Tarrant County Sheriffs Deputy

[Rex B]

After work the other night, I was headed over to my FFL to pick up a new purchase and drop off a pistol to be shipped to my son for Christmas. From Keller to Haslet is all backroads, so I was working my way West past Alliance Airport on 2-lane loads. One of the few lights turned green up ahead, so I booted it briefly before I realized I was too far away. Unfortunately, before I got slowed back down I passed a Sheriff's car obviously working radar. He pulled in behind me so I turned right at the light, he lit me up and I pulled well off the shoulder, turned the lights to park, turned on the interior lights. Handed over my DL & CHL to the mice young man. He looked at the CHL and asked if I had any guns in the car. I said "Yes, one in my pocket and a boxed gun on the passenger seat". He asked me to get out, then tell him again where the pistol was. Then he asked my to take it out and lay it on the seat "..for both our protection", which I did. Then i stood at the back of the car while he ran my ID. Although he did ask for POI, I had not yet given it to him.
After a couple minutes he came out, said "Any reason you are in a hurry?". I said no, and told him I had sped up thinking i could make the light. He said "You almost set the record here. The record is 72, you were doing 63 in a 35." I gulped. Then he laughed and handed my cards back, asked me to slow it down. Whew!
I don't know whether the CHL made a difference, or if he liked my car or what, but he could have cost me some money.
Very nice guy, just like every Tarrant Co. deputy I've ever met. As a resident in an unincorporated part of the county, I really appreciate those guys. They are our first responders.

[C-dub]

Wow! He must have been in a very good mood. 28 over? I would have bet money you'd have gotten the ticket.

[ELB]

Small bunny trail (thread hijack alert) - when I was stationed in Germany, highways that had traffic lights on them often had another light located several hundred meters in front of the traffic signal that gave you an indication of whether you would "make the light" or not. It looked like a single traffic light/lens that displayed a speed (usually 70 kph, at least in my area) -- if it was green, it meant that as long as you were going 70 kph or faster, you would make the light. If red -- better start braking now. It was pretty handy.

Ok, now veering back to the thread a little bit:

Then he asked my to take it out and lay it on the seat "..for both our protection", which I did.

This is completely nuts on his part. He just gave you permission to draw your gun, giving him no reaction time if you turned out to actually want to harm him. If he didn't really think you were a threat, he should have just let you keep in in place, and if he did think you were a threat, he should have secured the gun himself (or more smarter, hold you in place until his back up arrived). I am glad he was nice to you, but he really needs to rethink his procedures.

Anyway, I am glad you got to go on your merry way without further incident.

[CompVest]

This is completely nuts on his part. He just gave you permission to draw your gun, giving him no reaction time if you turned out to actually want to harm him.

I thought that was less than smart on the LEO's part as well and then I thought he just wanted to see if you were carrying an interesting gun. Still not a smart way to find out but then not everyone is a "rocket scientist"!

[Crossfire]

Rex - I was recently stopped by Tarrant county sheriff on Westport Parkway, turning onto Schoolhouse Rd. Sounds like this is the general area you were in.

He said I didn't come to a complete stop. OK, maybe I did, maybe I didn't - it matters not. He really just wanted to do a meet and greet.

He asked if I was carrying. I said yes, told him what and where. He never tried to separate me from it. Guess I didn't appear to be as much of a threat to his safety as you! BTW, he was maybe, MAYBE all of 5 feet tall. Was this your guy too?

[chabouk]

I don't think I've ever seen a deputy make a traffic stop. They usually leave that for DPS and the PDs, while they're busy driving to West Bugtussle to investigate stolen farm equipment.

[Rex B]

Rex - I was recently stopped by Tarrant county sheriff on Westport Parkway, turning onto Schoolhouse Rd. Sounds like this is the general area you were in.

He said I didn't come to a complete stop. OK, maybe I did, maybe I didn't - it matters not. He really just wanted to do a meet and greet.

He asked if I was carrying. I said yes, told him what and where. He never tried to separate me from it. Guess I didn't appear to be as much of a threat to his safety as you! BTW, he was maybe, MAYBE all of 5 feet tall. Was this your guy too?

No, this guy was well over 6 feet, round baby-face, big smile.

[Rex B]

This is completely nuts on his part. He just gave you permission to draw your gun, giving him no reaction time if you turned out to actually want to harm him.

I thought that was less than smart on the LEO's part as well and then I thought he just wanted to see if you were carrying an interesting gun. Still not a smart way to find out but then not everyone is a "rocket scientist"!

Yeah, I was a bit leary of that. I turned to shield my gun from view of oncoming traffic, which also shielded his view. he did not say anything about that.
I don't think he was a gun guy. I was carrying a new Sig P238 and he did not comment on it.

[smyrna]

I don't think I've ever seen a deputy make a traffic stop. They usually leave that for DPS and the PDs, while they're busy driving to West Bugtussle to investigate stolen farm equipment.

For those who don't know where Bug Tussle is...
http://www.texastrifles.blogspot.com/20 ... duled.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ELB]

I don't think I've ever seen a deputy make a traffic stop. They usually leave that for DPS and the PDs, while they're busy driving to West Bugtussle to investigate stolen farm equipment.

For those who don't know where Bug Tussle is...
http://www.texastrifles.blogspot.com/20 ... duled.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hmmm. I always thought it was here: http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edited to add: Oh, I just realized Lawdog lives in Bugscuffle, not Bug Tussle...

[chabouk]

I don't think I've ever seen a deputy make a traffic stop. They usually leave that for DPS and the PDs, while they're busy driving to West Bugtussle to investigate stolen farm equipment.

For those who don't know where Bug Tussle is...
http://www.texastrifles.blogspot.com/20 ... duled.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LOL, I thought it was purely a mythical name. Sort of a cleaner version of "Middle of Nowhere, Egypt" (if you get the hint). I had friends in high school who lived in the Paris area, then Bonham, who claimed that Bug Tussle was just down the road, but I knew there were lots of places claiming to be the "real Bug Tussle, Texas", so I never took them seriously. According to that link, they were right!