My first police encounter

briehl12 · Mar 25, 2012

I was stopped for speeding by pacific pd. politely informed him I was armed and had my cpl. He was cool about the situation. Had me step out of the car checked and cleared my gun. All in all great experience. He was calm I was calm. He thanked me for being upfront with him. Still got the ticket though.

thebigsd · Mar 25, 2012

He checked and cleared your gun? What do you mean by that? Did he look at it in the computer or did he physically clear it? If option two did he take all of the ammunition out the magazine before returning the gun? More questions to follow your response.

gogodawgs · Mar 25, 2012

briehl12 said:
I was stopped for speeding by pacific pd. politely informed him I was armed and had my cpl. He was cool about the situation. Had me step out of the car checked and cleared my gun. All in all great experience. He was calm I was calm. He thanked me for being upfront with him. Still got the ticket though.

You were pulled over for a traffic infraction (not a crime) and you gave up your right to be silent(5A) and you gave up your right to be secure in your personal affects(4A), why? Why tell him at all unless you are asked to step out of your vehicle. Did you admit to speeding as well? Did you let him search your car for contraband? I am confused as to why people tell the officer about something that is unrelated to the stop.

brknprmss · Mar 25, 2012

Here is thought:

You don't have to tell, however you run the risk of the police officer spotting your firearm and getting alarmed. Depending on the maturity of the officer or comfort level he may chose to ask for your permit or call back up and end up with 5 police cars surrounding you. Everything depends on the "what if". I work with law enforcement and although are very tolerant and supportive of our gun rights they worry about the nut jobs they could potentially encounter and have. Just a thought. I OC everywhere unless posted, I have yet to be harrased.

briehl12 · Mar 25, 2012

I have a family member who is Leo and we talked about traffic stops. I agree that for everyone's safety it's better to inform the Leo. I know il catch flack for this but whatever. No search of my car. I had my gun on my right hip Same side as my wallet. It was showing and I'm a bigger guy so I have to lean a bit to get my wallet he would have seen it anyways. He asked if he could take it out of the holster for his safety and I told him I do not agree to that but told him if it would speed things up then ok. Was trying to go get lunch. I was hungry. It was a good stop no flack from the Leo at all.

sawah · Mar 25, 2012

briehl12 said:
I have a family member who is Leo and we talked about traffic stops. I agree that for everyone's safety it's better to inform the Leo. I know il catch flack for this but whatever. No search of my car. I had my gun on my right hip Same side as my wallet. It was showing and I'm a bigger guy so I have to lean a bit to get my wallet he would have seen it anyways. He asked if he could take it out of the holster for his safety and I told him I do not agree to that but told him if it would speed things up then ok. Was trying to go get lunch. I was hungry. It was a good stop no flack from the Leo at all.

Hate to say it but this attitude is the very model of dumbassery on your part. You LET the LEO - a person you do not know the gun handling skills of handle and clear your gun? That's how people get shot with their own weapon.

If you are so afraid of carrying a firearm legally that you can't even follow the law in a 'no need to inform state' perhaps you should just get a dog and carry a rubber bat?

Were you running your recorder? Do you have any proof of what happened? Did you get the LEO's badge number?

Take it out of the holster for his safety? OMG.

Anyway, comments aside, I'm glad you are safe and life has moved on. You might consider the folly of your ways.

1. You apparently are not properly prepared for a traffic stop;
2. You may know the law but not the ramifications;
3. You do not know how to carry your firearm properly concealed;
4. You may need to go on a diet (teasing).

HTH

Citizen · Mar 25, 2012

+1 to the posters who oppose notifying cops about guns during traffic stops when there is no statute requiring it.

I'll just add that when the cop walks up to me, I cannot tell whether he is a good cop or a bad cop. When the good cops get rid of the bad cops, then we'll talk about notifying.

I cannot say that a traffic stop where a cop seizes my gun is a good encounter. A cop who basically acknowledges the presence of the gun, but then pretty much ignores it is a good stop, if there can be any such thing as a good stop.

briehl12 · Mar 25, 2012

I agree not prepared for a stop. Weight yea need to loose a few pounds. I could have stood my ground with not letting him take possession. It was my first encounter with a cop that actually talked to me for any reason while carrying.

TechnoWeenie · Mar 25, 2012

briehl12 said:
I had my gun on my right hip Same side as my wallet.

Start carrying your wallet in your left pocket.

There's a few reasons...

1 is for the reason you mentioned. Crooked cops 'he was reaching for his gun'....... If you notify that you have a gun on your right, and reach to your right, there's gonna be a problem.

2 is actually a tactical thing... Let's say you're getting robbed, you can tell the guy 'OK OK, look, my wallet is in my left pocket OK,here's my hand, I'm just gonna slowly grab it ok, just my wallet' then human nature is to WATCH THE LEFT HAND GO TO THE WALLET....guess where my right hand is going? The one he's NOT paying attention to?

3 When I go pay for purchases, sometimes there is already uptight people around, including the cashier.... This includes banks or whatever.......I don't wanna appear to be reaching for my firearm at any cashier, bank window, etc etc.... same reason why you wouldn't want to keep your wallet inside your jacket when wearing a shoulder holster.

Medic1210 · Mar 25, 2012

sawah said:
Hate to say it but this attitude is the very model of dumbassery on your part. You LET the LEO - a person you do not know the gun handling skills of handle and clear your gun? That's how people get shot with their own weapon.

If you are so afraid of carrying a firearm legally that you can't even follow the law in a 'no need to inform state' perhaps you should just get a dog and carry a rubber bat?

Wow, @$$hole much? Maybe you can cut the guy a little slack, or at a minimum, treat him with the same respect you like to be treated with.

thebigsd · Mar 25, 2012

What specifically did the cop do with your gun once he removed it from your holster? I'd still like to know.

Citizen · Mar 25, 2012

thebigsd said:
What specifically did the cop do with your gun once he removed it from your holster? I'd still like to know.

Second that.

Sparky508 · Mar 25, 2012

Medic1210 said:
Wow, @$$hole much? Maybe you can cut the guy a little slack, or at a minimum, treat him with the same respect you like to be treated with.

He volunteered away his rights, informed us about it, and recieved a response. There was no need to inform him. Every time I hear about someone volunteering the fact that they are carrying, I think gun geek.

"Look officer, I have a gun too,huh?!"

briehl12 · Mar 25, 2012

Thanks for the responses. Yes he did take off my person. Took it back with him took mag out and returned to me. Ammo still in mag. Yes I may have volunteered my rights but that was my choice. Givin the fact he would have seen it anyways. I volunteered giving you my encounter experiance. I would rather let a Leo know up front than to be pulled out of my car. I guess next time il be better prepared. As I stated this was my first experiance.

gogodawgs · Mar 25, 2012

briehl12 said:
Thanks for the responses. Yes he did take off my person. Took it back with him took mag out and returned to me. Ammo still in mag. Yes I may have volunteered my rights but that was my choice. Givin the fact he would have seen it anyways. I volunteered giving you my encounter experiance. I would rather let a Leo know up front than to be pulled out of my car. I guess next time il be better prepared. As I stated this was my first experiance.

Why would he have seen it anyways?

sudden valley gunner · Mar 25, 2012

TechnoWeenie said:
Start carrying your wallet in your left pocket.

There's a few reasons...

1 is for the reason you mentioned. Crooked cops 'he was reaching for his gun'....... If you notify that you have a gun on your right, and reach to your right, there's gonna be a problem.

2 is actually a tactical thing... Let's say you're getting robbed, you can tell the guy 'OK OK, look, my wallet is in my left pocket OK,here's my hand, I'm just gonna slowly grab it ok, just my wallet' then human nature is to WATCH THE LEFT HAND GO TO THE WALLET....guess where my right hand is going? The one he's NOT paying attention to?

3 When I go pay for purchases, sometimes there is already uptight people around, including the cashier.... This includes banks or whatever.......I don't wanna appear to be reaching for my firearm at any cashier, bank window, etc etc.... same reason why you wouldn't want to keep your wallet inside your jacket when wearing a shoulder holster.

There's another reason too, it's harder to loose or get pick pocketed from your front left pocket, I have always carried my wallet there but I grew up in bad neighborhoods.

Briehl, don't just think what is easier for you. What about the next guy who doesn't want to volunteer info to the cop you just made his life that much more difficult. Something to think about.

briehl12 · Mar 25, 2012

Gun on my right hip about 1-2oclock position uncovered I did not have my shirt covering. I am wearing a white tshirt. The way he was facing me he could see inside very well.

sudden valley gunner · Mar 25, 2012

briehl12 said:
Gun on my right hip about 1-2oclock position uncovered I did not have my shirt covering. I am wearing a white tshirt. The way he was facing me he could see inside very well.

I have been pulled over a few times gun was never an issue. Don't make it one. It is your fundamental right to bear that firearm.

gogodawgs · Mar 25, 2012

briehl12 said:
Gun on my right hip about 1-2oclock position uncovered I did not have my shirt covering. I am wearing a white tshirt. The way he was facing me he could see inside very well.

I have been pulled over many times and a firearm has never been an issue. I would hate to see the LEO have to unload 3 or more guns from my vehicle....LOL Even one time pulled over by WSP and the gun on the passenger seat in plain view. Never removed, only asked if I always carried on the road and I answered in the affirmative. He said, he couldn't blame me in today's day and age.

briehl12 · Mar 25, 2012

Guns should never be an issue. It was a small town. Pacific. I learned a while back algona and pacific are at most more strict than any other city. I've walked by both king county sheriff, auburn and Renton pd with no words exchanged or issue. Anyways moving on.... Had an uneventful day the rest of it anyways. SAMs club Walmart supercuts and supermall no issue.

My first police encounter

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