Conceal & Carry Permit Question

[Vudak]

Just a quick question for you that have your carry permits...  What is the procedure for when you are pulled over and have the weapon on you?  I'd imagine (and wouldn't blame) the officer would have you go through the whole hands on top of head deal for his/your safety?  

I mean, how do you go about being pulled over?  Surely you announce it right away so there aren't problems later?  

I've just been curious about this for awhile...  Any of you pulled over/what happened?

Thanks,

[Ripsnort]

I have a friend whos a state patrol officer. He said "Do not announce you have a weapon if you are licensed to carry and conceal. Then we have to spend the next hour securing the weapon first, then verifying that you have a permit.  If we ASK you if you have a weapon, then go ahead and tell us."

[Shamus]

Here in Michigan, by law you have to tell the officer if you are armed right at the beginning of the stop.

I just hand him the D/L, registration and CCW at the same time and tell him im armed, never had a problem.

shamus

[rshubert]

He restrained me during a traffic stop.  A cop friend I shoot with (in Michigan, btw) says:

Tell the cop you have a permit, and are armed.

Do not show him the gun unless asked.  He's seen them before.

If he asks to see it, remind him that it is safest when nobody is screwing around with it.

[Mickey1992]

CCW permit holders in Ohio may not have the weapon concealed on their person while they are in a motor vehicle.

[SKJohn]

Instructor for my CCW class (Phoenix PD Swat Officer) recomended the following for ANY traffic stop (armed or not) - it makes the cops less nervous:

- pull over in a safe spot
- shut off car engine
- roll down window
- turn on interior light (if dark)
- keep both hands where easily seen (on steering wheel?)
- comply with all requests the LEO makes

[StarOfAfrica2]

As you can see, laws vary greatly from state to state.  Also, even in states with CC permits, the extent to which they honor out of state permits varies.  

See if this helps........

http://www.packing.org

They have all the states listed, what the laws are, and to what extent they honor out of state permits.

[Vudak]

Thanks for the replies fellas - that's been puzzling me for awhile now.

Interesting read, SA2 - thanks!

[Leslie]

Was pulled over by a State Trooper while speeding one day.  He asked about weapons and I told him I had a pistol in the trunk.  He asked about a permit and I showed him my permit.   He looked at the pistol, unloaded it  and radioed in the permit information.  Took about 15 minutes or so.  All was OK and he handed me back the bullets first and then the pistol and got in his car and drove off.

He gave me a warning ticket for speeding.  He looked at me after the check and said "I like your gun.  I believe in the 2nd Amendment."

I thanked him.  Was a bit humorous when he was looking for the pistol where I told him it was and he still had a hard time finding it.  I kept it in an old pillow innards I used for cushioning things in the trunk.   He said he could feel it but couldn't find it with his hand. I asked, "Ya want me to get it for you?"  He laughed and said no I'll find it.





Les

[lazs2]

Never could figure out why the cops wanted to see the gun much less handle it.

lazs

[Leslie]

Hi Lazs.  After asking if I had hand grenades, contraband, explosives. dead bodies or hand guns in the car, I figgured I better tell the truth.

Of course I could have lied and said no, I don't have any of those things, but then, if a search occured and he found it, where do you think I would be?

He was a nice guy.  Think he had pulled me over once before speeding as a patrol officer in town.  He gave me a ticket and two weeks later he caught me again and didn't give me a ticket, because he said one was enough.

He was pretty cool and I had respect for him.




Les

[lazs2]

yep.. he seemed nice enough but... why does he have to even pick the gun up once he sees it?  So far I have seen cops struggle with a top break revolver, a single action colt and a model 90 winchester and a model 97 winchester shotgun.  Probly still be struggling if I didn't tell em how.

Trying to work the action of firearms you are not familiar with and don't know if they are loaded or not is probly not the safest thing you can do.  probly better just secure them while the check is being made.

lazs

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

I always hand the officer my license and my carry permit, and tell him I have the weapon. I keep my interior lights on, and my hands on the wheel. When the officer approaches, I tell him I'm going to reach for my wallet, and do so with one hand. Having been an officer myself, I just try to do what I'd want a citizen to do if I pulled them over. Usually, they do not even ask me to produce the weapon, and I find they are more likely to just give me a verbal warning for speeding and tell me to drive safely since I got the CCW permit. I find that treating them with courtesy and respect, and making them comfortable by being mostly still and announcing my intentions and moving slowly makes them real happy and apt to let me go quickly with no hassle at all. Of course, they are like any other group, and eventually I'll run into one of those ignorant jerks every group has in it. I'll treat him just like I treat the rest, so he has nothing to work with if he wants to cause a problem.

[Tarmac]

The main reason a cop would want to see the gun (if in the trunk) is so that he can look through your trunk and see what else is back there.  

If the gun's on their person, I don't see why a cop would want to take the risk of them pulling it out.  The safest place for it (for cop and CCW holder) is in its holster.

[nirvana]

Offtopic but, why would you want to carry one anyways?  If you are scared about your safety maybe a bullet proof car or vest.



On a side note, has anyone seen those armored SUV's they put 50 cal guns in the back of?  They use them for security deatial in iraq and such, computer operated gun.