Midnight, I was on the way home from parents’ house, driving on Sam Houston Parkway’s feeder road, speeding trying to beat a red light, and *BOOM*, out of nowhere a constable pulled me over. Gave him DL and LTC (License To Carry). Told him where the pistol is. Asked me to step out of the car, where I was going and why run the red light. Told him, “Man, I’m sorry, but I have no excuse for it, just finished taking care of my 103 y/o father and was just in a hurry to get home”. For speeding and running the red light, I was fully resigned to receiving a ticket. But to my pleasant surprise, he only gave me a warning. What was his reasoning? Because I was “honest about it” and didn’t give him BS excuse. I thanked him profusely and went on my way.

Btw, question for the LEOs here. Once the LEO learned that you’re legally armed, why do some want you away from your gun, while others are totally cooled with it?

Just depends on the cop. Some say, “You leave yours there and mine will stay where it is.”
Last time I got pulled over, (been so long now I don’t even remember the reason), cop wanted my CCW then handed it back when it was all over with all the rounds piled up in my hand unloaded from the mag.

Okay, I get that being able to just slap a mag in and be fully loaded would probably be bad form but I just had to laugh about it!

I got stopped one time late at night while delivering newspapers.
I told him I have have a CHP (Concealed Handgun Permit)in Louisiana. And that I had the gun under my coat.
He came up behind me took my 239 out of the holster and started unloading it. I wasn't happy about him standing right behind me racking the slid. His dept carried Glocks I didn't know if he knew anything about Sigs and he was doing in the dark trying hold a flashlight too.
A couple other times late at night while delivering papers the LEO's didn't care and I always first tell them I'm armed and I have a CHP.

Not always but Ive had cops let me go with a warning because when stopped I was respectful, cooperative and honest. Im also a Vet so all those things combined have got me out of a lot of tickets.

Is that even legal ? A cop can take your gun from you and unload it on a routine traffic stop ?

MDS

quote:

Originally posted by Harleysbluff:
Is that even legal ? A cop can take your gun from you and unload it on a routine traffic stop ?

MDS

They absolutely can here .

The decision is more about the person and their behavior than the gun. Had I been the cop in your situation as you described it the outcome would have been identical.

I very rarely take guns on stops. Now, I work in Mayberry, so my clientele is predominantly good people, but unless I have an articulable reason why I'm concerned, I just tell them to leave it where it is and if they don't show me theirs I won't show them mine. 99% of my stops with armed people go that way.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Midnight...
Asked me to step out of the car, where I was going and why run the red light. Told him, “Man, I’m sorry, but I have no excuse for it, just finished taking care of my 103 y/o father and was just in a hurry to get home”. For speeding and running the red light, I was fully resigned to receiving a ticket. But to my pleasant surprise, he only gave me a warning. What was his reasoning? Because I was “honest about it” and didn’t give him BS excuse. I thanked him profusely and went on my way.

Good on both of you.

You were honest, and polite. He used some discretion. Some departments would tell him to write the ticket because they want the revenue.

But at midnight... there are plenty driving who have been drinking and his next stop likely would be so it was easy for him to move on. Bigger fish to fry, so to speak.

My only interactions they haven't seemed to care. Twice in my house have I answered the door with a gun in my hand, including one where I had it pointed at his head because he entered my house without permission. Both times they just said set it on the ledge by my door. Twice pulled over, never asked to produce the weapon, was told the opposite, just leave it where it is and don't touch it.

Are you legally required in your state to disclose that you are carrying? Because I’m pretty sure here in Pennsylvania we aren’t.

I’m sure it comes up as soon as they run your tag though.

I would opine that in many cases, dropping and stripping a mag is simply a way to "do it every time" so you don't "fail to do it one time".
And by that I mean the LEO never drops his guard on anyone.

People are not getting more polite, considerate and civil.

I have no expectation that any LEO is going to think I am not an existential threat to them, just because I know I am not.
And I don't have an issue with that.


I have had multiple interactions over the years while armed and have never had anything beyond a smile and a warning.

Always pull over as soon as lit, shut off the vehicle, sit and wait, let the officer speak, respond, and present my license and permit (licenses on top) and let that "speak" for me.

As well as having registration and proof of insurance in the center console, so I am not "digging through a dumpster".

I respect LEO and see no reason to spice up any interaction with them.


If I wanted to have a foolish heated argument on the side of the road that I'd lose with a stranger, I'd contact "The Ex" whom I have known for 42 years, and take a ride with her...

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Are you legally required in your state to disclose that you are carrying?

I’m sure it comes up as soon as they run your tag though.

Yes and not by tag but by DL

Once a legal carrier declared it, I worried less about them than the average traffic stop. I’d just ask them to leave it where it was and when done with business would often chat guns and such if they weeent in an obvious hurry.

got pulled 2 times last year, neither time did the State Trooper or the local Deputy care about CCW

State guy wrote me for speeding, and I was,
I was in my brothers truck, and in VA, if you have a CCW, it will notify the police when they run your plate,

I was honest and respectful, but doing 77/55,, a ticket was inevitable,
he did show me some grace by not writing it for reckless (20+ over is reckless in VA)

and it was a rural 2 lane highway,



few months later got pulled for 61 in a 45, which I did politefully argue my case, that I was slowing down and no way was I going 61,

he ran my info, and let me go, not sure if he was wrong (I still beleive I was slowing down and at about 51 when I saw him) or if he decided to let me go,
nice guy, regardless, we chatted a bit
was in my old shop van then, registered to teh company (a FFL/SOT) so no idea if he would have known when he ran those plates, but surely did when he ran my info,

There was an incident a few years back with a police officer who took someone's CC gun "for their safety" during a routine stop then proceeded to have a ND while trying to unload and clear it.

Does anyone recall that one?

quote:

Originally posted by Mustang-PaPa:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Are you legally required in your state to disclose that you are carrying?

I’m sure it comes up as soon as they run your tag though.

Yes and not by tag but by DL

All depends on how their dispatch system is set up. Can vary by state, county, city.

Run a plate, registration comes up. System can be configured to then automatically run the registered owner for wants/warrants/driver history/CPL info/owned firearms, etc.

Whatever databases the state has. My former agency we ran separate requests while other agencies did automated queries once reg owner info was returned.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Btw, question for the LEOs here. Once the LEO learned that you’re legally armed, why do some want you away from your gun, while others are totally cooled with it?

Depends on the officer's comfort level, your behavior, area you're in, etc. Or could just be he is just weird like that. lol

99.99% of the time when I pulled someone over and they immediately apologized and knew what they did, as long as they were legal to drive and had no warrants, I just gave them a warning.

I haven't stopped a car in almost two years. My last speed and red light turned into a pursuit that left our city. I've been ordered to stop doing traffic stops lol

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Midnight, I was on the way home from parents’ house, driving on Sam Houston Parkway’s feeder road, speeding trying to beat a red light, and *BOOM*, out of nowhere a constable pulled me over. Gave him DL and LTC (License To Carry). Told him where the pistol is. Asked me to step out of the car, where I was going and why run the red light. Told him, “Man, I’m sorry, but I have no excuse for it, just finished taking care of my 103 y/o father and was just in a hurry to get home”. For speeding and running the red light, I was fully resigned to receiving a ticket. But to my pleasant surprise, he only gave me a warning. What was his reasoning? Because I was “honest about it” and didn’t give him BS excuse. I thanked him profusely and went on my way.

Btw, question for the LEOs here. Once the LEO learned that you’re legally armed, why do some want you away from your gun, while others are totally cooled with it?

Never had a bad experience with being polite to an officer. Sometimes still got a ticket, but no reason to get offensive on them for it.

RE the 2nd part. I've never been disarmed in a stop, but seems state troopers tend to want you out of the car, usually behind & on the passenger side, while city/county seem to keep you in the car.

I say, you can't talk your way out of a citation, but you sure can talk yourself into one.
Honesty goes a long way with me and most of the time will result in a warning.

When someone tells me they have a concealed firearm. I say, you don't show me yours and I won't show you mine.

Albeit a while, I've had similar experiences and always gave my CHL with my DL > that alone IMO, LEO's appreciate up front along with being courteous.