my lap, and my other hand on the top of the steering wheel, with my engine turned off..... then I doubt very seriously that showing him a CCW permit is going to do any more to put our LEO friend at ease.

 

[Ruger357SP101]

How is it ME against the COP simply because I choose not to tell him about a perfectly legal activity that I am engaged in?!? I am not at war with the cops. I simply value my privacy and prefer to exercise my 4th amendment rights to that privacy.

I think I explained myself clear enough to your, N.
We're done here.
You do as YOU please...I'll do as I please...and it wont be me getting dragged from my car during a stop if it happens to either of us, I assure you.
I will inform EVERY time whether Im carrying or not carrying for the peace of mind of the officer. He ISNT my enemy. FELONS are!
And if they want to search my car Im fine with it as long as they ask and I give them permission...which I have done just that in the past.
Ive nothing to hide. Criminals do.

Have a great evening...

 

[S&W645]

I watched an FHP trooper stop a van the other day. Approached it the same way as we were told nearly 40 years ago. Stay to the rear of the driver's door. Ask the driver to hand the info out the window and to the rear. Use the driverside mirror to watch the driver.

 

[NavyLCDR]

and it wont be me getting dragged from my car during a stop if it happens to either of us, I assure you.

And if a cop drags me out of the car because he finds out I have a CPL when he calls my driver's license in, then he is going to be defending his actions in court, because the possession of a CPL is not reasonable and articulable suspicion that the individual is armed and dangerous, which is the minimum requirement for an officer to be justified in performing a Terry Search. AND, after he finds out that I do have a CPL, and asks me if I am armed, and I say yes, and he pulls me out of the car to do a Terry Search, I would suggest that he would be on shaky ground proving reasonable suspicion that I was dangerous - because the state has already determined, by issuing my permit, that I am not dangerous.

And again, it isn't me against the cops.... but I did take an oath to SUPPORT and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC.

 

[Ruger357SP101]

I'd like to reiterate the point
"There isnt a single thing wrong with LAW ABIDING citizens ASSISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT in any and every REASONABLE manner possible. Even if its just helping them feel more at ease so they know this traffic stop isnt one where they got shot at or killed."

 

[Ruger357SP101]

And if a cop drags me out of the car because he finds out I have a CPL when he calls my driver's license in, then he is going to be defending his actions in court, because the possession of a CPL is not reasonable and articulable suspicion that the individual is armed and dangerous, which is the minimum requirement for an officer to be justified in performing a Terry Search. AND, after he finds out that I do have a CPL, and asks me if I am armed, and I say yes, and he pulls me out of the car to do a Terry Search, I would suggest that he would be on shaky ground proving reasonable suspicion that I was dangerous - because the state has already determined, by issuing my permit, that I am not dangerous.

And again, it isn't me against the cops.... but I did take an oath to SUPPORT and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC.

Please.
My brother in law and sister didnt have to have a CHL to be dragged from their car and get a knee to their face by two big Cops.
Lets STOP pretending like a BAD cop needs the excuse of a CHL, friend. They dont.

You have TWO choices with bad cops.
Resist arrest and lose your CHL.
Go ahead and cooperate and sue the hell out of the PD, just like two members of my family did and it not only cost those cops their cushy jobs, but 5 figure dollar amounts were awarded for damages.

One more time, the COPs ARENT our enemies. Felons are.
Im not treating every cop out there as if hes a jerk because of your paranoia or because a FEW cops need to be fired.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Im not treating every cop out there as if hes a jerk because of your paranoia or because a FEW cops need to be fired.

Well, at least we have one thing in common... neither am I. I am just not going to tell him I have a lawfully carried gun, because it is none of his business.

 

[Treo]

One more time, the COPs ARENT our enemies. Felons are.
Im not treating every cop out there as if hes a jerk because of your paranoia or because a FEW cops need to be fired.

It isn't a question of being a jerk to the cops. I'm polite I just dn't see the need to volunteer that I'm armed and in my state they will not know about my permit by running my license.

The last three time I was pulled over It was by the State Police and all 3 time they told me I was or wasn't getting a ticket before I even handed them my license.

 

[Ruger357SP101]

It isn't a question of being a jerk to the cops. I'm polite I just dn't see the need to volunteer that I'm armed and in my state they will not know about my permit by running my license.

The last three time I was pulled over It was by the State Police and all 3 time they told me I was or wasn't getting a ticket before I even handed them my license.

Its all nice and well.
You folks do things how you choose to do them and I'll continue to inform either way.
Not much more point in discussing it. Not like anyones going to actually agree

 

[Treo]

Its all nice and well.
You folks do things how you choose to do them and I'll continue to inform either way.
Not much more point in discussing it. Not like anyones going to actually agree

You don't have a choice an d if I lived in Ohio I would inform as well. But we do have a choice

 

[NavyLCDR]

You'll have to forgive me, NavyLT, but I put you on ignore because I didnt join up here to argue with you or anyone else. So Im putting you on ignore at this point...

You can have your opinion, I have mine, and Ive enough experience with GOOD cops that I'll be damned if Im letting someones delusional paranoia cause me to start treating them like enemies.

Ive submitted to car searches when the situation warranted it and cops asked politely and I'll do it again if it comes up like it did in the past.
I'll inform EVERY time, carrying or not, as long as any part of the law here requires me to.
And I might just inform in both cases even if we get the requirement removed.
Law enforcement isnt my enemy unless *I* am a criminal.
If ONE cop does something wrong, comply and SUE. Dont treat the rest of LEO's unjustly over the idiocy of the few.

Thats no better than ALL of us being treated like felons because ONE gun owner goes on a rampage.

Again, you have a nice day.

I am just amazed at such venom directed at those people whose only expression has been that the Constitution is important to them and they choose to exercise those rights that are protected by the Constitution. We'll see if I am REALLY on the ignore list...

 

[Ruger357SP101]

I am just amazed at such venom directed at those people whose only expression has been that the Constitution is important to them and they choose to exercise those rights that are protected by the Constitution. We'll see if I am REALLY on the ignore list...

Frankly the only venom Ive seen here is directed at our fine Law Enforcement personnel.
The deserve to be treated with respect in the SAME way YOU want to be treated with respect. And that includes giving them some peace of mind.

As I said before, you and I are done. On ignore you go. I didnt join up to argue with folks who disrespect LEO's.
Clearly you are a troll who is purposefully trying to provoke. Youre not worth the effort or the irritation.

 

[Ruger357SP101]

You don't have a choice an d if I lived in Ohio I would inform as well. But we do have a choice

I have a choice if Im not carrying of not saying anything to the cop.
Which because I have to inform if I am carrying leaves the man wondering if Im simply not informing because Im not currently carrying....or if Im up to something.

For myself I will ALWAYS inform, even if they change the laws, because LEOs have enough worry on their plate on any given day about being shot or having to deal with some ***hole during a traffic stop.

When LEO's become my enemy, then Ill treat them as such.
Until then we are on the SAME side of good against criminals and I will go entirely out of my way, above and beyond what is expected, to make sure they know that I am a good guy, on their side and will not only cooperate 100% but will also put my life on the line for one of them if it comes down to it.

As I said before, this attitude of 'us versus them' causes a lot of the problem. We're SUPPOSED to be working as a team here against criminals.
When we treat LEOs with attitudes we are no better than the abusive cops, quite frankly.

 

[Felix]

Yep, that's about the way I look at it as well, Ruger357SP101.

 

[Lucenut]

Polite and reasonable citizen?

Polite and reasonable citizens defend their rights! You go ahead and give up your weapon, consent to vehicle/cavity searches...

Are you going to be polite when they come to confiscate your weapons? That is going to make them feel safer. That's your goal right?

Constitutional Carry really has nothing to do with being a polite and responsible citizen, putting the officer at ease, and making sure they go home at night safe to their families...

but, then again, neither does telling the officer about my lawfully carried firearm.

 

[Treo]

If you choose to inform that's your choice. I think it will back fire on you at some point but it is your choice.

What bothers me is the meme (look it up) that those of us who choose not to inform when we are not legally required to do so are somehow trouble making radicals that view all cops as "the enemy".

If I don't inform a cop in Colorado I am one hundred percent in compliance w/ Colorado law. If the State doesn't think it neccessary that I inform why should I listen to you?

 

[NavyLCDR]

As I said before, you and I are done. On ignore you go. I didnt join up to argue with folks who disrespect LEO's.

You've made that statement before, and yet here you are again... but I'm the troll...

 

[Desert Dude]

Dang, here I go agreeing with Treo again! I hate it when this happens.:biggrin:

Since I live in California I am not required to notify LEO's if stopped while I am CCW. However, the Sheriff of the county I live in requires notification to any any LEO upon official contact. This IS NOT a condition which is printed on my permit. It was a statement I had to sign. So, I will notify upon official contact. I asked the Sheriff why he has this restriction. He stated that he just wants to make sure there is no problems with LEO's and his permit holders.

After much careful consideration, and reading God knows how many pages of this post I must say I agree with him. (Hold on Treo!)

I can imagine this happening to me since I carry on my body and not inside the truck some place.

Routine traffic stop. Officer asks for license, registration and proof of insurance. I carry reg and insurance in a folder on the dash. License is in my left rear pocket. Upon reaching for any of these the LEO gets a glimpse of my firearm somehow. A routine thing has now got me looking into the barrel of his weapon. I understand why he has done this. And I sure don't want to be in that position.

HOWEVER.................

I also believe that if people elect not to tell a LEO when it is not required they are not "trouble making radicals that view all cops as "the enemy"". Treo is spot on here.