If he ask's you about your firearm, and ask for ID. In general the consesus is to say "am I being detained or arrested" Usually if not you say thank you and have a good day.
What if he says yes you are being detained, now show me ID?
Just curious how you would handle that. I've seen many youtubes where cops cuff and detain to run ID and gun numbers not giving a crap about our rights, and in some cases making arrest's, as the two in Vancouver. I only hope this is not going to become the norm, while they find guilty verdicts on innocent people.
I know it sound cliche, but it does seem like a conspiracy to me. I only hope if it happens to me, that I can find a better attorney than what I've seen others dealing with. I cant imagine why these cases are even making it to trial, without being thrown out, and counter suits being made.
Conspiracy? Maybe, but how do you define conspiracy? If it means people getting together and coming up with a plan to overtly violate someones rights I don't think so. If it means sharing "methods" to intimidate one into giving more information than is required, most definitely. These little "tips" are shared on casual conversation and even in those coffee meetings that are always happening in your neighborhood Starbucks.
The fear that one will be handcuffed, detained, and even arrested, for standing up to an officer plays in their favor. The counter to that is
information. The more information the public has in regards to their rights the better equipped they will be to handle these contacts. The more information that the
non firearm carrying citizens know about the legality of Open Carry, the fewer that will be calling 911 in a panic.
If you want to know how to play out a situation where you are approached and asked for ID, just listen to Tom's tape. I think he handled it well.
Something else to consider. If police officers stop every car they see with either Black or Hispanic drivers, just because they KNOW that there are lots of Black and Hispanic criminals, and run their ID to see if they have warrants, etc., THAT is called "Profiling" and is illegal. Why should Police Officers be allowed to stop people for merely carrying a handgun openly? Isn't that "Profiling" also, and illegal?
Lastly, Washington's law on Coercion (RCW9A.36.070) makes it unlawful to use a threat to keep someone from going about a legal activity.
In RCW 9A.04.110 threats are defined. Among them are:
(c) To subject the person threatened or any other person to physical confinement or restraint; (handcuffs? back seat of police car?)
(h) To take wrongful action as an official against anyone or anything, or wrongfully withhold official action, or cause such action or withholding;
Remember that the above actions are done every day when police officers are doing their job legally. It becomes "Coercion" when they do it to someone who is not breaking the law and just going about a legal activity.
Does anyone feel that the Deputies in Spanaway might have been guilty of violating the above statute?