Got pulled over this morning w/ CCW - Missouri

[adaman04]

I put Missouri in the title for my fellow MO CCW holders.

Got pulled over by an Audrain County Deputy this morning for a burnt out headlight. I got to practice what I preached to my CCW class last week (first class). I turned off the car and kept the running lights on, turned down the radio and turned on the dome light so he could see I had nothing to hide. I kept my hands on the steering wheel.

He told me the light was burnt out and asked for my license and insurance.

I said “Yes sir. I have a carry permit and have my firearm with me; it is in the center console.” He said “That’s fine, go ahead and get your documents. What are you carrying?” I told him my Glock 26 and he nodded in approval. He was very polite. Ran my info, came back and handed me my license and proof of insurance and said “And that was the passenger side headlight. Have a nice day.”

I was polite and took measure to let the officer know I was aware of the safety concerns they deal with on a daily basis. He did not ask me to keep my hands where he could see them, definitely had no interest in “securing my weapon” and was very professional. Kudos to him.

For those who don’t know, we are not obligated to inform a LEO we are carrying, but it shows up when they go back to the car and run your license.

It is MY OPINION that turning off the car shows I’m not going to run, turning on the dome light shows I have nothing to hide inside my vehicle and informing him that I have my CCW with me obviously shows I don’t intend to do him any harm with my firearm, otherwise I wouldn’t have said anything. It made for a painless stop without so much as a real verbal warning. I used to be of the “I don’t have to say nuttin’!” mentality. If the CCW endorsement didn’t show up when they ran my info, I probably wouldn’t have said a word.

+1 for Audrain County Sheriff’s Department.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[sigmanluke]

Good stop, you (both) handled it well, thanks for the post.

[sjones]

It allways pays to be polite to an officer.

[HKinNY]

Just one little tweek. At night or early morning turn on the interior light prior to pulling over. Great stop. Now take care of that headlight. Nothing is worse than being pulled over again by the same officer for same offense.

[Hiram25]

Most LEO's should respond in the same manner. Sometimes it takes the new ones a little while to get adapted.

[joker1]

Good stop. I shocked the hell out of my MIL one time when I was pulled over once. She could not believe how polite I could be when I needed to be.

[NY27]

I put Missouri in the title for my fellow MO CCW holders.

Got pulled over by an Audrain County Deputy this morning for a burnt out headlight. I got to practice what I preached to my CCW class last week (first class). I turned off the car and kept the running lights on, turned down the radio and turned on the dome light so he could see I had nothing to hide. I kept my hands on the steering wheel.

He told me the light was burnt out and asked for my license and insurance.

I said “Yes sir. I have a carry permit and have my firearm with me; it is in the center console.” He said “That’s fine, go ahead and get your documents. What are you carrying?” I told him my Glock 26 and he nodded in approval. He was very polite. Ran my info, came back and handed me my license and proof of insurance and said “And that was the passenger side headlight. Have a nice day.”

I was polite and took measure to let the officer know I was aware of the safety concerns they deal with on a daily basis. He did not ask me to keep my hands where he could see them, definitely had no interest in “securing my weapon” and was very professional. Kudos to him.

For those who don’t know, we are not obligated to inform a LEO we are carrying, but it shows up when they go back to the car and run your license.

It is MY OPINION that turning off the car shows I’m not going to run, turning on the dome light shows I have nothing to hide inside my vehicle and informing him that I have my CCW with me obviously shows I don’t intend to do him any harm with my firearm, otherwise I wouldn’t have said anything. It made for a painless stop without so much as a real verbal warning. I used to be of the “I don’t have to say nuttin’!” mentality. If the CCW endorsement didn’t show up when they ran my info, I probably wouldn’t have said a word.

+1 for Audrain County Sheriff’s Department.

Sounds like it went well. I am a police officer and when I pull someone over that does everything as you have, they are sure NOT to get a summons. I appreciate it when someone makes the effort as you have.

On the other hand, your former mentality of, "I don't have to say nuttin'" is a sure way to get MANY summonses. IMO it is a disrespectful, unnecessary way to act towards a professional who is just doing his job.

Glad that you made the switch.

[adaman04]

Sounds like it went well. I am a police officer and when I pull someone over that does everything as you have, they are sure NOT to get a summons. I appreciate it when someone makes the effort as you have.

On the other hand, your former mentality of, "I don't have to say nuttin'" is a sure way to get MANY summonses. IMO it is a disrespectful, unnecessary way to act towards a professional who is just doing his job.

Glad that you made the switch.

Let me rephrase that. I don’t mean in any way that I would be rude or refuse to answer the officer’s questions; I’m not a cop basher.

When I was carrying on a Utah non-resident permit (which did not show up when my license was ran) and I was pulled over, I did not inform the officer. The gun was in my Maxpedition bag and he never asked so I didn’t bring it up because if he were not like the officer I encountered this morning (and he wasn’t, he was rude and shouted everything he said to me; he didn’t last long at the department) I wasn’t going to go through him handling my loaded firearm (if he chose to) if I didn’t have to.

[GWRedDragon]

Sounds like it went well. I am a police officer and when I pull someone over that does everything as you have, they are sure NOT to get a summons. I appreciate it when someone makes the effort as you have.

On the other hand, your former mentality of, "I don't have to say nuttin'" is a sure way to get MANY summonses. IMO it is a disrespectful, unnecessary way to act towards a professional who is just doing his job.

Glad that you made the switch.

Funny, I always do that and it has never gotten me out of a ticket

Way back when, my driver's ed teacher told everyone in every conversation she had that they should turn on their dome light when pulled over. I think she was a former officer...

[adaman04]

I just try to think of it from the officer's standpoint. If I were approaching the car of someone I had never met in the dark, would I appreciate them turning the dome light on so I could see inside? Most likely.

[REVMAN]

Good stop for both of you.

[MinistrMalic]

Great stop. Be polite, be courteous, be professional and IMO the vast majority of LEO will reciprocate. You're a credit to the CC community!

[cardinalfan]

This is exactly the way I plan to handle any stops (I am a MO CCW holder too).
There was a posting like this on the Missouri Carry Site last week and most said the same good things, except one who started making statements of "you gave up your 2nd and 4th amendment rights", "never tell them anything". My repsonse was that even though I don't have to inform, the last thing I want to see is the officer coming back up to my vehicle with his gun drawn. Most LEO's that I have talked to in the short time I have been carrying have all said that this is the way to go and they appreciate the fact that they know up front what they are dealing with. BG's will never do this.

[djz87]

I had never thought about turning the car off, but you make a really good point. Ill have to remember to do that next time I get pulled over. (Knock on wood)

Just one little tweek. At night or early morning turn on the interior light prior to pulling over. Great stop. Now take care of that headlight. Nothing is worse than being pulled over again by the same officer for same offense.

I did have a rare occurrence of being pulled over twice in one night for a busted light. My rear license plate light went out, and i was first pulled over by a Douglas County deputy. I did not know it was out, so he just let me go and told me to fix it ASAP. About 15 minutes later, still on the way home, i was pulled over again by a Littleton Deputy. He sort of chuckled when i told him I had just been pulled over, ran my license, and let me off on my way. I just thought it was kinda neat. I don't think many people get pulled over twice in one night for the same thing.

[maxwell]

Good job.