Just wow. Down here in Texas the officers generally trust CHL holders; we’re required to hand them the CHL with our license. And as for non-CHL but with a weapon in the car - you’re only required to state you have a weapon if they ask “do you have any weapons in the car”.
There’s no reason for them to unload the damn thing and bring it back to you in pieces. The only time it’s an issue down here is if you run into a solo rookie, which is also quite rare.
What the hell!? Why would the officer take your weapon back to his car? Sounds like a recipe for theft to me.
I disagree with this article’s author, but I live in Florida. I’ve NEVER had to hand over my weapon, and in the event an officer asks, I would ask, “Am I under arrest or do you have reasonable suspicion to confiscate my firearm?” If the answer is yes, then there are bigger issues at play. If the answer is no, then I politely tell them that if they do not have a legal reason to confiscate my weapon, I do not have a legal reason to hand it over.
In an overwhelming number of cases, a CWP holder in the state of Florida is NOT going to be a criminal, and by offering up the CWP during a stop as a supplement to my DL and registration, I am telling the officer that I am not only a law-abiding citizen but I am also not trying to hide anything.
I would be beyond livid if an officer handed me a bunch of loose ammunition and tossed my weapon and magazine in the back seat. While he’s driving away, there’s that brief minute or two while I’m reloading my magazine that I could be in danger, and that officer would be the reason my life’s in danger at that point for effectively disarming me.
If it ever comes to this sort of BS in Florida, I’ll just abstain from telling them that I’m carrying. To assume that a CWP holder is carrying an illegal firearm is overly presumptuous and arrogant of any LEO.
“Perspective”.
“That being said if I find out you have a CCW from dispatch or some other way I will not be very happy when I do ask you and find out that you are carrying a weapon.”
Well, boo friggin hoo. Police also get unhappy if you don’t give your consent for them to perform an unconstitutional search of your vehicle, or allow them to question you without an attorney. That doesn’t mean that waiving those rights is a good idea though.
This advice seems designed to make the police officer’s job easier, but remember the police officer’s job is to arrest YOU, for some crime or another. It’s not usually in your best interests to make his job easier.
99.99% of psychotic ones.
Oh, but of course us citizens exist only to ensure your happiness. /s
Lots of bad ideas in this one.
First of all, lock your doors and only roll down your driver’s window four or five inches, enough to communicate.
Do put your hands on the top of the steering wheel.
You do not want the officer to be able to snatch your door open, or to send two Taser probes into you through your open window.
Be advised that the DEA and FBI now regularly put out warnings to police departments all over the US about the abuse of steroids by police officers. Such drugs may make otherwise good officers unpredictable, so look for the telltale “weight lifter body”, and be extra polite and relaxed.
You must learn your state’s law about weapons in vehicles. If it is not in open display, and you are not required to mention it, don’t. The one exception is if your gun is in the same place as your registration and proof of insurance.
Lots more ins and outs to all of this.
I think he forgot to add “Kneel down and kiss my ass.”
But all that aside, those damn slaves do not need weapons. The weapons are for the masters and overseeers. The slaves need only to do as they are told, how they are told, and when they are told.
So one slave kills, robs, or rapes another slave? Big deal. The masters and overseers will handle that problem.
The thig from my perspective is that at one thim long ago, the policeman was just a member of the community. More than one policeman has told me that he had no problem with good people having/carrying guns. Several went on to say, “Before I was a policeman, I kept one with me all the time.” I never thought that I would live to see the day that Americans would enjoy being slaves so much.
Officer orders, "Sir, I need you step out of the vehicle." Okay, I tell him and that I have a dog and need to secure him. I roll the window halfway up, turnoff the vehicle and take the keys (smart dog).
As I exit the vehicle, he walks up and gives me the need to see my license routine. I remove my wallet for the license, he shines his light so I can find it. I pulled out my CCW permit first and hand it to him.
He asks, "Are you carrying?" I respond, "Yep, right front pocket." He responds, "Let's just leave it there."
He suggests that we walk back behind my truck to for safety. I follow, he says he stopped me for crossing the "fog line". He lets me go after he sees I'm not DUI, and we shake hands on it.
I’ve had two experiences with being pulled over by police officers while I was carrying. Once in a speed trap (I was guilty) by the Kenmore (WA) police, and once by the Washington State Patrol on the Olympic peninsula for expired tabs. On both occasions I handed them my permit along with my license, registration and proof of insurance and told them that I had a firearm on my person. They both asked me where it was and I told them it was in my right front pocket (j-frame S&W in a pocket holster). They then told me to simply leave it where it is, and thanked me for telling them about it. Both officers behaved in a very professional manner and treated me with courtesy and respect. We conducted our business and I went on my way...with a deserved citation for speeding in the former case, and a friendly warning in the other. I did have both hands on the wheel as they approached, as I’d read that advice in the past.
With all do respect to the LEO here, someone intending to shoot him, isn’t going to hand over the gun.
I’ve seen enough LEOs trying to check firearms at gunshows, to know that many will accidently shoot themselves with my gun, if they take it back and try to unload it. I wonder if I will then get charged or sued?
Terrible advice. In Colorado if you have a gun, shut up. The cop doesn’t care unless you are handling one or pointing it at him. Simply let him do his job and stop trying to be a self-centered idiot bragging that you have a CCW or that you are “a responsible citizen exercising my right to carry in a vehicle”. He doesn’t care. Just don’t go making an issue about it.
In the 18 months since I have had my CCW, I have yet to be pulled over. However, I have a course of action all ready:
Hands on steering wheel, I state, “Sir, I am licensed to carry concealed. How would you like me to proceed?”
Holding onto your weapon for a couple of minutes OK. Handing it back to you unloaded and in pieces is BS. Once its established that you are a legal CCW that should be the end of it. 90 million legal gun owners didn’t shoot anybody yesterday.
I had 14 years at a state LEO level. I never once unarmed anyone who was legally carrying, only told them don’t touch it while I am here. I told many a female on the side of the road the benefits of carrying.
The problem with differences in how officers handle this stems from who runs these agencies. Almost every guy I worked with did not care that you were carrying and felt basically like I did, they expected you had one somewhere. The goobers that write articles like this are the ones who get promoted for their “insight into public interaction”, my big a__.
I expected everyone I stopped to be carrying legal or not ( and my term for not was you are not committing a crime or a felon ).
As a private citizen now I do not tell them I am carrying unless they ask me to get out of car and then only if it is actually on me and not in console. If this micro-managing pansy unloaded my magazine and put my weapon in the back seat, I would exit vehicle and re-gain control of MY weapon it would be re-loaded with one of my many extra clips before he got his seat belt back on. Jerk.
I have not, and would never take anybodies gun on a traffic stop. Carrying concealed is a “get out of ticket free” card with me.
Now, I'm going to make a couple of observations that are my opinions only. 1.) This deputy has had very little experience with CCW holders (or for that matter people legally possessing f/a’s.) I draw that conclusion from his remarks about he'd be unhappy if he found you were legally possessing a f/a but didn't tell him (unless it's required by state law), his need to seize your legally held firearm(and yes, when an officer takes your property it's a seizure), running it for stolen, unloading it and then telling you not to mess with it until he's long gone! This all smacks of someone who believes all gunowners are potential cop killers.
2). This deputy is NOT an advocate of citizens legally carry f/a’s. If he was, he'd appreciate the fact aCCW holder went through the trouble to become licensed and has taken on the personal responsibility not to become a victim.
3.) This deputy does not even like guns. It has been my experience that law enforcement officers who are firearms aficionados usually respond to a CCW’s notice that they are armed is “What’ca carrying? Oh, yeah Kimber’s are great guns. Could I see it? Nice! Here's your gun back. Thanks. Have a nice day, sir.”
4.) Final note to the deputy. Licensed CCW holders ARE NOT a threat to you. They are law abiding citizens exercising their constitutional rights. Be respectful of their decision even if you don't agree with it. After all, you're asking them to respect your constitutional authority to stop and investigate them!
Just my .02 cents for what it's worth.