Lead balloon thread, I informed a cop

[rickyp]

as long as you have that md permission slip on you. I do not see any harm in showing an officer it then calmly letting them know you have a firearm and where it is. This removes the element of surprise and would less likely to cause a negative reaction. No we do not have to inform them, but that doesn‘t mean we shouldn’t. Dont just walk up to any police officer you see and say you have a gun just because you are near them Or having a informal interaction with them. But if you are “doing business “ with them then it isnt a bad idea to mention it. it puts them at ease. Just like with a traffic stop at night it is a good idea to turn on your inside lights on and put down all your windows especially if you have dark tent on them. No we don’t have to but it makes things easier for the officer and thus makes things easier for you. Many many years ago i was headding to the woods to hunt small game. I hunt with handguns. That afternoon i had my handgun in a case on the back seat of my car when i got pulled over. When the officer came to the window i informed him there is a pistol in the back seat of the car. He stepped back put his hand on his pistol looked in the car. I asked if he wanted to see it, the officer took his hand off his pistol and said that isn’t necessary , then asked me about hunting. I showed him my hunting license and the officer gave me a speeding ticket and went in our way. things could have gone a lot differently if I didn’t tell him and he saw it. Honestly only law abiding citizens will volunteer that kind of information to a officer Since we have the lawful authority to have it.

 

[Tower43]

It is what it is. We are historically understaffed (national average of 2.1 officers per 100,000 residents, if you count the documented residents we'd have at least 2100 officers) and the highest staffing in my career was an "authorized strength" of 1310 (doubt we ever had that many). Since then, they have eliminated an untold number of positions, likely about 75. On top of that vague staffing level number, we are down about 150 officers from there. We are somewhere in the low 1100s or high 1000s number of officers. We can barely run calls for service, and "minor" calls for service are held while officers run the higher priority calls.

Doesn't offend me at all when people complain about the slow response time. That's the end result of the policies enacted by the politicians that are voted on my about 75% of the voters in the county. Clearly the majority is perfectly happy with Defund the Police... until it takes 3 hours for a cop to respond to your occurred earlier call. Too bad, so sad... the outcome of your poor decisions.

Anybody that is stupid enough to still live here has to deal with the consequences. For the record, I still live in this cesspool, as do my parents and my sister and her family. If I am a victim of a crime in this county, its my own darn fault for still being here.

As a member of F/R the cop shortage is real and affects us as well. Depending on the call we have waited 30+ minutes before.

I realize theyre doing what they can and don't fault the men and women on the street, and when we can we cancel them or try to make their lives easier....But its going to get worse IMO

 

[teratos]

I won't inform if it's concealed. I don't always carry concealed. If there is a change the 5-0 may see it, I think it's courteous to inform. Especially in todays climate.

 

[Kman]

I've not had a situation where I was interacting with a LEO and would disclose carrying. Knock on wood
I'm pretty sure I would just volunteer info as I presented my permit. I think the goodwill up front would be better and quicker than explaining after the fact.

 

[1time]

Well, in all fairness, most crimes are de-prosecuted in Baltimorgue, which frees up the police from having to deal with them.

If only. Police still have to handle, investigate/charge. They just do it knowing it’s going no where; and knowing it will have no deterrent effect because the bad guy knows it as well.

 

[brianns]

*****Funny the guy decided to hand his info only after the cop showed up. I wonder why...

Imagine if some of the virtue signaling liberals that want to defund the police had this happen to them. They are often the first to call the cops when someone is causing *them* an issue. In a lawless society, eventually every crime becomes a capital crime, or an opportunity for an extra-judicial beat down if regular folks see that the police is hamstrung or not able to do their job.

Soft times produce hard men.

Seems analogous to what's happening with free speach. "In a society with no free speach, every dissenting opinion is grounds for cancelling, and or violence from the protected classes."

Btw, is a 'lead balloon' similar to a 'lead dirigible?

I've never been to a Led Dirigible concert, just saying.

 

[songlaw]

I disclose as a show of respect and courtesy.

I have been pulled over a number of times, by Fairfax, Carroll, and Howard County police, for speeding.

I have disclosed each time. I tell them "although I am have no duty to disclose, I have a Wear and Carry permit, and I have a firearm at my appendix." I do not think of the cops as my enemy. I have a clean record, and have nothing to fear.

The chances of a problem might be remote, if you do not disclose. However, if, for some reason, the officer sees an undisclosed firearm, you cannot always count on his/her reaction under pressure. Why risk that?

At at the end of the day, the office wants to get home safely to his/her spouse and kids. I think the disclosure tells the officer that you extending him/her a courtesy. You respect and care about the officer's safety. I respect you enough to disclose. I have nothing to hide.

The officers have said they appreciated the disclosure, and have shown their appreciation by issuing a warning, when they could easily have issued a ticket.

I know this runs contrary to many people's beliefs, but, I thought I would give one man's opinion.

 

[rickyp]

I disclose as a show of respect and courtesy.

I have been pulled over a number of times, by Fairfax, Carroll, and Howard County police, for speeding.

I have disclosed each time. I tell them "although I am have no duty to disclose, I have a Wear and Carry permit, and I have a firearm at my appendix." I do not think of the cops as my enemy. I have a clean record, and have nothing to fear.

The chances of a problem might be remote, if you do not disclose. However, if, for some reason, the officer sees an undisclosed firearm, you cannot always count on his/her reaction under pressure. Why risk that?

At at the end of the day, the office wants to get home safely to his/her spouse and kids. I think the disclosure tells the officer that you extending him/her a courtesy. You respect and care about the officer's safety. I respect you enough to disclose. I have nothing to hide.

The officers have said they appreciated the disclosure, and have shown their appreciation by issuing a warning, when they could easily have issued a ticket.

I know this runs contrary to many people's beliefs, but, I thought I would give one man's opinion.

At the end of the day we all want to go home to our families. And with the anti police people all to prevent is there any wonder why they will be on edge. Just the other day a 18 year old woman ran a police officer and his motorcycles over the crashed into a truck trying to get away then she ran into the woods only to be caught in baltimore. I was reading the comments on Facebook about it and the anti white and anti police comments where unreal. So showing them the respect of informing them when we don‘t have duty to can go a long way to both of us going home after the encounter. btw if you have been pulled over that much maybe you should slow down

 

[scottyfz6]

I won't inform if it's concealed. I don't always carry concealed. If there is a change the 5-0 may see it, I think it's courteous to inform. Especially in todays climate.

Basically exactly what happened, but it was concealed

 

[spoon059]

I disclose as a show of respect and courtesy.

I have been pulled over a number of times, by Fairfax, Carroll, and Howard County police, for speeding.

I have disclosed each time. I tell them "although I am have no duty to disclose, I have a Wear and Carry permit, and I have a firearm at my appendix." I do not think of the cops as my enemy. I have a clean record, and have nothing to fear.

The chances of a problem might be remote, if you do not disclose. However, if, for some reason, the officer sees an undisclosed firearm, you cannot always count on his/her reaction under pressure. Why risk that?

At at the end of the day, the office wants to get home safely to his/her spouse and kids. I think the disclosure tells the officer that you extending him/her a courtesy. You respect and care about the officer's safety. I respect you enough to disclose. I have nothing to hide.

The officers have said they appreciated the disclosure, and have shown their appreciation by issuing a warning, when they could easily have issued a ticket.

I know this runs contrary to many people's beliefs, but, I thought I would give one man's opinion.

Seems logical from my point of view. I'm pulling you over and don't know you from Jack. You inform me that you are carrying and show me your carry permit. I know how onerous it is to get a permit. I know you're a good dude and could be the person to come help me in the middle of the night if I'm fighting someone on the side of the road. No reason to be concerned about you, no reason to waste your or my time with a ticket, have a nice day.

 

[teratos]

Seems logical from my point of view. I'm pulling you over and don't know you from Jack. You inform me that you are carrying and show me your carry permit. I know how onerous it is to get a permit. I know you're a good dude and could be the person to come help me in the middle of the night if I'm fighting someone on the side of the road. No reason to be concerned about you, no reason to waste your or my time with a ticket, have a nice day.

I have been pulled over a couple of times with a gun on my hip. Not wearing a jacket in the car, so easy to see. (I’ve had a permit for a decade). I drive a little fast. Handed my license and permit to the cop. Always got verbal warnings. I’ll admit, the doctor thing helps (permit used to have the restriction “while practicing as a physician”).

 

[spoon059]

I have been pulled over a couple of times with a gun on my hip. Not wearing a jacket in the car, so easy to see. (I’ve had a permit for a decade). I drive a little fast. Handed my license and permit to the cop. Always got verbal warnings. I’ll admit, the doctor thing helps (permit used to have the restriction “while practicing as a physician”).

Stethoscope hanging from the mirror helps a lot too, from my experience.

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

 

[teratos]

Stethoscope hanging from the mirror helps a lot too, from my experience.

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

I’m not that cool.

 

[swinokur]

You guys crack me up

 

[MaxVO2]

Stethoscope hanging from the mirror helps a lot too, from my experience.

Sent from my SM-N970U1 using Tapatalk

*****I wonder if handcuffs hanging from the mirror helps an off duty officer out, or a human spine draped over the mirror for a chiropractor, etc….

 

[swinokur]

Now what would Jeffrey Dahmer do?

 

[MeatGrinder]

*****I wonder if handcuffs hanging from the mirror helps an off duty officer out, or a human spine draped over the mirror for a chiropractor, etc….

I vote that you do that experiment. Please report back on the results. Bonus points for videos.