Why not notify LEO?

[Guest nosnos]

Why would you NOT notify a LEO that you have a permit and are carrying a gun if you are stopped in traffic and IDed for any reason? I mean, you know he's going to run your DL and find out. So, why not just tell him right off the bat?

I'm just wondering. I'd rather not notify because I don't HAVE to, legally, but there really doesn't seem to be a very good reason not to. Can anyone enlighten me?

[cadillacdude1975]

honesty will cut you some slack in most instances. i got stopped a few years back, doing 67 in a 35. was straight up from the get go about being armed, cop thanked me for being honest and wrote me for 53 in a 35. he cut me one hell of a break. he told me it was because i chose to be upfront about being legally armed.

this topic is going to have the same back and forth banter just like open vs concealed carry. this has been discussed before and i am sure someone will use the search button and post all the relevant links to the prior threads.

[kwe45919]

There's pro's and con's to each and everyone has their opinion.

As a matter of courtesy BECAUSE I know when he runs my liscense my HCP will be reveled. Not giving the courtesy to the LEO could get you detained for a small peorid of time longer. Some "Rambo" cops will think your hiding something else because your hiding the fact you have a HCP and possibly have a gun. So why put yourself in a possible situation.

Seriously, what's a LEO going to do knowing you have a HCP, you were completly upfront with him and you are showing him courtesy and more than likley, you will be on your way faster then attempting to hide your HCP status from him.

On a personal note, I'd prefer to let every officer in my town know I'm a legal HCP holder and that I carry for protection. In the event something happened and I need to use my firearm, especially if I have to hold someone at gun point, I'd prefer to possibly encounter a LEO who might remember me and remember I have an HCP. I might get treated a little better and be delt with easier if I'm recongnized.

[Fallguy]

Not getting into this again.....seems more and more threads are being started lately on subjects that come up over and over.

If you want to know my opinion...just do a search...

[Guest Hyaloid]

Indeed, this HAS been covered ad nauseum, however, it isn't necessarily a BAD thing to have new posters bring up old issues. Sometimes we actually may get fresh insight into the issue at hand. Just don't be surprisd if the participation level isn't what you would anticipate.

Most members that have been on here for a while have hashed this thing out, and most have formed pretty solid opinions. The search feature is your friend.

[Guest nosnos]

Sorry, everyone. I didn't know this had been such a fight before and that there were so many hurt feelings about it. My bad...

Mods, if someone wants to delete this thread, I don't care. I guess I could say something about how interesting I found Rabbi's comments, and maybe it'll get deleted for me.

The best answer to my question that I could find with the search feature was something he said. "It is the principle. People give up their civil rights every day in this country, largely because they dont know what they are. I am not accountable to an LEO for my actions, unless I violate the law."

[Punisher84]

I guess I could spell it out for you like this. There are at least 20 threads about Open V. Concealed carry, 9mm V. 45, Informing LEO V. Not informing LEO, etc

Yea, bringing up Rabbi is generally not a great thing either. I think the general consensus is once someone is banned we try to not bring them up continually. There are alot of well-earned hard feelings about that guy around here.

[Mike.357]

There are at least 20 threads about Open V. Concealed carry, 9mm V. 45, Informing LEO V. Not informing LEO, etc

here is the correct conclussions to these discussions.

CC, 45, inform. Any other line of thought is just wrong.

[TripleDigitRide]

here is the correct conclussions to these discussions.

CC, 45, inform. Any other line of thought is just wrong.

[Punisher84]

here is the correct conclussions to these discussions.

CC, 45, inform. Any other line of thought is just wrong.

That is true.

[Mike.357]

Here is a question I don't remember being posted in these types of threads.

Would you inform the LEO of your HCP if you were not carrying at that moment?

He is going to run the DL and see you have a HCP.

[Glock30Owner]

here is the correct conclussions to these discussions.

CC, 45, inform. Any other line of thought is just wrong.

I guess you getting one out of three right isn't too bad.

[Fadex]

Not trying to be a grouch, but the Search button is your friend. This has been discussed at length many times.

[jimic]

i would think no responce to the new member post would be more polite than senior members beating him up.....just an observation

[Fadex]

I didn't "beat anyone up" just pointed out that the search feature is a valuable tool to research a topic to avoid posting a duplicate thread.

Many topics have been discussed at length before and some of the best information can be gathered from old threads. Many times more information than can be gained from a new one IMHO.

[Punisher84]

i would think no responce to the new member post would be more polite than senior members beating him up.....just an observation

It's not beating him up. We're not berating him, just reinforcing if you will. After seeing this brought up time and time and time and time again it gets old. People need to learn how to search out information.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Ok, everyone, we get it... let's move on.

I think Mike brings up an interesting question...

Do you notify even if you are not carrying at that moment?

My answer is yes, anything that increases the chance I *might* get out of a ticket.

[dwcz]

Back in November I did get pulled over but wasn't carrying. The first thing I did was notify the officer that I had my HCP but wasn't armed.

His response was "well why not? what good does it do you to have your permit and not carry?" and then proceeded to lecture me for about two or three minutes and drill me with questions as to why.

I let him know I was on my way to get on a tour bus for a concert tour. He asked who I was out on tour with. I told him it was a christian tour with a bunch of teenagers, some of them on disney radio and movies. He replied that was all the more reason I should be carrying to protect those kids. It wasn't until I explained that we were going to multiple states and performing in some venues that were also schools that he finally let off a bit.

Then he wrote me a ticket for speeding...

Maybe I should have said I was out with one of the higher profile country acts he would have recognized

[creeky]

I was pulled over bu my local LEO and didn't have my weapon on me. I told him I did have a HCP but wasn't armed. He was both surprised and very appreciative.

Still got a ticket, but we had a nice friendly chat during the exchange. Nice guy. Still says hi when I bump into him around town.

(Most LEO I have ran into don't give out tickets... you generally have to do something to earn one. )

[Guest justme]

Why would you NOT notify a LEO that you have a permit and are carrying a gun if you are stopped in traffic and IDed for any reason? I mean, you know he's going to run your DL and find out. So, why not just tell him right off the bat?

I'm just wondering. I'd rather not notify because I don't HAVE to, legally, but there really doesn't seem to be a very good reason not to. Can anyone enlighten me?

class instructor told us we should NOT repeat NOT inform unless you are in a state that requires it--this person was a Sheriffs officer and said that the reason he advises people to not inform is because the people coming out of the academies don't know the laws they are supposed to enforce and actually informing them you have a permit/gun will only make things worse for you because they will start to panic--reason being he felt that the rookies don't have enough experience or common sense to do their job in a professional and tactful manner when presented with a citizen who has a permit and carries a gun.

Edited April 5, 2009 by justme

[Glock30Owner]

class instructor told us we should NOT repeat NOT inform unless you are in a state that requires it--this person was a Sheriffs officer and said that the reason he advises people to not inform is because the people coming out of the academies don't know the laws they are supposed to enforce and actually informing them you have a permit/gun will only make things worse for you because they will start to panic--reason being he felt that the rookies don't have enough experience or common sense to do their job in a professional and tactful manner when presented with a citizen who has a permit and carries a gun.

It's not just rookies, but any LEO that doesn't know the law. It is very nice that this seems to be rare in Tennessee, but other states it seems to be a real problem.

[Guest Tn.Mitch]

Ok, everyone, we get it... let's move on.

I think Mike brings up an interesting question...

Do you notify even if you are not carrying at that moment?

My answer is yes, anything that increases the chance I *might* get out of a ticket.

You could tell him,you have a HCP,but im not armed at the moment ,andyour gun is locked in safe,in back,cause your too drunk to carry it....see if that helps ya any....LMAO...

[Guest Ggun]

class instructor told us we should NOT repeat NOT inform unless you are in a state that requires it--this person was a Sheriffs officer and said that the reason he advises people to not inform is because the people coming out of the academies don't know the laws they are supposed to enforce and actually informing them you have a permit/gun will only make things worse for you because they will start to panic--reason being he felt that the rookies don't have enough experience or common sense to do their job in a professional and tactful manner when presented with a citizen who has a permit and carries a gun.

I've never had a police officer say anything except that they WANT to be informed, even the ones who KNOW there is no requirement prefer the information of what they perceive as common curtesy.

Remember, the SIGHT of a firearm, undisclosed, will make an ugly scene at a LEO stop. If you are well concealed, of course, it's a moot point, and you'll have to make you own judgement call.

[bubbiesdad]

If the officer wants to know, they can ask.

[Currently]

One way to handle these threads (being a mod on another forum) is to create a sticky and merge any new thread to the existing one.

Several pros to that idea.