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This debate seems to come up in a lot of threads and I thought I’d make a stand alone thread out of it.
First I understand that some of you live in one of the 9 states that require you to proactively inform the Officer that you are carrying in an official contact. Your state legislature has already made that decision for you, you don’t have an option, we get it.
This question is more for the people who choose to disclose the fact that they are armed to the police when they don’t have to. What is your rationale? Do you think it helps you to do so? Have you ever had it backfire?
As I’ve made clear previously, I choose not to disclose any information I’m not required to, to the police. I have a few different reasons for this they are:
1. I don’t know until I disclose if the cop is pro citizen carry or against it ( dealing W/ CSPD I’m more likely to open my mouth to an anti) I don’t want to hand an anti cop a reason to ruin my night.
2. IMO a traffic stop is a series of problems that the cop has to deal W/ before he can clear the call. If I throw a monkey wrench into the loop by announcing that I’m armed I just handed the cop a whole new batch of problems to solve before he clears the call. That means I’m going to sit on the side of the road longer.
3. There’s no point I have my DL/REG/POI in my hands, on the wheel when the cop gets to my car. He’s not going to suddenly discover I’m armed unless I tell him.
I said this in another thread but I get the impression that the people that go out of their way to inform feel like they’re giving the cop the “secret, good guy, sheepdog hand shake" when they disclose. Also as I’ve mentioned before I’ve had people actually say that handing the cop their CHP lets him know they’re one of “the good guys”.
So what is your rationale? Why do you inform? What good does it do you?
For those who don't Why not?
First I understand that some of you live in one of the 9 states that require you to proactively inform the Officer that you are carrying in an official contact. Your state legislature has already made that decision for you, you don’t have an option, we get it.
This question is more for the people who choose to disclose the fact that they are armed to the police when they don’t have to. What is your rationale? Do you think it helps you to do so? Have you ever had it backfire?
As I’ve made clear previously, I choose not to disclose any information I’m not required to, to the police. I have a few different reasons for this they are:
1. I don’t know until I disclose if the cop is pro citizen carry or against it ( dealing W/ CSPD I’m more likely to open my mouth to an anti) I don’t want to hand an anti cop a reason to ruin my night.
2. IMO a traffic stop is a series of problems that the cop has to deal W/ before he can clear the call. If I throw a monkey wrench into the loop by announcing that I’m armed I just handed the cop a whole new batch of problems to solve before he clears the call. That means I’m going to sit on the side of the road longer.
3. There’s no point I have my DL/REG/POI in my hands, on the wheel when the cop gets to my car. He’s not going to suddenly discover I’m armed unless I tell him.
I said this in another thread but I get the impression that the people that go out of their way to inform feel like they’re giving the cop the “secret, good guy, sheepdog hand shake" when they disclose. Also as I’ve mentioned before I’ve had people actually say that handing the cop their CHP lets him know they’re one of “the good guys”.
So what is your rationale? Why do you inform? What good does it do you?
For those who don't Why not?