Stopped twice this evening..........

[Target1911]

He was very polite and never asked if I was armed.

Unless you were not armed, you are required to inform the officer that you have a handgun.

The way it has been told many many times......

IF you are armed you must show your CHL to the officer when you are asked for ID. I havnt read anywhere that you are supposed to tell him you are armed. I didnt tell the first LEO I was armed, I just gave him my CHL. No problems there.

Someone (CHL instructor or LEO) correct me if I am wrong.

[boomerang]

If a license holder is carrying a handgun on or about the license holder's person when a magistrate or a peace officer demands that the license holder display identification, the license holder shall display both the license holder's driver's license or identification certificate issued by the department and the license holder's handgun license.

[Target1911]

^^^^^^YEAH...what Boomerangsaid^^^^^^lol

[HighVelocity]

I don't think it'd be a good idea to just tell the officer. Show DL, CHL and Ins and keep your mouth shut about firearms unless the Officer asks.

PD: Sir/Mam, do you know why I pulled you over?
Driver: Yes, I was speeding, by the way, I have a gun.

This would not be a good start.

[Excaliber]

PD: Sir/Mam, do you know why I pulled you over?
Driver: Yes, I was speeding, by the way, I have a gun.

This would not be a good start.

You're right, it wouldn't.

How about (with hands on the steering wheel, ignition key on the dash, window, down, and dome light on if after dark):

"No, Sir/Madam (not admitting a violation before even knowing what the stop is for), but first, out of respect for your safety I want you to know that I am a CHL holder and am lawfully carrying a concealed weapon holstered behind my right hip.

My driver's license is in a wallet in my left front pocket. (It should go without saying that it's not smart to keep your DL right next to where your gun is.)

How would you like me to proceed?"

I've never seen this approach fail to receive an equally respectful response by an officer, who is well aware that only a good guy who isn't a threat will tell him he's carrying a weapon.

[Target1911]

That is very good advise......but I have one of those long wallets on a chain therefor it sticks out of the top of my pocket. As soon as I see the lights I pull my wallet out and at the least have it on my console in plain sight. If I have time I will have both IDs in hand waiting for the LEO. This only if the LEO is NOT already on my tail. Such as.....I see him bust a U-ee in behind me....with or without lights on. I dont want the LEO to get nervous seeing me move around. If LEO is already on my tail when I see him/her, I will wait till LEO asks for my ID and then inform them about my CHL and status of weapon in vehicle and ask for instructions.

[Excaliber]

I dont want the LEO to get nervous seeing me move around.

For that exact reason, I don't reach for anything. I keep my hands at about 11:00 and 1:00 on the wheel and wait until I've had a conversation with the officer and he / she and I are both comfortable with what I need to do next. I don't want him or her getting nervous about whether I'm reaching for my wallet, or a weapon, or trying to hide contraband, etc.

This procedure works well enough that I've had LEO's thank me for my courtesy at the end of the stop.

[Target1911]

I dont want the LEO to get nervous seeing me move around.

For that exact reason, I don't reach for anything. I keep my hands at about 11:00 and 1:00 on the wheel and wait until I've had a conversation with the officer and he / she and I are both comfortable with what I need to do next. I don't want him or her getting nervous about whether I'm reaching for my wallet, or a weapon, or trying to hide contraband, etc.

This procedure works well enough that I've had LEO's thank me for my courtesy at the end of the stop.

Let me explain further......

You are driving down the road...LEO is driving toward you....he either hits his lights as you pass each other then he does a u-turn or does u-turn then hits lights.....or LEO is on the side of road running radar.....as you pass you see LEO get in car and hit lights....in both cases LEO will be a good distance behind you and cant see anything you are doing inside the car.....those are times I will have IDs ready when LEO gets to my car......

If there is ANY possibility of LEO seeing me reach for ANYTHING.....I will wait till I get instructions from LEO.

This is how I have always done things....even looong before I carried. I have always shown great respect to LEO....while dealing with them doing their job or just in passing at the local "Stop 'n Rob.

[Excaliber]

Let me explain further......

You are driving down the road...LEO is driving toward you....he either hits his lights as you pass each other then he does a u-turn or does u-turn then hits lights.....or LEO is on the side of road running radar.....as you pass you see LEO get in car and hit lights....in both cases LEO will be a good distance behind you and cant see anything you are doing inside the car.....those are times I will have IDs ready when LEO gets to my car......

If there is ANY possibility of LEO seeing me reach for ANYTHING.....I will wait till I get instructions from LEO.

Thanks for the clarification. I agree this is very reasonable.

In the 2 situations you describe where you can see an LEO has decided to make a stop, my preferred procedure is to pull over immediately rather than forcing him to catch up and pull me over. I then roll down the window, turn off the ignition, put the keys on the dash, turn on the dome light if at night, and put my hands clearly on the steering wheel. Once again, bad guys don't do this and it sends a message that he's probably going to be dealing with a good guy who made some kind of an innocent mistake.

It's like chicken soup - it sure can't hurt, and it just might help.

[Target1911]

my preferred procedure is to pull over immediately rather than forcing him to catch up and pull me over.

if I know that the odds are high that I am the one getting pulled over, I am usually stopped and in park before the cop car is even stopped.

[Liberty]

How about (with hands on the steering wheel, ignition key on the dash, window, down, and dome light on if after dark):

"No, Sir/Madam (not admitting a violation before even knowing what the stop is for), but first, out of respect for your safety I want you to know that I am a CHL holder and am lawfully carrying a concealed weapon holstered behind my right hip.

My driver's license is in a wallet in my left front pocket. (It should go without saying that it's not smart to keep your DL right next to where your gun is.)

How would you like me to proceed?"

I've never seen this approach fail to receive an equally respectful response by an officer, who is well aware that only a good guy who isn't a threat will tell him he's carrying a weapon.

Pretty good if you can remember a speech that long without crib notes.
I have the drivers license and CHL in hand before they get to my window. Tell them where it is if asked.
Then again I always get the ticket. YMMV

[Excaliber]

Pretty good if you can remember a speech that long without crib notes.
I have the drivers license and CHL in hand before they get to my window. Tell them where it is if asked.
Then again I always get the ticket. YMMV

If all else fails, you could try memorizing the speech - it may change the outcome. Works for me.

[Mike1951]

If you don't already have your ID out, it can be as simple as:

"Officer, I have a CHL and I have a handgun on my right side.

May I reach for my wallet?"

[Liberty]

Pretty good if you can remember a speech that long without crib notes.
I have the drivers license and CHL in hand before they get to my window. Tell them where it is if asked.
Then again I always get the ticket. YMMV

If all else fails, you could try memorizing the speech - it may change the outcome. Works for me.

At my age the memory banks are getting full and I would rather keep them stuffed with other valuable things.

[Target1911]

Oh...BTW...I did replace the headlight last wed. so I dont have to worry wasting the time of our fine LEOs.