Do you....

Tell an LEO that you're "Armed" during a traffic stop, or any other general LEO encounter whether OC or CC? I'm curious as to how you guys feel on this subject, Secifically in Washington. I'm looking for some insight as I always want have a good defense when dealing with LEO, I don't want to be a statistic, or have to post a horror story about "what the LEO did to me today".

Thanks Fellas,

PJ

Munkey Butt said:

Tell an LEO that you're "Armed" during a traffic stop, or any other general LEO encounter whether OC or CC? I'm curious as to how you guys feel on this subject, Secifically in Washington. I'm looking for some insight as I always want have a good defense when dealing with LEO, I don't want to be a statistic, or have to post a horror story about "what the LEO did to me today".

Thanks Fellas,

PJ

Click to expand...

No

Always have, always will. Never been disarmed or detained. Never had handcuffs on, period.

Every officer that's ever stopped me in the 40+ years of carrying has always thanked me for being forthright.

Sometimes you don't HAVE to do something but it might just be smarter to do it anyway.

what persuant RCW is the traffic stop in relation to my carry? as the officer in the situation you described is limited in his interaction to the nature of the stop i am no more required to tell him i have my firearms than i am to tell him i have a napkin in my glovebox or any other freely divulged information not pertaining to the reason for our interaction.

Munkey Butt said:

Tell an LEO that you're "Armed" during a traffic stop, or any other general LEO encounter whether OC or CC? I'm curious as to how you guys feel on this subject, Secifically in Washington. I'm looking for some insight as I always want have a good defense when dealing with LEO, I don't want to be a statistic, or have to post a horror story about "what the LEO did to me today".

Thanks Fellas,

PJ

Click to expand...

I made the mistake of telling an LEO once, thinking it was the courteous thing to do. I had my loaded pistol in the glove box, because I'd just left work, when I was pulled for speeding.

He tried to tell me that it was illegal to have it in the glovebox, even with my CPL, and that he could ticket me for it. When I asked which RCW made it illegal, he proceeded to tell me it was a "common sense law".

He then took the gun, "for officer safety" and I assume he ran its number, because a 5 minute stop stretched out for about 20 mins. He then returned with my speeding ticket and insisted on giving me a 5 minute lecture on why I shouldn't put it in the glovebox. His points were valid but he'd already lost all credibility with his earlier lies.

I will never inform an LEO in the future, because of this experience.

Not gonna happen. Why would I feel the need to announce to them any of the legal items I might have on my person.

"Sir do you know why I'm stopping you?"
" Before we go any further, I would like you know that I am wearing wool socks............................"

The only time ill inform the officer is if I am ordered to exit the vehicle.

"Wool socks" and "napkins" are unlikely to get you birked by a nervous/spooked officer if he happens to see them.

To the OP, IMHO it would depend on many things. What you're carrying, your method of carry, where the gun actually is at the time, where you keep your paperwork, why you're being stopped, etc. Depending on the unique circumstances, and LE agency, it *MAY* be *PRUDENT* to inform the officer. While there is NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT to do so in WA state, traffic stops have different "rules" (both perceived and written) vs just walking down the street. In our one and only encounter with the police, when my wife got pulled over a while back, she informed the trooper that we were both carrying. By his reaction, she could have said "wool socks" or "napkins." She even had to go into her purse, where her gun was, to get her license, and said as much. Trooper was fine with it. But, this was the WSP who have a reputation of being more level headed with armed citizens. If you're riding a motorcycle in a T shirt & shorts (dumb idea in the first place but legal) with a gun on your hip that sticks out like a sore thumb, probably no need to say anything since it's plainly obvious (and probably the reason you're being stopped in the first place, which is another thread...). If your carrying concealed & have to put your hands any where near where the gun is to get to your wallet, etc, probably wise to say something.

Now, you could also try the tactic some here advocate of only opening your window a crack to pass paperwork thru and generally being
"snotty," but good luck getting off with just a warning if you pull that. Which also can't be done on a motorcycle.

It also REEEEEAAALLLY HELPS to avoid giving them a reason to pull you over IN THE FIRST PLACE by simply FOLLOWING THE DAMN TRAFFIC LAWS WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT and making sure your plates & tabs are in order, whether you agree with them or not. I may hate the helmet law, but I'm not going to intentionally flout it and make myself a target.

Some good points guys, as well as some things I have yet to think about. I did go through a drive thru and had a hell of a time fishing my wallet out, so I just toss it in my console when I get in the car.

As for the motorcycle I'd be interested to see how that works considering all my ballistic gear is black, so my weapon would blend in.

Sometimes

I would only tell them if I had to leave the truck for some reason.
This would be for there protection as well as mine. If the cop was a
Jerk I would also request his boss come before I left my truck.
Where I live (Wenatchee) this would probly never be a problem. We have cops that think
carrying is a good thing. I have helped LE 11 times since 1989 becouse I was armed.
I do believe if more people carried open seeing a gun would become the norm instead of the exception.
I am getting off subject so I will now shut up.

Bikes

I see people mention motorcycles so I will say I ride and open carry in the summer and when ride my coat comes up
over my Glock and I have never in Wa been pulled over for that reason. Seeing guns needs to be the norm not the exception.
This will only happen when more people start open carrying. Tell your friends that CC to show that thing.

I like this

NavyLCDR said:

I won't give any LEO any information that is not required by law. Any lawyer will tell you that it is never smart to provide LEO anything not required by law. They don't need to know about my cell phone, about the computer probably on my back seat, or about the gun in my holster. I have never been asked by a LEO about gun during a traffic stop, and any guns that I have been carrying have never been an issue because I did not cause them to be.
The safest place for my gun for everyone is in the holster not be handled by anyone. By telling a police officer about my gun I am doing one thing - I am inviting them to handle my gun unnecessarily.

Click to expand...

Very Good way to put it.
I Salute You

Not unless I am in a state that requires it, a la OK, or OH. It is totally irrelivant to a traffic stop if I carry, or not. That being said, since 1970, when we moved to WA, I have never been asked if I was carrying, or for my CPL...and I have never volunteered. Most of these encounters I was OC and even if the officer approached from the passenger side, it was never an issue.

May I ask what you think your carry has to do with a traffic stop...or any contact for that matter? A couple months ago I was at the boat launch in Clear Lake (Skagit Co) and met a Sheriff's deputy...he asked what it was, and then said he thought it was a nice gun...That was it. When you OC, it is obvious you are carrying...no need to say anything. That was the second time since 1970 that a deputy said anything to me about my carry...the other time it was "hunting?" (I was). Both times I was on foot in/near town.

Washington forum, Washington State, No.

Not required here in WA, weather you do or not is a personal choice. I know some states like AK require it, but that would require driving through Canada which would already have you in jail for having a handgun.

I personally feel that voluntarily giving away this information is, in most cases, just borrowing trouble. Don't borrow trouble.

I obey the law.

The law does not require me to volunteer that information.

If you have a CPL, then they know it when they run your info. I'm guessing they will then assume you are armed.

As posted before for a similar question...

Wrong! As I said, logically he should assume I'm one of the "good guys" and that therefore I am armed! You are swallowing the propaganda, that as Americans we need a piece of paper to exercise our right to keep and bear arms. You also share the assumption that having a gun means you are probably one of the "bad guys". Being a good citizen means you are armed! You need a fundamental shift in your thinking. It's clear that unless I'm engaged in felonious activity I have a right to carry (With one of the unconstitutional permits) and he doesn't need to know I'm armed. I'm no more dangerous being armed than he is!

Not showing a LEO my permit does not mean I don't respect him, as I and others have said, my possession of a permit has nothing to do with the stop!

Click to expand...

Only if asked or it is relevant. For example, the cop wants me to get into his/her car. I'll let them know then that I have my "licensed" firearm in a holster, what would you like me to do with it...it's only happened once, and she had me put it in my car. Didn't ask for my CPL, didn't want to touch my firearm, or any of that...but as I've said, that was WSP in Lewis County, so it's probably like real estate, location, location, location.

oneeyeross said:

that was WSP in Lewis County, so it's probably like real estate, location, location, location.

Click to expand...

I agree, WSP in Lewis County is pretty relaxed, unless its in Chehalis, then it seems like you get Eff'ed anytime, at least for speeding