Well I haven't been pulled over in 20 some years. However, since I live in a state that requires you to inform, and I travel a lot, I plan to act just as Tim and Matt suggest. Yes, I know it is none of the officers business, and I don't like the intrusion either, but when I am driving it is not usually just to pass the time. I am on my way somewhere and would prefer to have things go smoothly and be on my way. Some of my attitude may be because I used to be LE and don't really see them as the enemy.
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Interacting with police when you're armed.
- Thread starter MilitaryArms
- Start date
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*Knocking on wood* I haven't been pulled over or had any interaction with a LEO in quite some time. I've seen these threads almost on a weekly basis since I've been on INGO. I've also seen videos and advice such as those contained in this thread so far. The advice contained in them seems perfectly reasonable but I can certainly see why those INGOers that have had some of these horror stories happen to them now refuse to notify.
As to one comment in the video above about "it's not a big deal for the officer to disarm you to run the serial numbers"...The idea of pulling a loaded and cocked weapon from it's holster for a situation that is not life threatening--that just sounds foolish and more importantly dangerous. Loaded guns should remain in their holsters.
As to one comment in the video above about "it's not a big deal for the officer to disarm you to run the serial numbers"...The idea of pulling a loaded and cocked weapon from it's holster for a situation that is not life threatening--that just sounds foolish and more importantly dangerous. Loaded guns should remain in their holsters.
MilitaryArms
Master
- Apr 19, 2008
- 2,751
- 48
I will say if I'm disarmed for no reason, I would have a problem with it. I would of course comply with the officer but if I felt their actions were inappropriate I would file a formal complaint.
MilitaryArms
Master
- Apr 19, 2008
- 2,751
- 48
Included in your risk assessment you should consider the consequences of the officer discovering you're armed on his/her own. I would think that would escalate things to a much higher level than informing them. If a cop is going to be a jerk, he's probably going to ask you step out of the car and he's probably looking for a reason to give you a hard time. If that's true, how do you think he/she is going to react to suspecting you're armed?
Kirk Freeman
Grandmaster
Your baconhole, keep it closed.
Kirk Freeman
Grandmaster
That would be Officer Cowboy in Broad Ripple. Overzealous (the stop is very likely valid)? No, just sloppy and having a bad life at the time.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...ying_in_broad_ripple_indy_gimp_encounter.html
I don't like having guns pointed at me. My doctor (the 5th of 4 out of 5 doctors) says that I am allergic to lead.
In fairness, plenty of other deputy Sheriffs, troopers, Lafayette, West Lafayette cops have said nothing. When I hit my deer the state cop just wanted to see my license and then he ran (he actually ran) back to the car to call me in, but only said "I've never seen that [someone carrying two guns]" and flipped me back the pink card.
Pulled over for speeding on the way to the NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville. Young state cop came up on passenger side, saw my 1911 on my belt and revolver in glove box, never said a word, just told me to slow down.
A Wheatfield cop wanted to see my pink card as my coffee cravings interrupted his "macking" (as you kids say) on the countergirl.
Overall cops have been cool, but I am not going to inject anything into his conversation about my traffic infraction. I am not doing anything wrong, why talk about it?
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You don't have to have an attitude with the officer or have an f'them mentality to exercise your rights. Simply keeping quiet is how I do it. The officer has no need to know if you are armed or not. If they are good at their job they will treat everyone they stop as armed and whatever you tell them shouldn't matter.
My beliefs are nothing good can come from informing, only bad or nothing. If an officer doesn't care than he doesn't care and if he is a nervous anti-gun zealot then he will disarm you and more than likely violate your rights in some way. The whole getting off with a warning thing doesn't fly in my book. I have gotten tickets and I have received warnings, but I have never informed.
I don't believe it is a good idea to possibly interject more tension into an already tense situation. So I keep quiet...that's completely different than being dishonest BTW
netsecurity
Shooter
If the police are not your us enemy, then why do they need to know you have a gun? His is that helping officer safety? Wouldn't a criminal hide the fact that he had an illegal gun? It doesn't make you less likely to get a ticket, or a friend of LEO just because you have a LTCH. Frankly, if I were a cop and I pulled you over and you blurted out that you have a weapon then I'd likely assume one of two things based on how you happened to utter the words: 1) You are bragging by sort of saying "hey I have a gun too", or 2) You are not mentally stable and fear a gun fight for no reason. The latter would lead me to confiscate, even if you were just nervous and only sounded like a cuke, or maybe all I heard was "I have a gun" amidst the loud traffic.
Face it, just notifying for no reason is a no win situation for you. Zero benefit, and added risk. If the cop asks you or if you have to exit the car, then notify obviously, but don't open a can of worms just because you think it will add warm and fuzzy feelings between you and the cop, because that is unlikely.
Face it, just notifying for no reason is a no win situation for you. Zero benefit, and added risk. If the cop asks you or if you have to exit the car, then notify obviously, but don't open a can of worms just because you think it will add warm and fuzzy feelings between you and the cop, because that is unlikely.
Well again, mainly because where I live and many states I travel in, it is required to notify. If I lived in Indiana and never left the state, I might very well do as a lot of you say and just keep my mouth shut about it.
MilitaryArms
Master
- Apr 19, 2008
- 2,751
- 48
I'm in the do not inform crowd. I was pulled over recently by an ISP trooper on my way home from Winimac. I did not inform about the MP9c OC'd on my right hip. He did not ask if I was armed, and I have no clue if he noticed the gun as he said nothing about it.
He did ask where I was coming from and I told him Winimac, so he could probably infer there was a good chance of there being guns in the car.
In the end, he gave me a warning.
In reference to doing so because his wallet is on the same side as his gun, soon after I started carrying I moved my wallet to my other side. This was after carrying my wallet in the same pocket for over 40 years. One of the reasons I did so, was to avoid any problems where I was going for my wallet with my gun there. Problem solved.
For me, unless it is the law I will say nothing.
He did ask where I was coming from and I told him Winimac, so he could probably infer there was a good chance of there being guns in the car.
In the end, he gave me a warning.
In reference to doing so because his wallet is on the same side as his gun, soon after I started carrying I moved my wallet to my other side. This was after carrying my wallet in the same pocket for over 40 years. One of the reasons I did so, was to avoid any problems where I was going for my wallet with my gun there. Problem solved.
For me, unless it is the law I will say nothing.
Well aren't you just an all knowing sage.
My advice is this, if its really well concealed (in your pocket, little to no printing, ankle holster, back pocket away from your wallet etc.) then don't say anything, if its going to be at all noticeable, such as iwb close to your wallet, openly, laying in the seat, something like this, simply be polite to the officer and tell him/her. Not all cops are morons, personally every cop I've ever dealt with were really nice guys. If the escalate things and draw on you, they're over reacting because you're liscened to carry a gun. An officer can only draw on someone if they feel a legitimate threat. Being liscened does not give them the right to poteiotionally shoot you, unless of course you give them a reason which is unlikely. This is just my advice.
CathyInBlue
Grandmaster
MilitaryArms
Master
- Apr 19, 2008
- 2,751
- 48
Fortunately we're all free to make our own decisions and the article is one mans advice.
netsecurity
Shooter
MilitaryArms
Master
- Apr 19, 2008
- 2,751
- 48
I've seen this, and this is clearly a unique case.
That's like showing a single video of a 5'2" man with red hair beating his dog and concluding all 5'2" red headed men are thereby more likely to beat animals.
Kirk Freeman
Grandmaster
I thought this was Indiana specific?
Does rhino owe me another case of .45 for the Kirk's First Law invocation?
netsecurity
Shooter
Yea it is unique. The guy was a major A hole. But the fact remains that must notify laws are stupid, because the only threat to officer safety would be someone who would not tell the cop that he has a (most likely illegal) gun. So the must notify laws only punish law abiding citizens. That is why notifying is not a good path for civil liberties.
Notify any time you want, I just don't think it sets a good precedent, and again, it serves no purpose normally. But yea I'd notify if I had guns in the back seat, like when driving to the range, or had to get out of the car. From a safety standpoint, you just want to ensure that you never give a cop a surprise. A traffic stop is not a crime, it is an infraction, so unless he suspects a crime you should usually not be exiting the vehicle or experiencing an illegal search.
Kirk Freeman
Grandmaster
Must notify laws are made to make carrying a gun more dangerous so fewer people will exercise this civil right. It is a barrier to entry or fence to exercise a right.
How many stories did we see posted here about people being put over the hood of their car, officers' guns drawn, by FWPD officers back a few years ago just because they were OCing. Apparently someone educated them on the law and now we never read of that occurring. I am like Kirk, I do not want someone pointing a gun at me, I don't care who they are.
