Texas State Trooper

T

TheAmericanGreed

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My wife was pulled over in chambers county in Texas for changing lanes without using her turning signal. I think it was mainly because we were driving a commercial rental car w/ LA plates on them. But anyway When he pulled us over he got out the vehicle came to my side and asked, " Do you know why I pullled ya'll over" and my wife didnt have the slightest clue until he he explianed, so he takes her liscense and mine to run them and about 4-5 minutes later returns red in the face and he looked infuriated. Thats when he asked me bluntly,"are you carrying". I said no I am not at the time. And he forcefully hands back the Id's and walks away.

So I guess because of the new law that passed for us is that if your not carrying your not required to show ID, I didnt intentionally do it, but the fact he was mad that I didnt through me for a loop. I guess I would be on my guard knowing I just encountered someone who was carrying and failed to mentioned it. What is he hiding or something. But I a good guy here, right?
 
hey, it may be too early for me to understand all that....would someone explain that post to me?
what new law? are you from TX or CA? does your license show whether you're a permitted gun carrier........? do any states licenses show that? I tried to follow all that sentence by sentence, but it led me to ?
 
I don't know about Texas, but here in Oregon the fact that you have a Concealed Handgun License is noted in your DMV record and relayed to the cop when he calls in your drivers license during a traffic stop. You are not required to inform them of your license to carry, but my license came with a letter stating some of the laws and requesting the courtesy of informing the officer. From what I hear (as I have not been stopped since I got my license) some cops are pretty cool about it, some will react like the one mentioned above. In one county nearby they are instructed to call in the plates and if they find out the owner has a license to carry, they approach with their gun drawn and ready. Things to consider when interacting with an LEO.
 
TheAmericanGreed said:
My wife was pulled over in chambers county in Texas for changing lanes without using her turning signal. I think it was mainly because we were driving a commercial rental car w/ LA plates on them. But anyway When he pulled us over he got out the vehicle came to my side and asked, " Do you know why I pullled ya'll over" and my wife didnt have the slightest clue until he he explianed, so he takes her liscense and mine to run them and about 4-5 minutes later returns red in the face and he looked infuriated. Thats when he asked me bluntly,"are you carrying". I said no I am not at the time. And he forcefully hands back the Id's and walks away.

So I guess because of the new law that passed for us is that if your not carrying your not required to show ID, I didnt intentionally do it, but the fact he was mad that I didnt through me for a loop. I guess I would be on my guard knowing I just encountered someone who was carrying and failed to mentioned it. What is he hiding or something. But I a good guy here, right?
Click to expand...

you are a good guy. you are trying to be a law abiding citizen. your wife is also from your description a law abiding citizen who at worst committed a very minor traffic violation like many of us have. in my opinion however the leo seems to have an anger problem or at least needs to learn some manners. not being from texas i am not familiar with your notification laws. if you are not required to notify that you have a carry permit but are required to notify that you are carrying a gun in my opinion based on what you said that you and your wife were obeying the hand-gun carry laws and came across a bored leo with some personal issues. the leo needs to study the law. you did nothing wrong.
 
If you have a Texas License (driving) on checking it tells the trooper or pd you have a CC. If you were not carrying at the time you do not have to show the CC. My call is both the CC and DL are in same case so I show both, but I am ALWAYS carrying.
 
According to the CC Laws of Texas, specifically GC 411.205, an individual is required to produce ID and CC license to a LE if they are carrying a weapon on or about their person and the LE requests such ID and license, then it must be produced. I see nothing in the CC law stating that one must immediately identify themselves as carrying a firearm or that they even have a license to do so. HOWEVER, as a matter of practice, I have no problem immediately informing a LE that I have a CC permit and that I am or am not currently in possession of a weapon. This should immediately identify one as a probable law abiding citizen and reduce the threat assessment by the officer if I am in possession.

It does bother me that the DPS office came back apparently angry at not being informed when he had not asked about possible weapons in the first place. Perhaps he was mad at himself for not making the assessment in the first place. For the most part, I have always found TEXAS DPS officers to be extremely polite and extremely professional in their conduct when stopping anyone for a moving violation. I attribute this to the initial screening of applicants to the DPS and then extensive, first class training by the DPS.
 
OUTTAHERE said:
According to the CC Laws of Texas, specifically GC 411.205, an individual is required to produce ID and CC license to a LE if they are carrying a weapon on or about their person and the LE requests such ID and license, then it must be produced. I see nothing in the CC law stating that one must immediately identify themselves as carrying a firearm or that they even have a license to do so. HOWEVER, as a matter of practice, I have no problem immediately informing a LE that I have a CC permit and that I am or am not currently in possession of a weapon. This should immediately identify one as a probable law abiding citizen and reduce the threat assessment by the officer if I am in possession.

It does bother me that the DPS office came back apparently angry at not being informed when he had not asked about possible weapons in the first place. Perhaps he was mad at himself for not making the assessment in the first place. For the most part, I have always found TEXAS DPS officers to be extremely polite and extremely professional in their conduct when stopping anyone for a moving violation. I attribute this to the initial screening of applicants to the DPS and then extensive, first class training by the DPS.
Click to expand...

Agree, have never ever had a problem with DPS in Texas very Professional
 
I want to know why were going down this road again when we've got huge inform / don't inform thread going on now anyway
 
As a courtesy to the officer ... TXDPS has CC info for Texas residents in the computer and know CC when they run you. Why risk making a police officer mad just because the law says ...?
And I consider the encounter lucky as some DPS would have spent much more time at the scene pursuing their appointed duties.
 
I also would like to know the officer's justification for running (or even asking to see) the passenger's license...
 
TheAmericanGreed said:
My wife was pulled over in chambers county in Texas for changing lanes without using her turning signal. I think it was mainly because we were driving a commercial rental car w/ LA plates on them. But anyway When he pulled us over he got out the vehicle came to my side and asked, " Do you know why I pullled ya'll over" and my wife didnt have the slightest clue until he he explianed, so he takes her liscense and mine to run them and about 4-5 minutes later returns red in the face and he looked infuriated. Thats when he asked me bluntly,"are you carrying". I said no I am not at the time. And he forcefully hands back the Id's and walks away.

So I guess because of the new law that passed for us is that if your not carrying your not required to show ID, I didnt intentionally do it, but the fact he was mad that I didnt through me for a loop. I guess I would be on my guard knowing I just encountered someone who was carrying and failed to mentioned it. What is he hiding or something. But I a good guy here, right?
Click to expand...
And THIS is why I inform EITHER way, carrying or not carrying.

The law needs to be consistent. Either we DO inform or we dont in both cases.
Making a cop play a guessing game is the worst thing on earth we can do.
 
OUTTAHERE said:
HOWEVER, as a matter of practice, I have no problem immediately informing a LE that I have a CC permit and that I am or am not currently in possession of a weapon. This should immediately identify one as a probable law abiding citizen and reduce the threat assessment by the officer if I am in possession.
Click to expand...
Well said.
I agree that the OP did nothing wrong.
However, that fact wont make much difference when hes being pistol whipped and handcuffed by some rogue cop with an attitude.
Best just to go ahead and not try to play rambo with LEOs in the off chance that this one needs an anger management course.
 
NavyLT said:
And what would those appointed duties be in this case?
Click to expand...

Sorry, been gone for a while - the appointed duties are to make your life miserable and with any luck offer a ride to the station where we can relax, drink some coffee, hit the bathroom, and fill out some paperwork.
 
Texas law requires that you provide both your ID or DL and CHL if asked for identification and you are carrying. You are only required to provide ID or DL if asked for identification and you are NOT carrying. This is a relatively recent change, prior you were required to provide both whether carrying or not so you were within your rights.

That said, it is considered polite to provide both whenever asked whether or not you are carrying. You can make an argument that you are giving up your rights but that holds very little sway with me. Texas LEOs are among the very best in the country when it comes to supporting RTKBA and concealed carry. There are many stories about CHL license holders becoming exposed in public and LEO politely walking near and quietly saying something like "your showing" without ever asking for ID or making a scene. There are also many stories about CHL holders being issued warnings rather than tickets because LEOs know they are dealing with a reputable resident of the state rather than an unknown person.

My CHL class was given by a 24 year veteran Sargent of the Fort Worth PD. It was a wonderful experience and I would venture to say you couldn't find anyone in the state more supportive of RTKBA than he. I will always return that respect for my rights with the courtesy of providing both my ID and CHL whether or not it is required by the law.
 
It is an easy step for me to show the CHL with the DL, carrying or not; a small bit of politeness can go a long way with a LEO in a high stress job. The requirement to show the CHL only if carrying was made very recently; probably the LEO was not familiar with the change. Chillin' a bit is a good thing.
 
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