Informing LEO's that you are carrying

[Macattack]

only if im asked to exit the vehicle will i divulge that info. ( or if there is a good chance my gun could be exposed while fiddling in the glove box.)
Of the several troopers I know personally, most of them say they don't trust most civilians with guns. (Its alittle too easy to get a ccw here.) I can imagine it causing stress when it is unnessesary. The officer now knows you are armed and will be watching every move you make. Plus, does he know how to handle a con 1 1911?
Also there is something about having to pull my gun out in front of an officer that makes me nervous.

If a leo pulls me over, I want a ticket or a warning. We both go on our way no prob.
But this is wa, your life and rationality may vary
-mac

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Smith&Wessonfan]

Of the several troopers I know personally, most of them say they don't trust most civilians with guns.

Maybe we shouldn't trust them with weapons either.

[SelfDefense]

That viewpoint sounds ignorant, to me. You're going to throw me on the ground face-first even though you know that there's a very good possibility that I carry my gun legally, just because you saw a glimpse of it -- NO REACH, just a GLIMPSE -- and I did not tell you it was there ahead of time? You won't engage your brain and allow yourself to decide based on my demeanor or other circumstances; you've made up your mind to have one immutable response to seeing a gun? I thought a good LEO responds with fluidity and adaptation.

A good LEO will view you with overt suspicionif he knows you are within easy reach of a firearm. If you did not disclose the weapon do you really think he will pause and ponder, "well he might be a CCW permit holder so I'm in no danger" or do you think he will consider you a potential threat?

How many bad guys do you think you'd get informing you of the bad things they plan to do?

That is exactly the point. Disclosing the weapon provides the LEO important information that you are probably not a bad guy. He will still act with caution and vigilance, as he does at any stop. Remember, traffic stops are always unknown encounters for LEOs.

[tex45acp]

Here in Texas, if you are stopped by a state trooper(DPS) your CHL will show up on their check. You had better declared you are a holder of the CHL and whether or not you are carrying. If you dont it could cost you your CHL. Even though other LEO's won't know by the Drivers License check, by law, you also have to make them aware as well.

tex

[American Pit Bull]

During a traffic stop the firearm isn't part of the equation, so I do not enter it into play.

We preach daily that firearms are just tools, but when some get pulled over it becomes a dangerous possession and they immediately inform the LEO that they have one on their person.

I do not inform the officer of other potentially dangerous items in my vehicle or on my person (knives, hatchet, OC spray, machete, etc...) so why bring the firearm into the stop.

If the LEO asks me to exit the vehicle, the firearm becomes part of the stop because he/she could come into contact with it... Then I will inform them of my CCW status.

[GotSig?]

I was pulled over for going 12 over in a 25 that was a 40, but someone decided to change it. Being a nice guy, i told the cop i was carrying and all of a sudden i was a criminal, and treated as such. I was asked to get out of the car, remove my firearm and make it safe, then place it on the hood of my car. After standing like a tool with my hands on the hood for a speeding ticket for 10 minutes, the cop returned, gave me my ticket, and my gun with the mag emptied and all the rounds in a plastic baggie. " DO NOT LOAD THAT HERE!"

Im sorry, but unless a leo asks, im not saying ****. Just tonight me and my g/f went out to eat on the beach with my buddy and his significant other. Buddy's girl got drunk and stupid, and started some big fight in the parking lot, LEO showed up, i told him everything he needed to know EXCEPT i was carrying, and we were sent on our merry ways. Sorry if this is a rant, but im still sour that even in FL, the gunshine state, some LEO's still look at carrying as a criminal act, esclating a stupid traffic stop into some huge production like im a felon. Thanks but no thanks.

[FknRa]

Its fine. If you are not required by law to inform, and you dont want to thats fine with me. I'm not suggesting that you do, nor would i want to change that right that you have.

The question was asked. While some of you have horror stories about being ill treated by LEO's for minor traffic violations, I've never had a problem with them. In my personal experiance, I have found that: Being polite, Being honest, Showing concern/understanding for the LEO's job/safety, will go farther towards engendering trust and a personal relationship with your local public servents than doing the absolute minimum. Normally if you treat them as a PERSON just like you that has a normally thankless job you will be treated with respect as well.

I know there are bad apples in that barrel as well, fortunatly I haven't had to deal with any yet.

[Bark'n]

Being a nice guy, i told the cop i was carrying and all of a sudden i was a criminal, and treated as such. I was asked to get out of the car, remove my firearm and make it safe, then place it on the hood of my car. After standing like a fool with my hands on the hood for a speeding ticket for 10 minutes, the cop returned, gave me my ticket, and my gun with the mag emptied and all the rounds in a plastic baggie. " DO NOT LOAD THAT HERE!"

Wow, I'm thinking I'd be just a little miffed if I was treated like that. I mean for crying out loud, I would think if he was that afraid of guns, he shouldn't be in law enforcement.

He could have been having a bad day but still, I think that was a little unreasonable. Ok, a lot unreasonable!


When I started this thread, I was curious as to the reasons why people choose not to inform LEO's they are carrying as a matter of courtesy among people who are wearing guns.

While I see some people have specific reasons such as GotSig... Others just don't feel like telling. I see most of the folks do tell and state it's just a matter of common courtesy!

It's been an interesting thread and thanks for those who participated.

I think GotSig had by far the worst experience. If that is the cops every day attitude towards legal ccw holders, he may be in need of a psych eval or a new line of work.

I would hate to see what would have happened if Sig started loading his mags up right there, which he was perfectly within his rights to do!

JMHO.

[GotSig?]

Yea im a little bitter, but its was just one LEO and i understand that they are not all out for blood. At least the swat team wasn't called to make sure that my wallet wasn't a bomb or that i had an armor piercing Glock 7. He even gave me some **** about my glove being locked. Dude, its a jeep with no doors and no top, i lock everything i can. And its not like he couldn't see what i was doing, it was around 3pm, sunny, and I am completely exposed.

IT was funny because when he handed me the "baggie of bullets"(which is no famous in my circle of friends) I must have given him the stink eye because i could not believe that the situation had sunk to that level. I thanked him for my ticket and wished him well as i drove exaclty 1 Block, pulled over to the side and loaded all 16 rounds back into my G19.

[Bark'n]

Hell, I'd have pulled up 10 feet and stopped and loaded it. If he stopped me again and got PO'd, I'd say...
No, You told me not to load it back there ---->

[Ben Hennessy]

I will tell the LEO that I am carrying, in fact I all ready have. I got pulled over for a headlight being out and went to show him my permit. The LEO told me there was no need to. I carry a permit from another state. When the carry law passed in Missouri, St. Louis played games with the law. So I got a permit from another state to go around St. Louis games. I bring this up because if they ran my DL, they would not know I have a permit.

[Stormtruck2]

[QUOTE=Smith&Wessonfan;408289]Really?


"I simply do not believe that I should. There are many states where such notification is not required and I have yet to see a true story of somebody drawn down on because the officer saw a weapon."

In 1990 I lived in Nebraska which at the time was a "Affirmative Defense" state. In my job at the time I carried large sums of money and cash equivalents. As I was headed west bound on US 275 near Croul I met a State trooper going the other way. As he approached I had a head light go out. I seen him flip so I immediately pulled over. I was waiting on him when he pulled up behind me. I carried a Colt 1911 I had since my service time in a shoulder rig. I was in a suit at the time. When he reached my window I greeted him and informed him I was armed. He turned white and drew his weapon on me telling me to keep my hands up. He was shaking like Barney Fife. I was afraid he would AD my butt. His muzzle swept 4 inches in front to 4 inches behind my head. He then told me to withdraw my weapon with my right hand and put on top of the vehicle. I asked him if he really wanted me to use my strong hand to withdraw my weapon and try to put it on the roof of my vehicle. I do not have a hinge in the middle of my forearm. I suggested instead I use my left hand or he withdraw it himself. Which ever he preferred, I also requested he call a supervisor to the scene. He stated he had already called for back up for a man with a gun!! As you can imagine a whole lot of his friends showed up from out of no where. I suspect some may have been air dropped!! LOL Fast forward to the happy conclusion, his supervisor called my county sheriff who was a good friend of mine and vouched for me. He also told me it was the stopping officers FIRST night on solo road patrol. I asked the SO if maybe the rookie wasn't wrapped a little too tight for the job. He didn't answer me but just kinda smiled. That smile said volumes. I still inform when stopped but worry more about how long the officer has been away from his TO than anything else.

[Rugerman]

Here in California (the belly of the liberal beast) it depends on where you are. We have no duty to tell them but if I am stopped by my rural sheriff I will tell them, if I am pulled over by a CHP I will tell them but if I am in the SF bay area I will not tell them because they will make this big deal out of it pull you out of the car and clear your weapon and put it in the trunk. They will then run a full check on you as happened to a friend of mine.

[Smith&Wessonfan]

Here in California (the belly of the liberal beast) it depends on where you are. We have no duty to tell them but if I am stopped by my rural sheriff I will tell them, if I am pulled over by a CHP I will tell them but if I am in the SF bay area I will not tell them because they will make this big deal out of it pull you out of the car and clear your weapon and put it in the trunk. They will then run a full check on you as happened to a friend of mine.

Just don't tell anyone, then.

[Ten_Ring]

Just don't jump out screaming " I have a gun". You have to understand, if you tell me you have a gun, I'm not just going to assume you're a good guy with no ill intent. Follow the instructions given by the officer. It's for your safety as well as his.