Positive Interaction During Traffic Stop

[Roadie]

mfrogert,

After reading your post I am curious about a few things. It seems that you were very concerned about the possible interaction with law enforcement because you were in possession of a firearm. I question why you were anxious about what might occur. Quite frankly, your statement you were thankful you didn't get shot nor the gun confiscated puzzles me. What would cause you to even think you might get shot or the gun confiscated ? Is that mindset the result of posts on INGO relating to negative interaction with law enforcement ?

If I felt that a simple traffic stop for speeding might end up in a firefight with a police officer I might have to rethink the whole "carry" activity. Not trying to criticize, just offering an observation.

It's not a negative mindset in and off itself, in most case. Rather, it is a reaction to actual incidents.
There are a few negative LEO interaction stories out there, just on INGO alone. Guns HAVE been confiscated, citizens pulled out of their vehicles, etc.
However, thanks in part to the efforts of some of INGO's own LEOs, some clarification on how to handle Licensed Gun Owners have been passed down to IMPD, and it seems that the negative posts seem to have gone down(from at least those in the IMPD area).

 

[sharpetop]

I call in drivers licenses daily and don't get told of LTCH's by my dispatch.

Maybe it's optional for different jurisdictions, but I know for a fact that our local dispatch advises of a 10-32 license when the officers call in. Check with your dispatch and see if the info is available on a 10-27 check.

 

[TTravis]

I didn't say anything about being armed or LTCH the last time I was pulled over. The subject never came up.
Maybe he knew, maybe he didn't. I really did not care.

 

[GlockRock]

Maybe it's optional for different jurisdictions, but I know for a fact that our local dispatch advises of a 10-32 license when the officers call in. Check with your dispatch and see if the info is available on a 10-27 check.

I'm not disputing rather it's available or not. I know there is a way to check to see if someone has a LTCH through IDACS, however I don't believe it's on regular BMV drivers license inquiries. I'm not a dispatcher so I don't know which function they have to use to see if someone has one or not. My point was that not every officer will find out when we get the return. I've run hundreds of people and can count on one hand the times I've been told if the person has a LTCH. Never once have I asked for that information.
We don't keep a database of LTCH holders in our county either.

 

[HICKMAN]

I don't know how many times I hear people say or post online that "whenever a cop runs your license, it pops up on their computer".

 

[kaveman]

I don't understand why you wouldn't want to hand over your "I am not a felon" card during a traffic stop. Maybe it's not required, but what is it going to hurt? If I were LE I would assume everyone I interacted with was armed at all times and I don't believe I could look at a presented LTCH as anything but positive.

There are four possible scenarios as I see it,.......

1) Cop comes to your car and doesn't know. You don't tell him. OK, he doesn't know. He's more or less OK with that.

2) Cop comes to your car and doesn't know. You do tell him. He's got to be happy that you volunteered that info. Bad guys usually don't,........you must not be one of those.

3) Cop comes to your car and does know. You do tell him. You haven't lied to him or concealed information he might like to know. Again, he's got to be happy that you volunteered that info. Bad guys don't,........you must not be one of those.

4) Cop comes to your car and does know. You don't tell him. You just failed the first question on the "Good Guy Quiz". More questions will follow,.....you can count on that.

If cops keep a running tabulation of traffic stops I'll bet the column headed "Stops that went LOUD after presentation of LTCH" is pretty short.

 

[MadMan66]

Is not consenting to a search failing the "Good Guy Quiz" too? After all, a good guy has nothing to hide. There are too many LEO that would rather be the only one armed during an encounter, and I don't like the idea of having my firearm taken during a traffic stop and returned back to me field stripped. Will it happen? Probably not. Has it happened to others? Yes.

 

[KellyinAvon]

It is good to hear about a positive interaction between LEOs and gun owners. I know IMPD is well represented here and would rather read about good things than "drunk cops beat the crap out of some other drunk". Hey, I'll bring up the bad (although that guy probably deserved to get beat), but also give props when props are due.

 

[KittySlayer]

...please don't let this traffic stop take hours, please don't let me get shot...

This is probably the same thing the officer was thinking when he pulled you over.

I am so glad I have a job where I don't have to think my morning good bye kiss to my wife may be the very last time I touch her lips. Thanks to the good guys for your service.

 

[kaveman]

Is not consenting to a search failing the "Good Guy Quiz" too? After all, a good guy has nothing to hide. There are too many LEO that would rather be the only one armed during an encounter, and I don't like the idea of having my firearm taken during a traffic stop and returned back to me field stripped. Will it happen? Probably not. Has it happened to others? Yes.

I guess everyone gets to draw the line where they're comfortable. Consent to a search? Nope,....not gonna happen.

If I get pulled over I'm happy to hand over my DL, POI, registration and LTCH. That's me making my best effort to get along. Over and above what's required maybe, but I'm an over and above type of guy. If you want my piece during the stop,.............sure, I don't care. Whatever makes you happy, but fwiw we're bumping up against a line now. Either we start getting along like pals here or we don't. I can go either way moving forward. From this point the only thing I can't do is shoot you, but I wasn't going to do that anyway.

 

[femurphy77]

I've only been pulled over once since I started carrying this year i put my hands on the steering well and told the officer have a license to carry a firearm and I told him where it was the only reason why I do is because its visible when standing at the driver side window told the officer told him where it was he said yes it is I said if you wanted I could step out of the vehicle so he could feel safer he said thats fine hey remind drivers license and my permit tell me my plates are expired and let me go

Never Get out of the boat - YouTube

My own personal score for inform/don't inform is once I did and he didn't even ask if I was licensed, once I didn't and it never came up.

YMMV

 

[Cameramonkey]

Personally, unless I have to reach past it to get to what he wants (eg its in the glove box on top of my registration) my baconhole stays shut. Luckilly I've only informed several times, and only had mine put in the trunk during a stop once, and I'm not complaining one bit given the discretion the officer yielded me overall in the stop. (pulled the "officer safety" bit but failed to haul me off for several (BS) charges he could have hung around my neck... only a verbal warning/dont do it again speech.)

This is probably the same thing the officer was thinking when he pulled you over.

I am so glad I have a job where I don't have to think my morning good bye kiss to my wife may be the very last time I touch her lips. Thanks to the good guys for your service.

No doubt. I cant imagine what spouses and others go through. I recall when the officer in Merrillville was shot recently and I heard the first name, I literally froze because I believe he shares the same first name with an active LEO INGOer. It wasnt until I heard it wasnt an IMPD officer that I breathed a sigh of relief.

 

[Mark 1911]

I would never mention it unless I thought it necessary to do so to avoid alarming the officer, or in a state where notification is required by law.

 

[Roadie]

I guess everyone gets to draw the line where they're comfortable. Consent to a search? Nope,....not gonna happen.

If I get pulled over I'm happy to hand over my DL, POI, registration and LTCH. That's me making my best effort to get along. Over and above what's required maybe, but I'm an over and above type of guy. If you want my piece during the stop,.............sure, I don't care. Whatever makes you happy, but fwiw we're bumping up against a line now. Either we start getting along like pals here or we don't. I can go either way moving forward. From this point the only thing I can't do is shoot you, but I wasn't going to do that anyway.

I don't know about you, but I am under the impression the safest gun, is the one not being coon fingered.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Ok, I searched and couldn't find anything. Now I'm curious as I frequently visit Jasper. What is that a reference to?

It's not an INGO joke, just a family related thing. Lots of family have been pulled over in Jasper for going 5mph over the speed limit. I'm not sure if it's a family curse or not, but I always go "needle on the line" through Jasper.

 

[xdmdude]

Glad to hear of the positive interaction. I have not been so lucky with the informing the Leo when not required. I live in Southport and when I was new to carry I was pulled over and informed the officer. It was night time and raining but that did not stop the officer from asking me to step out of the vehicle to remove my gun. Then wet I got to stand there while he ran my stuff. Then brought me back a pile of parts and empty mag. I reloaded the mag while I was driving away. I was luckier the 2nd time as the gun was just put in the trunk. Lesson learned after 2 times of being disarmed at a traffic stop to keep my mouth shut about my gun unless there's a reason to inform.

 

[spankys56]

I have heard of police having guns out and ready due to the fact that they already know the owner of the plate on the car has a LTCH.

 

[GlockRock]

I have heard of police having guns out and ready due to the fact that they already know the owner of the plate on the car has a LTCH.

Where have you heard of this happening?

 

[spankys56]

Near ridge rd on I65. officer had his gun in the ready and his first question was do you have your gun. They run your plate and they know if you have a LTCH. The officer did not make a big deal about it but if they run your plate they know.

 

[jumpjet]

I think it may depend on the procedures of the different jurisdictions. I know that as a SOP, our local PD is informed of LTCH when they run your info.