Pulled over by a cop

[babarock]

You are not in a state that requires notifying the officer unless he asks, but you MUST know your own state's laws...that's a must.

With great respect, a minor change. You must make yourself knowledgeable as some LEOs are not on this specific area of the law.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Hopyard]

This idea that things are linked to the plates makes no sense. Maybe some states actually do that, but
there are obvious problems with the notion/procedure, and it seems to me unlikely this is anywhere near
a universal practice.

1) People drive other peoples cars for one reason or another. So, any assumption based solely on the plates
is just a guess. The driver might not be the owner.


2) Some folks are always wheeling and dealing and change vehicles frequently. Here, the title may
change but the plates might stay. (One reason to make sure you correctly convey title to a new owner at the
moment the sale is completed.)

3) In some states unlicensed car carry is allowed; licensed carry also happens. Therefore an officer really needs to assume that
there is a gun and maybe a BG in every car stopped.

4) Here (and I will assume in many states), DL and CHL are handled by one organization (DPS), whereas car
title and registration is handled by the county. I can't imagine the computer data bases being merged.

All IMO, and maybe wrong, but that's how I look at it.

[BadHabit]

I wouldn't inform anybody if if I had a permit if I didn't have anything on me. Why would you? Seems like too much information to volunteer to me. Never volunteer irrelevant info. Never. You never know the attitude of the Barney you are dealing with.

[tkruf]

Thanks for the link retsupt. That is quite helpful. I was sitting there slightly panicked while doing the light test and wondering if I should say something even though I didn't have a firearm on my person.

Especially since you were not carrying, there was no need to say anything. Even in states that have a requirement to inform, that doesn't apply to informing them you have a permit, it means you have to inform them that you are carrying (if you are). The whole point is "having the gun on you". If you don't, you shouldn't have to say anything about guns or your permit.

You also stated you were driving a friends car I believe. If they run the tag, unless your friend has a permit, they won't know you do.

[9MMare]

What do you mean by this?

In a lot of states as soon as he gets behind you and runs your plate, he will already know you have a concealed carry permit. This may put him on edge a little more in what is already a stressful situation for an officer. Now, when you fail to tell him that you have a weapon (even when he probably already knows you do), it is going to make the situation even more tense. Now, say you reach in your pocket or your glovebox for your insurance card and registration. You can imagine what the officer might think you are grabbing for. In my opinion, its safer for you and the officer if you tell him you are carrying a weapon. You want to de-escalate the situation. You don't want any misunderstandings between two armed parties in a stressful situation.

Wut? WHy would he be more on edge when a law-abiding citizen is carrying? Or possibly carrying?

Keep your hands on the steering wheel as he approaches and ask first to reach for anything. Use your head.

And when there's a cop involved, AFAIC, there is only one person in that interaction that may consider drawing a firearm and it's not me, so there wont be a 'misunderstanding'.

The police are supposed to approach EVERY vehicle as if the occupant may pose a threat. Are they more likely to believe someone with a permit is more a threat than an unknown?

If they act improperly because of their own attitudes towards cc'ers, then I would report them. It's unprofessional and dangerous, however I dont hear much about that...cops doing that unprovoked.

[ksholder]

This idea that things are linked to the plates makes no sense. Maybe some states actually do that, but
there are obvious problems with the notion/procedure, and it seems to me unlikely this is anywhere near
a universal practice.

1) People drive other peoples cars for one reason or another. So, any assumption based solely on the plates
is just a guess. The driver might not be the owner.


2) Some folks are always wheeling and dealing and change vehicles frequently. Here, the title may
change but the plates might stay. (One reason to make sure you correctly convey title to a new owner at the
moment the sale is completed.)

3) In some states unlicensed car carry is allowed; licensed carry also happens. Therefore an officer really needs to assume that
there is a gun and maybe a BG in every car stopped.

4) Here (and I will assume in many states), DL and CHL are handled by one organization (DPS), whereas car
title and registration is handled by the county. I can't imagine the computer data bases being merged.

All IMO, and maybe wrong, but that's how I look at it.

Hop - I hear you and agree with most of what you said. I can tell you that in OH, when they run your plates OR license, they will see you have a permit. Plates here don't go with the car when you sell, so that attenuates one of your concerns. This is also the reason I gave the cars my kids were driving to them when they turned 18. New registration, new tags and no notification that the owner has a carry permit.

[Arborigine]

Regardless of whether or not its required to disclose, does not having a CCW tell the cop that you made a Sheriff's "nice list" instead of the "naughty list"? That alone may make the difference between a traffic citation and a warning.

[F350]

4) Here (and I will assume in many states), DL and CHL are handled by one organization (DPS), whereas car
title and registration is handled by the county. I can't imagine the computer data bases being merged.

All IMO, and maybe wrong, but that's how I look at it.

Here in Colorado DLs are handled by the state, License plates by the county clerk and CCWs by the county sheriff, I know in today's technology age it would be simple to link all data bases, but when was the last time you ever saw 3 different government agencies coordinate even something as simple as a holiday picnic.

Colorado use to have a data base county sheriffs could voluntarily enter their issued CCWs into but even that has gone by the wayside. I don't know if LEO could even tie DL to plate here. I LIKE IT!!!

[9MMare]

Regardless of whether or not its required to disclose, does not having a CCW tell the cop that you made a Sheriff's "nice list" instead of the "naughty list"? That alone may make the difference between a traffic citation and a warning.

In a SHALL issue state, it has nothing to do with some Sheriff's 'nice' list. That sounds like OR, but not WA (as examples). It's an insult thinking that we should have to jump thru some individual Sheriff's qualifications (which you do in OR, by county). And a cc permit is not a membership card into some club with LEOs. It doesnt make them 'think we're all on the same side!'

[mlr1m]

Regardless of whether or not its required to disclose, does not having a CCW tell the cop that you made a Sheriff's "nice list" instead of the "naughty list"? That alone may make the difference between a traffic citation and a warning.

You are assuming that the officer you are informing believes "nice" people should be able to even own firearms. Let alone carry them.

Michael

[ElkSniper]

Your location has you in California. If that is true, then it is NOT required to notify where you are. Only AK, AR, LA, MI, NC, NE, OH, OK, SC, TX require it.

I don't know where you got this list, but it is not completely correct.
In Colorado you must notify an officer when contacted.

[eipo]

Your location has you in California. If that is true, then it is NOT required to notify where you are. Only AK, AR, LA, MI, NC, NE, OH, OK, SC, TX require it.

MI's requirement is only if you are being detained. Casual interactions require no disclosure.

[Arborigine]

Your location has you in California. If that is true, then it is NOT required to notify where you are. Only AK, AR, LA, MI, NC, NE, OH, OK, SC, TX require it.

Not true. In California Counties can require disclosure even though the State does not, and some, (E.G. Kern County) require their permittees to disclose when in any county.

[F350]

I don't know where you got this list, but it is not completely correct.
In Colorado you must notify an officer when contacted.

Please give CRS reference; as a new Colorado resident I wish to be lawful and have been unable to find any such statute and have been told otherwise by people I trust.

[ElkSniper]

In Colorado you must notify an officer when contacted.

Please give CRS reference; as a new Colorado resident I wish to be lawful and have been unable to find any such statute and have been told otherwise by people I trust.

OK, I think I stand corrected. Notification is what I had been told by people I trust. The closest CRS I could find:

A peace officer may temporarily disarm a permittee, incident to a lawful stop of the permittee. The peace officer shall return the handgun to the permittee prior to discharging the permittee from the scene.

I thought that this section stated that you must notify. Obviously it does not.