Texas State Police

[RDW]

I had to do the Houston, Baytown, Lake Charles loop last week. I thought that I would drive from New Mexico this time and not have to rent a car, see some country. Everything went well until I was almost back home. I was east of Lubbock Texas in Scurry county when I looked in the rear view and saw the lights, looked at the speedometer and was at 80.

TSP: Sir, I clocked you at 84 in a 70. Is there an emergency?
Me: No, I was running my mouth and not paying attention.( I handed him my DL and CCP)

TSP: Do you have a firearm with you?
Me: Yes, in the center console under that yellow towel.

TSP: I will need to see proof of insurance, I will be right back.

As he walked to the rear of my truck I told Cindy to get in the glove box and get the insurance card out. NO INSURANCE CARD IN THE GLOVE BOX!!!!!!

When the officer walked back to my window I was kind of laughing.

TSP: Did you find the proof of insurance?
Me: No sir, the only place that it could be is under the 45 and I did not want to be wallowing around in there when you came back to the window.

TSP: (laughing) Well...I appreciate that. I am going to mark this down at 78, Anything under 10 mph over it is up to the officers discretion and I am only going to issue a warning. Slow down, the next officer might not be in as good a mood as I am.

I was stopped a total of about 10 minutes and never did show a proof of insurance.
This is the second time this year that I have been stopped by the Texas State Police. Both times they have been very professional and no hassles about the CCW

 

[HK4U]

I am glad you had a good experience. As you may know it is the Dept. of Public safety/Highway Patrol that is the issuing agency in Texas for the CHL. I have been through their instructors classes and I can tell you the ones that I have come in contact with that teach the class are very pro gun/2nd amendment from what I have seen.

 

[Red Hat]

Good encounter. Knowing that you had your CCP you wouldn't so anything to jeopardize losing it and chances you had insurance was very high. If TX is like SC too many citations will get you a denial on renewing your permit.

 

[Big Bubba]

Good post sounds like the police officer was not only professional, but had a great sense of humor to.

 

[Scarecrow]

nice to have good pro 2A officers around if you are gonna get pulled over.

 

[Brainchild]

That is KICK ASS!
I haven't been puuled over in a fw years,but next time I am,I hope the LEO is as cool as that.
Thanks for sharing that.

 

[tattedupboy]

I'm wondering what would have happened if you had been in Houston and did not have the CPL. I've heard that Houston LEOs are notorious for arresting people legally carrying in their vehicles, state law notwithstanding.

 

[BikerRN]

From what I know, Texas DPS is what every Law Enforcement Agency should strive to be like, but too few are.

Biker

 

[HK4U]

From what I know, Texas DPS is what every Law Enforcement Agency should strive to be like, but too few are.

Biker

That is where the Texas Rangers come from so you may be right.

 

[tattedupboy]

That is where the Texas Rangers come from so you may be right.

Yeah. The Texas Rangers were absorbed by the DPS in 1935 and are legally protected from disbandment under Texas state law.

 

[EDDNETT]

Glad to here our guy treated you right. I live in Scurry County.
The only problem I've had when stoped was it made me late to work. We got to talking about guns

 

[wuzfuz]

My only problem with Texas is the result of a major difference in philosophy. I was a deputy sheriff in Arizona when my mother passed away, and I was granted bereavement leave to go to Indiana. My wife has family in Erie, PA, so we continued on to there when I was finished in Indiana. Upo the return trip, I saw signs in Texas warning that the highways were patrolled by unmarked cars. In Arizona, you are guilty of a felony if you flee from a marked police car. We lost a case once because a new Traffic Squad car chased a speeding Cadillac. The County Attorney ruled the driver could not be charged, as the decals had not been put on the doors yet. We argued that a car comes up behind you at night with red and blue overheads, wig-wag headlights and a siren, you know it is not a garbage truck, and you could not see the stars on the doors anyway.

If an unmarked car with a Kojak light had tried to pull me over, I would acknowledge that I saw him and proceed to a lighted public area. My wife had a guy with a Kojak light try to get her tostop in San Diego and she lost him with a fancy maneuver. WHen she reported it to the SDPD, they stated her description matched that of a guy they wanted for several rapes by getting women to stop. They, like my agency, would not allow detectives to make traffic stops. If they wanted a car stopped, the had a uniform do the stopping, then take over. IMHO, texas has a recto-cranial inversion on unmarked cars working traffic.

 

[{TEX}Hawaii((]

Tattedupboy Wrote

I'm wondering what would have happened if you had been in Houston and did not have the CPL. I've heard that Houston LEOs are notorious for arresting people legally carrying in their vehicles, state law notwithstanding.

I lived in the Houston Area for a few years and never heard anything of the such. Ever since the late 90s, Texas LEOs generally have a positive outlook on us CHL holders.

Had a great Houston cop help me and my girlfriend out with blown tire way back when. She didn't have a tire iron in her car, and the cop stopped to help us out.

 

[bikerbill]

Haven't had a run-in with Texas law enforcement while driving and hope I never do, but it's nice to know they act in such a friendly, professional manner ...

Texas, the only state to ever kick another country's butt!

 

[maxwell72764]

I'm wondering what would have happened if you had been in Houston and did not have the CPL. I've heard that Houston LEOs are notorious for arresting people legally carrying in their vehicles, state law notwithstanding.

Not sure about the laws in Texas, but in AR you must have your CCW permit with you if you are carrying. If you do not have it you are not legally carrying.

 

[Tex4oc]

I have had a few encounters with local and DPS officers in the nine years I have been a CHL, to the last one they have all been positive, and in only one instance was I cited, (69 in a 55) on a Sunday morning, when I'm quite sure that deputy would have rather been home with his family. but still a friendly and courteous encounter none the less. A CHL isn't a "get out of jail free card" but it's the closest thing I've seen to one yet. LEO's know that you are not their primary problem, and that there are bigger, better fish to fry.

 

[chuckmanley83]

Good to see they handle it better down there than they do up here in PA

 

[LDaniel]

reg. Houston LEOs, Personally I haven't heard of any abuse, but the former DA of Harris County (Houston is county seat) a few years ago said he didn't like the Texas Legislature adding a provision that if you are in you car and had a handgun concealed in it and you are not committing a crime,other than the traffic offense you were stopped for, and you are not a gang member, you were to assumed to be traveling. Texas has had an exception to UCW for travelers, it has never been defined by the State until recently.
The former DA, Chuck Rosenthal advised area peace officers to go ahead and arrest them and let a jury sort it out.
This upset all the gun owners in the area and of course, upset the State Legislaturers, which then made the law more clearer, so there couldn't be any misinterpetations. Chuck resigned later over another issue.

 

[MR. Fish]

Back in the 70's I was going to Willy Nelson's birthday Party and was stopped by a TSP. He had the cowboy hat, mirrored aviation glasses and I thought, here we go.He approaches me and spits out tobacco juice and says"Boy,caught you speeding". I reply"I was in a pack of automobiles all doing the same speed. Did you pull me over because I'm on a motorcycle or because I've got out of state tags". He says,after spitting out more tobacco juice,"Boy, when you jump a covey of quail, you don't shoot at the whole covey now do ya?" I laughed, he grinned and I agreed with him that while Quail hunting you pick out a single bird at a time.He then informs me that I'll only be getting a warning ticket and to kindly slow it down. I then thanked him for the pass.

 

[CAPTAIN MIKE]

Lessons Learned:
* Be polite and Keep Your Hands on the Steering Wheel @ 10 and 2
* 'Yes Sir' or 'Yes Ma'am' comes in Handy here.
* Make the officer feel Safe. Officer Safety is always paramount in their mind.
* Never refer to your firearm as a g...g...g...g...g...gg...gg...Gun. Always refer to it as a 'Sidearm'.
* The CCW permit identifies you as a 'certified Good Guy' - and will probably help get you out of a ticket.
* You are a Goodwill Ambassador for 2A Folks. The officer will probably share his experience with you with other LEOs.