Concealment Clarification

Thank you!

That really was my main point.
Pretend you are Officer Goodheart working 3rd shift. Wife, kids, dog, mortgage.
2 or 3 or 5 deployments behind you and you don't miss a single bit of it. Great people but black times.

It is 0317 on Deserted Stretch Of Road 101. Your nearest backup in over in the next county.
You've pulled over a Taco just to let him know his left brakelight is out.
You get up alongside and spot the gun.
How happy are you at this very split second?

Just to clarify, I'm Marine vet, EMT, RN. Never an LEO, but I've worked alongside plenty. Usually at scenes of violence.

I work with severely psychiatrically ill people. Currently I'm working in pediatric psych, everything from autistic kids to gangbangers.
I also help out with fellow veterans.
I see suicides and homicides.


Chopper's pic is a very sweet spot tactically for a right hander. I'm a leftie, so I prefer down by the door in the event of the Zompacalypse.
I stink with handguns, so I'll sport a cutdown autoloader 12ga with a pistol grip.

My apologies for getting the thread closed.

 

I had an instance where an office seemingly started to flip on me and I couldn't at first figure out why. I was being pulled over for speeding and my reactions were nothing but calm and respectful. The officer came up to my window and asked for ID and then his whole demeanor changed for some reason. He later explained what happened... when I opened my wallet to get my drivers license, he got a glimpse of my CC permit. While it was a strange experience, he was looking out for his own safety. I had no weapon in the vehicle at the time I felt like he was over reacting and treating me like a suspected criminal, but it was for his own good, there are a lot of goofy people out there.

 

Not sure what this thread is about but being a FF/Medic in a large city I have seen and dealt with most of what you describe.

If I get pulled over I roll down my windows so the officer can have a little sense of security that there is nothing in the vehicle to be concerned about. Keep both hands on the wheel until he asks for license and registration. I don't keep a weapon in the vehicle (personal preference) but if I did I would hand him my CWP and alert him/her as to where the weapon is kept. I feel for the patrol officer. I can't imagine what it must feel like stopping someone at 0300 and you are by yourself.

 

Only other suggestion would be to turn the interior light on.

 

It is not required, but if you have a CCW it is always best to let the officer know you have a CCW and whether you are carrying or not. If you are, explain to the officer where the firearm is located. This takes a lot of stress off of the officer and they generally appreciate. No need to escalate the situation to an un-needed level.

 

actually if you are stopped in texas for a traffic violation you *DO* have to let the officer know - you have to give him your CHL and your DL. You do NOT have to let him examine your weapon - sometimes they will ask to, you can refuse as legally that requries a warrant,.

 

I inform the cop about my gun regardless of if its concealed or not. I also roll all my windows down, turn on my dome light and put my hands out the window. I tell the cop I have however many hot weapons in the vehicle and I have a license for them. When he asks for my license or insurance I tell him where they are located and that I'm about to reach for them. May seem like overkill, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna get shot by some hothead cop for being too careful.

 

Yep.. very good suggestion.

 

I have never mentioned I have a firearm in the truck ... just hearing the word "gun" could startle some folks. I hand over my conceal carry permit along with license, registration, and insurance.

Then the question is asked, "Do you have a firearm on you?"

I have been thanked each and every time.

 

…..or just have the gun out of sight out of mind. As long as everything is legal, and your state doesn't require discloser of a concealed weapon, leave it be. If he does find/see it for some reason, let him do his SOPs. He'll find out you have a CCL. Debating it only makes the cop more jittery.

 

This. Just voluntarily tell the cop that there is a handgun, where its located, and that you are telling him so there is no confusion or drama. In my experience that had been well received. In one case the cop was so relaxed about it I thought he was being reckless.

 

Sound advice... I saw this on a show on the Outdoor channel. They were interviewing an LEO and he recommended the above... Especially true if you have 2 officers doing the stop as (the TV show's words) "you don't want one of the officers to hear the word 'gun' and assume the other was saying it."

 

Exactly ...

 

Nealkas, feel free to quote my post if you like. And I do agree with you, having the gun visible is never really a good idea. Firstly, in the context of this thread, it can alert the cop and give him a reason to suspect. Secondly, if it is visible, it acts as an invitation to onlookers when your vehicle is parked. That picture (I can post it if you like) though, was from below, not from above so I am not quite sure whether or not an LEO would see it upon pulling you over.

Very good advice in here about rolling down all windows and turning the light on. I will have to do that next time, because I know that LEO has no idea who I am or what my intentions are.

Lastly, I do not think your comment got the thread locked, and if it did it was a small part. The majority of the talk that I think got the thread locked was talking about state by state laws and I was probably an instigator of that when making comments about our own laws. I hope this thread doesn't get locked but it seems to be professional talk so far.

The reason for my confusion upon your quote to me was just that I did not know what you were referring to, as if there were a post I missed that linked ours.

Thanks for your military service and that also goes to the rest in this thread, including LEOs.

 

Here in NC it is a requirement by law to let the officer know immediately that I am a CC permit holder if i get stopped.

 

I've gotten tossed out of my truck when I was a kid (19) when I accidentally left my roll bar lights on after some night wheeling. Cop asked me for license and registration and I opened my glovebox and shotgun shells came spilling out started yelling at me with his hand on his pistol "where is the gun!?" I told him at home and next thing I knew I was handcuffed and sitting on the curb. Got cited for having more than 4 front facing lights on, whatever that means, judge didn't understand it and threw it out. Officer searched my truck after I let him and after he was satisfied and backup had arrived he gave me a pro gun talk about how it's perfectly ok to have guns and have them in the car with me but I just needed to let him know.


I bet for LEOs in Alaska, vermont, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Arizona where there are no concealed carry laws things can get scary really quick.

 

I always appreciated it when the violator told me they had weapons in the vehicle, didn't mean I treated them any different and usually got into a long discussion on weapons...

 

Sometimes it does, but 99% of the people are polite and understanding. You just gotta have a plan before hand and pay attention!