Texas Capitol - State Trooper Contact

[RoyGBiv]

My only issues with the process at the state capitol is that you are required to show your license at all, and that they insist on scanning it. I thought that LEO's could only ask for the LTC if they had reasonable suspicion that a crime was being committed, not just because you are carrying a gun.

But in the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge deal, as long as it doesn't spread to other locations.

It's done by the DPS the same agency that issues LTC, it's just a verification process. I like the fact that it, for once, puts LTC holders into the "express lane"

It's also the same agency that issues drivers licenses, but a State Trooper is not allowed to pull over everyone driving a car just to verify that they have a valid DL. Like I said, not a huge issue, but on principal not something that should be happening IMHO.

Correct, but driver's license checkpoints that stop every driver to verify a license are constitutional. The LTC line at the Capitol is a checkpoint, not a random stop.

Chas.

Maybe we should just institute drivers license check points on roads leading to polling locations then.

You win the internet today... !

[TexasTornado]

My only issues with the process at the state capitol is that you are required to show your license at all, and that they insist on scanning it. I thought that LEO's could only ask for the LTC if they had reasonable suspicion that a crime was being committed, not just because you are carrying a gun.

But in the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge deal, as long as it doesn't spread to other locations.

It's done by the DPS the same agency that issues LTC, it's just a verification process. I like the fact that it, for once, puts LTC holders into the "express lane"

It's also the same agency that issues drivers licenses, but a State Trooper is not allowed to pull over everyone driving a car just to verify that they have a valid DL. Like I said, not a huge issue, but on principal not something that should be happening IMHO.

Correct, but driver's license checkpoints that stop every driver to verify a license are constitutional. The LTC line at the Capitol is a checkpoint, not a random stop.

Chas.

Maybe we should just institute drivers license check points on roads leading to polling locations then.

You win the internet today... !

[ELB]

My only issues with the process at the state capitol is that you are required to show your license at all, and that they insist on scanning it. I thought that LEO's could only ask for the LTC if they had reasonable suspicion that a crime was being committed, not just because you are carrying a gun.

But in the grand scheme of things, it's not a huge deal, as long as it doesn't spread to other locations.

It's done by the DPS the same agency that issues LTC, it's just a verification process. I like the fact that it, for once, puts LTC holders into the "express lane"

It's also the same agency that issues drivers licenses, but a State Trooper is not allowed to pull over everyone driving a car just to verify that they have a valid DL. Like I said, not a huge issue, but on principal not something that should be happening IMHO.

Correct, but driver's license checkpoints that stop every driver to verify a license are constitutional. The LTC line at the Capitol is a checkpoint, not a random stop.

Chas.

Maybe we should just institute drivers license check points on roads leading to polling locations then.

You win the internet today... !

Yes, genius.

[JALLEN]

I don't recall ever being stopped in a checkpoint looking for a driver's license and I've been driving for a LOOOOONG time! Something tells me they only exist close to the border.

Chas.

I was stopped, a few decades ago, by the local cops who had set up a roadblock on a city street. I was visiting my parents, driving my dad's car, with a CA D/L. This was really suspicious, things didn't match, the name was close, the addresses were completely different, I didn't know where the documents were.

"Why don't you have a TX DL? Whose car is this? Why are you driving it?"

Before they put the cuffs on, one of them recognized me as the older brother of a girl in his hs class. Whewww!

My back up plan was that the JP was married to one of MY hs classmates, and the Judge was one of my hs classmates.

The roadblocks were not unheard of a long time ago. I recall reading back then, back in the Eisenhower Administration, that only about a third of drivers in Texas had bothered to get licenses, mostly city slickers. Folks in the boonies didn't see the need.

[mojo84]

Checkpoints were pretty common 30-40 years ago when I was growing up in Odessa. They loved to set them up near the high schools on school days and weekends nights around town.

I got to the point I would make a turn or head the other way when I saw them and the line of cars waiting to get through. Once a cop chased me down and chewed me out and told me he could arrest me for evading or some such. I took the chewing out and after he looked at my license and did a visual inspection of the inside of my car from the outside, he told me to go on and next time I'll be arrested if I tried to avoid the checkpoint.

Real nice fella.

[techenigma]

Checkpoints were pretty common 30-40 years ago when I was growing up in Odessa. They loved to set them up near the high schools on school days and weekends nights around town.

I got to the point I would make a turn or head the other way when I saw them and the line of cars waiting to get through. Once a cop chased me down and chewed me out and told me he could arrest me for evading or some such. I took the chewing out and after he looked at my license and did a visual inspection of the inside of my car from the outside, he told me to go on and next time I'll be arrested if I tried to avoid the checkpoint.

Real nice fella.

Similar to a story I had from years ago. Granted that was in another state that loves checkpoints, uses them every chance they get especially on or near holidays. The officer knew me from prior experience, and actually was very cordial. I really learned to honor and respect LEOs from that day forward.

[Bladed]

What is the Texas Capitol's policy on out-of-state licenses from states that reciprocate with Texas? A buddy of mine who is visiting Austin from another state texted me earlier today and said he was told by the trooper checking licenses that he couldn't carry into the Capitol because he doesn't have a Texas license.

[SewTexas]

What is the Texas Capitol's policy on out-of-state licenses from states that reciprocate with Texas? A buddy of mine who is visiting Austin from another state texted me earlier today and said he was told by the trooper checking licenses that he couldn't carry into the Capitol because he doesn't have a Texas license.

yes, I believe, the Capitol policy is just for Texas CHL's only.