TexasCHLforum.com

KD5NRH wrote:

SlowDave wrote:: does a cop have to have any kind of reasonable cause to ask you for your ID, or can they just walk up to any Tom, Dick, or Harry and say, "I'm bored, gimmee your license to read."?

Reasonable articulable suspicion isn't going to be too tough to come up with in a mall. The car keys in your pocket could look like an easily shoplifted item, you could match a vague description of someone they're looking for, etc.

Appreciate the opinion, but can any LEOs post up on this? (Or are you an LEO, kd5nrh?) I'm thinking having something in your pocket would not justify "reasonable suspicion of shoplifting" since pretty much every member of the human race has something in their pockets. Having a car does not justify reasonable suspicion of searching your car for pot, even though cars have been known to carry pot.

So, sorry for thread-wandering, but can anyone answer the question about whether there is any hurdle of "reasonable suspicion" or similar for an LEO to ask for your ID if you're just walking around minding your own business? Or are they legal to just ask anyone at any time with no reason needed whatsoever?

I was thinking, the cop may suspect that you are carrying, but what gives him the right to come over and frisk you or otherwise prove his suspicion. He has to have reasonable cause to search you. But the deal about asking for ID and getting busted (for breaking a non-law) is a possibility. Question: does a cop have to have any kind of reasonable cause to ask you for your ID, or can they just walk up to any Tom, Dick, or Harry and say, "I'm bored, gimmee your license to read."?

My opinion here: you're making way too much of this. I would never have asked, never would have received verbal notice, I don't think the cop would make me and if he did, I don't think he'd really care. Even the Bubba Cop you found is one of however many (2?), and I don't know that if you were just walking by and he thought it looked like you were likely carrying (but not causing any trouble), whether he'd really get up the motivation to get the bullet out of his pocket and come over and confront you.

I... uh, people I know carry into the Texas Med Clinic over here that has a gunbusters sign on the front door. I don't ask, no one has ever asked me anything, we're all happy. Please don't come down here and give them a full semester course on how to restrict my rights, if you don't mind. I understand that is your option and you feel it's your calling or something, it's just that I'd rather you didn't.

Thanks and good luck with your interaction with those guys.