I agree with most of the posters here.

Again. Most officers will agree. If you are volunteering that you have a weapon, you are MOST LIKELY not a threat. That said, officers deal with lots of really screwy people.

The best policy IMO, is to inform the officer you are carrying a weapon, and ask him or her what they prefer you do. Do it professionally and you will most likely be treated like a professional. All it takes is "Officer, i would like to inform you that i am a concealed weapons permit holder and i am carrying a firearm in accordance with the state law. What would you like me to do with the firearm?"

You will most likely be told to either leave it where it is, to secure and unload the weapon, or to step out so the officer can secure it and give it back at the conclusion of the stop.

Personally, if I were doing the traffic stop, I would err on the side of caution, ask you to exit the vehicle (if safe to do so) and i would retrieve the weapon and secure it. I would give it back to you at the end of the stop and tell you to be safe.

That's just me though.

Kevin

OK. Alternative situation. You are asked to step out of your vehicle while on school property. Stepping out while wearing a gun is a felony. Refusing a cops order is also not a good idea, and makes Mr Officer cranky.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
OK. Alternative situation. You are asked to step out of your vehicle while on school property. Stepping out while wearing a gun is a felony. Refusing a cops order is also not a good idea, and makes Mr Officer cranky.

Stepping out on school property in Texas is OK.

When I did traffic stops I did them with the thought the person(s) is armed. Several times when stopped I was handed a CPL (concealed pistol license). I never felt the urge to disarm people with a CPL. The fact they told you they are legally armed alone should not change the dynamics of the stop. That is not saying I would never do it, just a situation that needed it never came up. I was just throw an extra reminder out that they need to stay in the vehicle and keep the door closed so no misunderstandings occur.

whether or not I am required to inform I do.

I hand then my CCW permit with my DL and let it go from there. some asked if the weapon was on me, and others didn't...? one wanted to secure it and I let him. the others didn't care...

kinda their playground their rules, but all were professional.

quote:

Originally posted by marlinspike:You do realize that when he runs your driver's license it will come back "gun permit," right? Now, maybe it's the part of VA I'm in, but none of the cops here that I know mind if your lawfully carried CCW stays on you.

Considering that tons of people have permits but don't carry, what does that matter? The LEO last a couple weeks ago didn't mention it, so either she didn't look carefully enough at her computer, the system tying DLs to CCWs doesn't work/exist in VA, or she didn't think it mattered either...

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Considering that tons of people have permits but don't carry, what does that matter? The LEO last a couple weeks ago didn't mention it, so either she didn't look carefully enough at her computer,

That's actually a good point, when they pull it up on the computer they rarely look for it, but when they call it in it's read back to them every time.

Like I said, at least in my area of VA, none of the cops I know care. If it comes back CHP they assume you are carrying and don't see any reason to bother about it because you have a CHP.

Unless I'm asked to step out of the vehicle, or engage in any other behavior that may expose my weapon, there is absolutely no reason to inform any other human being that I am armed. The only exception is if the law requires it. I've been pulled over while armed, and said nothing. No problems. Informing the officer MAY lead to a problem, so why risk it?

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
Unless I'm asked to step out of the vehicle, or engage in any other behavior that may expose my weapon, there is absolutely no reason to inform any other human being that I am armed. The only exception is if the law requires it. I've been pulled over while armed, and said nothing. No problems. Informing the officer MAY lead to a problem, so why risk it?

Works differently in different states, FEV. Of course, I've behaved myself and have not gotten pulled over...in thirty years.

~Tom

I live in Texas. I saw a car accident a week ago and was a witness. Officer came over and asked for my info, handed him my DL and CHL.

He asked where it was and what I was carrying. Once everything was secured and I was just waiting to talk to the state trooper doing the report we talked guns.

No issue here.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
OK. Alternative situation. You are asked to step out of your vehicle while on school property. Stepping out while wearing a gun is a felony. Refusing a cops order is also not a good idea, and makes Mr Officer cranky.

outside the vehicle is legal here. Unlawful possession inside buildings is illegal, but what is unlawful, and that has really yet to be tested on this basis. Permitted CCDW is lawful here.......

Simple...If an LEO asks to see your handgun, simply ask him how he'd like you to do so.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by marlinspike:You do realize that when he runs your driver's license it will come back "gun permit," right? The LEO last a couple weeks ago didn't mention it, so either she didn't look carefully enough at her computer, the system tying DLs to CCWs doesn't work/exist in VA, or she didn't think it mattered either...

It works fine, for both a DL/name check and if you run the plate....on the other hand, most of my guys have got their own permits anyway and it just isn't a issue. I deal with potentially 50K people a day all year long....most of them are ordinary decent people who aren't committing crimes or a threat to my life....if you're not one of them, God and the Commonwealth have given me a steady hand and 15 good answers in each mag so why do I care if you're lawfully carrying? I got problems enough as is.

I got pulled over just this past June,as it were,(here in NC) and I told the Officer that I had a permit and he just said ,'ok' and that was that,nothing else.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
OK. Alternative situation. You are asked to step out of your vehicle while on school property. Stepping out while wearing a gun is a felony. Refusing a cops order is also not a good idea, and makes Mr Officer cranky.

outside the vehicle is legal here. Unlawful possession inside buildings is illegal, but what is unlawful, and that has really yet to be tested on this basis. Permitted CCDW is lawful here.......

jljones, I believe you are in Florida. Please correct me if I am wrong, but Florida statute 790.053 prohibits open carry, 790.115 prohibits weapons on school grounds, and 790.06(12) prohibits CCW on school grounds, not just buildings. It looks like if a cop asks a person carrying a firearm to get out of their vehicle on school property, they are violating at least one of these statutes. If you know otherwise, I'd really like to know, as I have looked and haven't found it. Not trying to nitpick, just trying to clarify the situation. As far as I can tell, the only legal way to have a firearm on school grounds is detailed in 790.115, or secured within a private vehicle.

790.053
790.06
790.115

quote:

Originally posted by joefriday:

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by marlinspike:You do realize that when he runs your driver's license it will come back "gun permit," right? The LEO last a couple weeks ago didn't mention it, so either she didn't look carefully enough at her computer, the system tying DLs to CCWs doesn't work/exist in VA, or she didn't think it mattered either...

It works fine, for both a DL/name check and if you run the plate....on the other hand, most of my guys have got their own permits anyway and it just isn't a issue. I deal with potentially 50K people a day all year long....most of them are ordinary decent people who aren't committing crimes or a threat to my life....if you're not one of them, God and the Commonwealth have given me a steady hand and 15 good answers in each mag so why do I care if you're lawfully carrying? I got problems enough as is.

"God and Commonwealth" - I'm going to have to remember that one.

Is the license plate tie-in limited to resident permits? My permit is technically a non-resident permit (with a VA address on it...it's a funny system), and nothing comes up when my plates are run, but it does come with my driver's license.

quote:

"I appreciate your concern for your safety, Officer, but I have done nothing to suggest any threat to you, nor will I do so. I have been instructed never to touch a weapon in the presence of a police officer, and I intend to follow that rule."

I'm not going to start an argument...but IF I'm going to disarm, or allow an officer (not including one's I know personally) to handle my weapon...it's going to be under protest.

Not a lot of protest. A simple reply,"I'd feel most comfortable if we just leave my firearm where it is..and neither one of us handles it. I'm willing to comply with all instructions, and this is your stop...so you are making the call here, but if you want to disarm me I'd like a supervisor or another officer out here first." I do not have to inform in my state...so it would be out of ordinary for it to come up.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
Unless I'm asked to step out of the vehicle, or engage in any other behavior that may expose my weapon, there is absolutely no reason to inform any other human being that I am armed. The only exception is if the law requires it. I've been pulled over while armed, and said nothing. No problems. Informing the officer MAY lead to a problem, so why risk it?

I can't remember the last time I was pulled over either. About 8 years or so I'd guess.

Since I don't have to inform, I won't...unless it's sure to come up. I know that when my drivers license is run, my CHL pops up. If I'm asked to do something which will allow a firearm to be seen...then I'll inform before doing so. If there is one in the glove box, or my center console...and I have to get something from one of those locations...then I'll volunteer that we should address the firearm issue, something like this, "Sir, my wallet is in the glove box next to a firearm. I have my CHL in that wallet. This is your call on how to proceed from here, but I believe I can retrieve the wallet without handling the firearm in any way. Shall we go with that?"

More likely....would be that the officer would ask for me to step out of the truck for some reason (my only traffic stop I was ever involved in, the officer asked me to step out of the car and sit in his car so we could talk without him standing in the rain, that was in NC. He asked me to bring my drivers license and registration with me.). At that point, I would offer, "Sir, I have a pistol tucked away inside a holster in my belt here. I have my CHL in my wallet, I just wanted you to be aware so you aren't caught off guard. How would you like to proceed?" Fighting the urge to use hand gestures as much as possible, and avoiding my pockets.

Again...if asked to somehow disarm...I've got a problem with that. I'm ok with removing a pistol in its holster and leaving it in my vehicle, I'm not ok with an officer removing it for me. How do I know that they know enough about my firearm to do it safely? I've met several officers that don't know how to handle a weapon safely...let alone unload it.

I suppose the bottom line is...I'm not going to fight, I'll express my desire once, calmly, if it sounds like something I'm uncomfortable with, and then comply with all directions. If the directions sound grossly unsafe, I'll do my best to politely point out that the directions don't sound safe to me...and could we please have another officer or a supervisor come by to help. Again...I'm just not going to escalate anything beyond a very politely spoken request, once.

The best thing...is to not get pulled over in the first place. The next best thing is to not even bring it up if you can avoid it (legally, which I can).

Behaving in manners that usually won't get you pulled over (speeding, etc.) is great, but that will not necessary avoid encounters with LE on the road. Ever hit a road block at night? Get pulled over because "your vehicle resembled one" they were looking for?

quote:

Ever hit a road block at night? Get pulled over because "your vehicle resembled one" they were looking for?

No. Does that happen a lot where you are at? I've never seen a checkpoint or roadblock other than on TV.

You raise a legitimate point, but how often does that happen?

quote:

Originally posted by AKSuperDually:

quote:

Ever hit a road block at night? Get pulled over because "your vehicle resembled one" they were looking for?

No. Does that happen a lot where you are at? I've never seen a checkpoint or roadblock other than on TV.

You raise a legitimate point, but how often does that happen?

Pretty regular in VA Beach, especially in the summer for DUI checkpoints in the early to late evening...