[ntkb]

While driving home I pass Detroit police patrol car that has just stopped a Juvenile on a bicycle I no sooner round the next corner and I am pulled over just a few houses from my house.

The car I am driving is not in my name so LEO doesn’t know that I am carrying from the plate.

I stop ASAP roll down the window and put both hands outside, the officer approaches the vehicle and I tell him as the law requires that I am carrying with a permit. He is talking at the same time, pauses for a moment and says, the reason that I stopped you is because there was a report of gun shots in the area.
I restate that I am armed and have a permit. He says you have a gun do you have a permit for it? I am looking at his body armor that states he is in the gang squad and I say, yes I do and I live just a few houses down the street.

Never asked for ID of any type, and says, you got a gun and permit well have a nice night sorry for bothering you.

At which point I thank him for his service and wish him well.

As I park the car in front of the house it occurs to me that the police were looking for someone with a gun, they stop me, know absolutely nothing about me except what I tell him and bid me a good night!
My how things have changed. I like it.

 

[chenemf]

So why did he pull you over?

 

[ntkb]

He said that there was a report of gun shots in the neighborhood. There were several other patrol cars in the area, it seemed obvious they were looking for someone.

 

[Eagleks]

You didn't fit the description of the guy they were looking for or weren't wearing the clothes they were looking for , so he didn't need to talk to you any further.

 

[coriantan]

Odd that if they were looking for someone with a gun that you got off just because you said you had a permit...I would have preferred if he had asked for your permit and then let you go, but at least it was a positive encounter.

 

[Ram Rod]

Actually "odd" in this situation would have been if they confiscated your pistol for testing and a background check that could take weeks just to see if your pistol had been fired recently. Glad it all worked out well for you.

 

[RETSUPT99]

That's actually an excellent stop...for Detroit.:blink::yup:

 

[dhshark]

You didn't fit the description of the guy they were looking for or weren't wearing the clothes they were looking for , so he didn't need to talk to you any further.

Bingo! Resonable suspicion stop. Once it is determined that you didn't fit the description of the shooter there is no probable cause to futher detain you so the lawful and resonable stop has ended and you are let go.

 

[mathewsman]

im guessing sense he was legal than they new he wasn't the suspect remember Detroit here

 

[JimmyC4]

When I lived in the Detroit area I had a similar thing happen. These situations are pretty dynamic and decisions are made very fast, as it was with me. They kicked me on my way and took off, having bigger fish to fry.

 

[Intrepid]

I'd be willing to bet that you putting your hands out the window where he can see them helped a little bit too. I'm pretty sure someone who illegally discharged a weapon in the city is not going to put their hands out the window, but instead, try to stash the gun under the seat or somewhere else in the car.

You also informed him immediately before he could tell you what happened.

 

[F350]

Most LEO are pretty good at reading peoples reaction to that first contact, your demeanor spoke volumes.

I open carried all last summer and twice I had LEO approach, make small talk then walk away without asking for ID or anything. Just like a shark or BG will “bump” a potential victim to gauge the response and decide whether to continue the attack. LEO will also “bump” someone and gauge the response to decide whether to investigate further, failure to make eye contact, stammering with hesitant answers and restlessness will almost guarantee further investigation.

 

[automatic slim]

It was probably more your vehicle that was responsible for the stop. It either matched the make or color of the one they were looking for. The fact that you were up front and open impressed the officer, so based on his instinct, he let you go.

 

[gottabkiddin]

Sounds like a good encounter to me.:yup:

 

[chrise2004]

Sounds like you didn't fit the bill on this one. Sounds like you did everything right!

 

[gilraen]

Sounds like you did everything right, plus got lucky. Could've been a lot worse.

 

[Harryball]

Glad it worked out for you...

 

[gunthorp]

You are a good example to follow.

 

[CarryOptions]

Just curious, but why did you put your hands out the window. I mean I know why you did, to show there was nothing in them but why the need for that on a "regular" traffic stop?

In Arizona we don't have to inform LEO of our weapon unless asked. Personally I always let them know, but I've never fealt the nead to put my hands out the window. Then again I don't live in Detriot and maybe It's better safe then sorry?

 

[ntkb]

Putting my hands out the window is what I do any time I am stopped and armed which is all the time when not driving the company’s semi. I find that it puts them at ease, I don’t put them in the air just lay them over the open window. I have been stopped 4-5 times in the last 5-6 years.

All in all they have been quite positive except for one that I was working on a house in the small suburb of Lathrup Village late one night. It was not occupied at the time a young LEO drove past turned around shined his spot light at me, I was on a cell phone at the time as I approached the patrol car he ask me to end the call, I did and at that time I informed him I was armed. My arms were in a surrender position as I got closer he asked me to stop, I did. He said so you have a gun on you now? Yes I do? Where is it? On my right side. Could you remove it please? I would rather you removed it. I opened my shirt and backed up to him and he removed it, and told me he was just going to put it on the seat.

His watch commander shows up and two other cars. So we now have 4 cars on this, they ask a bunch of questions like why am I working on a house at midnight (mind you I am covered in dry wall dust) then they want to search the house I say go for it there is nothing in there.

After searching the house and clearing me through all the checks they could put me through at that time, I was told I could go and we all started to walk back to the police car where my 1911 was.

As I got within like 30 feet from it, and coming to a stop to wait for the LEO to get my gun from his car.

The watch commander says where is his gun? The first LEO says it’s on the seat of my car. Is it still loaded? Yes. Don’t move do not go into that car he yells to me. I said I wouldn’t dream of it.

This is where it begins to tick me off. The watch commander insists that before I get the gun back it is unloaded, ok fine but it would help if they had a clue how to handle firearms in general.

They start out by asking is this thing jammed? Is this the decocker why won’t the slide open? All while it is just above the watch commander’s knees trying desperately to get enough leverage to open it.

And oh yea it is pointed at me the whole time. I yell back no it’s a 1911 that is a safety not a decocker do not touch the trigger. He also asks is there one in the chamber? I tell him of course there is it’s loaded.

After it’s all over one of the officers says to me don’t feel bad, we don’t even hand loaded guns to each other. I said I can see why.