rogersmithiii
NES Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2008
- Messages
- 2,927
- Likes
- 4,235
I've heard two reasonably good, opposing arguments as to whether you inform an officer who has stopped you for a traffic violation that you're carrying. In Massachusetts, I don't think there is a requirement to do so.
On the "yes" side, people suggest that an officer who sees a LTC automatically assumes you're a card-carrying good guy. His stress level evaporates since he knows that the state doesn't give out LTCs to bad guys, and the stop goes much more smoothly for all concerned.
On the "no" side, telling an officer that you're carrying is going to escalate the heck out of the stress level. There's now a gun involved that could put the PO at serious risk. It's likely that the officer is going to take the gun away from you during the stop (which increases the likelihood that there's going to be an AD), and there's going to be a whole load more questions about the gun in addition to the traffic stop. If he's one of those anti-gun cops, it could get very uncomfortable.
Sure the real answer is to not get stopped, and to not attract the attention of any POs in the course of your daily routine (my favorite solution since attracting police attention too often can give a chief cause to pull a permit). Even so, I'd like to hear the opinions of any people on this board. My gut suggests to tell the officer as little as possible to minimize the time spent under the officer's watchful gaze. I for one don't want to me mistaken for a bank robbery suspect who just ripped off the local branch an hour before.
Thanks
On the "yes" side, people suggest that an officer who sees a LTC automatically assumes you're a card-carrying good guy. His stress level evaporates since he knows that the state doesn't give out LTCs to bad guys, and the stop goes much more smoothly for all concerned.
On the "no" side, telling an officer that you're carrying is going to escalate the heck out of the stress level. There's now a gun involved that could put the PO at serious risk. It's likely that the officer is going to take the gun away from you during the stop (which increases the likelihood that there's going to be an AD), and there's going to be a whole load more questions about the gun in addition to the traffic stop. If he's one of those anti-gun cops, it could get very uncomfortable.
Sure the real answer is to not get stopped, and to not attract the attention of any POs in the course of your daily routine (my favorite solution since attracting police attention too often can give a chief cause to pull a permit). Even so, I'd like to hear the opinions of any people on this board. My gut suggests to tell the officer as little as possible to minimize the time spent under the officer's watchful gaze. I for one don't want to me mistaken for a bank robbery suspect who just ripped off the local branch an hour before.
Thanks