Requirement to divulge weapons in a car OR on your person

[Scarnucci]

The point I was trying to make, as my wife explained it to me, is that you are being detained for that stop and you are not free to go until the officer has decided that the traffic stop has ended, with you getting a ticket or not.

I'm right with you on choosing not to answer any questions or divulge any extra information that would allow them to come up with probable cause to create a situation that would allow them access to your person or property.

She claims that the "Am I being detained, am I free to go" question doesn't help you, in that you ARE being detained for that stop and you are not free to go until the stop is over. If you ask this at the end of your encounter and are let go, you were likely about to be cut loose anyways.

 

[downzero]

Yep, and volunteer nothing and only answer the questions you are legally obligated to answer.

Precisely. Talk in court--you'll get your turn. Say as little as possible on the side of the road--it will serve you well later.

 

[INGunGuy]

My question is, how do you FORGET where your firearms are?

Well as stated earlier, I had been to the range and a .243 was left in the trunk. Was it loaded? Nope, were there any rounds for the thing? Nope, was it in a hard storage case? Yep, why did I forget it, well I have 3 kiddos that went to the range, neighbors, coolers, guns, ammo, glasses, ears, targets, stands, tape, stapler, etc, etc, etc and it somehow got shoved all the way against the back seat and a blanket partially obscured it. Should I have taken a head-count in my ready safe? Yea I should have, but everything was just so busy when we got home that I didnt.

So sir, that is how one can leave a rifle in the car.

INGunGuy

 

[IndySSD]

1. Police work is among the safest jobs in our economy. Dangerous jobs my ass.

How many times have you been shot at while working this year? I have a family member who is LEO who has been shot at multiple times so far... so yeah... I'd say having a job where you get shot at qualifies as "dangerous"

2. Just because your interactions have been good in the past does not mean that you will not be hassled in the future. A quick search on this very site of law abiding citizens' interactions ought to be enough to demonstrate that.

I realize not all police are the same, but I work in a field where the handful of "bad" scenarios get demonized nationally whereas millions of positive experiences never see the light of day.

I will continue to make sure that I do everything I can to reduce the chances of negative interactions by maintaining my core values of respecting others, regardless of whether they are LEO or civilian.

3. Agreed on turning on the light, putting car in park, putting hands on the steering wheel, etc.

On a further note, I would not answer any question during a traffic stop that didn't have anything to do with the specific reason you are pulled over. The simple response is, "I'm not at liberty to discuss that with you, officer."

See... personally I would see that response as the person being evasive and perceiving such evasive posturing I would be inclined to be very suspicious of that person if I were a LEO.

The last thing I ever want a police officer to know during a traffic stop is that I'm armed. There's no reason for them to become nervous for no reason.

I wouldn't call situations like the link below as "No Reason". Again we're debating whether or not police work is "Dangerous"

YouTube - Cop Shot at Traffic Stop



I do have a friend who likes to call out, "I have a gun!" when they come to the window. Last I checked with him, the officer's response was, "so do I, don't show me yours and I won't show you mine." If they all went that well, I might not mind informing them.

Responded to points ^

 

[INGunGuy]

WHY would you lie to a LEO? That's illegal in itself and could turn a simple warning to "slow down" into an arrest for False Statement. Cool the attitude and be cooperative. It is not smart to make an officer feel threatened, he definately has the advantage.

Carl,

First think I noticed you have made 8 posts and joined the forum just this month, and I would like to say Hello, and welcome to INGO. Second, I never and no one else as far as I have read have said to lie to an officer. I have had no attitude, and would like for you to explain yourself if you would. Also, whatever will make the interaction with the officer go down the easiest, do it. I am not saying to just up and disclose your armed status upon initial contact or even thruout the contact unless asked the status OR asked to get out of the vehicle.

My initial question was about an officer finding a firearm after you have said that no there wasnt any in the vehicle, and you forgot a deer rifle in the trunk.

Thanks for the dialog and hope to see more posts from you!

INGunGuy

 

[jsgolfman]

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor, law enforcement workers had the 4th most fatalities, but didn't make the top ten dangerous jobs (based on fatalities per 100,000 employees). The most dangerous is, of course, the fishing industry. Otherwise, they wouldn't have that wonderful show.