Stopped by a Maine State Trooper today

[WhoWeBePart1]

Apparently I was doing 72 in a 55 today. I was on a rural road pretty much in the middle of nowhere. A lot of Maine is like that though.

Car was turned off, window down and hands go up on steering wheel with thumbs locked. He walks up and says how are you today. I said first things first. I am armed and I do have a permit. He says thank you for telling me. A lot of people do not. I handed him my DL, permit and other paperwork.

I told him I wasn't in a hurry and had no excuse for speeding but it was just hard to do 55 on that road. He then asked me if it was in the vehicle or on my body. I said it was on me. He said ok and walked back to his cruiser.

Less then 5 minutes later he comes back and says I'll save you 178 dollars if you promise to keep it closer to 55. I said deal. Just a verbal warning and I was on my way.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bark'n]

See, now that's how a vehicle stop should go.

It was nice you didn't get a ticket either.

[joker1]

Mutual respect, what a concept.

[nsimps69]

Turned out good! Why can't all LEO be that way?

[Brass63]

Textbook encounter. Thanks for sharing it.

[archer51]

Turned out good! Why can't all LEO be that way?

For the same reason not all CC'er are courteous, when approached by a LEO. Possible bad day on the job, or just bad day in general, or even bad experience with a carrier in the past. 99% of the LEO I've encountered in my life (and I've encountered quite a few in my 59 years) have been courteous and performed their jobs professionally. They are the ones you very seldom hear about, it's the jerks that everyone talks about.

[WC145]

A little mutual respect always goes a long way.

[F350]

Great encounter and the way it should be.

Just one point, and it is a personal thing, I like to state I have a CCW before I state I am armed. My usual spiel is "Yes sir, but before I move I would like to inform you that I have my carry permit and I am armed".

I use to travel all over Indiana installing and servicing telephone systems and always ran 9 over (OK most of the time 10+ over) I had a couple opportunities to meet Indiana's finest every year for about 18 years and that was the way I responded to the initial approach by the trooper. In that time I only got 2 actual tickets, NEVER was I removed from the truck and disarmed, several times I was asked back to the cruiser while my paperwork was run and the trooper and I talked guns beyond the time required for the checks. But then Indiana's CCW law dates back to1934 so every trooper "grew up" with the law on the books and it was no big deal.

[hbc]

In general, LEOs are great people. I'd say that you ran into a typical one, and you handled the situation well. Good for you, and thanks to that Trooper.

[WhoWeBePart1]

Just one point, and it is a personal thing, I like to state I have a CCW before I state I am armed. My usual spiel is "Yes sir, but before I move I would like to inform you that I have my carry permit and I am armed".

He just asked me how I was doing today. The response of Yes sir would have been out of place. He did not light me up right away. He slowly turned around and didn't race to catch up with me with his blues on. I knew I was busted and I slowed down and waited for the blues to come on. I even placed my turn signal on when pulling onto the shoulder.

BTW, he was a Sergeant and I did tell him, thanks Sarge after he gave me the verbal warning.

[retsupt99]

He didn't take you out of the car and have you put your hands on the hood?
He didn't take your gun and empty the shells? Put the gun and loose shells in your trunk?
I guess he was an experienced cop with some common sense!
The 'warning' was an extra...

[REVMAN]

Good stop!

[MN2Go]

Great encounter of the fifth kind. You did good and the officer did even better.

I've never been pulled over yet while armed, but should the day come, I'd love it to resemble you experience. The changes of that happening in Minnesota is minuscule, though.

Stay safe.

[mrjam2jab]

I said first things first. I am armed and I do have a permit. He says thank you for telling me. A lot of people do not.

Ok...I'll say it. That's because it's not required.

[WC145]

Ok...I'll say it. That's because it's not required.

So what? If/when the trooper asked, the OP would have been legally obligated to tell him. If informing up front wasn't an issue for the OP and it made for a smoother interaction between he and the trooper, it sounds like the appropriate choice to me.