Posted on 12/18/2010 7:08:11 AM PST by marktwain
A Second Amendment advocacy leader has released video of his encounter with Sandy Springs, GA police during a traffic stop. Daniel Almond, founder of Restore the Constitution (which includes what the Brady Campaigns Paul Helmke described as a polite armed Second Amendment rally among its achievements) was pulled over for speeding and a broken light over his rear license plate. Thats when he was ordered out of his car to submit to being frisked.
In Almonds words:
This is me getting stopped by Sandy Springs PD for speeding. The second thing the officer asked me, after asking for my license, was if I had any firearms. I responded that I was choosing to exercise my right to remain silent on that question. That answer prompted the officer to have me get out of the car for a pat down. The officer told me that the reason for his question (about firearms) was because I had a right to carry sticker on my car. Yes, he actually said that. Its a sticker for Georgia Carry.org (GCO) Although the audio isnt 100% clear for that part, you can clearly hear him reference the sticker when talking to me and to another officer. Additionally, it appeared as if back up had been called, because there were 3 police right cars behind me and two more across the street. In the end, I got a ticket for speeding and for not having a working light bulb over my license plate.
The video is embedded in the sidebar to this column. Aside from the officer referencing the sticker as a cause for his notice and concern, you can hear background conversation among police monitoring the situation, beginning at around 5:50:
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
I hate to say it, but having a NRA or similar sticker can be bad news for a driver or his vehicle in some parts of the country.
A double whammy, getting nailed for 1st amendment causes and 2nd amendment causes at the same time.
The cop was acting within reasonable limits.
Dunkin Donuts must have closed early?
Georgia is one of the most pro 2nd Amendment states in the nation. It is not at all unusual for both candidates in an election (Roy Barnes vs Sonny Perdue or Nathan Deal, for instance) to have A ratings from the NRA. It is also not unusual for a cop to look for any reason to do a patdown or car search, especially if the driver was perceived as being snooty. If this cop is hassling someone over a pro-gun bumper sticker and nothing else I would consider it an isolated incident.
One of these days, the police really are going to NEED the help of the law abiding citizens when TSHTF, and that help simply won’t be there.
Over the years, the police have done just about everything possible to ruin that relationship.
There’s two kinds of cops—the ones that think that a law-abiding citizen is their ally, and then there is the other 90%.
How so?
If he was stopped because of sticker, there is a problem with that.
It he was stopped for other reasons, but was asked about firearms because of the sticker, there is no problem with that. The purpose of putting a bumper sticker on one’s is so that other will read it.
And not to make fun of the cop, but that obesity (easily morbid) is probably a greater risk on the job that any armed person, legal or not. Don’t cops have rules about this?
Disgusting. I hope the guy can bring a suit.
I’ve always been suspect of the IACP, (International Assoc. of Chief’s of Police) being a liberal infiltration into police dept’s so I started researching them.
Liberal anti-gun organization Joyce Foundation gives them money. Obama was on the board of the Joyce Foundation before the election.
I smell an IACP rat. I believe they are grooming police organizations to be anti 2nd ammendment. I think they are also indoctrinating new cops into the anti 2nd mindset.
Any cop that is afraid of a citizen with a gun needs to get out of law enforcement.
The IACP has a racket going of being some ‘important’ police organization that your chief/sheriff/etc. needs to be a part of politically.
You can say I’m a paranoid conspiracy theorist if you want to, but I smell a rat in the IACP.
Never mind... see tagline.
The question is a little unclear. Does it mean do you own any fire arms or are you carrying any fire arms. Any how, I would have answered the question myself.
My chief is in the IACP and he’s as liberal and anti gun as they come. He won’t even approve of his own retired officers carrying.
That 90% thinks the population needs to be controlled.
In NC, you are required to tell any LEO who stops you for any reason that you have a CCW and whether you are carrying.
I thought that was the case in most states.
This looks like a humbug to me. Stopping a guy for speeding and mentioning a right to carry bumpsticker as his PC?
This stinks to high Heaven. That’s what’s called a “humbug.”
Here in SC, we only have to inform them IF we are carrying concealed. Even if the weapon is carried legally in the vehicle (glovebox, console, etc), the officers I have dealt with only want to be informed if it is concealed on one's person.
No objective 3rd party with at least a modicum of respect for civil liberties could make that assertion.
So are you a police officer, or married to one?
State laws vary widely, however, and Georgia does not require CCL holders to notify law enforcement.
I live in Texas but have family in GA and so have researched the laws since I spend time there as well. It pays to have some familiarity with the laws in each state you may spend time, because there are a lot of individual differences.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.