Inform the officer or not when concealed carry?

[rayven]

The vast majority (I do not say all, but the vast majority) of LEO are CCW friendly, and should be assumed as such.

Why assume the best situation? I always assume the worst so that I'm prepared for it, and if it turns out better, it's a good surprise. Also, the job of the police is no longer to promote the peace -- it is to enforce the law. Huge difference. Their job is now to figure out whether or not I'm breaking any laws so they can arrest me. I'd rather not give them any reason to be paranoid enough to come up with something.

Guess what, by law, your local LEO can write you up for doing 36MPH in a 35MPH zone, but, as a courtesy to you, 99+% of them will not do it. Unless you are over 40MPH, they probably won't even bother pulling you over to warn you.

I doubt it's a courtesy. Yes, they can give you a ticket for 1 MPH over the limit, but they don't because they all know that there is a good chance it'll be thrown out in court. 1 MPH is a minor difference and can easily be thwarted by the argument of "is your equipment calibrated and guaranteed to be accurate to such an extreme precision?". No technology really is, so they don't bother. They usually give 5 MPH because that's a good number to be over without their radar guns or whatever being questioned.

Call it a common courtesy, whatever, but most of the LEO's out there are on OUR side. Treat them as such, and give them the benefit of the doubt. There are way too many people that seem to constantly be "hearing the black choppers".

Actually, my experience is that LEOs are on the side of the LEOs - period. Some are friendly and what not, but their job again is to arrest people, not to keep things in working order. That's the switch from Peace Officer to Law Enforcement Officer. That's why if I'm carrying legally, I don't inform anyone. They have the potential to do things to disrupt my life, and a lot of the time, it isn't fair and isn't even lawful. And so I don't give them any reason to think I'm a danger to them. If they think I'm a danger, they'll find some way to disrupt me from going about my business peacefully.

[queball]

Why assume the best situation? I always assume the worst so that I'm prepared for it, and if it turns out better, it's a good surprise. Also, the job of the police is no longer to promote the peace -- it is to enforce the law. Huge difference. Their job is now to figure out whether or not I'm breaking any laws so they can arrest me. I'd rather not give them any reason to be paranoid enough to come up with something.

Sorry, and no offense intended whatsoever, but after reading your responses, I think that you are far more paranoid than any LEO I have come across. Yes, I have come across a few that are fuller of themselves than a gorged tick, but most I know (my brother was an LEO for 20 years, and I have known my share) truly are trying to be the kind of LEO that we would hope for.

There is a big difference between going into a situation with a good attitude (does not stop you from being keenly aware of surroundings and circumstances) and expecting the worse. It is overly defensive attitudes that can cause LEO's to cop (no pun intended) a bit of an attitude.

A good friend of mine always tells me (and I am learning to believe it) that "98% of what you worry about never happens". It is possible to live by this thought, while still being aware of and ready for the other 2%. Being ready for that 2% is what situational awareness is all about... Expecting and bracing for the 2% is defined as paranoia.

[Sheldon]

I doubt it's a courtesy. Yes, they can give you a ticket for 1 MPH over the limit, but they don't because they all know that there is a good chance it'll be thrown out in court. 1 MPH is a minor difference and can easily be thwarted by the argument of "is your equipment calibrated and guaranteed to be accurate to such an extreme precision?". No technology really is, so they don't bother. They usually give 5 MPH because that's a good number to be over without their radar guns or whatever being questioned.

Locally the police chief said there was no quota system but he would discipline any officer that did not write at least X (I believe 120) tickets a month, and they would be citing for 1 mph over....
That was 2 years ago N they stopped the 1 mph thing, I have a feeling that it did not hold up well in court....

[utimmer43]

Guess what, by law, your local LEO can write you up for doing 36MPH in a 35MPH zone, but, as a courtesy to you, 99+% of them will not do it.

Actually, this varies by state. In PA, if the speed limit is less than 55, you cannot be pulled over until you exceed it by 11MPH. If the limit is 55 or more, it's 6MPH over.

[Pele]

Maybe it is because I am in a gun friendly state (Utah), but I see way too much paranoia about this subject. The vast majority (I do not say all, but the vast majority) of LEO are CCW friendly, and should be assumed as such. Notifying IS a courtesy, and I will always do it, no matter where I am. That is just me, do as you will.
You are right, that in most places, by law, you are not required to do so. Guess what, by law, your local LEO can write you up for doing 36MPH in a 35MPH zone, but, as a courtesy to you, 99+% of them will not do it. Unless you are over 40MPH, they probably won't even bother pulling you over to warn you. Call it a common courtesy, whatever, but most of the LEO's out there are on OUR side. Treat them as such, and give them the benefit of the doubt. There are way too many people that seem to constantly be "hearing the black choppers".

I thought I lived in a gun friendly state. Virginia allows Open carry, Doesn't have restrictions on Class 3, is a shall issue for CCW... But there are some areas where people I know have been stopped for open carrying or even just printing.

I agree with another poster who said LEOs are on LEOs side in a lot of jurisdictions. I know there's a vast difference in the experiences I've had with the police where I live (Prince William County) and the ones in the next county north (Fairfax County)...

Hear, hear queball!! Having come up in a family of LEO's, I was taught to respect all LEO's. Keep your hands in plain sight, answer all questions "Yes, Sir" and "No, Sir." Even if you choose to disagree - disagree RESPECTFULLY. That being said, if a LEO chooses to disarm me for the duration of our transaction, so be it. HE still has a gun, and I sincerely doubt that someone is going to take him out, then me, in those few minutes. Yes, there are a few jerks working in Law Enforcement - it's inevitable, the law of odds and all that - but even if you don't respect the man wearing it, respect the badge.

I respect the badge mostly because there is the distinct possibility that this man can do what he wants. Write me up for something he made up or let me go despite the fact that I was doing something wrong, but minor.

The officer's job is to write tickets and/or arrest me for whatever he sees fit. It's not his job to argue with me; That's for the judge. If I make the officer's experience pleasant, hopefully he'll let me off with a warning or lesser ticket.

[rayven]

Sorry, and no offense intended whatsoever, but after reading your responses, I think that you are far more paranoid than any LEO I have come across.

It isn't paranoia at all. It's reality. The job of the police is to enforce the law. The "protect and serve" is just a motto and holds no weight. The Supreme Court even weighed in on this issue and said that the police have no duty to protect anyone, just to enforce the law. So when another person has authority over me, I consider it to be my duty to make sure they use their power only in the way proscribed by law. Since they don't need to know if I'm carrying, I don't tell them. And it is true that most LEOs are not really on the side of the citizen -- most will defend their fellow officers even if that includes lying or making stuff up. Happens all the time. Unfortunately, that's reality.

There is a big difference between going into a situation with a good attitude (does not stop you from being keenly aware of surroundings and circumstances) and expecting the worse. It is overly defensive attitudes that can cause LEO's to cop (no pun intended) a bit of an attitude.

All of us who carry a weapon, cop or civilian, assume the worst. Otherwise, we wouldn't carry since there would be no need. My attitude when dealing with cops is very defensive, since they have the ability to limit my rights and freedoms. I don't take that lightly. So I do my duty as a citizen and hold them accountable to the law, just as they do to us. I'm friendly and treat the officer with respect, but I certainly won't do any more than is legally required. To do so is to allow the government to control the people instead of the other way around -- the way the Constitution was set up. If a cop has an attitude because I'm exercising my rights, so be it. That's his problem.

A good friend of mine always tells me (and I am learning to believe it) that "98% of what you worry about never happens". It is possible to live by this thought, while still being aware of and ready for the other 2%. Being ready for that 2% is what situational awareness is all about... Expecting and bracing for the 2% is defined as paranoia.

I'm not expecting or bracing for any negative confrontations with anyone. I am, however, ready for it. No paranoia, just preparedness.

[queball]

I am certainly glad that I live where I do, then, because the vast majority (again, not all, but the vast majority) of LEO in my area DO still care about protecting and serving. They respect the public, and generally go above the call of duty. I know what I would expect from them if my life were on the line and they could make a difference. So many examples of them going beyond their "legal minimum requirements" to assist/protect/save Joe Average Citizen. I will never have a problem going beyond my "legal minimum requirement" to assist them in doing their job. Again, that is just my opinion. That attitude may bite me someday, but until it does....

[tag1737]

I have had three LEO encounters since I have been carrying. Just traffic or equipment issues.

There is no requirement to inform here in NY.

Each time I handed the officer my DL and CCW. Each time I was handed back the CCW with a thank you and treated with complete respect.

The last encounter was with a very young State Trooper. He shook my hand and told me to watch my speed.

[utimmer43]

I have had three LEO encounters since I have been carrying. Just traffic or equipment issues.

There is no requirement to inform here in NY.

Each time I handed the officer my DL and CCW. Each time I was handed back the CCW with a thank you and treated with complete respect.

The last encounter was with a very young State Trooper. He shook my hand and told me to watch my speed.

WOW, you have a NY CCW? Who do you know in a high place?

[NavyLCDR]

WOW, you have a NY CCW? Who do you know in a high place?

That's obviously why they were afraid to cite him for anything!