Would you show ID to an LEO?

[SelfDefense]

How do you know if the officer does or does not have reasonable suspicion?

Are you going to ask him why he wants to see your ID?

Are you planning on having a debate with the officer as to his interpretation of reasonable suspicion?

What if he declines to get into the discussion and merely asks for your ID again?

What will you do if he tells you and you believe his suspicion is unfounded?

+1

You captured in a few questions what it took me days to get across.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[dnowell]

Why would they ask if there was no reason?

I think the implication is that asking for ID could result from some type of illegitimate profiling, or could be harassment for personal reasons.

[Rescue1325]

I see this question alot, and it amazes me how people are so adamant about only showing ID when it is appropriate... I live in Alabama, and have never had a single problem from LEO when notified I am carrying. When stopped, and asked for ID, I simply provide DL and Permit, and in many cases I have gotten out of a ticket, simply b/c I did not hassle the LEO. One time I was even invited to the police range, and ended up finding a few shooting buddys.

[dcb188]

That is because, Rescue1325, more than just a few folks are anti-police but they will not come right out and say it. So it is almost never the idea of giving an ID or answering a simple question. If they are not legally compelled to do it, they do not want to do it.

[Rock and Glock]

It is required to be shown to a LEO when a LEO makes contact with you, in Texas.

[dcb188]

Here too, especially if you are operating a motor vehicle.

[Ram Rod]

I'm really not sure why this poll even exists actually. I figure if a LEO has a reason to ask for my ID, then I've done something to raise suspicion in the first place. I've been know to resemble folks that BOLO orders have been issued, and if they are out to catch a criminal and need to ID me in order to rule me out, I don't see a problem with that. I've never been "anti-police" or anything like that, though there are times when I see some of them on the streets violating the laws they are tasked with upholding and it aggravates me to some extent. I have no reasons to test the waters on my individual rights at the moment a law enforcement officer asks for my ID or information------that may be done later with the PA's office or an attorney of my own and filing complaints. One time I got pulled over by a uniformed (of duty) police officer was due to his road rage as I had unknowingly cut him off in traffic as he was in the right lane which ended and he couldn't manage to get ahead of me and squeeze in, I saw this at the last minute and he got by only to come to a complete stop in front of me in traffic. He exited his vehicle (civilian vehicle) and came to my door demanding ID and asked me if I was some sort of a S.A. (use your imagination here) or something. If I would have been in my right mind and not so unnerved by the treatment and situation, I would have thrown my vehicle in reverse and went around this whacko, or just told him to stick it when he asked for my ID and called 911 to come get this psycho out of my face. He was in uniform obviously on his way to work that morning. In a way it still irks me to this day, but it's in the past and it's the one and only bad experience I've had with law enforcement---other than the time I was at Wal-Mart early one morning and saw one of the local officers (they employed them as guards back when in my former town) fooling around with a female employee and he actually pulled his pistol out of the holster apparently joking around. That didn't sit too well with me either, but that officer was fired a couple of years later for legal reasons. All in all, I didn't answer your poll. If you're looking for something in particular, word things differently in my honest opinion. Thanks for letting me speak my mind all the same.

[rhinokrk]

When married to my ex-wife I went on "ride-a-longs" with her at least once a week, normally Saturday. Her PD's policy was to ask anyone walking in residential areas after 11pm for ID and record it in her small spiral notepad. This served two purposes;
1~ pick up under aged kids violating curfew (take them home, inform parents kids were out of the house)
2~ documenting people that could possibly be leaving or approaching a crime before it is called out.
She Kept a total of 4 full notepads in her cruiser (most that would fit in a slot of her center console and after a new one was filled, she shredded the oldest at the station. No records were entered in the 'government super computer', nor was info shared with other officers. Unless the person turned out to be a 'person of interest' in regards to a crime.

Before anyone posts that that sounds like overkill for a city in Utah, She worked the most dangerous sector, in the most violent city here in Utah. At the time Ogden had a higher murder rate per capita than LA, California.

I have no reason to fear the Police (period), I am one of the 'good guy's'.

[DaveH]

Since I carry all the time, yes, because I live in the great state of Texas, I would as required by law.

I was under the impression that this thread was not about "when carrying," "while driving" or even what your State law is.

The original post said, "Disregarding the current law in your juridisction, would you show your ID to an LEO (police, BP, FBI...) if asked?"

I read the "Disregarding the current law" to mean "were it not for..."

I did not read it to mean "would you disregard the current law and..."

Then some responses seem to be assuming one reading. Other, seem to assume the other. Therefore, I'm rather confused as to the meaning of the poll and and many of the post.

[Redneck Repairs]

I believe the question was about showing id when asked for no particular reason. Not specifically gun related. Like walking down the street, shopping for groceries, ect. and an officer asks for id without known reason.

MitchellCT, it looks like the laws differ between states. In Pa. you do not have to show your papers without reasonable suspicion or probable cause.

I may have mis spoke, as it is not due to a state reg however to get back to the thread ill say that any officer without question , without exception uppon contact will be notified i carry and at the first oppertunity . I do want THE COP WHO DEALS WITH ME to know at the time i am armed , or if not , conversly have the right/state permission to be .

For one thing only farmers hiding deals from the irs and a few other folk can be found with 10k + on cash in possession . Others who have that amounts of cash are usually dope criminals . 30 to 50 k in cash in a beat up pickup you best have your duckys in a huddle if you want to buy anything at the auction you were headed to . No matter tho the amount of " suspicious " reasonable circumstances . that may or may not be brought to bear , being honest is a good policy . and honesty goes a long ways when an officer might become suspicious,. On the subject of farm sales well my check is good anywhere in 5 states , however if i pay cash for something right now well it has a less of getting my " bargan " no saled due to low price of sale , besides when i hand the auction guy cash and load it up its a done deal . In farming cash is ky lol .

[SelfDefense]

I was under the impression that this thread was not about "when carrying," "while driving" or even what your State law is.

The original post said, "Disregarding the current law in your juridisction, would you show your ID to an LEO (police, BP, FBI...) if asked?"

I read the "Disregarding the current law" to mean "were it not for..."

I did not read it to mean "would you disregard the current law and..."

The some responses seem to be assuming one reading. Other, seem to assume the other. Therefore, I'm rather confused as to the meaning of the poll and and many of the post.

I did not word the question well. It was really a companion poll to a now defunct thread. The intent was not gun related but whether the readers would comply with a request by law enforcement (like a Border Patrol checkpoint or a police officer) simply to show identification (drivers license, passport...) if asked.

I put in the 'disregarding state law' phrase because I don't know if any state requires one to show ID if asked. Apparently, in PA one does not break the law by refusing a request for showing identification.

[JonInNY]

I consider myself a "good guy". You know, law abiding, the whole 9 yards. I also assume that the LEOs are good guys too! I see no reason not to start off on the best side, and keep everyone happy, and cooperate. That way, if you are carrying, and the LEO knows you are also the "good guy", things probably won't get out of hand. That's my .02 worth.

[gimpy]

I did not see anything in the original post that indicated the poll was about CC ID. It just said ID.

If a police officer asks to see my ID, I would assume he/she had a valid reason for doing so. Anything I do to resist that request will only add grief to my life, and the end result would be the eventual sharing of my ID with the authorities. As a law abiding person, and certainly not one who is paranoid regarding any evil intentions by the police, I would most certainly be happy to produce my ID. And no, I would not feel that I gave up any of my civil rights by doing so.

[wmhawth]

I did not see anything in the original post that indicated the poll was about CC ID. It just said ID.

If a police officer asks to see my ID, I would assume he/she had a valid reason for doing so. Anything I do to resist that request will only add grief to my life, and the end result would be the eventual sharing of my ID with the authorities. As a law abiding person, and certainly not one who is paranoid regarding any evil intentions by the police, I would most certainly be happy to produce my ID. And no, I would not feel that I gave up any of my civil rights by doing so.

Well said Gimpy. And to echo Ram Rod, "I'm not sure why this poll even exists".

[HotGuns]

I've been watching this thread with interest and I am somewhat amazed at some of the responses.

I will use one for an example.

If there is a seemingly valid reason, no problem. If there isn't, no way. If he's just curious about who I am, he can introduce himself and I'll reply with my name in kind. If that's all it is then he/she doesn't really have any business knowing anything more about me than anyone else and I don't know why they would want to other than fishing for something or trying to intimidate. I don't consider that uncooperative at all.

A seemingly "valid" reason?
Do you already know why you are being asked to produce an I.D. ?

What is not valid to you, may be valid to the cop asking.

An example..
Awhile back we were looking for felony parole violates. We take a some paperwork that has a name and an address on it. Some of the dates and info may be old but its all we have to go on.

So I get an address and I go up to it and ring the doorbell. A young man answers meeting the description of the warrant. I ask several questions, he tells me he is not the one I am looking for,I walk into the living room where several young men are playing some war game on X-Box. I ask for their I.D.'s to basically prove who they say they are...because I don't know.

They show them and I walk out. End of story.

Now, same scenario, three guys playing, one refuses. He thinks what I am doing is not "valid" because after all, here he is sitting in a living room with his friends having a great time....and I walk in demanding to see I.D. He is ticked, he doesn't like the idea. So he refuses. I ask him one more time and he gives me some speech about not being required to. Fine, I say, explain to the warrant officer that issued the warrant. I hook him up, drop him off at the jail and move to my next warrant.

He now has to prove that he ain't the bad-guy, that he's really a good guy with a case of mistaken I.D. Mistaken, because he was too stupid to make it easy on himself. He has now wasted his time, my time, and the jailers time of logging him in, searching him and all of the other stuff that jailers do. Now Mr.I donthavetoshowID takes it all the way to the judge,because he has been arrested, and he thinks it is a false arrest...after all..he did nothing wrong, right?

He gets a lawyer who takes it to court and he ends up losing. Why, because he initially refused a simple request to provide I.D. that would have ended the thing before it got started. How do you think the judge will take that? Are you going to tell him that the request for I.D wasn't valid?

I was present for a case, much like the one I described. I can say that the Judge wasn't very sympathetic at all. The guy lost his case, and whatever it cost hm for a lawyer.

If that's all it is then he/she doesn't really have any business knowing anything more about me than anyone else and I don't know why they would want to other than fishing for something or trying to intimidate

Did it ever occur to you that people LIE to the police all the time?
Maybe you don't lie.Maybe you are completely honest. The police don't know you from Adam. Refusing ID when requested will get a very cynical eye cast upon you. The real bad-guys don't want you to know who they are and they will do everything n their power to keep you from finding out.

I cant tell you how many have given even false I.D's. The favorite thing around here is to use their brothers,sisters, mothers, fathers I.D. That way when they are asked questions, they can sound a little bit intelligent about them, with out lying so much and getting caught in a lie.

The thing is...
a Cop. doesn't really care what you consider to be a "valid" reason.
He just want to do his job in the most efficient manner possible. Any one that hinders that ability, will not be looked upon favorably.

I don't consider that uncooperative at all

In your opinion...which is quite different from the officers.


Right, wrong, call it what you want, that is the way it is.