The odd thing, for an out-of-stater, anyway, is that sentence is a direct quote from the Colorado State Patrol, Department of Public Safety site.
Colorado Gun Laws | Colorado State Patrol - CSP
The Colorado State Patrol has general peace officer authority throughout Colorado, but is not primarily a criminal law enforcement agency. Primary duties are traffic enforcement, accident investigation, motor carrier safety, license & permit enforcement (fuel and highway use taxes & fees).
Criminal investigation and enforcement are the responsibility of county sheriffs in unincorporated areas, or police departments in incorporated cities. If you were to call the Colorado State Patrol to complain of a crime they would direct you to either a sheriff's office or a police department.
Apparently, the Colorado State Patrol has adopted an official interpretation of Colorado firearms law. That is okay, but it is an interpretation or opinion with no force of law. In my opinion, that publication was probably made as a sincere effort to provide good advice to avoid any conflict resulting in enforcement action.
As a technical point, anytime a person possesses a firearm on public property (not "public accommodation", but actual public property like a street, highway, park, government building) the force of law applies, such as concealed carry permit requirements. Based upon that strict application, a person purchasing a firearm in a licensed dealer's store, then walking out with that handgun in a package making it impossible or difficult to see would be carrying a concealed handgun, requiring a permit as provided by law. Similarly, a person carrying a closed and locked case containing a firearm might be interpreted as carrying a concealed firearm. A person parked in his own automobile on his own driveway, exiting the vehicle to walk to his dwelling, is NOT REQUIRED to openly display firearms and is NOT SUBJECT TO CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT LAWS because all of these events have taken place on PRIVATE PROPERTY, thus not subject to general application of the concealed carry laws. But parking on a public street, exiting the vehicle and walking on that street or sidewalk places the individual on public property and subject to concealed carry permit laws.
I submit that my interpretation above has every bit as much validity as the Colorado State Patrol opinion quoted, and mine is more accurate and factual. But the fact to be kept in mind is that both are interpretations, not the language of Colorado Revised Statutes; only opinions about what the statutes say and mean.
I sincerely hope that no one will decide to become a test case, no one will require lawyers or bail bondsmen, and no one will be forced to attempt the use of any defense argument (affirmative or otherwise) in a court of law. In that spirit I reiterate my earlier advice for discretion, keeping everything under the radar of those around us, and avoiding unnecessary conflicts with authorities (who may not share the legal interpretations we might prefer). Winning a case as a defendant at the courthouse is not the best way of winning anything.
Also, we should always remember that we are under no legal requirement to give evidence against ourselves, or to consent to any searches of our persons, vehicles, belongings, or residential dwellings. I can think of only one reason for an officer to ask about the contents of my belongings or request a search, and that would be an attempt to find evidence to be used against me in court. I am entirely within my rights to insist upon a valid warrant prior to any search, and I am entirely within my rights to remain silent.
If contacted by an officer in some official capacity I might offer my identification and concealed handgun permit as a courtesy, but even that does not rise to probable cause justifying a search or arrest.
