Stopped for the first time with my firearm CC

[25th_pull]

I wanted to share this as it was my first traffic stop in about two years and I had my firearm on me.…

I was on my way over to my Mom’s house in Framingham last night to help her move furniture. My girlfriend and I were coming down Warren St and having a conversation about where to go to dinner after we finished, when a Police officer stepped into the road and flagged me over. I had been going 35 mph in the 30 mph zone and didn’t realize it dropped to 25 mph. I pulled over, got out the registration and my license and looked at my LTC. My friends and I have had this conversation sense we all got our LTC’s. Do you tell the officer right away or don’t mention it unless your asked. I decided to hand the office my license registration and LTC at the same time. I informed him that I had my firearm on my person and kept both hands at ten and two on the wheel. He asked a few questions and returned to the cruiser. After about 10 minutes he returned with a warning and handed me back my license and registration but held on to my LTC. He then said “you received a warning because of this” holding my it up. He thanked me for telling him right away that I had a weapon and it was legally owned. I thanked him for the warning and proceeded to my Mother’s house.

I guess knowing that a person has a gun legally and fully discloses this information to an officer right away is less dangerous to them then just not knowing what the driver may possibly have.

 

[Ham Slam]

Framingham cops are the best in the state.

 

[scooterguy]

Thanks for sharing, glad everything went okay. Good experiences always help us be more at ease if we ever encounter a similar situation.

 

[25th_pull]

Framingham cops are the best in the state.

I think they fall into the "We have other things that need our attention more than you and your legally owned firearm" but yes very nice to deal with!

 

[DickWanner]

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I however, will not ever disclose my LTC/CCW unless i feel it is absolutely neccessary.

Congrats on your lucky break.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Was it an Asian cop stationed around the bend in the S curve where it drops to 25?

 

[25th_pull]

Was it an Asian cop stationed around the bend in the S curve where it drops to 25?

No, an older gentleman on Brigham St. I assume I was radared by the other officer becuase there was no line of sight from Brigham St.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Same place I got stopped - 35 in a 25, not carrying, no LTC issue, no ticket.

 

[dagwag77]

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I however, will not ever disclose my LTC/CCW unless i feel it is absolutely neccessary.

Congrats on your lucky break.

I'd say its more situational, depending on the cop you get, you can gauge which way you're better off going... disclose or not.

Either way, respect gets respect (hopefully).

 

[drgrant]

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I however, will not ever disclose my LTC/CCW unless i feel it is absolutely neccessary.

Congrats on your lucky break.

+1.

I will not notify unless the situation requires it. (Or the law does, but there are NO new england states that are "must notify" and I think total there are only a handful in the US that are. ) I've heard too many first hand reports of people getting their own guns
pointed at them, among other things.

-Mike

 

[BONZCNC]

I've been stopped by the State police while carrying. I handed over my ltc with my license and reg. He asked where the firearm was, I told him, my hands were kept on the wheel, warning was issued for speeding. To me, it's an issue of common courtesy to an officer/trooper. I put myself in there shoes, I would want to know ASAP. Just my 2 cents.

 

[25th_pull]

I've heard too many first hand reports of people getting their own guns pointed at them, among other things.

-Mike

What, What, What???? I've only had my LTC for a few weeks now. There own guns pointed at them by the officer?

 

[Len-2A Training]

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I however, will not ever disclose my LTC/CCW unless i feel it is absolutely neccessary.

Congrats on your lucky break.

I agree fully!

If this happened in Boston, I'm ~99% certain that the results would be very different! And there is the rub!!!

 

[TheWookie]

To me, it's an issue of common courtesy to an officer/trooper. I put myself in there shoes, I would want to know ASAP. Just my 2 cents.

I'm with you, but situation does dictate.

 

[25th_pull]

Thanks for the perspective! I think case by case basis is the way I'll go.

 

[Realtor MA]

Thanks for the perspective! I think case by case basis is the way I'll go.

I've spoken to a handful of LEOs about this one. Most of them don't want to know. Would you tell them if you were a karate black belt or if you have a box cutter in the center console?

 

[Lignum Vitea]

Russian roulette with informing the LEO. Unless required by law, I'm respectful and answer asked questions truthfully. Other than that my mouth is shut.

 

[drgrant]

What, What, What???? I've only had my LTC for a few weeks now. There own guns pointed at them by the officer?

Not intentionally, but things like muzzle sweeps, etc, have happened. Some officers, for whatever bizarre reasons, choose to disarm CCWs during
a traffic stop.

Bear in mind that not every LEO has a high level of knowledge regarding firearms, especially in this part of the country where joe citizen carrying
a gun is somewhat of a rarity.

LEOs you will encounter run the gamut from competent and professional WRT firearms, (like the one the OP encountered) to complete knuckleheads. The problem is unless you know the PD and the people on it, you don't know what you're going to get when you get pulled over.

-Mike

 

[drgrant]

To me, it's an issue of common courtesy to an officer/trooper. I put myself in there shoes, I would want to know ASAP. Just my 2 cents.

Maybe I'm naive but if I was in their shoes, I would assume EVERYONE is armed unless that was proven otherwise. It's a lot more dangerous to assume that "most people are unarmed".

-Mike

 

[Speedway]

Maybe I'm naive but if I was in their shoes, I would assume EVERYONE is armed unless that was proven otherwise. It's a lot more dangerous to assume that "most people are unarmed".

-Mike

+10

 

[Ray-500]

Maybe I'm naive but if I was in their shoes, I would assume EVERYONE is armed unless that was proven otherwise. It's a lot more dangerous to assume that "most people are unarmed".

-Mike

Definitely agreed. Under-assuming can be deadly to the officer in the situation. If all is legit, there should be no problem.

 

[buketduder]

I have never voluteered that info...1 time my ex girlfrend was stopped by CT State Police in East Windsor, CT for speeding and they asked us if there were any weapons the the vehicle..I told him I had a permit and a handgun..he looked at the permit, asked what i was carrying, and gave the permit back...

1 other time police came to a friend of mine's house and i was carrying my handgun openly..they were asking about a bear sighting in the neighborhood...i saw them look at the gun but they never said anything or asked for permit...I did not even know they were there and i thought it would look suspicious if i convered it after they saw it..

I think it all depends on the situation..

 

[iceman11]

COOL

 

[Kid Presentable]

Maybe I'm naive but if I was in their shoes, I would assume EVERYONE is armed unless that was proven otherwise. It's a lot more dangerous to assume that "most people are unarmed".

-Mike

well they usually do, if you ever noticed LEOs usually come in at an angle to the car and usually have their hand on their sidearm.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Maybe I'm naive but if I was in their shoes, I would assume EVERYONE is armed unless that was proven otherwise. It's a lot more dangerous to assume that "most people are unarmed".

-Mike

Ding, ding! We have a winner here!

As a LEO, you need to worry about what you do NOT know!!

The time you throw caution to the wind is when you'll end up in a world of hurt!

 

[Ray-500]

Ding, ding! We have a winner here!

As a LEO, you need to worry about what you do NOT know!!

The time you throw caution to the wind is when you'll end up in a world of hurt!

And that is true of almost any day-to-day situation. LEO or not.

 

[Bill Nance]

This subject (to disclose or not to disclose) has been covered to death, but once again I will say for the record that I've always disclosed so the cop in question doesn't get surprised/scared if something happens and they see an undisclosed weapon. I've never had any sort of problem.

The most dangerous situation you're likely to come across is a frightened cop on a traffic stop. Despite some individual horror stories, virtually every rank and file cop I've ever run across has been either unconcerned or downright supportive of legally armed citizens.

 

[Realtor MA]

This subject (to disclose or not to disclose) has been covered to death, but once again I will say for the record that I've always disclosed so the cop in question doesn't get surprised/scared if something happens and they see an undisclosed weapon. I've never had any sort of problem.

The most dangerous situation you're likely to come across is a frightened cop on a traffic stop. Despite some individual horror stories, virtually every rank and file cop I've ever run across has been either unconcerned or downright supportive of legally armed citizens.

When you announce the fact that you have a gun, you are changing the dynamics of the situation. I agree, most LEO's actually respond well to armed citizens. But, the presence of the firearm dictates that the stop be handled differently. To some cops that might mean a pat on the back. To others it might mean they go from condition yellow to red.

 

[Ray-500]

This subject (to disclose or not to disclose) has been covered to death, but once again I will say for the record that I've always disclosed so the cop in question doesn't get surprised/scared if something happens and they see an undisclosed weapon. I've never had any sort of problem.

The most dangerous situation you're likely to come across is a frightened cop on a traffic stop. Despite some individual horror stories, virtually every rank and file cop I've ever run across has been either unconcerned or downright supportive of legally armed citizens.

Agreed. Common sense, reason, logic. Why would you not?

 

[wolf223]