Future Leo Encounter - seeking advice...

R

RRobaldo

New member
When I'm driving in my SUV or other modern car, I know in Florida if they don't ask, I'm not telling.

But when I'm driving in my 65 Convertable Mustang w/ the top down, if I get pulled over, there is no way in God's green Earth that I'm going to be able to retrieve my wallet without first unbuckling my seat belt.

And there is no way I'm going to unbuckle until the LEO sees for himself that I am in fact buckled. It' a legal lap-only belt and they can't see it until they approach the vehicle.

I carry at 4:00 OWB. I know that if I unbuckle and try to remove my wallet that there is a VERY good chance the LEO will see my carry piece.

So when he walks up to the car and asks for my DL & registration, should I first inform or not?

What are the pros/cons?

I know I wouldn't want him drawing on me and putting me face down in the road because he saw it and freaked out.

But I also wouldn't want him freaking out because I tell him I have a permit.
 
Even though you are not required to notify, if it is probable that the officer is going to see your piece, I would definitely make hime aware BEFORE he sees it. It may well save you from being face down on the asphalt. And then I would make sure that my permit came out of my wallet along with my DL.
 
If there is no requirement to inform, I wouldn't. If he puts me face down for being an American, he will have a law suit on his hands. Officers who are that unprofessional shouldn't have a job.
 
RRobaldo said:
When I'm driving in my SUV or other modern car, I know in Florida if they don't ask, I'm not telling.

But when I'm driving in my 65 Convertable Mustang w/ the top down, if I get pulled over, there is no way in God's green Earth that I'm going to be able to retrieve my wallet without first unbuckling my seat belt.

And there is no way I'm going to unbuckle until the LEO sees for himself that I am in fact buckled. It' a legal lap-only belt and they can't see it until they approach the vehicle.

I carry at 4:00 OWB. I know that if I unbuckle and try to remove my wallet that there is a VERY good chance the LEO will see my carry piece.

So when he walks up to the car and asks for my DL & registration, should I first inform or not?

What are the pros/cons?

I know I wouldn't want him drawing on me and putting me face down in the road because he saw it and freaked out.

But I also wouldn't want him freaking out because I tell him I have a permit.
Click to expand...

Don't overthink it.
A little common sense will go a long way.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel and immediatly advise the officer that you are armed and that you have a permit to carry.
Comply with the officers commands.
~Good Luck & Stay Safe~
 
Tranktn has a good point, but sometimes you'll forget. Here in SC, we always (at least those I know) will say something like, "Officer, I'll be glad to obey. My wallet is in my back, left pocket, along with my CWP. I am carrying now, would you like me to retrieve my wallet now?" Let him or her decide how and when you'll move. At this point, you've made your legal carry known without a threatening manner, and he hasn't "found" it on you. Hope this helps.
 
The_Outlaw said:
Don't overthink it.
A little common sense will go a long way.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel and immediatly advise the officer that you are armed and that you have a permit to carry.
Comply with the officers commands.
~Good Luck & Stay Safe~
Click to expand...

Outlaw, it seems you and I are on the same page on a great many issues. (hey, great minds think alike) In my mind I had already decided that this would probably be the best course of action.

However I'm man enough to realize my way isn't always the best way, so I asked the question to hear what other's opinions of this would be, and why they think so.

With the beautiful weather we're having right now I drove to work in my 65 with the top down and it just started me thinking "what if?"

Also, I think I would advise him that I have a CWP and THEN offer that I am armed instead of the other way around.
 
Many officers will approach your vehicle on the passenger side these days. If he sees it on your right hip before you are able to inform him he might very well panic and draw. It all depends on the officer involved and HIS experience with these situations. He might even have you exit the vehicle and prone you out on the ground (he has every right to do so! FirefighterChen).
Your best bet is to follow the advise already given here. Keep your hands on the wheel. Let the officer know.
"Sir, I have a concealed weapon permit and I am carrying a firearm (NEVER say gun!!!), how would you like me to proceed?" Obviously, do not make any moves that he does not directly intruct you to do, even if it means exiting the vehicle. Its for HIS safety and yours to comply without resistance. I know that sucks and is may seem very demeanoring, but he just wants to go home safe to his family.
 
Well, I have never been pulled over and had the LEO at my window before I could retrieve my wallet (license, CWP, Insurance) I hand that to him and let him ask for the registration, usually they dont and we discuss the reason I was stopped. Keeping the docs handy is alwayse a good rule of thumb.
 
Dale64 said:
Many officers will approach your vehicle on the passenger side these days. If he sees it on your right hip before you are able to inform him he might very well panic and draw. It all depends on the officer involved and HIS experience with these situations.
Click to expand...

I know I wasn't clear, but my firearm is always 100% covered by my shirt with the occasional exception of the shirt briefly riding up or possibly if I'm reaching for something high.

So no, he likely wouldn't see it just by walking up on the passenger side. But he absolutely might if I have to lift my shirt (and lift my butt off the seat) to retrieve my wallet.

I disagree that he has the right to prone me without reasonable suspicion of doing something illegal, but it goes without saying that I would follow his orders (lawful or not) and would take that up with my attorney at a later time if I believed my civil rights were violated.

This would be true whether I informed in advance or not.
 
Rich M said:
Well, I have never been pulled over and had the LEO at my window before I could retrieve my wallet (license, CWP, Insurance) I hand that to him and let him ask for the registration, usually they dont and we discuss the reason I was stopped. Keeping the docs handy is alwayse a good rule of thumb.
Click to expand...

I haven't either, but in this particular vehicle I know I could not retrieve my wallet without unbuckling, and I'm not about to unbuckle without the officer first seeing that I am buckled.

The obvious and best solution would be for me to not sit on my wallet in this car, but then it could easily be thrown to a floorboard during a heavy stop and that would probably be even worse if I were to be pulled over. I've tried that with my cell phone and it ends up on the floor at least 25% of the time.
 
I never tell.

I would assume you would have a loose shirt covering your ccw. Don't over think it. You unbuckle, lean forward and pick your wallet out of the back pocket. Why would the shirt have to come up over it? As long as the wallet is the only thing coming out there shouldn't be a problem. The most he would see is a bulge and then he would ask you if there are any weapons. I've been stopped a dozen times and if they knew they never said anything. I've even been asked to step back to the state cruiser for warnings.

I must be doing something right in the way I carry or just very lucky.
 
I've had 2 occasions where I have been armed and encountered a LEO (once as a witness to an accident and once as pulled over). In both cases, I just kept my hands in the open and told the Officer I want to let you know I have a CPL (WA State)and am armed. In both cases they thanked me and just asked to see the CPL and sent me on my way. I guess if you just let them know as if it's no big deal they'll hopefully stay cool with you.
 
common sense in uncommon

I'd without a doubt inform the LEO about my cc permit, and my firearm before he asked, saw, or otherwise. You're doing nothing illegal, and LEOs are put in harms way everyday.

+1 Outlaw.
 
I just don't consider cops to be my enemy. I look on it as a courtesy for someone who puts themselves in harms way to help keep me safe, much like our uniformed men and women in the armed forces. Are all good? No, but they aren't all bad either.
 
To dale,

police are ranked 9th on the list of dangerous jobs. They have as much right to prone me out as a garbage man for doing nothing illegal. If he truly cared for his family he would not abuse his authority on innocent civilians.

The officers you guys are describing, drawing on someone they find out is carrying when they have broken no laws, sounds like horrible officers.

If you believe there are very few bad apples in the pd, why kiss ass so much in fear its going to be one of the bad ones?

If I get pulled over for speeding, or whatever traffic violation he has, and it doesn't warrant him drawing on me prior to making contact, then my firearm has absolutely nothing to do with the contact. Common sense says to keep it to yourself so it never comes up.

Most of you probably have a knife in your vehicle...do you tell him about that? Or the tire iron? Do you tell him you have no intention of reaching for his firearm?
 
Do only what your state law requires. Otherwise volunteer nothing unless specifically asked. Always tell the truth when asked.
 
cgiven1 said:
I just don't consider cops to be my enemy. I look on it as a courtesy for someone who puts themselves in harms way to help keep me safe, much like our uniformed men and women in the armed forces. Are all good? No, but they aren't all bad either.
Click to expand...
Can you tell which are which? I know I can't.

Is there a phone app that will ID the bad ones?

Cops are a potential threat to your freedom and your life, just like any other stranger.
 
I hate untucked shirts. I ALWAYS either carry in a pocket holster in my front pocket or in a tuckable IWB underneath a tucked polo shirt.

This is just one more reason not to carry under an untucked shirt.

In Ohio we HAVE to notify, but that's probably going to change due to former Officer Daniel Harless of the Canton PD, the sociopathic star of AT LEAST three videos.

If you wouldn't notify at the BMV or the grocery store, there's no good reason (other than statute) to notify to a cop.
 
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