What do you do during a routine interaction with LEO while carrying?

[blujax01]

Saturday Night - Pulled Over and Armed

Last night about 8 PM, after two college football games and before the NHL Jackets 3-2 comeback in Chicago, I headed down to the convenience store for sandwiches and chips. Saturday night, Convenience Store - yeah, I'm armed.

When I went through the intersection, the light was more orange than yellow so I suppose I had it coming. And it didn't help that I had left the cargo light on in the back of the truck, either. Good thing I don't drink. I see him out of the corner of my eye. The light show is on, I pull over.

Window down, hands on the wheel at 10 and 2.
Heart in my throat beating at 100 MPH trying like Hell to remember the words I was taught. I know that I am legal but have heard stories of guys being cuffed and chewing asphalt while they straighten things out.
Spotlight illuminates me from behind, flashlight illuminates my face, this is getting very real ...

"Good Evening, Sir"
"Good Evening, Officer. I have a Concealed Carry License and I am armed. How would you like to proceed?"
"Where is it? Right hip?"
"No Sir. Inside right ankle."
"Okay, don't make any moves toward that leg. Do you have your permit with you?"
"Absolutely. It's the law. It's in my wallet with my driver's license. Right front pocket."
(By now, there's a second flashlight coming in from the passenger side.) "Slowly take out your wallet. Proof of insurance?." (I hand him my license, permit and insurance card, notice the shaking fingers, realize they're mine).
"Do you know why I pulled you over?"
"Yes Sir. That light was a tweener, I wasn't sure whether to stop or go and it was real yellow when I went under it.
"And you have white lights on in the rear. Keep your hands on the wheel. I'll be back in a minute.."
I hear him talking to the other officers. Oh yeah, now there's a second unit and four officers total. "This guy knows the drill. He told me he was armed and hasn't moved his hands off the wheel at all. I'll run his plates. Keep en eye on him."
A few minutes or an eternity later he returns and hands me back my papers. "Can you turn off the cargo light?" Absolutely! (click).
"Thank you for being honest and cooperative. You knew why I pulled you over and didn't try to lie your way out of it. I'm letting you off with a warning. Watch those lights, drive carefully and enjoy your evening."

I will admit I was scared $#!+-less but honesty saved the day.

 

[jimmyj]

In my part of the world everyone owned firearms. I assumed the veicle driver was armed. "ALWAYS WATCH THE HANDS". The hands is what will kill you. I preferred the vehicle driver stayed behind the steering wheel buckled in with their hands in plain view. This is on a traffic violation stop. If a citation was going to be issued, I returned to the rear of my patrol vehicle to write it, keeping the stopped vehicle in view. If my "COP SCENT" sounded, "Com Center, 60-08 requests signal 55, code 2 (negative siren). Then things changed to a higher aware level and proceedure.

 

[5 Shot]

In Texas when/if you get pulled over you have to give the officer both your drivers and CHL licenses even if you are not carring.

 

[Ogandydancer]

In N.C. you are required to inform. The way you are told if in a car place your hands on th steering wheel and advise the officer when first approached. However if it is a situation when you are on foot and the officer or officers have the dogs out I was told by an officer NOT to put your hands up as this was a signal to the dogs and they would hold you at bay until called off. So it is better in that type situation to just verbaly tell them you are armed. Of course this may vary from place to place and probably depends a lot on how the dogs are trained and what signals they respond to.

 

[snub56]

I ran this one by two family members both LEOs. They stated if the officer does not a sk and it's just a sign here and be on your way situation, then nothing need be said. When it turns into a step out of the car situation; I have a pistol permit and I'm armed how should I proceed?

 

[P&R Fan]

I addressed this in post #9.

 

[ET.]

I was late for an appointment many years ago and crested a hill on a 2 lane highway going at least 15 miles over the speed limit with a gun in my pocket & one in the console. At the bottom of the hill sat a police car on the other side of the road with an officer shooting radar. On my side of the road was a chase car. I knew he got me at least 12 mph over so I slowed down and pulled in behind the chase car. The officer got out of his car came back and asked me what I was doing. I asked him if he was going to chase me and he said yes. I told him I pulled over to keep him from having to chase after me at a high rate of speed. He told me that no one had ever done that before and let me go without a ticket. I didn't tell him I was armed but I'm not sure that it was actually a stop. I'm not sure I would do that now since most highway patrol don't give warnings out in the state anymore from what I've heard.

 

[cbis327]

I've been on the job for over 11 years now and have purposely made an effort to work the "less desirable" areas of my city. My current assignment is basicly uniformed anti-crime. Because of the areas and type of work my squad does we work in pairs. I have been fortunate enough to have the same partner for a few years and we work extraordinarily well together.

When you are approached by the police make sure your car is in park, keep both your hands on the steering wheel. Absolutely the first words out of your mouth should be" Officer, I have a valid concealed carry permit. My weapon is ____________. What do you want me to do?" The very first thing my partner. And I are looking for when we approach a car is signs of weapons. Most people who are hiding a gun that they legaly possess or not will drop some kind on an indicator within the first minute or so of our conversation that will lead us to believe it is there. This could lead to a rather uncomfortable couple of minutes for everyone involved.

I like honest straightforward people. They make my job a little easier. I don't think I've written anyone a ticket who was told me about their weapon right away. Yes. I am looking to fry bigger fish than them, but being honest and straightforward goes a long way.