Hi:
This video was sent to me by a friend.
Google :"Citrus County Deputy Andy Cox"
This went from a simple Traffic Stop for a tag light out (?) to "I SEE A GUN !"
Opinions ?

Jimmyj, there is no path given to the video.

Hi:
I went to "Yahoo: and typed in "Citrus County Andy Cox"
There are a number of links about the same traffic stop
You Tube also: "Citrus County Deputy Andy Cox"

I found a good path but havent watched it myself yet. Here it is.

Free Zone Media Center WFZR RADIO / TV: FLORDIA Citrus County Officer Andy Cox FL Deputy Threatens to Shoot Concealed Carry Licensee and Arrests Him for Lawfully carried Handgun

Ok, watched it. "Thats one." I imagine the officer has already got his butt chewed to the bone. He wont be makeing too many mistakes in that area again, guaranteed. I dont think we have to stress it any farther.
Many years ago that was acceptable and routine. Not in this age. His problem is he was born a hundred years late.

We had a similar incident in Canton, Ohio that was big news everywhere.

The officer involved here was eventually dismissed from the force.

A local TV station did an investigation of the officer and found several cases of him threatening to SHOOT AND KILL a citizen.

We have a law that if carrying YOU MUST ANNOUNCE, in classes we recommend YOU ANNOUNCE IF YOU'RE CARRYING OR NOT.

With the number of LEO'S around a BAD APPLE is bound to fall through the cracks at times.

Keep it safe out there!

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

After watching this I began to wonder where his back-up was. The audio is hard to discren but it seems to me that a back-up should have been dispatched. Aside from that it seems like a good deal of over reaction to me. I recall my agency had someone like that, a hiring mistake, and we eventually got rid of him. Better for us, and especially better for the community.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Last I heard, he got his job back, but he found sitting at home collecting a duty disability check to be more rewarding

Must have been a NYC officer who transferred down south. That was just ridiculous and out of hand.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

The first mistake was stepping out of the vehicle. The rest was the officer being totally out of line.

Wasn't going to comment....but;
The driver seemed totally at ease with someone he respected and trusted. That was then.
Now, he'll remember being humiliated, for the rest of his life.
And, if you think his wife is going to let him forget it.....
There's no happy ending to this little drama.
JMHO, TACC1

in Michigan you must announce you are carrying concealed to the police and conservation and game wardens. You can have your CLP suspended if you do not. I have been stop twice and the police were more interested in what I was carrying and were it was at. I will take the keys out the the ignition and lay them on the roof, and hand both my CPL and license to the officer when he comes to the window.

I was hiking and was approched by a game warden and I informed him I was carrting concealed, he wrote a ticket for have a firearm afield without a hunting license. the ticket was dropped after pointing out to the court that I was under the law able to carry without a hunting license.

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Carpriver.

Unfortunate. But the driver should have disclosed right away. He also should never have exited the vehicle before the LEO asked him to. I learned YEARS ago to hit the side of the road, have the driver's window
down, & my hands resting on the top of the steering wheel when the LEO approaches the vehicle. When he asks for my license, I tell him where it is & reach for it slowly. If I'm carrying, right after the initial
disclosure, I tell him where my CCW is & what does he want me to do. LEO's jobs are hard enough to do without having to deal with loose cannons. No Pun Intended!

^^^This is exactly how I too handle these situations, if you are upfront and honest with them, then you have done your part as a responsible gun owner/CCW permit holder and the ball in now in the officer's court.

I agree about having your hands on the wheel etc, as mentioned in the two previous posts....BUT this concealed carry holder had his wallet in his rear pocket. Now if he believes that the Officer knows he has a Concealed Weapons Permit, does he want to go reaching behind him with the Officer standing at his door--probably not. Now with hindsight being 20/20, he might have wanted to step out of the car and rest his hands on the door, or waited until the Officer got to the car explained to the Officer he had a CWP, informed him where the firearm was located and advised his license was in his rear pocket.

It would normally be best to just remain seated, window down, ignition off, BOTH HANDS VISIBLY ON THE STEERING WHEEL.

Dome light on if in low or no light situation.

IMMEDIATELY INFORM the officer of your carry situation.

Ask the officer how he/she would like to proceed.

Follow their instructions EXACTLY.

You BOTH are more likely to have a good day this way.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Many Police Officers in Florida do not know the Firearms law one hundred percent. There is not enough time in the academy for a week long class on firearms law. However, an attorney in Orlando, a criminal and trial attorney, published a book on Florida Firearm Laws which is used in many counties, Supreme Court and various Florida Police Academies. I purchased one many years ago and is updated about every three years. I use it over and over again to aquaint myself with the laws and refresh my memory. Law Enforcement Officers have the opportunity to do the same but sometimes they feel they are always right when it comes to firearm laws as displayed in this particular incident in Citrus County Florida. I am surprised the citizen did not pursue a legal law suit for harassement. I beleive the officer should have been reprimanded and/or suspended without pay for the stunt he displayed.

Nick

With all this publicity and a web site to complain to, I am sure he got the word from every direction. If he is still working he cant afford another similar complaint. It`s a good bet some rebel with a axe to grind will try to set him up with a recorder. People will try stuff. I worked as a security guard for 35 years. I had people purposely try to set me up. Once I was manning a gate and my captain was standing by me talking. A worker showed me his pass, walked into the plant for about thirty yards, turned around, walked back and said officer, I forgot to show you my badge. This officer will be a big target for that type thing after all the publicity, and I am sure he knows it.

Well, to start off with....The motorist should have remained seated in his vehicle, and awaited the officer's instruction.

Then it is blatantly obvious the officer had insufficient training when and how to deal with the lawfully armed public.

The officer also show some signs of overt and aggressive tendency's of self assured dominance over all things large and
small within his domain of authority. (Probable treats his wife and kids the same way, I'd guess)
And that by the way, a trust and exercise of authority that he is guilt of breaking, I do believe by the video evidence.

(Then again, I don't know what caused this officer to act or re-act to the sight of what he perceived to be a holstered firearm...
Maybe it jest trigger'd a past bad experience or something.
Or may had jest found out that some Cuban Cutie gave him a bad case of the Cooties, it's any-body's guess.)

I've saw several officers like this one over the years....They over compensate for lack of understanding and or knowledge of the
correct procedure(s) and the current statutes and or pertinent law(s) that address, i.e. in this instance the lawful carry of a personal firearm.

One of the training in-service classes that I attended on this subject...Kinda a rule of thumb,
ya can jest about figure every time that the guy wearing a holstered sidearm, ain't no gang banger.

I just want to say, why can't we all jest get along.........


But, jest wait till the DHS and FEMA start policin' the highways and neighborhoods.......

We ain't seen nothin' yet!!! Boys & Girls


.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

After watching it again, I can't believe the Officer said "Put your hands right there or I'll shoot you in the "f" back." and "I don't care if he has a permit or not." Find it amazing how fast the Officer goes from being friendly "How you all doing today?" to aggressive, when the person he pulled over's demeanor doesn't change.

Florida is not a "must announce" state.only if asked.I have been stopped and did state I am carrying a concealed handgun and all went smooth but alot depends on the officers opinion on citizens carrying weapons

From what I read, you must answer the officer honestly and present your permit if the officer asks, but no duty to inform off the bat. Even if he were asked and failed to present, it's a $25 fine, not an arrestible offense. I hesitate to declare because of loose cannons like this. If I can avoid the situation completely, I prefer to.

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Just the opinion of a kid

And that dismissal was subsequently reversed. Among the reasons given was that other Canton officers had done WORSE and not been dismissed.

That is not required by law.

I consider it a bad idea as it is not only not required by law, it creates the implication that it IS required. It encourages cops to "push the envelope", transforming extra-legal "courtesies" into duties.

The last time I got stopped, a cop tried to cajole me into notifying when not armed. I refused. I always will.

There are far too many intrusions into the rights of gun owners, with more being pushed every day. There's no need for us to go creating ones of our own.

Given:

• the shows of support for Harless by fellow officers,
• the repeated failure of Harless's partners to in ANY way restrain him or protect his victims,
• the documented failure of the Canton PD to meaningfully punish WORSE behavior,

rather than "bad apples", the Canton PD is an example of a "bad orchard".

Okay copper dont give me no static see? I am armed! Whatsa matter? Aint got yer quota taday?

cmort666,

Ohio law requires you to ANNOUNCE if you ARE CARRYING.

Under Ohio Law YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ANNOUNCE if you are NOT CARRYING.

We explain things to students and SUGGEST that YOU ANNOUNCE EITHER WAY.

Courtesy will always win over ATTITUDE.

You can do as you choose, BUT it seems you ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF ATTITUDE TOWARDS LEO'S, in your posts.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

What is it I "win" by being bullied into doing things not required by law?

Who has the "attitude", a citizen who obeys the law, or a cop who demands extra-legal shows of submission?

There shouldn't be notification AT ALL. Notifying when not required by LAW is the opposite of that.

OK, we're done here.

The forum has had numerous "What to do when stopped" threads.
Search this sub-forum for "disclose", "announce", "traffic stop", etc... and you'll get an overload of opinions. Many of the threads become heated and end up getting locked... like this one.

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"I also cook."