I always learned that when you get pulled over for speeding or whatever, you keep your hands on the wheel until the officer comes over, then tell the officer whatever you are going to do. Ex “My license is in my purse, I’m going to get my license from my purse.” If I had a concealed weapon in my purse, or in the glove compartment, what would I do? I don’t think the officer would want to find out about it when it falls out, but saying “I have a gun” doesn’t sound good either.
“I have a concealed gun in the glove compartment and the permit in my purse.”
Need answer fast???
Isn’t it obvious? Don’t tell them you have a concealed firearm, then when you go to get your license, pull out the gun instead and show it to them. Try to do it quickly, so it’s like a funny surprise!!
Stupid.
No 
I thought of it the other day, asked some people, and haven’t been able to get an answer
this should have been covered in your concealed weapons course.
I don’t actually have a concealed weapon, and don’t plan on having one. I was just curious.
Some states, like Michigan, have a “duty to declare” written into their CCW law. So when I lived in Michigan, I was prepared to say something like “officer, I am licensed by the state of Michigan to carry a concealed weapon, and I am carrying a handgun at this time.” That’s the way they taught it in my class.
Then I moved to Wyoming, where there is no duty to declare. I was pulled over twice while armed; once as the driver and once as a passenger. It never became an issue.
The cops I know or have known generally say:
- They assume everyone is armed.
- They’re not worried about CCW holders, because they commit almost zero violent crimes.
Also, they generally know if you have a CCW license when they run your plates, if you’re driving your own car.
If you have the weapon in a place where it will be exposed when you go for your DL, like a purse or glove box, tell the officer before you reach in that area. If your state requires a license/permit to carry in a vehicle, also state if you have one.
Then wait for the officers response/directions before reaching in that area.
If the weapon is not in an area where it will be exposed, but your state requires you to inform an officer when you are armed, do the same as above.
If the weapon is not in an area where it will exposed during the stop, and your state does not require you to inform an officer when you are armed, then it is up to you if you wish to inform or not.
FYI, many officers, including myself, include the question in our verbal judo spiel:
"Good morning, I am Deputy Beitz with the County Sheriffs Office. The reason I pulled you over today is because I clocked you with radar going 92 miles per hour. The speed limit here is 65. Please show me your drivers license and insurance card. Do you have any weapons in the car? Any guns, knives, nuclear bombs?"
All that takes about 10 seconds, and sets up the question quite quickly. The person is set up to either answer truthfully or give me another charge to add on when I find out they’ve lied to me.
Yes to both
Where? Here in Wisconsin nothing is connected to the Concealed carry license database. And I can only run someones name through the CCL database if it has to do with carrying a concealed weapon. If I were to just randomly run someones name through it just because I was curious if they had a CCL (this includes on a traffic stop) I would be committing a crime.
The nice policeman would like to know if you have a gun on you or within reach. In some states, you are required to inform said policeman if you are packing. Check with your local CCW permit dispensing department!
Generally speaking, your first sentence upon addressing the NP - no matter what his question or comment - should be “Hi, I have a gun in the car.” and smile! Don’t worry about offering a permit, telling him where it is and so forth. Let him take it from there. He’s done this before, and he’ll have a procedure - or not - and go from there.
This does a couple of good things for him and you. First, it lets the NP know you’re a good egg, generally speaking. The bad guys typically withhold this little tidbit of information. It immediately tells the NP that you have nothing to hide, and are the cooperating type of person he likes to deal with. It also gives him the choice of how to proceed with your visit. Some departments require him to take the weapon and secure it during the stop. Some don’t. Your Grandma may get a pass where Cheech & Chong wouldn’t. It is what it is.
Virtually every time I’ve been pulled over and told the cop I’m armed, they say “Good. Thanks. May I see your license and insurance.” and ignore the weapon.
Different cops use this information differently, and they may do nothing, but it’s good to give them the option, instead of you reaching for your purse at the moment he spots your gun on the seat by your purse!
Last year I was stopped by an Atlanta officer to tell me my brake light was out.
I told him I had a gun in the car, and he asked where. I replied “My front right pocket.” and he asked me to hand it to him slowly. Frankly I got a little pissed, because my wife and I are dressed in business attire, in a Mercedes, in an affluent part of town, not some punks in a Ricer rolling pot smoke out the window and running red lights. Call it profiling if you like, but there is most certainly a difference in the demographics in this comparison.
However, I’m all about officer safety, and if this is what he wants to feel comfortable, I’m not about to argue the point. I handed him my P32, and he asked if there were any more guns in the car. I told him there was another in a safe under the back seat. He wanted that one as well! Really? I know Bonnie and Clyde were snappy dressers like us, but I don’t recall them offering up gun-totin’ info whenever **they **got pulled over! Anyway, I showed him the safe, which he thought was cool because it’s biometric, gave up another pistol, and sat down to wait.
He brought my guns back to me in a fucking shoebox in pieces. The mags were emptied of their shells, and both pistols field-stripped, and all the parts rolling around. I asked him if he did this with everyone’s guns, and he replied “Yep.” and went his way.
I never checked to see if it was a new APD policy I was unaware of, or if I just ran over this guy’s dog a while back. I figure the man’s got a right to some measure of safety, and I’m perfectly willing to give it to him. Anyway, [del]Annie Oakley[/del] my wife had both guns assembled and loaded by the time we got back into traffic, so we didn’t suffer too much downtime!
I have a Pennsylvania license to carry firearms, which means that (among other things) I am permitted to carry a concealed and loaded weapon in a vehicle. If I am pulled over for any reason, I am required to immediately inform the officer that I have both the weapon and the license for it. This is explained in the rules and regulations that you are given as part of the process of obtaining the license.
I found myself in this position once.
I was transporting one weapon on behalf of someone else and also, on top of that, had a sizable sheathed dagger from a historical re-enactment (which had been used the following day as a tool for cutting ropes) in the map pocket of my driver’s door. I was stopped at night–I don’t even remember where or what for. As the policeman (one of two) approached the car, I remembered what I had, froze, and when he got to my rolled-down window and asked for license and registration, I calmly and firmly stated:
“No. Not yet. I need to inform you that there are two concealed weapons in this car. There is a sheathed dagger in the map pocket of this driver’s door. I am NOT taking my hands from the steering wheel until you open the door and remove the dagger and secure it. Furthermore, there is a vintage, unloaded revolver in a locked gun box in the back seat. Now, open my door, take the knife and secure it, then I’ll reach for the license and registration.” They were startled for a second at the disruption to the “routine,” but did it, taking the dagger out and placing it on the far corner trunk, then closed the door. “Now, I’ll get my license out of my wallet, and the registration out of the glove compartment; there are no weapons in the glove box…” In effect, I accorded them the respect I would have had there been several guns pointed at me. Their attitude was on the order of “Ohhhhhh-kaaay, ummm… let’s do this…”
As I recall, they didn’t even bother to cite me for speeding or whatever. Nor did they search the car, nor did I even have to deal with the gun box, which was buried under clutter in the back seat where I couldn’t get at it. For all I know, they only wanted to see if there was alcohol on my breath. But they did lecture me a bit about “You know that was a concealed weapon, and we could have charged you…” I said “Yep, I know, I just plumb forgot I stuck it in there to get it out of my way.” (Yes, I did get it back.)
Note: I am/was a middle-aged white male, and this incident happened before people got paranoid about terrorism. It also happened in a rural “red-state” area, nowhere near any high-crime, drug-infested/running, or Mexican-border areas, and my accent can occasionally get me pegged as a Brit. And we know how “British accents make people look smarter.” If you and three of your “homies” wearing gang colors, backwards oversized baseball caps, exposed undershorts, etc. try this in an inner city, they’re likely going to call for lots of backup, have you walk backwards toward the sound of their voices while holding your hands to your head/up, etc.
Some of this is indeed local attitude. But your best course of action, assuming that you are not dealing with knowingly “rogue cops” or corrupt forces, is to be forthright and upfront from the first word uttered. If the cops are the type willing to use sleight of hand to plant drugs in your car in order to confiscate your shiny ride(don’t think this hasn’t happened), you’re pretty well screwed no matter what you do unless you are adept at the local bribery customs. Honest cops will appreciate you being deferential and “submissive” so they know what they’re dealing with.
Great timing on your question. I was pulled over last weekend by the Florida Highway Patrol. There is no duty to declare in Florida, and I don’t offer the information out of the blue. However, as I was pulling out my driver’s license from my wallet, the trooper noticed my CCW. He asked me if I had a weapon with and then asked where it was. I told him I that I had it and that it was on me.
Some cops have not even bothered doing anything at that point. Usually, they just take the CCW and my driver’s license and go back to their car. But it must be the Florida Highway Patrol’s policy to take possession of the weapon. Because every time they stop me, they take the gun off me.
When I told him I had the gun, he had me step out of the car and place my hands on the trunk. I thought he was going to end up shooting me in the ass as he finger-fucked the pistol out of the holster. It’s only a level 1 retention holster with no straps, buttons, levers or anything. After fumbling with it long enough, he asks “How do I get it out?”
“Just pull…”
So he takes the pistol and then tells me to go back inside the car. Sometime later he comes back with my pistol unloaded, and a ticket for speeding. Ironically, as he handed me the pistol, I loaded the magazine and chambered a round with him standing right there next to me. You’d think this wouldn’t be the safest way for them to operate?
He gave me a reduced fine on the ticket though, 9mph over instead of 18. $132!
This guy I know was arrested twice while carrying a concealed firearm. Both times he told them immediately that he had it. Well, immediately after the cuffs came out. One time they let someone else take possession of it, and the other time they impounded it. He had to go the next day and get it out of impound. They were silly offenses with irrational officers. Beat the rap, but not the ride.
(my bold)
Why do you guys always throw in a obviously ridiculous option at the end? If it’s not “nuclear bombs”, it’s “bazookas” or “rocket-launchers”. It’s such a common thing, there must be a tactical reason behind it.
Everything I’ve seen online says Pennsylvania is not a mandatory inform state.
It makes it seem whimsical and less like an interrogation. This relaxes the subject and, in my experience, relaxed subjects tend to be more truthful.
Actually, you are not required to inform the officer, though it would certainly be in your best interest to do so if he asks you to get out of the car. Keep your hands visible, inform the officer you have a CCW license, and let him take care of the rest. Otherwise, you do not have a duty to inform.
My understanding of this tactic is that if the subject doesn’t chuckle or at least crack a smile, the offer is likely to suspect that the subject has something or other in the car that he doesn’t want the officer to see.