Duty to inform

[4Opencarry]

Is Florida a duty to inform LEO state on a traffic stop?

 

[mrjam2jab]

No.

{15 characters**

 

[apvbguy]

Is Florida a duty to inform LEO state on a traffic stop?

no

there is a 15 character minimum

 

[Treo]

Is Florida a duty to inform LEO state on a traffic stop?

Absolutely, you must immediately inform any law enforcement office that comes with in 1/4 mile of you. You must also gorilla glue your permit to your forhead while carrying.

(In case anyone is wondering this is why we check the state statute for ourselves and never take the word of some anonymous poster (who won't be there when you're dealing with the cop) on the internet)

 

[adatiowa]

Handgunlaw.us is a great site along with this one that offers up to date info on Conceal Carry Info for each state.

 

[Rhino]

Handgunlaw.us is a great site along with this one that offers up to date info on Conceal Carry Info for each state.

In convenient pdf format that you can print out and take with you.

 

[NavyLCDR]

In convenient pdf format that you can print out and take with you.

Which does the person not willing to stand up for their rights to begin with no good at all.

I can see it now: "This website printed out right here, officer, says that I don't have to inform you I have a permit and am carrying a gun. But I am going to anyway 'for your safety and mine', 'out of courtesy', and 'out of respect'."

I wonder, though, if that would enhance the desired affect of informing an officer when not required by law?

 

[the dark]

Handgunlaw.us is a great site along with this one that offers up to date info on Conceal Carry Info for each state.

In convenient pdf format that you can print out and take with you.

Absolutely great resource when traveling.

 

[Rhino]

Which does the person not willing to stand up for their rights to begin with no good at all.

I can see it now: "This website printed out right here, officer, says that I don't have to inform you I have a permit and am carrying a gun. But I am going to anyway 'for your safety and mine', 'out of courtesy', and 'out of respect'."

I wonder, though, if that would enhance the desired affect of informing an officer when not required by law?

Did you see something I didn't? Who said anything about being willing to stand up for their rights or not, and who said anything about notifying when not required?

 

[NavyLCDR]

Did you see something I didn't? Who said anything about being willing to stand up for their rights or not, and who said anything about notifying when not required?

Nobody did. Maybe I should have ended my statements with, "Just sayin' "

 

[Rhino]

Ah. Okay. For the record, I personally advise against notifying in states that don't require it.

 

[Raider-3]

Duty to inform is like an admission of guilt. However I realize some states require it.

 

[Firefighterchen]

Duty to inform is like an admission of guilt. However I realize some states require it.

I like Treo's quote on voluntarily informing "out of respect."

Found it: "IMO “Showing respect” is nothing more than submissive urination, like a dog that pees as soon as you touch it so you won’t beat it.."

 

[CharlesMorrison]

Respect is earned, never given freely.

 

[Rhino]

Informing where it isn't required can cause problems, sometimes serious problems.

 

[TWright]

It must depend on where you live. Of the times I chose to inform the Utah LO I was carrying (to see their response), the most I ever got was "Just keep your hands where I can see them."

 

[Treo]

Since we appear to be going here again please enjoy the standard Treo response (which oughta make chen really happy)

In my experience those who do inform tend to be a little more authoritarian and tend to favor tighter restrictions on handgun permits.

Absent a legal requirement to do so, it’s ultimately your choice, do what works for you. I choose not to because IMO all it does is adds more time to the stop and gives the cop one more hassle to deal with.
In Colorado I am not required to inform the officer unless I am asked then I am required to surrender my permit w/ a valid ID. (CRS 18-12-204).

In Colorado my permit information is not tied to my driver’s license in anyway, the only way the cop is going to know I’m armed is if he sees it or asks me.

I don’t generally open carry. I have no objection; I just dress in a way that makes it impractical. If I am in my car my gun is generally on my right hip behind the seat belt I just don’t see the cop noticing it unless he has X-ray vision.

I carry my DL/registration/ proof of insurance in my wallet.

Bearing all that in mind this is how I handle a traffic stop.

As soon as the lights go on I take my wallet out of my pocket and have it in my hand I keep it in my hand until the stop is over.Then I pull as far off the road as I can.

When that cop comes up to the car I have my hands in plain sight on the wheel w/ my wallet in my hand (no reaching for anything and giving the cop a chance to see my gun) I keep my wallet in my hand until the stop is over. I also turn the dome light on at night. IMO this negates the main rationale people give for informing, the cop isn’t going to notice my gun.

So, the cop asks for my papers I open the wallet, he can see everything I’m doing, and I hand him the documents and he does his thing and I’m on my way. No opportunity for him to notice any “suspicious bulges”. No reason for the cop to get nervous. No reason to prolong the stop.

If the cop asks me if I have any weapons in the car I say nothing and hand him my permit and go from there.
The only reason I would inform the cop w/out being asked is if he asked me to step out of the car. In Colorado Springs that means I am almost certain to be patted down, so I hand him my permit before I get out of the car.

IMO “Showing respect” is nothing more than submissive urination, like a dog that pees as soon as you touch it so you won’t beat it..

As for the PDF great resource but there's no way in Hell I'd try showing it to a cop

 

[Rhino]

It must depend on where you live. Of the times I chose to inform the Utah LO I was carrying (to see their response), the most I ever got was "Just keep your hands where I can see them."

Depends on where you are and depends on the officer you get. You're always taking a chance notifying in a state that doesn't require it, not only because of possible bias, but also because the LEOs you come across are often not used to seeing citizens with guns that aren't criminals. It's a misunderstanding waiting to happen.
.
And I don't recommend showing the pdf documents to law enforcement. I advised printing them so you can have them for your own reference. I have a bunch in a three ring binder and I check to make sure I have the latest ones every time I travel out of state, which is relatively often lately. I usually take a refresher glance at them when crossing a state line. The only thing I ever recommend showing to an LEO, if anything at all, is a document printed from an official site within his own jurisdiction. But even then he isn't likely to trust it.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Here's the deal, for me. If the officer was not going to freak out if I tell him about my gun up front, then they are not going to freak out when they find out I have a CPL from the State of Washington when they call in my info. So, why should I tell them up front when I don't know if they are the type to freak out or not. And...their legal ability to take my gun from me decreases greatly once they know I have a VALID CPL VERIFIED by the State of Washington:

From Terry V. Ohio, US Supreme Court:

We conclude that the revolver seized from Terry was properly admitted in evidence against him. At the time he seized petitioner and searched him for weapons, Officer McFadden had reasonable grounds to believe that petitioner was armed and dangerous, and it was necessary for the protection of himself and others to take swift measures to discover the true facts and neutralize the threat of harm if it materialized. The policeman carefully restricted his search to what was appropriate to the discovery of the particular items which he sought. Each case of this sort will, of course, have to be decided on its own facts. We merely hold today that, where a police officer observes unusual conduct which leads him reasonably to conclude in light of his experience that criminal activity may be afoot and that the persons with whom he is dealing may be armed and presently dangerous, where, in the course of investigating this behavior, he identifies himself as a policeman and makes reasonable inquiries, and where nothing in the initial stages of the encounter serves to dispel his reasonable fear for his own or others' safety, he is entitled for the protection of himself and others in the area to conduct a carefully limited search of the outer clothing of such persons in an attempt to discover weapons which might be used to assault him. [p31] Such a search is a reasonable search under the Fourth Amendment, and any weapons seized may properly be introduced in evidence against the person from whom they were taken.

Notice the underlined part. Once the officer receives verification from the State that my CPL is valid, I would think that would be reasonable grounds in any court to "dispel his reasonable fear for his own or others' safety", so there is no advantage to me informing him about my firearm, when not required by law to do so, until after they receive that verification from the state. Just because I hand him a piece of paper does not mean that piece of paper is real or still valid.

 

[mappow]

I would think that would be reasonable grounds in any court to "dispel his reasonable fear for his own or others' safety.

CMDR, while I fully agree with your stance. "I would think" is not relevant as it's the LEO that will, right or wrong, make that determination. I am not trying to be belligerent but the ole saying "You can beat us in Court, but ya ain't gonna beat the ride to Jail" comes to mind. Again, I support your post but reality dictates a different course. With that said it SUCKS that your State is a NOT required to inform but most LEO's would feel more secure in their safety by being informed. As for the others, you'll always have that 10% that are cowboys. (NO offense to any real cowboys or Goat Ropers)