LA: Man stopped for conservative bumper stickers (maybe)

[seamusTX]

Summary: Driver, Louisiana resident and concealed-carry permit holder, has bumper stickers for the NRA, the Marines, his church, an American flag, and something like "Armed we're citizens, unarmed we're subjects."

Driving his pickup truck alone in Shreveport. Pulled over. Gets out of vehicle.

Police officer approaches. With no preliminaries, the police officer asks if the driver is armed. Driver says that he is. Police officer asks where "it" is. Driver says it's on the front seat. Officer reaches into vehicle, takes out pistol, drops magazine, and unloads it, leaving the formerly chambered round on the ground. Puts it in his cruiser.

Officer then asks questions unrelated to stop, such as "Where are you going?" and "What are you doing here?"

Officer says that he stopped driver for failing to signal a lane change.

Officer eventually returns weapon and ammunition and lets driver go.

This is a link to Tom Gresham's Gun Talk for June 7: http://media.libsyn.com/media/guntalk/0 ... ntalkA.mp3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The call starts at 28:44.

The discussion continues at http://media.libsyn.com/media/guntalk/0 ... ntalkB.mp3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Keep in mind that this is western Louisiana, not exactly a hotbed of "liberalism." Tom Gresham knows the caller personally, giving this account some credibility.

I'm not as sure as Mr. Gresham that taking the weapon was illegal. I think it might have met the standard for a Terry stop.

- Jim

[Rex B]

Sounds like a cop that needs additional training.
I hope the stoppee filed a complaint with the chief.

[seamusTX]

I wonder what department policy is, or if they have one. I've been to Shreveport a couple of times, but I can't say I know the place. Some police chiefs do not like to see armed citizens.

I posted my message above before listening to the second hour. A caller who said he was a former LEO basically said you should shut up and grab your ankles.

- Jim

[bryang]

This is very disturbing! I have an NRA and TSRA emblem on my truck...I wonder if that makes me a target?? I would not think that it would be a problem in Texas, however with all this silliness about the "new" terrorist list...who knows.

-geo

[nitrogen]

Illegal lane change is usually LA state police shorthand for "I had to make something up with which to stop you"

[flb_78]

So what could have happened if he had locked his doors when he exited the vehicle?

Could the officer force one to unlock and open the vehicle?

[seamusTX]

Possibly the man would have been arrested and they would have obtained a warrant to search the vehicle.

People cannot be forced to open things without a court order. That happens occasionally with safes.

All of that would have been pointless in this case, because the man was not breaking any law.

- Jim

[TLE2]

by bryang » Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:24 pm
This is very disturbing! I have an NRA and TSRA emblem on my truck...I wonder if that makes me a target??

Stay in Texas. In Texas that makes you an informed citizen. ( I started to say "hero" but that words been used too much.)

[seamusTX]

This kind of thing happens in Texas, too.

- Jim

[bryang]

Here is another "bumper sticker" situation in Louisiana.

Suspect detained over 'extremist' bumper sticker

A Louisiana driver was stopped and detained for having a "Don't Tread on Me" bumper sticker on his vehicle and warned by a police officer about the "subversive" message it sent, according to the driver's relative.

It looks like this is the regular MO for the Louisiana LEO's.

-geo

[USA1]

thats funny.. whenever i see NRA stickers or any patriotic stickers , i think to my self...there goes a Great American

..............but when i see something like...


or


makes me think...well you know