First LEO encounter

[DropTop]

i had only been carrying for about 4 days and i get pulled over so i was kinda nervous about having a gun on me.

we were going to my parents wednesday night driving my wifes car.
we get to the little town for the turn off to go to my parents fixing to exit the highway when this cop comes flying up behind us for some reason. i wasn't speeding or anything so i was confused when he turns on his lights to pull me over.

i get stopped and get my drivers license, handgun permit, and insurance card out to hand them to him when he gets to the window. he asked for my info and i hand him my info and he looks at all 3 for a few seconds each. he looked at me and told me that my insurance card had expired the day before but it was ok just get me a new one. my wife then tells him she has the new one she had just giving him the old one.

while she was looking for the new one he informed me he had pulled me over because her license plate light was out. she handed him the new one, he looked it over for a second, handed me back all of my cards and told me to have a nice night and get my light fixed. i said thank you and we would get it fixed. he turned around and went back to his car and drove off.

he never mentioned anything about my permit, if i had a handgun or where it was. just told me to have a nice night and was gone. i was very happy that it was so uneventful.

i would like to think that the CHL made him think that i was a responsable person that did have insurance but just didn't have the new card with me that's why he was going to let me off with (kinda of) a warning.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ccman]

Good deal.

[RockStrongo]

Good to know. Honestly.. that is pretty much how I would expect an interaction to go with a LEO. If you are providing him with your carry credentials, he really shouldn't expect any "issues" from you.

Glad you had had good experience and got off with the warning!

[REVMAN]

The way it should go.

[puncho]

He never looked at the second auto insurance card, he made his decision after a look around inside your vehicle!

[basher052]

i had only been carrying for about 4 days and i get pulled over so i was kinda nervous about having a gun on me.

we were going to my parents wednesday night driving my wifes car.
we get to the little town for the turn off to go to my parents fixing to exit the highway when this cop comes flying up behind us for some reason. i wasn't speeding or anything so i was confused when he turns on his lights to pull me over.

i get stopped and get my drivers license, handgun permit, and insurance card out to hand them to him when he gets to the window. he asked for my info and i hand him my info and he looks at all 3 for a few seconds each. he looked at me and told me that my insurance card had expired the day before but it was ok just get me a new one. my wife then tells him she has the new one she had just giving him the old one.

while she was looking for the new one he informed me he had pulled me over because her license plate light was out. she handed him the new one, he looked it over for a second, handed me back all of my cards and told me to have a nice night and get my light fixed. i said thank you and we would get it fixed. he turned around and went back to his car and drove off.

he never mentioned anything about my permit, if i had a handgun or where it was. just told me to have a nice night and was gone. i was very happy that it was so uneventful.

i would like to think that the CHL made him think that i was a responsable person that did have insurance but just didn't have the new card with me that's why he was going to let me off with (kinda of) a warning.

Fairly good chance that it was a slow night for him, and the light out was PC for stopping you. Most guys will let you go if there is nothing else out of place.

I agree with the rest of the group, it should always go just like that. Glad to hear you had a good experience.

[gunthorp]

Great! I hope they all go this well for the rest of us, if we follow your good example.

[Keith92555]

Have you actually CHECKED to see if the light is out? I know that many California LEOs will use that excuse for PC to stop a vehicle for a fishing expedition even if the light is working. If that is the case, you should make a call to the PD where this occurred to let them know that their officers are taking liberties with their authority. Most departments frown on this type of activity.

Glad everything went smooth for you. Don't be so elated about not getting a ticket that you tolerate violations of your rights, though.

Keith

[retsupt99]

Nice stop, now go get that light fixed.

[ScubaDuba]

I agree with Keith. I also wonder about your statement that "he came flying up behind you" I can't see a reason for excessive speeding to pull over a broken license plate light. Just too dangerous.

[TX-JB]

Sounds like a good stop...If you're around DFW, then I suspect your interaction was pretty much the norm...Most TX LEO's can run your DL, know the status of your insurance and CHL, pretty simply...

Glad it turned out ok...

[HKinNY]

Fairly good chance that it was a slow night for him, and the light out was PC for stopping you. Most guys will let you go if there is nothing else out of place.

I agree with the rest of the group, it should always go just like that. Glad to hear you had a good experience.

Most major busts are made from simple traffic stops, so he checked things out quickly saw you were legit and off you were.

[Saber]

Granted, stopping someone for a defective license plate light is clearly a fishing expedition, but once he profiled you and your spouse, it was obvious that you were not what he was hoping for.
Regards,
Dan

[DevilDog7781]

I have been stopped three times since I started CC. Two resulted in the "slow down next time" ending. The other was by a Texas DPS officer at 1:45am New Years morning. I wasn't doing anything wrong - nor had I been drinking...my wife on the other hand... Anyway, the female DPS officer was more than nice and off we went.
I can't help but believe that here in Texas, having a CHL may actually be a good thing.

[Erik M]

iwhile she was looking for the new one he informed me he had pulled me over because her license plate light was out.

Must have been a slow night. The most he could have ticited you for would have been an equipment failure, or a fix-it ticket.

Sounds like you made it out alright.