[BLCKWLF]

Have you ever had an encounter with a law enforcement officer while you were packing? How did it go? Good, bad, or unusual?

I know of one story here in the forum where I guy eventually sold a gun to an officer.

I have had an officer offer to sell me his duty weapon because he is due for an upgrade. He even let me hold it.

 

[iGlock]

Only encounters i had while i was carrying is when i was pulled over....

 

[sigpi11]

I've had a few conversations with State, Sheriff and city police. I've drive a Toyota Tundra and the gas pedal seems to stick. LOL. I've always been courteous and so have they. Always ended in conversation about the weapon we where carrying.

Two of my close friends are chief of police in different cities. 4 are county deputies in two counties. Just ordered an AR off a deputy in another county (hopefully soon to be another friend). An uncle who is the Administrator for a regional jail.
With my toyota recall problems I need a lot of law enforcement friends! Lol

 

[jimmyalbrecht]

I've said hello to many officers walking past or with their window rolled down at red lights.

 

[locapitano]

I've said hello to many officers walking past or with their window rolled down at red lights.

HAHAHA That counts right!?

 

[jimmyalbrecht]

HAHAHA That counts right!?

I was packing every time, and the fact that they didn't notice means I was concealing well

 

[EvilD]

FWIW, it varies by state whether or not you have to tell them your carrying.

 

[jimmyalbrecht]

handgunlaw.us
Go there, it tells you whether or not you have to. But I would recommend doing it if the gun is visible. Tell him before he notices it first haha.

 

[iGlock]

In AZ you dont have to tell them, unless they ask.

 

[Levelcross]

At a check point, after informing the Officer that I had a CCW and was carrying, he thanked me for telling him. Then we talked for about 20 minutes about what guns we carried and liked.

Now he stops by my shop to visit and show me new guns. It was a nice way to make a new friend.

 

[TheTruthHurts]

I have had many times while riding my motorcycle. Not a big deal at all.

 

[rivalarrival]

I break into houses for a living, so yeah, I get the cops called on me from time to time. (I manage, service, and sell real estate, mostly foreclosed properties) I usually call the police beforehand if I have to get too creative in gaining access to one of my properties, or if I'm working after dark.

My assumption in any police interaction is that I will be facing a judge on some sort of charge; that I will have to explain my actions in a court of law. Many of the properties I service have signs of illicit drug use or manufacture. The previous occupant might have left weapons used in a crime. Diabetics leave 1cc syringes all over the damn place. I carry equipment that I use to break into houses. If a cop gets it into his head that he wants to arrest me, he can point to all kinds of things for probable cause to justify himself, so my objective is not to stop him, but to ruin any ability for him to prosecute me, and in doing so, hopefully compel him not to waste my time.

Getting riled up or upset with the cop doesn't help me win that court case, it just tells the judge that I was antagonistic. Direct confrontation leads to handcuffs and expensive fines. Giving up all my rights and giving the cop anything he wants doesn't help my court case either. The best way to deal with overtly aggressive people - and a cop who suspects you're a criminal is usually fairly aggressive - seems to be passive aggression. You paint the picture of someone who is completely cooperative, while building your case quietly, subtly, and let the cop come to believe he's in the wrong before he thinks you realize he's in the wrong.

But in the several cases I've had chance encounters with police, the only problem I had was with a retired trooper who wasn't aware that Ohio was an Open Carry state. He thought that a "concealed handgun license" meant that the bearer was required to carry concealed, rather than allowed to carry concealed. I think it's a heck of a lot easier interacting with law enforcement while carrying than without, provided you follow the rules. Cops seem less in-your-face aggressive now than they did before I went about armed.

 

[slimer74]

In Arizona, the prerogative of not informing an officer if you are carrying only applies if you have a valid CCW permit. If carrying under the "constitutional carry," the places you may carry and the rules regarding concealed carry are different. W/O a CCW permit, you must inform the LEO that you are carrying as soon as practical.

 

[rivalarrival]

In Arizona, the prerogative of not informing an officer if you are carrying only applies if you have a valid CCW permit. If carrying under the "constitutional carry," the places you may carry and the rules regarding concealed carry are different. W/O a CCW permit, you must inform the LEO that you are carrying as soon as practical.

Heh, in Ohio, it's exactly opposite. The requirement to announce is part of our CHL licensing law, which applies only to CHL holders. If you are carrying concealed with a permit, you are required to announce. If you are carrying openly, you are not required to also announce.

The only people who can be charged with failure to inform are otherwise law-abiding persons who are legally allowed to own and carry firearms. Under the 5th amendment, a person carrying a firearm illegally cannot be charged for failing to announce his firearm. He cannot be compelled to incriminate himself by announcing that he is carrying.

 

[locapitano]

The state of Florida does not allow open carry, only concealed. General practice here is that if a cop stops you, tell him ASAP.

If I get pulled over I hand him my CCW and DL together.

I have heard of people here that were let go with a warning for things like speeding because they informed the cop of their weapon as soon as they got pulled over.

 

[SquadCapt4]

Every encounter I have had has been uneventful. One traffic stop in Fla. where I had two S&W revolvers in my car, I ended up selling one to a Crestview Police Sgt. there on the spot. That's not to say there won't be that occasional bad encounter. Every job you can think of will have those few misinformed workers that just are mistaken. Human factor doesn't end just because a person puts on a uniform. Like locapitano, I hand them my CCW and my DL together. I tell him/her I am carrying and ask how they would like to proceed. Choose your words carefully. Don't say "I've got a gun!!!". And keep your hands visible at all times. No sudden moves and no arrogant "I gots da damn right to carry this piece" attitude.

 

[slimer74]

The common thread here (no pun intended) is that you need to remember that a reasonable approach is required for every situation. Cops are people too, & treating them w/ respect and being as helpful / compliant as possible will never hurt your situation.

 

[BLCKWLF]

Arizona
ARS 13-3102 (b) When contacted by a law enforcement officer and failing to accurately answer the officer if the officer asks whether the person is carrying a concealed deadly weapon;

Doesn't matter if you have a permit or not, you only have to answer the cops question that is all.

 

[Webphisher]

I haven't had any issues yet. I've started opening carrying a lot more, still want to get used to it being on my hip and all till i get my CCW. I had walked passed to Colorado State Patrolmen yesterday and aside from a glance at my hip, nothing.