Metro PD Encounter

[Marine Dad]

While in Nashville yesterday, I was stopped by a Metro officer for going thru a parking lot to avoid a light. By the way, the light was blocked by a delivery truck with his flashers on. Anyway, no ticket issued.

 

Here is the reason for my posting this.The officer approched my vehicle, as is usually done in a traffic stop, and asked for my DL and insurance. I gave it to him and he returned to his vehicle to check it out. When he returned to my vehicle he was not happy that I had not notified him that I had a HCP. He told me that I was supposed to notify him on his first approach to the car. However, I did not notify him because I did not have my gun in the car with me! 

 

 At no time during the encounter did he ask me if i was armed. When I told him that there was no weapon in the car, he just said "Watch the parking lots from now on" and walked away.

 

Should I have notified him that I had a HCP, even though there was no gun in the car?

 

 

[Garufa]

There is no legal requirement for you to notify but many officers do appreciate it when told.

[Hozzie]

Gun or no gun in the car, no, you don't have to notify.  I didn't notify when I was pulled over recently and I won't if I am again.  The officer that pulled me over never said a word.    I think you find the only ones that have an issue are the one's with the biggest ego's.  I am certainly not saying don't tell them if you want to, but I don't see the need.   

Edited June 26, 2014 by Hozzie

[peejman]

Garufa is correct, you have no legal obligation to inform the officer in TN.  The only time I've been stopped, I handed over my DL and HCP at the same time.  Seemed like the easiest way to inform the officer with minimal excitement. 

[Someotherguy]

The officer was absolutely incorrect...You are under no legal obligation in this state to notify a peace officer that you are carrying a firearm with a hcp..

[KKing]

[quote name="Someotherguy" post="1162734" timestamp="1403784963"]The officer was absolutely incorrect...You are under no legal obligation in this state to notify a peace officer that you are carrying a firearm with a hcp..[/quote] Or a police officer either

[DMark]

The officer was absolutely incorrect...You are under no legal obligation in this state to notify a peace officer that you are carrying a firearm with a hcp..

 

Unless the LEO asks.

[QuietDan]

Hand over the DL and the HCP at the same time. The officer might not have even walked back to the car with it to run it. You could have saved yourself some time.

 

With all the shiiteheads out there, a good citizen who can maintain an HCP with no record is the least of an LEO's worries.

 

IMO.

[Chris]

I try to make things as easy as possible for the officer when I get pulled over. I roll down my windows (all of them), turn on the interior lights, place both hands on the wheel and when the LEO asks provide both Lisc and HCP which are on the dash so I don't have to take my hands out of sight. I figure that's gotta be a tense moment for an officer... walking up on an unknown... anything I can do to make their life easier. The officers seem to be appreciative. It might not be necessary but it costs me nothing and makes their lives a little less tense, so why not.

[toby1304]

I agree QuiteDan. I have been pulled over a few times. I always stick both hands out with my DL and HCP. Not once have I gotten a ticket. I usually end up with a friendly lil chat about handguns.

[DMark]

While in Nashville yesterday, I was stopped by a Metro officer.......

 

Recall that a couple of years ago, Metro went on a recruiting drive up in the North for officers that had been laid off by their local city governments.  One of former Police Chief Ronal Serpas' good ideas (along with fixing his son's DUIs).

 

Most of those officers came from socialist...., oops I meant democrat controlled cities.  Their background & experience in those socialist (Dang there I go again - I mean democrat) controlled departments established in the mind of those transplanted officers that licensed armed citizens are a threat.

 

Count it as a training scar.  

[JayC]

There is no requirement under TN law to answer a police officers questions.  You're just not allowed to lie to them.  If they ask to see your HCP you must display it to them on request.

 

Frankly this officer better get his big boy pants on, because starting in July all law abiding citizens can carry a loaded gun in their car, they won't have an HCP to show, and they're not under any obligation to inform they have a firearm in the vehicle.

 

Unless the LEO asks.

 

[maroonandwhite]

Well the question has been answered a few times so now you are gonna get everyone's (including mine) opinion on if you should or shouldn't show it to him.  :pleased:

 

I do as others stated above have said and roll windows down, lights on, DL and HCP ready to go. I do not do this to make the officers life easier but do it with the hope that me being so courteous and all will result on not getting a ticket. If the officer is going to write it either way what do you have to lose?

[bersaguy]

Recall that a couple of years ago, Metro went on a recruiting drive up in the North for officers that had been laid off by their local city governments.  One of former Police Chief Ronal Serpas' good ideas (along with fixing his son's DUIs).

 

Most of those officers came from socialist...., oops I meant democrat controlled cities.  Their background & experience in those socialist (Dang there I go again - I mean democrat) controlled departments established in the mind of those transplanted officers that licensed armed citizens are a threat.

 

Count it as a training scar.  

Ronald Serpas was from New Orleans and after screwing up the Metro Police department he got a chance to go back to New Orleans and become chief their so he left and I was thrilled he was gone but yea for the most part they did go shopping up north for new officers. Big Mistake!!!...............jmho

[bersaguy]

I see no problem providing both DL and HCP when ask along with proof of Insurance. The few times I have been stopped over the years since getting it I have always offered it and every time I can remember they would look at it and proof of insurance and hand both of them back and only got 1 ticket in all those times and that was a seat belt violation that got thrown out in court........jmho

[Marine Dad]

Thanks for the replies. Still wondering why he didn't ask if I was armed after seeing that I had a HCP.

[monkeylizard]

Like Chris said, no reason not make the officer's job a little easier. I do this by getting out of the car when pulled over. I mean, anything could happen when he walks up behind an unknown person. By being outside the car he knows what he's dealing with, so I'm removing some of that uncertainty. Then I move quickly towards his car. He's a busy guy. I don't want to wast his time. If I'm carrying, I'm always sure to lift my shirt up to show him where it is. I don't want the officer to get any surprises later. If for some reason it's not safe to get out of the car to help him out, then I wait in my car with the lights off. I don't want to hurt his keen low-light vision with my stupid dome light. When he asks for my DL and registration, I lunge for the glovebox to get it. Again, he's a busy guy so I don't want to waste his time.

 

 

 

Seriously though....what Chris said. It costs you nothing, speeds up the process, and makes their hard job a little easier. That can be the difference between getting a warning and getting a ticket.

[mikegideon]

Recall that a couple of years ago, Metro went on a recruiting drive up in the North for officers that had been laid off by their local city governments.  One of former Police Chief Ronal Serpas' good ideas (along with fixing his son's DUIs).

 

Most of those officers came from socialist...., oops I meant democrat controlled cities.  Their background & experience in those socialist (Dang there I go again - I mean democrat) controlled departments established in the mind of those transplanted officers that licensed armed citizens are a threat.

 

Count it as a training scar.  

 

Not a fan of Slurpass at all. I watched Metro evolve on his watch, and not for the better IMO. NOLA is a more fitting place for him. 

[Clod Stomper]

Had the same thing happen in Alcoa a couple years ago. Officer gave me a lecture on the side if Alcoa Highway about how the law requires that I tell him as soon as he walks up and they should have told me that when I took the course and blah, blah, blah. I didn't argue, for various reasons.

But later, I went to speak to a supervisory officer. He told me the same thing! So there is a lot of ignorance floating around out there.

To be a contrarian, if ever pulled over I will not offer any voluntary information. I tend not to indulge ignorance.

[Fallguy]

What are LEOs like this going to do when starting next week even those without an HCP can legally have a firearm in their car?

 

It is one thing if he would have said, "I would have preferred...." Maybe even if he'd said, "You should....." Just hate when they don't know, or even worse, purposely misquote, the law.

[Mike A]

I'd hand 'em my HCP if armed.  If I didn't have a weapon on me I would at least inform the officer that I have a HCP but have no weapons in the passenger compartment.  I think it just freaks some of 'em out a bit when they run the DL and find out you have a HCP that you haven't disclosed. Not that I don't care about the officer's safety but frankly I care a bit about my own.  IMHO, officers tend to represent a cross section of their communities.  Do you know anyone in your town who's stupid?  doesn't have a proper temperament for their job?  I'm not anti-law enforcement by any means.  I just recognize that LEOs are people too.  Sometimes you have to plan for the lowest common denominator.  The officer walking up to your car may be the brightest, best-trained, most even tempered veteran on the force.  He may be a frightened 22 year old right out of the academy wondering why he isn't stocking shelves somewhere instead of walking up on unknown situations at 3a.m.  Anything I can do to make sure the LEO knows he has nothing to fear from me and should keep his firearm holstered, that's the way I'm gonna roll.         

[Oh Shoot]

I'd hand 'em my HCP if armed.  ..

 

Ain't gonna carry any weight in 5 more days as far as vehicle. Why should cop care any more?

 

- OS

[Garufa]

Ain't gonna carry any weight in 5 more days as far as vehicle. Why should cop care any more?

 

- OS

 

It will probably be a standard question henceforth. "Are you armed" before "Do you know why I stopped you".

[mikegideon]

 "Are you armed" 

 

Is a frog's ass watertight?

[hlb14]

Ain't gonna carry any weight in 5 more days as far as vehicle. Why should cop care any more?

- OS

I thought that bill got shelved