First LEO encounter

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Well, around 11 PM today, I was going home from my Uncle's house, and I got pulled over by one of the local Sheriff deputies for speeding. Yeah, I know. Shame on me. Well, I informed the officer that I had a holstered weapon on my hip. He unholstered his weapon, asked me if I had any other weapons on me, (no) and told me to slowly remove my weapon and place it on the passenger seat. He then told me to get out of the car, and move to the back of it. He goes around to the passenger side reholsters his weapon, opens the door, and holds onto my revolver while I got my insurance and registration out. He goes back to his car, still holding onto my revolver, does his stuff, and comes back. I sign the ticket, and go back to my car. He follows behind me, and after I get in; he lies the revolver on the passenger seat, and hands me my ammo. We say our farewells, and I go on my way.

He didn't make any remarks about my age, or my carry style. He just said that it is probably a good idea to lay my gun on the passenger seat while I'm driving.

No biggie. He was professional, and courteous. I'll go pay my fine in the next couple of weeks, and be good.

Oh, I just noticed, my pocket knife isn't in the little mag pocket on the front of my holster. T.T It probably fell out in his car. Oh well, I gotta go by his house anyway since my Uncle's company is gonna be cutting down a tree that's leaning towards his house and grinding the stump next week.
The funny thing is, I was out shooting at the range with him over the weekend.

I know I'm gonna get asked, it was 80 in a 65 zone.

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Nikki_Black wrote:

He just said that it is probably a good idea to lay my gun on the passenger seat while I'm driving.

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I disagree. No reason to have it unsecured while you are driving. It's safer and makes more sense to have your firearm holstered where it won't slide off the seat if you take a hard turn or get in a wreck. If you are getting in or out of the car if it's holstered on your hip then you are not having to handle it, taking it out of your holster then putting it back in. The more you handle it the more you risk a ND. It's been said before and I stand by it, A Holstered Gun Is A Safe Gun. Put it on and leave it alone.

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yale wrote:

Nikki_Black wrote:

He just said that it is probably a good idea to lay my gun on the passenger seat while I'm driving.

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I disagree. No reason to have it unsecured while you are driving. It's safer and makes more sense to have your firearm holstered where it won't slide off the seat if you take a hard turn or get in a wreck. If you are getting in or out of the car if it's holstered on your hip then you are not having to handle it, taking it out of your holster then putting it back in. The more you handle it the more you risk a ND. It's been said before and I stand by it, A Holstered Gun Is A Safe Gun. Put it on and leave it alone.

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Yale makes a good point here... There is really no benefit to having the gun in plain sight on the passenger seat. Let me make a point. Any encounter with a LEO should be kept to the shortest duration of time possible. Having a gun in plain sight whether on your hip or on the passenger seat WILL surely lengthen your encounter. Because of this I think it's best to have the firearm concealed NOT on your person during any traffic stop. That is also part of our RIGHT to open carry. I have a holster mounted under my seat. If I see blue lights, then that's where I secure my weapon.

Thanks for sharing your story.

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georg jetson wrote:

. I have a holster mounted under my seat. If I see blue lights, then that's where I secure my weapon.

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You place it there after your pulled over?

I would think an officer observing someone reaching under their seat when pulled over would put him on high alert.

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turbodog wrote:

georg jetson wrote:

. I have a holster mounted under my seat. If I see blue lights, then that's where I secure my weapon.

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You place it there after your pulled over?

I would think an officer observing someone reaching under their seat when pulled over would put him on high alert.

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Sorry for the confusion... I place it there when I get into the car.

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Sounds like it went well over all. When he took the gun back to his patrol car, he most likely ran the numbers. Personally, I would find that infuriating, and a blatant disregard for the 4th Amendment.

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Was it WFSO? He might have meant putting on the seat would be a better way to carry it since you have to wear a seatbelt and he probably did run your numbers to see if it was stolen.

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charlie12 wrote:

Was it WFSO?  He might have meant putting on the seat would be a better way to carry it since you have to wear a seatbelt and he probably did run your numbers to see if it was stolen.

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Yeah, it was WFSO. Also, I don't think he ran the numbers.
He's friends with my Uncle, and my Mom. He knows where I got my firearm from.

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Nikki, you're the only one who was there and is capable of judging the LEO's attitude. It's possible that he was trying to give you some helpful advice, namely that it's hard to draw from a holster while belted into your driver's seat.

Like georg jetson, I take mine out of my holster when I get in my car. It rides securely in a slot in my dashboard that would have held some expensive piece of audio gear if I weren't a cheap son of a gun.

On the other hand, since courts have ruled that LEO can go after what's in plain sight, then he could have been trying to set you up for a future temporary siezure.

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XD-GEM wrote:

Nikki, you're the only one who was there and is capable of judging the LEO's attitude.  It's possible that he was trying to give you some helpful advice, namely that it's hard to draw from a holster while belted into your driver's seat.

Like georg jetson, I take mine out of my holster when I get in my car.  It rides securely in a slot in my dashboard that would have held some expensive piece of audio gear if I weren't a cheap son of a gun.

On the other hand, since courts have ruled that LEO can go after what's in plain sight, then he could have been trying to set you up for a future temporary siezure.

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You are exactly right about his attitude being more of a helpful one. I talked to him last night. The night shift guys all hang out in front of the Shell station in town.
We all had a discussion about how we carry when in a vehicle. The first thing he said about having a holstered firearm in a vehicle is how hard it is to draw with the seatbelt in the way. The second thing he said about it is about how uncomfortable it is to wear a holstered waepon while seated in a car.
I don't believe that he was setting me up for future seizure. He's a family friend. I've known him my entire life, as I have with most of the WFSO deputies.

On a side note: Said Shell station is the only 24 hour convenience store within 10 miles of where I live; and they just put up a freaking "NO WEAPONS ALLOWED AT THIS LOCATION" sign. I'm quite buggered about this. I mean, even if there is a cop there 24/7, I want to be able to have my weapon within reach.

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Nikki_Black wrote:

XD-GEM wrote:

Nikki, you're the only one who was there and is capable of judging the LEO's attitude. It's possible that he was trying to give you some helpful advice, namely that it's hard to draw from a holster while belted into your driver's seat.

Like georg jetson, I take mine out of my holster when I get in my car. It rides securely in a slot in my dashboard that would have held some expensive piece of audio gear if I weren't a cheap son of a gun.

On the other hand, since courts have ruled that LEO can go after what's in plain sight, then he could have been trying to set you up for a future temporary siezure.

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You are exactly right about his attitude being more of a helpful one. I talked to him last night. The night shift guys all hang out in front of the Shell station in town.
We all had a discussion about how we carry when in a vehicle. The first thing he said about having a holstered firearm in a vehicle is how hard it is to draw with the seatbelt in the way. The second thing he said about it is about how uncomfortable it is to wear a holstered waepon while seated in a car.
I don't believe that he was setting me up for future seizure. He's a family friend. I've known him my entire life, as I have with most of the WFSO deputies.

On a side note: Said Shell station is the only 24 hour convenience store within 10 miles of where I live; and they just put up a freaking "NO WEAPONS ALLOWED AT THIS LOCATION" sign. I'm quite buggered about this. I mean, even if there is a cop there 24/7, I want to be able to have my weapon within reach.

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That was the point I was trying to make, he might have been telling you a better way to carry in a car.

The sign deal is what gets me. Like a SOB going to rob them is going to go by what the sign says.

Talk to the owner and explain it to him and see what he says.

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You can show him this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7pGt_O1uM8

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XD-GEM wrote:

You can show him this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7pGt_O1uM8

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Haha. That was awesome.

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Nikki_Black wrote:

He just said that it is probably a good idea to lay my gun on the passenger seat while I'm driving.

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Well, of course that's just stupid. I can't imagine a scenario in which you might need quick access to your handgun while inside your auto, that doesn't first involve rapid application of brakes/accelerator/steering wheel, and the resultant g-forces flinging a gun laying on the passenger seat into dark unreachable corners.

Not to mention the possibility of having a passenger in your passenger seat.

Oh well, I gotta go by his house anyway since my Uncle's company is gonna be cutting down a tree that's leaning towards his house and grinding the stump next week.

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Gravity is a bitch, and prevailing winds can be hard to judge. :lol:

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Another thought, since he asked you to take your gun out of the holster and step out of the car, he just provided a surefire way for you to make sure he doesn't touch the weapon. I would obey, place it on the seat, get out, lock the doors, and shut them.

He has no right whatsoever to be in your vehicle searching or seizing anything. The only reason the courts have upheld an officer taking something out of a car with out reason is for officer safety. But if he's had you remove your weapon and then get out of the car... the weapon in the car has nothing to do with his safety.

Bring your keys, lock the doors, sign your ticket and move on. Just an idea.

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That's is the way I handle any traffic stop, Get out , Lock the doors. They have no business snooping around in my vehicle.(For any reason).

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backdraft522 wrote:

That's is the way I handle any traffic stop, Get out , Lock the doors. They have no business snooping around in my vehicle.(For any reason).

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:shock:

Do you act surprised when they yell at you? Getting out of your vehicle is the best sure-fire way on the planet to make any officer nervous.

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Flyer22 wrote:

backdraft522 wrote:

That's is the way I handle any traffic stop, Get out , Lock the doors. They have no business snooping around in my vehicle.(For any reason).

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:shock:

Do you act surprised when they yell at you?  Getting out of your vehicle is the best sure-fire way on the planet to make any officer nervous.

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Very true.

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backdraft522 wrote:

That's is the way I handle any traffic stop, Get out , Lock the doors. They have no business snooping around in my vehicle.(For any reason).

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Don't know what state you are from but if you do that around here they would probably get a dog to come check your car.

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I'm FROM Louisiana !, And when i pulled a vehicle over on a traffic stop, i never walked up to the driver while letting him sit in his vehicle. (That's a good way to get ambushed) Our policy was to make the driver get out and stand at the rear of his vehicle. O' and about the ''Drug dog comment'', I would have no problem with them letting a dog waste his time sniffing the OUTSIDE of my vehicle(as long as he doesn't piss on my rims) lol. But they are still not getting inside ! It's the Principle of the matter.