Pulled over by State Police yesterday

[ForcedSig]

I was a city police officer in another state in 2004. Around that time the state began to allow CCW. The rollout was not great. CCW permits were linked to driver's licenses/license plates, and it was not linked very clearly. Luckily that got straightened out pretty quickly. It was always my preference someone tell me if they were carrying. If we were talking and they let me know they had a gun, I felt a little better. I felt they weren't going to try to kill me since if they were they probably wouldn't warn me ahead of time (I recognize this isn't always the case). I got a lot more concerned if someone didn't tell me they had a gun then went to reach into a glovebox to grab registration and I saw the butt of a gun in the small of their back or on their hip (this was actually a contributing reason I started to do more passenger side approaches). Most of the time this was still fine, but I was less comfortable in these situations than I was with people who were upfront about it. Just some personal perspective from an old LEO.

 

[hodgepodge]

1. You don't want the LEO to be surprised at the sight of a gun.
2. Massad Ayoob likes the OP's approach. It informs without mentioning or showing the gun.

 

[babalou]

It just doesn't do anything except potentially heighten tensions

You mean him no harm. It does not enhance his safety

It may end in some contrived BS search or something. Why did he need to then ask about more guns in the car?

You will hang yourself with the police if you run your mouth. Just be quiet and courteous and be done with it.

the BS search is my concern as well

 

[Slhaney]

I knew some people wouldn't like my actions and I'm ok with that. Maybe my idea of being courteous is different.

Its up to you what to do, I think the main issue is possibly heightened tension. A simple traffic stop , if you're courteous and respectful, is usually quick and uneventful. Unnecessarily throwing in that you have a loaded handgun has to heighten his concern and the overall tension to some degree. Glad he was cool about it but it just opens you up to further questioning and thats never good. But you do as you see fit.

 

[rbird7282]

My instructor (pg co corporal firearms instructor) said by your tag number he could tell if you had a w/c permit. Also what guns are registered to you.

No he can’t, he’s full of sh*t


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[TheBert]

He lied to you about the permit. They can call and ask about 77r's, but don't forget, they are records of purchase, not "registered" to you.

Sounds like he was trying to intimidate his students.

They, 77r's, are de facto a registry of regulated firearms you have purchased in Maryland.

 

[Mark75H]

They, 77r's, are de facto a registry of regulated firearms you have purchased in Maryland.

But they are not proof that you still have them, only that you bought them once upon a time.

 

[swinokur]

VA LEO can see permit info from tag number

MD cannot.

I look for this to be part of the MGA attempt at mitigating Bruen

Bur if it helps officer safety it’s a non issue with me


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[TheBert]

But they are not proof that you still have them, only that you bought them once upon a time.

Neither are an FFL's books only that the listed firearm was in the FFL's possession and who he passed it on to.

 

[Garet Jax]

I don't know. If you have 8 or 10 or however many hours making stops and most of the people you stop are assholes (as judged by most of the driving I witness), maybe killing 30 minutes or so of your day with someone you can like and have a nice talk with is a good use of time?

Yeah I get this completely. I ref soccer and folks don't get that when you see me I might be on the 6th hour of reffing for that day. I may have been shouted at 10+ times already so when a coach/player/parent starts in on me I may have no patience left.

 

[Worsley]

I have never felt the need to inform anyone that I am carrying a firearm on me.

 

[Bullfrog]

I have never felt the need to inform anyone that I am carrying a firearm on me.

Not even when walking into a gun store?

 

[Worsley]

Not even when walking into a gun store?

interesting question, are we supposed to?

 

[tdt91]

Part of the problem is each traffic stop is situational. I still don’t know what I would do.

I’ve been pulled over somewhere around 5 or 6 times in my life but it has been many years. I always did the: pull over, roll down window, turn on lights, hands on the wheel, etc. All but one time, the officers were cool in the sense that yeah, I was speeding, here’s my info, I was going to grandma’s house, yada yada. The interaction was professional and we both did what we had to do to get on with our day. One time I was asked if there were any weapons in the car, again that was a “cool” officer stop. This was before I was able to carry.

If asked if there are any weapons I will inform that I have a W&C. Only other option is to refuse to answer which doesn’t work with my personality.

Then there was the one time I was speeding and the, ahem, female officer, was something else. I did the same thing I always do and agreed I was speeding but man, nothing I said or did was right. That one stop pushes me to the don’ ask, don’t tell side…

My one bad experience was with a female officer as well. It makes me think of how a small dog acts around other larger dogs. They feel like if they bark enough, they will intimidate the larger dog. Maybe I'm wrong but that is my experience. I've been stopped many, many, times and this bitch acting like I was a mass murderer.

 

[TexasBob]

After a day at the range there is just something in the Air that might support you saying something just so there isn't a misunderstanding!

 

[Bullfrog]

interesting question, are we supposed to?

No... just me being a wise guy.

There was a recent thread where someone entered a shop and announced he was exercising his right to carry, then appeared to be shocked that the store employee answered his odd comment with another one.

 

[normbal]

I think I asked this before with no answer given.
A customer that has a carry permit told me that when a police officer runs your name he can see that you have a carry permit per his conversation with the officer. It’s very rare for me to drive something that’s registered to me and I seldom get pulled over so I have no first hand knowledge.
Has anyone come across this before?

I believe this could easily be the case.

I’ve told this story before and been called a liar, but it’s true to a word.

I sold the last of my machine guns in 2005 for reasons.

I was getting finger prints at the old Jessup MSP site for a can and while I was there, I wanted to make sure all my MG’s were taken off the list ‘cause I was no longer filing the annual private tax data violating forms so someone called and then buzzed me in to go upstairs where a nice seated officer looked me up in a computer and said yes, they had been removed from the register.

He then began reading off guns I’d purchased since moving to MD in 1994, basically everything that had been on a 77R “not disapproved” was on the list, 39 at the time he said.

I thanked him and went on my way.

What was MOST interesting to me was an incident a few years earlier where some kid brought a .22 pistol to my son’s elementary school and threatened to shoot him. After my son came home from school with the story, of course we called “the man.” Not one but TWO cars showed up, both that time and once when our newly installed alarm system was acting up.

I was telling this story at the Gun Rack one afternoon and an off-duty cop told me it was because I owned MG’s.

Made sense to me.

Yes, there are lists, yes patrol officers have access to them, and yes, I’d be inclined to hand over JUST my driver’s license and take my chances.

 

[clandestine]

Im polite when stopped by police, but I don't run my mouth. I have a dash cam and interior camera that records everything.

When the police light me up, I pull over as soon as I can, and far out of traffic as possible. I turn on hazards, interior lights (if dark), roll down all windows, and I shut off the vehicle. I keep my hands on the wheel and I don't fumble around before the officer approaches. That being said, my wallet, permits, registration, and insurance are always stowed in a way that prevents me from having to reach around before the officer gets to my vehicle to get whatever is needed.

If I'm carrying, I inform the officer that I am legally carrying with a permit. I don't make movements without asking the officer how they want me to proceed.

I travel and having one script to follow when interacting with police in various states is best for me. In every case when I have been stopped, it always resulted in a verbal or written warning at best. No tickets since I have been a permit holder.

I don't consent to searches and I don't volunteer anything that could be used against me. Letting an officer know I'm a good guy, that I not going to flee or try to hurt them is how I will continue to live my life.

The gun community has given me shit and threatened me for associating with police. I refuse to see them as the enemy.

 

[OMCHamlin]

It's so cute, watching you guys all hit CCW puberty at once, chatting about it, bragging about it, telling each other complete BS and swearing it's the gospel... The one amusing thing that a lot of you guys just do not get is; "concealed means CONCEALED", but you'll figure it out. I guess we all went through all of it, just not at once...

ETA; No, I've read through another 5-6 pages of this trainwreck, you guys ARE special...

 

[Bullfrog]

It's so cute, watching you guys all hit CCW puberty at once, chatting about it, bragging about it, telling each other complete BS and swearing it's the gospel... The one amusing thing that a lot of you guys just do not get is; "concealed means CONCEALED", but you'll figure it out. I guess we all went through all of it, just not at once...

It's the baby Bruen boomers.