Alaska State Trooper

[fulano]

....Of all the times I have been stopped for an infraction or at a "DL/Insurance Check" road block, the last infraction was in 1997 and the last RB was in 2006, I have never been asked if I had a weapon in my vehicle. The only times it has been mentioned is the three times I presented my CHL due to an accident or a RB and those were "where is it?" and went no further.

I have also been through many Border Patrol/INS stops at check stations on the highway in 4 southwestern states and have never been asked that question.

Could be that the states that have very open carry laws have a higher frequency of arms (small arms) in autos and its a standard question of the LEO.

I got started watching this series when my wife and I met a couple at the local park where we walk our dogs. They had a very young huskie and in the course of conversation he mentioned he was new to Texas and had come here from Alaska to be with his girl friend. He was a Trooper for 10 years in Alaska and told me which episodes to look for him in. I see him weekly and will ask his $.02 and post an update.

Talked to the former Alaska Trooper this morning on the walking trail. I told him my observation that in the Alaska Trooper series it seemed that the routine road patrols seem to ask about weapons with each stop and was that SOP. He said he did ask the question often but it was usually related to the situation not SOP and that how it went after that depended on their reaction to the question. He said that very often the individual would tell him they were armed without him asking and he liked that.

He said his concern was often the safety of the individual related to there abilities to manage their particular weapon and he liked to see or believe that someone who armed themselves knew what they were doing and had a plan.

I asked if he thought the lack of CHL (no need for the license) lead to a lot of people carrying because they could. He thought that was not the case and that the need drove the decision. He said the prevalence of dangerous animals, especially bears, lead to many people being armed; not necessarily the need for protection from other people.

A very professional guy who I intend to get to know better.