FL encounters

[Sadman]

I was headed to work one day and was pulled over for speeding by a deputy in polk county. I swear the guy looked like a parody of a sheriff, huge gut, cheetohs and other stains on his shirt. When he got to my window i gave him my info and my permit. He asked what i was carrying and where, told him beretta in the glove box, he asks why i dont have it on me, told if im in the car its in the box if im out of the car its in the holster unless im working then it stays in the car, he ask me to hand it to him so i do and he looks at it for a min then hands it back and says nice "metal" then turns to leave, half way back to his car he turns around and walks back to my window and tells me he almost forgot but dont speed any more, then he left.

About 6 months later i get pulled over again for running a stop sign that doesnt exist on a back road (it was a 4 way intersection so i guess the guy thought there was suppose to be a sign). When the deputy sees my permit he pulls his gun has me get out of the car, he pats me down then asks where my weapon is, told him glove box, he has me stand behind the car while he goes to passenger side, pulls it out, and walks back to his car never taking his weapon off me. After 5 min or so on the radio he walks back over and hands me a ticket for running the stop sign and my weapon which he had unloaded, i ask where is my ammo and he tells me he is confiscating it, i told him he cant do that, he says he's been a LEO for 14 yrs and he knows what he can or can not do, so i tell him he can call his shift supervisor, he trys to bully his way out of it, i stand firm so he says fine but that i should get ready to go to jail when he gets there, he walks back to his car and after about 10 min he comes up to me pissed, hands me my ammo and apologizes and ask if i still want his supervisor out there, i tell him ya, his supervisor gets out there and ask me tell him the story so i do, long story short the leo got his ass chewed off and i left without a ticket and with the option of filing charges, 2 weeks later the supervisor calls me and tells me the leo was let go, turns out he was a leo in connecticut for 14 yrs, said he was a good cop with great references just couldnt figure out the Fl way of doing things.

[Glock Fan]

Must have been nice to see the jerk LEO getting chewed by his supervisor. I would have backed down where he said that "he's been a LEO for 14 yrs and he knows what he can or can not do..." Let him keep possession of the ammo, gone down to the station and then filed a criminal complaint for unlawfully "stealing" my ammo.

Some of these guys (sometimes gals) just don't learn how the system works. We go through the process of getting a permit to carry so we would be "legal". For the most part, the great majority of us are "law abiding citizens". The LEO should be more worried about the guy who doesn't tell them they're carrying than the guy who's up front and informs them in advance. If I understand the FL laws correctly, you don't need a CWL to carry in the glove box of a car.

I'm glad that everything worked out ok and another "bad" LEO is off the street.


gf

[DrLewall]

I just LOVE a happy ending! :p

[Red Hat]

Best one so far IMO. Sounds like they were looking for a way to get rid of this guy and you gave them enough "ammo" :D for them to do it. Way to hold your ground!

[DrDavidM]

I have to say you have some nerve. I would have let him have the ammo. I would have been afraid he would have come up with some non existent story to send me to jail for. Good Job!

[Brainchild]

Now see?!And these mook liberals say that only cops should have guns!This guy sounds more dangerous than any of the thugs that stole stuff from the convenience store that I used to work for.And he is supposed to be upholding the law.
I,too,am glad that this ended in your favor.I don't know if I would have held firm like you did.My concern would be that he would invent a reason to shoot me.Bravo.My hat is off to you.Really,I took my hat off to you.
:)

he probably wasn't a good cop here in CT either. I guess that's why he moved. ALL LEOs that I've had contact with here are very professional.

[KimberRB]

Good job! All my LEO encounters have been very professional. I was behind a drunk one day yes 2pm. I called it in on my cell phone. Long story short, after we got him stopped and he relieved himself in the street. I was ask to come down and fill out a report. I told the LEO I was carrying (as we have to do in Ohio) and I would have to remove my weapon first. He told me just come in and do the paper work we don’t have to worry about you.

[Ryan H]

I've been given grief in Bay County about having my pistol in my glove box. Some of the officers have a nonexistant "3 step from functioning" rule stuck in their heads. One threatened to arrest me and charge with with "Carrying a firearm concealed without a license", when my pistol was IN MY GLOVE BOX.

I'm glad my permit will be here soon to end the BS, but if that officer would have arrested me and charged me with a felony for having my pistol in my glove box, I would personally see to it that his career gets FLUSHED.

[Glock Fan]

It's my understanding that you can have a firearm in a "secure container" in FL. When I was getting printed for my FL permit, I asked the officer a bunch of questions regarding carrying in a vehicle if one didn't have a permit. A friend was telling me about carrying his firearm in a plastic pistol case while in FL. The deputy told me that I could have the pistol "accessible" but not on my person. The pistol had to be in an enclosed container and the center console and glove box were considered "closed containers". A mounted holster in the vehicle wouldn't be a legal option. After my little Q & A session with the deputy, I went back to my vehicle, got my Glock 23 and 27 out of the gun case, loaded up and put one in the glove box and one in the center console.

I've had my permit for several years. I'm glad that I have it and have helped folks a couple of times. Be sure to check the local laws before getting into any area. Most LEO aren't very friendly if they catch you doing something that you're not supposed to. :( It's a good idea to keep a copy of the current laws with you as well. This is very handy when encountering a LEO who "knows the law" but is hassling you for doing something you're legally entitled to do. :D


gf