Carrying a firearm in your vehicle

Self-Defense Concealed Carry
23

He’s going to run my drivers license. The fact that I have a pistol permit will show up
Regardless, if I’m caring or not.

Do you blurt out your whole driving history or if you had any tickets or warnings or if there’s anything outstanding warrents for you?
Or that you had done some other traffic/criminal offense?
you know , it would be a courtesy if you do…

And even if you did They’ll still go back run your DL and find that information for themselves.

Remember, the Leo’s creed.
In God, we trust everyone else has a suspect.

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24

I believe that depends on the officer and the situation. In a “no duty to inform” state, and if the officer would not know otherwise, why even mention it? It could lead to more problems, depending on the disposition of the officer.

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25

LOL… or, as I prefer “pew pew stick” which sounds much friendlier J

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26

Yup, being on the other side of that badge makes a big difference. I typically roll down front and back windows, hang my left hand out and place my right hand on the steering wheel at the 11:00 or 12:00 position. The pew pew stick is useless and no threat without your hands. Being able to see your hands is a great stress reliever since the LEO has NO idea of what threat you possess… even if you have a bazooka sitting next to you.

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27

So, are you saying that people who have a permit to carry never are a threat to law enforcement? Ask a cop if they agree with you. Even legally carrying people have bad days and can go off the deep end.

When the LEO comes too your door, you are already being detained, whether you realize it or not. Don’t believe me? Drive away and see if they follow you.
Basically, you want the confrontation to be as low key and stress free as possible. If that means extending an olive branch to let the cop know you are carrying legally, it’s more of an advantage to be forthcoming than not.

Even though you may think/believe you are acting well within the law, you may not know why the cop stopped you. You may be under suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident, or a myriad of other offenses. Maybe the cop DOES NEED TO KNOW where you have been, or where you are going, or what you have on you. Are you going to give the officer a hard time because you know the laws better than they do, or are you going to comply, or in fact go out of your way to be even more accommodating to their questions?

The smart money is to do the latter. If you have a problem with the way they stopped you or the reason, take it up with their superiors, not on the scene.

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28

Rear window tinted out, rear side windows tinted out.
You don’t even need to have rear side windows or rear window.

I don’t understand the need for people who either just acquired their first gun or just started carrying , to tell everyone around them that they have a gun and they’re caring.
It must be pride?

All you need to do is keep your hands where the officer can see him and answer his questions. If you feel they are legal questions for him to ask or there pertinent/relevant to the stop.
You don’t have to answer all of his questions.
Then, if he starts going on about something, that’s not pertinent to the stop or the reason they stoped you, then just ask them if you’re being detained or if you’re free to go.

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29

Yes Sir Mr. Craig_AR. I prefer pew pew stick or cordless hole punch… LOL. As I mentioned to another responder here. Your hands are the threat. Make them visible and relaxed. The pew pew stick is useless without your hands. Knowing the laws of your state and those you travel through is also very necessary. I went through the CC class even though it wasn’t required of me because I’m a retired military (AF) cop. However, being on the other side of the badge changes the rules quite a bit.

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30

No, the cop can do all of the investigations he wants. You’re under no obligation to answer.
I have been pulled over before for this
LEO , sir your vehicle meets the description of blah blah blah vehicle that’s been used in some robberies.

So what?

You have the constitutional right to travel freely unencumbered by your government, do you understand that?

Meeting the description of another vehicle is not enough.
I did not tell them where I was coming from. I did not tell them what they were going for. I told him I had nothing to do with it.
He brings in four more squats. We sit there for another 30 minutes and then he lets me go.

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31

We’re not talking about “telling everyone around them they have a gun”, we’re talking about a cop or cops who deal with aholes on a daily basis, and who have a service weapon at the ready. Is it better to be on their good side, or is it not?

Maybe these people who find themselves in a traffic stop can use logic?

As someone in a previous reply says, you do you.

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32

We have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms, yet our rights are trampled on a daily basis. Do you understand that?

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33

So you’re cool being stoped and or frisked by law-enforcement for no reason?

Well, some of us do fight for our rights and some of us have the right to constitutional carry. It’s not my fault if you’re OK with your rights being continuously trampled on.
I take that back. I’m not OK with it. I’m not OK with anyone letting their rights be trampled on.

When I walk by a cop on the street or make small talk at the park I don’t tell the cop I’m caring a weapon.

Your weapon isn’t a threat to anyone until you put it in your hand. And you really shouldn’t go around threatening people with your weapon you could find yourself getting shot for that.

If the officer should ask if I have any weapons, guns, knives, explosives or nuclear weapons, I will answering him honestly, but I just don’t blurt things

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34

Of course I’m not okay with it, but that doesn’t make me blind to the fact that it happens every day.
The Constitution says I have a right to carry too, so why do I need a permit?
It’s that dammed reality.

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35

Certainly better to take it up with their superiors after a calm interaction than from a jail cell or worse, a hospital bed.

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36

Depends on your state’s laws. In Colorado, a handgun is not considered concealed when carried in a motor vehicle.

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37

I drive slow and don’t do stupid stuff so I don’t have much interaction with police. My wife is the same, but one time she let her speed get away from her in Georgia and got stopped. It was dark, and she was flustered, and she accidentally handed him her Florida concealed carry license (she was carrying at the time) instead of her driver’s license. He simply handed it back and said “this is your carry license ma’am, do you have your driver’s license?” He never asked anything about her firearm and that was that.

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38

Is it considered under cover? :person_shrugging:t2:

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39

Until he asks you to step out of the vehicle then it would be advised to inform them. They do not respond well to surprises!

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40

The relevant Colorado statute is

18-12-105. Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon - unlawful possession of weapons.*

(1) A person commits a class 1 misdemeanor if the person knowingly and unlawfully: …

(b) Carries a firearm concealed on or about his or her person …

(2) It is not an offense pursuant to this section if the defendant was:

(a) A person in his or her own dwelling or place of business or on property owned or under his or her control at the time of the act of carrying; or

(b) A person in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance who carries a weapon for lawful protection of such person’s or another’s person or property while traveling

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41

I was trying to be funny. It didn’t work. So it’s still concealed, it is just legal.

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42

That was a cool and professional reply by that officer.

I have heard several perspectives on this topic from never to always inform the officer.

Our Gun Laws and Reciprocity webpage/site lists what states mandate your duty to inform, and which don’t.

If it does not come up in the course of the stop as an issue, like you are not asked to get out and do a sobriety field test, or have your car searched for any reason it should not be a problem.

Prior to July 1, 2021 when TN adopted their version of Permitless “Constitutional” Carry in addition to their Carry Permits, they might not have asked. If you did have a TN carry permit they got that information in their system, when that run your registration tag or driver license it shows.

The TN Department of Safety issues both our Driver licenses and Handgun Carry Permits.

Since then, or it’s always been the officer’s discretion to ask: “Do you have any weapons in the car?”

It’s a concern of their’s but, I think that they are primarily interested in firearms for their own safety.

With our Permit-less Carry you only have to meet the same requirement criteria of not being a prohibited person to possess a firearm, besides of lawful age, lawfully present in the U.S. and a state resident, not be a criminal.

If you have a Carry Permit the presumption is that you passed a background check, and that deescalates their tension level a notch.

Otherwise, they have to wait for a reply on running their NCIC check if you are a wanted fugitive, or have a criminal record that prohibits your possession of a firearm, etc.

I have heard from a LEO that they prefer that you be upfront, and hand them your carry permit (if you have one) with your driver license, or inform the officer verbally, and if asked to simply state where it is, (on your person, or in your vehicle), while keeping your hands plainly visible, and still like on your steering wheel, and not make any sudden reaching movements.

As they are primarily connected about their own safety, as a lot of cops get killed at traffic stops.

If they don’t get any bad vibes off you, all should go well from there on.

Felons don’t usually readily admit having a
firearm, and often lie denying it until found in the course of the stop.

Whatever you do don’t loudly say: “I have a gun.” A partner not seen might shoot you, thinking that you are being threatening.

Keep the whole encounter relaxed and matter of fact casual, it should remain that way for the rest of the encounter.

Follow any directions, or commands respectfully.

Arrogant hostility only gets mirrored, and escalates the whole encounter.

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