Non-participant in LEO shootings

[Hoplites1234]

For what ever reason there have been a number of Police shootings in the 27 years I've lived in Las Vegas. They've always been found to be Justified by the investigation board and that's not my issue. My issue is I don't want to participate in a Justified Police Shooting by accident. As a part of the CCW class the instructor stated that in a traffic stop the Officer has already run your plates and is aware you may be carrying and therefore may be in a stressed state of mind when approaching you--I'd be if I were the cop. Any suggestions on course of action to pursue--hand on wheel, on roof, out window--when stopped for whatever reason?

[ishi]

An excellent question.

As a public service, Chris Rock presents these helpful hints in

How not to get your a** kicked by the police

.

:D

(if cursing offends you, give this one a pass)

[GregRN]

Don't do anything illegal and therefore, don't get pulled over.

But if it happens anyway, or you happen upon a roadblock:
License and permit in hand (or wallet) with hands clearly visible (such as on the steering wheel) with your window partially lowered.
It also helps to turn on the interior light at night (instead of having a MagLight shone in your face).

This has worked for me in the past at roadblocks, and when I was too stupid to obey traffic laws.

[spc]

GregRN said it well. The one thing I might add is not to make a bunch or movements while the officer is approaching. ie, not digging around for registration and insurance in the glove box.

Either have it readily available or wait until he is there and tell him what you are going to do. Example: I am going to get my documents from the glove compartment, is that OK? Or wait for directions from the officer.

spc

[steve24]

Your CCW info is not connected to your car plates here in Tennessee, but it is connected to your DL info.

So, I've been told to hand both your DL and your CCW permit together to the officer to eliminate any misunderstandings later.

[Sgt. SIG]

Yep! In Nevada your permit comes up when your plate is run.

If I am stopped for any reason, even though we do not have a "duty to inform" the officer in Nevada, I will out of courtesy.

As the officer approaches my vehicle I will have both hands on the steering wheel at 10 & 2 and my driver's window down. If it is night I will have my dome light on. I will wait for him/her to initiate the conversation and then tell the officer something like... "Out of concern for officer safety I'd like to let you know that I am legally carrying a loaded firearm".

Something like that. Unless the officer does something to change my mind, I consider the police to be the good guys! :D

[iceman70]

I've been a policeman for fifteen years in Michigan. For the most part police officers are not worried about CCW license holders as opposed to criminals with guns. As long as you are up front with him/her you should be just fine.

When you start acting paranoid and bringing attention to yourself, the police officer might start getting a little jumpy. As a person who also carries a gun you know that guns don't go off by themselves. Contrary to popular belief police officers don't just shoot people. Especially not law abiding people who just happen to be lawfully carrying a gun.:)

Rob

[homeless]

I have had both good and bad encounters with LEO's. I have found a method that works for me. I roll down all windows, I turn the dome light on, then I either place both my hands on the wheel with my fingers spread, or I place my left arm out of the window and rest my right arm on the pass. seat with my hand up. then all you have to do is great them pleasently and when they ask for your DL tell them where is is , go for it slowly and hand over your ccp with your dl.

This doesn't seem to spook them as much as saying"good evening officer, I want to inform you I have a weapon on my person." I just stay calm and ask them if they want me to handmy weapon to them or if they would feel more comfortable doing it themselves. I have even had one officer tell me that he thought it was just fine where it was and just went on with it. On the other had I also have been questioned about having one in the pipe, not using a safety, and then has the officer unload both of my mags before handing every thing to me in a pile and telling me to to load it till I got home.


The real key in a traffic stop is to be calm and relaxed. I rarely turn off the radio, and I always look annoyed at the delay. However I am paying the guys salary so I do thank him for doing his job. But that is all that I allow him to do, nothing more.

[ishi]

Originally Posted by homeless

This doesn't seem to spook them as much as saying"good evening officer, I want to inform you I have a weapon on my person." I just stay calm and ask them if they want me to handmy weapon to them or if they would feel more comfortable doing it themselves.

It would make me really uncomfortable to handle my firearm in the presence of an officer making a stop. I mean... one accidental move and... jeez!

On the other had I also have been questioned about having one in the pipe, not using a safety, and then has the officer unload both of my mags before handing every thing to me in a pile and telling me to to load it till I got home.

That sucks. I hate bullies. Good thing most officers aren't like this.

[1911 Bubba]

I was a Police Officer for over 17 years. Usually when I pulled someone over you have to practice some tactics, and be very cautious. But, my general rule was that if he's telling me he has a gun and letting me know where it is, I usually don't have to worry about these guys. If they have a concealed carry permit, I usually found them courteous and always informed me of their gun. There were occassional exceptions, with the conspiracy theorist / wanna be militia/ I know my rights types, who's attitude was I'm not required to tell you anything; to be nice and polite; you don't have the right to know anything kind of guy that always tends to go overboard so he can make a point about the Second Amendment. Those are the ones who get treated with less respect, because they come off as you being an enemy of his rights. But I usually left them with an understanding that I was an NRA member and a gun owning citizen also, not the gun gestapo.
On the other hand, I did know some "young" officers and some that were a little over-zealous in their handling of even good guys with guns. They took the tactics a little too far, treating everyone who had a gun and was not a cop, as suspicious. Usually these were guys who had never been around guns their entire life until becomming a cop. Guns were still unusual to them, and since they graduated a Police Academy, they were the only ones who knew how to handle a gun, or should be authorized to have one. Those are usually the guys who get everybody out of the car like a felon, or go berzerk when you don't "follow orders". They have an "I'm the authority Complex". By all means their Cheif should get a complaint about the way they handle things, as long as it is not within reason. If enough people get treated that way and complain, the honchos will notice a trend. Sometimes they get trained by the people they stop and after enough bad folks, everyone gets looked down at. I have stopped some real idiots and coneheads in my career. It's hard after a while to not look badly at all people sometimes, but you have to look at everyone as the situation unfolds and take the appropriate action. That way you don't treat everyone as a criminal type.
As I said, most cops do not think that gun owners are bad people or dangerous. Heck, I've had them back me up in a bad situation. Sometimes cops can treat people improperly. When it does happen, everybody nows about it. But when a good cop does something right, nobody knows about it. People tend to call and complain rather that compliment. So therefore, if you get a Police officer who treats you right (notice I didn't say he didn't give you a ticket) but treats you right and with respect, while you are armed; let his cheif know that too. SORRY FOR THE NOVEL.