Inform the officer or not when concealed carry?

[joelevi]

My problem with bolded...is that you are saying anybody who does not inform is not be cooperative...

Although I can see how one could get that impression it's not what I intended. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clarify! :)

From a LEO point-of-view, if you don't answer their questions (even if not required by law to do so) you are being "uncooperative".

From a legal perspective, if you don't answer some of their questions (because you're not legally required to do so) you're being "wise".

- Joe Levi, Sitting Duck Policy | Are you a Sitting Duck?

[Montducati]

CT law does not require you to notify the officer. That is the central point being discussed here - whether or not notification is a good idea. There are many valid points on both sides of the discussion.

CT law requires that you obtain the permit in order to take a pistol anywhere except to your home or your place of business directly from the point of purchase. And just to obtain that certificate you have to go 90% of the way through the permit process; for another few bucks i strongly recommend getting the permit. At least then you can take your pistol to a range and learn how (or practice) to shoot it. And heavens - you might want to buy another. What a ridiculous law that would allow you to buy a handgun but forbid you to actually practice with it - but that's what we have until we get it changed.

Of course, under Federal law you are allowed to transport your unloaded, cased pistol out of state to a place you are legally entitled to possess it.

Thanks for the welcome, I've owned my pistols since 1995, was licensed in NY and completed my application for my CT license which I should have in about 3-4 weeks.

[navy32man]

I know a few LEO and all of them have said they want to be inform up front that you have a CCW permit. This is what LEO would like for you to do when you’re pulled over; keep both hands on the steering wheel and when the LEO asks for your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance inform the officer that you're a concealed weapon permit holder currently in possession of a firearm and wait for further instructions. Most will ask you where you weapon is currently located. They all said they will ask you not to remove it from its location. There however are states that the LEO can ask you for your weapon and can unload it during the stop.
They also said, once informed about the permit they know they are dealing with a law abiding citizen.
Now if you don’t inform them that you have a permit and they see the weapon they are no longer going to be listening to anything you have to say and will treat you like a criminal, count on looking down the barrel of their weapon and being spread eagle on the pavement with officers on top of you placing you in cuffs. Most states CCW permits are not linked to you drivers license. So they don’t know unless you tell them.
All in all they are only doing their job. As we don't know which LEO are the very few bad ones, they don't know who they are pulling over nor do they know if that will be the last traffic stop they will ever make.
Common courtesy goes a long way.
I am informing them right up front just to be safe plus it snows in Minnesota and I don’t want to be laying on the street in the snow for nothing.
Jesse Pippin,
Master Chief, US Navy

[Durendal]

Arkansas does not have a requirement to inform unless the officer specifically requests your CHL. That being said, I was stopped Saturday night at a DUI checkpoint on a back road. I saw the little lights they had on the ground, so I slowed down and moved to the oncoming lane, thinking this was an accident or a crime scene or who knows what. Of course they flipped out because I moved into the oncoming lane, even though no one was coming. Once I explained why I did that, they asked for my license. I produced my license and CHL, and told the officer where my pistol was. His response was "you don't touch yours and I won't touch mine." He looked at me, then my license, then handed me both and wished me a safe night. It was like night and day before and after I handed him my permit. Just before he let me go, he asked me if I had any drinks tonight, almost in passing. I said nope, that's a quick trip to jail.

The choice, when you have one, really is a balance between exercising your rights and giving them courtesy. To each his own, but I'm telling the officer every time.

[torontogunguy]

Like I say, I have never had anything but the most positive of experiences when I hand my CHL/CHP over with my ID and keep my hands on the wheel. On occasion I will even turn the inside light on before the officer gets out of his car. The courtesy is well appreciated and Lord knows our LEO's have enough stress during a stop, any stop.

I have yet to have anything remotely looking like a negative experience by declaring my CHL/CHP's up front.

And I again remind everyone, including LEO's of all kinds and positions, when moving across a border (Canada/Mexico) in EITHER direction, declaration of firearms, ammunition and explosives is a MUST and you may NOT be carrying. It MUST be locked up and unloaded according the the law of the country you are entering. In either direction.

[kelcarry]

Hey guys: Isn't this really a no-brainer. You have been given a very serious responsibility that separates you from many of your fellow citizens. Arguments like "my state does not require" does not mean that "my state says I shouldn't". Be responsible and cooperate with the police in every way you can. Whether you are CC at the time or not, just give him the CCWP card. Don't make this into some kind of conspiracy by an out of control LEO.

[glockerocker]

Here's an opinion from the other side. I was a LEO for 28 years in Tampa. Many times I stopped someone who told me they had a weapon in the car...voluntarily. I asked them where it was, usually in a glove compartment or console (legal in Fla without a permit). I thanked them for telling me and told them just to leave it where it was. If possible, they got a warning, not a ticket.

A few of my buddies were shot on traffic stops. One was shot the day I retired. The ones who will shoot you will never tell you voluntarily they have a weapon on board.

The drivers who had a real problem were the ones who had a firearm in their glove compartment and reached in to get their registration and insurance info without saying anything, making me go into "red" mode when I saw them reaching for the papers next to the gun. More than once they got a .357 or 9mm (depending on what year) stuck in their ear with some loud expletives. Now retired, if I get stopped, I'll let the officer know I have a firearm on board and where it is. Some states require it, mine doesn't, but in my opinion if you are carrying legally with or without a permit, you will have nothing to worry about, and the cop will appreciate the heads up. Just my $.02.

Elliot

[bbarton713]

If you have a CWP in SC and are carrying in the vehicle you are required to tell the officer when they ask for your license. If it is in your glove box or console you are not required to let them know unless the papers you require are in that location.

However, if you're carrying legally I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to tell them up front. You are on the same team and I know if was a LEO I would appreciate your tact.

[Daugherty16]

Here's an opinion from the other side. I was a LEO for 28 years in Tampa. Many times I stopped someone who told me they had a weapon in the car...voluntarily. I asked them where it was, usually in a glove compartment or console (legal in Fla without a permit). I thanked them for telling me and told them just to leave it where it was. If possible, they got a warning, not a ticket.

A few of my buddies were shot on traffic stops. One was shot the day I retired. The ones who will shoot you will never tell you voluntarily they have a weapon on board.

The drivers who had a real problem were the ones who had a firearm in their glove compartment and reached in to get their registration and insurance info without saying anything, making me go into "red" mode when I saw them reaching for the papers next to the gun. More than once they got a .357 or 9mm (depending on what year) stuck in their ear with some loud expletives. Now retired, if I get stopped, I'll let the officer know I have a firearm on board and where it is. Some states require it, mine doesn't, but in my opinion if you are carrying legally with or without a permit, you will have nothing to worry about, and the cop will appreciate the heads up. Just my $.02.

Elliot

Glockrocker - thank you for this thoughtful post. There is obviously a substantial division of thinking on this topic, and i've even started similar threads before, specifically asking for law enforcement perspective. Personally, i think it makes all the sense in the world to advise and i can't really see a downside. A lot of folks disagree, and make good points in their reasoning.

But your post really drives home a couple thoughts i had but couldn't articulate very well, and frankly my opinions don't carry anything like the weight of your actual experience. Hope your buddies recovered.

[torontogunguy]

Here is what I have been trying to get across, in a nutshell, and well said, right from the horse's mouth. I have had a LEO friend come very close to putting a round into someone's ear on a DUI stop for just the reasons listed below and it was only by the grace of God that it did not happen. Phil had to take a week off work to recover from the trauma. Now how much easier would it have been if the moronic driver had, despite being under the influence, was 'ingrained' to announce the presence and location of his firearm? Phil had taken up the slack on the trigger and was a hair from taking out a guy who was DUI. To add to the story, a milk store had just been robbed by a perp with the exact same pistola that the moron displayed when he opened his glove box. Phil said that had the moron started to flop onto his side while leaning over it would have been a pine box and Phil would probably not be in law enforcement. THAT was 20 years ago and he, I am sure, still relives it regularly. So, as a matter of "habit" I keep one of my permits next to my D/L and hand it over to the LEO if stopped under any circumstances, voluntary or otherwise.

Here's an opinion from the other side. I was a LEO for 28 years in Tampa. Many times I stopped someone who told me they had a weapon in the car...voluntarily. I asked them where it was, usually in a glove compartment or console (legal in Fla without a permit). I thanked them for telling me and told them just to leave it where it was. If possible, they got a warning, not a ticket.

A few of my buddies were shot on traffic stops. One was shot the day I retired. The ones who will shoot you will never tell you voluntarily they have a weapon on board.

The drivers who had a real problem were the ones who had a firearm in their glove compartment and reached in to get their registration and insurance info without saying anything, making me go into "red" mode when I saw them reaching for the papers next to the gun. More than once they got a .357 or 9mm (depending on what year) stuck in their ear with some loud expletives. Now retired, if I get stopped, I'll let the officer know I have a firearm on board and where it is. Some states require it, mine doesn't, but in my opinion if you are carrying legally with or without a permit, you will have nothing to worry about, and the cop will appreciate the heads up. Just my $.02.

Elliot