cls12vg30

So last night I got pulled over by a Raleigh police officer, my first encounter with a LEO since getting my Concealed Handgun License last October.

I left my apartment about 11:00 pm to go over to my girlfriend's house, which is about 3 miles away. When I clicked on the headlights, the light on the dash came on indicating a burned-out bulb somewhere. I peered through the windshield and was able to determine from the light pattern on the building that my passenger-side headlight was out. No big deal, there's and Advance Auto near my office, I'll go get one tomorrow during my lunch break.

So, rotten luck, on a 3-mile drive immediately after the light goes out, I get pulled over just short of the side street that leads to my gf's house.

I was a bit nervous, trying to remember all the tips they had given us in CCW class. As soon as I stopped I rolled down the window, shut off the engine, turned on the domelight, retrieved my wallet from my pocket and set it in my lap, (So that I wouldn't have to go digging around after I informed the officer of my armed status.), and then sat with my hands on the wheel.

The officer was young, maybe younger than me (I'm 28). The converesation went something like this:

Leo: Good Evening.
Me: Evening, officer.
Leo: I pulled you over to make you aware that you have a headlight out. Do you have your license with you tonight, sir?
Me (opening wallet and retrieving documents): I do, and I also have a concealed weapons permit here, too.
Leo(accepting license and CHL): Do you have your weapon now?
Me: Yes I do.
Leo: Is it over there on your right?
Me: Yes it is, there's also one under the seat. Do you want me to......? (Making a questioning gesture, palms up with both hands)
Leo: That's fine, just keep your hands out, sit tight, I'll be right back.
(He goes back to his car with my license and permit, I sit with the domelight on, resting my hands on top of the wheel.)
Leo returns: All right sir, do you still live at <address>.
Me: Yes I do, I'm heading to my girlfriend's house just up here.
Leo (handing back documents): OK, well better get that light fixed, or you'll just keep getting pulled over. And thanks for clueing me in on the concealed weapon.
Me: Well, that's what I'm supposed to do.
Leo: Right. Have a good evening, sir.
Me: Same to you, officer.

So I fired up, turned off the domelight, and drove forward the other 250 feet or so until the turnoff for my gf's street.

Overall, it went exactly like I would hope it would, the LEO was professional and courteous, if he noticed I was a little nervous he didn't say anything. Actually, after he had verified my license and CHL, he became quite friendly, there was some other dialogue I left out, about the bulb indicator light on my dash, and how surprising it was that a 1988 car would have something like that.

Of course, I was still pissed at the rotten luck of getting pulled within 3 miles of a bulb going out. But all in all not too bad of an experience.

__________________
"Terrorists don't seem to be too afraid of stern language. But I do notice, that while the fear of death does not seem to deter these people, the fact of BEING dead does significantly decrease their operational effectiveness. "
- Bill Whittle

firefighter4884

Hey CLS...

sounds like a pretty positive experience, and a very good job on your part. where abouts do you live? LOL

I run with the campus ambulance squad, and pulled squad duty for all of labor day weekend. As i'm heading to campus to go do a standby with the rig, a friend calls my cell and tells me that my headlight is out. I'm like, CRAP, something else to do. I'll take care of it tomorrow (it's already like 1845 and I'm supposed to be on station with my ambulance by 1900). Standby goes fine, and I'm on the way home (a distance of maybe a mile...).

I turn off onto the side street where my house is located, and I'm about halfway to the house when a cop turns onto the street behind me, patrol car lit up like a Chirstmas tree. So I pull over to let him go by, except he pulls in behind me. I'm like ... what? I wasn't even speeding tonight!

He gets out, and walks up to the car, and I realize it's one of the campus cops, and I know him. He looks at me, I go "Hey Sarge" He says "Oh, you, you have a headlight out. get it fixed, goodnight"

The next night, got pulled over in the SAME place, this time by a town cop. So, needless to say, I fixed that headlight as soon as my weekend shifts ended and I could get to the autoparts store.

--Jim

P.S. - Off topic for CCW, but both officers treated me the way I would expect to be treated in a traffic stop situation.

__________________
Firefighter / EMT - Always Ready. Ever Willing.

~Never do anything that you don't want to have to explain to the paramedics...~

Tangle

Good experience and you did great!

CombatEffective

I don't think you'll find many of us scared of someone that went through the trouble to get the permit in the first place and then point it out in the second.

__________________
Shooters' Legacy

Special sections for S&W and Ruger

Euclidean

Glad it went well. This illustrates exactly why such laws are just silly.

__________________
I am The Armed Educator.

P95Carry

Courtesy - courtesy and more courtesy - makes the world go round so much better and as I have said before, putting myself in a cop's shoes - this is what I would prefer any day.

Even without any carry law - I'd certainly like, as a cop, for any driver to be up front with me.

Good result.

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

gunthorp

An LEO will expect a modicum of nervousness in any stopped motorist. The tension is understandably mutual. You handled the situation admirably by heeping your hands visible and your demeanor cooperative. I like to have my ID's together and accessible enough so that I may retrieve them without undue movement or contortion while the LEO is assessing the situation before the interview. Also, I'll try to position my ID's on my person so I may retrieve them at the checkout counter without exposing anything else.

As more and more routine encounters with police are handled like you did, I think the law enforcement community will gravitate to our cause. Massad Ayoob refused to be promoted past captain, because pressures from appointees higher up were based upon political agendas. By and large, the rank and file recognize, at the very least, that we do no harm.

__________________
Don't dither. The nick of time comes just before the moment lost.

acparmed

Through the years I've had several encounters with LEO's and my CCW. All of them have been civil, and after a couple of seconds actually became friendly.

I have the habit of carrying my permit behind my DL. When I show an ID I also present my permit underneath my DL. After looking at my DL then looking at the permit, I'm usually asked if I'm carrying now, after replying in the affirmative, I can visibly see most of them actually relax during the exchange.
If you are calm and give him no reason to be suprised, most encounters will be very civil.

I have gotten out of 2 speeding tickets with it as well. After finding out I had the permit, there was no delay in the officer telling to me just slow down and have a good night.

__________________
Heroes are people who do what has to be done, when it has to be done, regardless of the consequences

"I like when the enemy shoots at me; then I know where the ******** are and can kill them."
~George Patton

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

cls12vg30

Interesting observation. I wonder if the officer suddenly feels like, at least for the next few minutes, he has backup?

__________________
"Terrorists don't seem to be too afraid of stern language. But I do notice, that while the fear of death does not seem to deter these people, the fact of BEING dead does significantly decrease their operational effectiveness. "
- Bill Whittle

P95Carry

More I think that you have been up front, courtious and pretty much established your position as a good guy - and so threat stress can be eased for him.

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug