Stopped for the first time with my firearm CC

RI_John said:
What would the emoticon be for falling asleep from boredom, but also eating popcorn? Maybe a sleeping smiley with a night cap on and another smiley giving him one piece of popcorn??
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I take it you have never been a cop on the beat? Your lightness seems so. Apoligies in advance if I'm wrong.
 
Realtor MA said:
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.
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If you think a disclosed firearm with a CCW permit might make a cop go from green to red, I can absolutely promise you that an undisclosed firearm noticed when you print will make them go from yellow (which they should be on anyway) to bright screaming red with flames and marshmallow topping.

Again, the most dangerous situation you're likely to encounter is a cop on a traffic stop who gets thoroughly surprised and scared from a possible threat to their lives. That's how tragic accidents happen. I've never once heard where a lawfully armed citizen was shot dead because of a disclosed firearm. I've heard dozens of stories about cases where a cop got the crap scared out of him and shot someone by mistake.

If you're not a cop or former cop, I highly suggest you do some ride-alongs with your local PD. I speak from years as a crime reporter and time measured in weeks in cars with PDs from sheriffs to state troopers. Scared cops=way bad situation.
 
Bill,

If one is CCW'g and sitting in a car, then by definition, nobody is going to see anything.

I agree about "surprises", but it shouldn't be an issue unless they ask you to step out of the car (not done in MA unless being arrested), then you can (and should) announce.

I've been stopped while armed, not an issue and I didn't make it one.

I've stopped other cars, always in condition orange at a stop (we usually were one man cars). A few that I stopped were probably carrying but since they didn't do anything furtive, I didn't ask and they didn't tell. One was a LEO and another was likely either security or LEO. The other stops, I have no idea!
 
LenS said:
Bill,

If one is CCW'g and sitting in a car, then by definition, nobody is going to see anything.

I agree about "surprises", but it shouldn't be an issue unless they ask you to step out of the car (not done in MA unless being arrested), then you can (and should) announce.

I've been stopped while armed, not an issue and I didn't make it one.
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Exactly how I feel. When I carry, my weapon is CONCEALED as required by law (in MA). No one can tell I am carrying. My weapon does not print and so there is nothing for the officer to see. My own personal policy is I dont mention my weapon or LTC unless I am asked if there are weapons in the vehicle or if asked to exit the vehicle. Neither question has ever been asked of me. No cop has ever known I was carrying when I was stopped and they were usually very professional and respectful without knowing. My own personal opinion is that telling the officer MIGHT unnecessarily escalate the situation. However, I am glad the OP had a positive experience when he showed his LTC.


/John
 
Ray-500 said:
I take it you have never been a cop on the beat? Your lightness seems so. Apoligies in advance if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

My lightness has nothing to do with being a cop or not (I'm not) nor whether cops are in danger from traffic stops, of course they are. My lightness is from the fact that I've only been on NES for 6 months and I've already seen this topic 3 times, beaten to death each time. I can only imagine what it's like for people who've been here 4 years! I think this topic is second only to 9mm vs. bear. [wink]

I am (slightly) interested in the topic or I wouldn't read it. I just don't know if anything new can be said.
 
RI_John said:
My lightness has nothing to do with being a cop or not (I'm not) nor whether cops are in danger from traffic stops, of course they are. My lightness is from the fact that I've only been on NES for 6 months and I've already seen this topic 3 times, beaten to death each time. I can only imagine what it's like for people who've been here 4 years! I think this topic is second only to 9mm vs. bear. [wink]

I am (slightly) interested in the topic or I wouldn't read it. I just don't know if anything new can be said.
Click to expand...

Grin, 9mm vs. bear....the bear wins. [rofl]
 
RI_John said:
What would the emoticon be for falling asleep from boredom, but also eating popcorn? Maybe a sleeping smiley with a night cap on and another smiley giving him one piece of popcorn??
Click to expand...

043.gif


Although this one is actually on the toilet (yeah, i know it doesn't look like a toilet)
 
Timber said:
i ended that debate tuesday morning while walking my old dog in the field by my house. NES was down at the time though.

IMG00043-20090902-0943.jpg
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I guess Mama and Papa were not around. Think the 9mm would have taken down an adult male bear? [wink]
 
cool story. if that had of been a statey you would have been dragged out and interrogated at gun point. I have yet to be pulled over while carrying, but when the inevitable occurs I think I'll most likely give him the L.T.C. ahead of time.
 
i was stopped one time 20 yrs ago in holyoke ma in december after 11pm. new cop right out of acadamey i believe because he made lots of mistakes......... i know as i am retired leo. asked me if i had been drinking and if i had a weapon in vehicle. i replied yes i have a coffee right there and i do have a weapon. he got me out of vehicle and was bent over inside looking for weapon......when asked where it was i told him it was no longer in the car. i can still remember the look on his face....to this very day. it ended nicely with no problems at all.
 
I go by the rule that you always tell a cop you're carrying. If you don't and he finds out, there could be problems. If you're carrying legally, there's nothing to worry about.
 
Ray-500 said:
Agreed. Common sense, reason, logic. Why would you not?
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You guys would probably change your mind if you talked to a gun owner firsthand that was muzzle swept with his own, LOADED 1911, and then had the LEO almost ND a shot into the side of the owner's car, while he was trying to unload it. Then said LEO could not figure the gun out and actually asked the gun owner to unload the firearm for him! All this transpired because he thought it was a good idea to tell the LEO that he was "lawfully carrying a firearm".

I've come to the conclusion that voluntarily (eg, without being asked) disclosing a well concealed firearm on a typical traffic stop is not only pointless, it actually comes to the point of potentially making the stop worse for you than it has to be.


-Mike
 
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Waitaminute.... what the hell am I thinking? All these threads devolve into...

THIS.

These "pulled over while carrying" threads can be summarized into a few different classes of response:

-Those who say you should always notify

-Those who say you should always notify because of the ruse that it might
get you out of a ticket. (Fat chance, IMO, but people still believe this for
some reason. )

-Those who say you should only notify if the law requires it.

-Those who say you should only notify if the law requires it or you are
asked about firearms, or asked to get out of the vehicle.

-Like the above, but have had a bad experience with a LEO to back this up... (eg, gun stuck in ear, dragged out of
car, muzzle swept by own gun during a disarm, etc. )

-LEOs who tell you don't do it unless law requires it (Because it might spook
some leos that don't get ccw very well )

-LEOs who tell you to ALWAYS do it regardless.

Oh, and almost forgot:

-Those who excoriate individuals for not doing it.

-Those who excoriate individuals for doing it when it's not required.

Pick one or more than one of the above, push BLEND button.

-Mike
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[horse][horse][horse][horse][horse]
 
Interesting. Good to know. I guess I'll make the decision when it happens, but I lean towards not telling. It's not really their business and I have no intention of hurting them, AT ALL.
 
LenS said:
Bill,

If one is CCW'g and sitting in a car, then by definition, nobody is going to see anything.

I agree about "surprises", but it shouldn't be an issue unless they ask you to step out of the car (not done in MA unless being arrested), then you can (and should) announce.

I've been stopped while armed, not an issue and I didn't make it one.

I've stopped other cars, always in condition orange at a stop (we usually were one man cars). A few that I stopped were probably carrying but since they didn't do anything furtive, I didn't ask and they didn't tell. One was a LEO and another was likely either security or LEO. The other stops, I have no idea!
Click to expand...

Ive been asked to get out but never arrested....
 
bob68 said:
i was stopped one time 20 yrs ago in holyoke ma in december after 11pm. new cop right out of acadamey i believe because he made lots of mistakes......... i know as i am retired leo. asked me if i had been drinking and if i had a weapon in vehicle. i replied yes i have a coffee right there and i do have a weapon. he got me out of vehicle and was bent over inside looking for weapon......when asked where it was i told him it was no longer in the car. i can still remember the look on his face....to this very day. it ended nicely with no problems at all.
Click to expand...

OMG that's so funny, I can just amagine his face, it must have been "OH Shit, What Do I Do Now" .




As far as the telling the officer if I am carrying I do not if I am just in the vehicle as my gun is conceled as it should be.

If I were to be asked to exit the vehicle I would 1st say "officer let me show you one more ID out of my wallet before I step out of the vehicle" and go from there.

[wink]
 
Last edited:
Just a friendly head's up to those of you who do not want to notify unless asked: make sure you review the laws of other states when you travel. I know in NE you don't need to worry about it. But further west and south there are places where you do.
 

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