Stopping an armed individual

[point blank]

Hey guys, happy new year by the way. When I took the class to get the concealed weapon license (FL), the instructor told me when ever, if ever, get stopped while carrying to stick both my hand out the window and notify the officer about the weapon and ask the officer for his safety what does he want me to do. I have never been stopped since I started carrying so I wonder:

1. How do you handle licensed armed individuals?
2. If they don't tell you they're armed until you ask, how do you handle it? and is there any consequence of not telling the officer until he asks?

If more details are required for you to make a better reply please ask, and thank you for your responses in advance!

[phantasm]

I assume everyone is armed at all times and wants to kill me.

[TX-LEO]

This has been covered extensively over and over in this forum. A search will reveal this for you so we don't have to re-hash it.

[point blank]

Phantasm assumptions can end your career, and for the played out thread I am sorry for wasting your time. Mods can close it whenever they chose to. thanks for your responses anyways.

[Creeker]

Phantasm assumptions can end your career, ....

Well then we can assume that you have a career as a Weatherman, since you can be so certain of everything.

[CTUCop]

Phantasm assumptions can end your career....

:rolleyes:

Any officer that isn't concerned about the possible threat of violence when they approach someone oftentimes end up disabled or dead. If an officer stops you, he/she probably doesn't know you from Adam. You are potentially a threat until the officer deems otherwise. You may not like that concept, but most officers reserve the right to go home safe and they try to act in a manner that helps them do so.

But, I'll still answer your question even though I think you were a bit rude. I wholehearted embrace the Community Oriented Policing model and believe I should help educate the public. :D

Standard rules for anyone stopped:

What should I do if a police officer pulls me over?

Remain as calm as possible, and pull over to the side of the road as quickly and safely as you can.

Roll down your window, but stay in the car -- don't get out unless the officer directs you to do so.

It's a good idea to turn on the interior light, turn off the engine, put your keys on the dash and place your hands on top of the steering wheel.

In short, make yourself visible and do nothing that can be mistaken for a dangerous move. For example, don't reach for a purse or backpack or open the glove box unless you've asked the officer's permission, even if you are just looking for your license and registration card. The officer may think you're reaching for a weapon.


CTUCOP’s personal view on rules that a person who has a gun should follow:

Follow the above suggestions and insert the following rules where appropriate:

Tell me you have one (mandatory in some states anyway) and hand me your permit with your license. It helps me stay a bit more relaxed. It’ll definitely help you stay more relaxed should your coat ride up and expose your handgun if I already know you have one. If you didn't tell me and I see it, I'm liable to end up with earwax on the muzzle of my handgun.

Don’t touch your gun. Definitely keep your hands away from the gun!

Follow my instructions.

If you are in legal possession of said gun and the stop wasn't due to a violation that involves the gun, the gun isn't an issue.


Should you follow those suggestions, you and I will have a relatively friendly encounter. It’ll probably be a brief one. I’ll do what I have to do and you’ll be on your way…. providing you aren’t getting arrested of course.

[pac201]

what CTUcop said...all of it, even the part about being rude.

[Roger Dat]

Phantasm assumptions can end your career, and for the played out thread I am sorry for wasting your time. Mods can close it whenever they chose to. thanks for your responses anyways.

And the award for talking out your *** about something you know nothing about goes to..............................

[Switchback]

Point Blank,

You haven't a clue. That is not something to fault you for. However, arrogant ignorance IS something to fault you for. Not only do you NOT know what you are talking about, you proceed to tell someone who does that he is doing it wrong.

Let me help you with something. If you see a post by someone, and then you let your eyes drift a bit to the right.... there may be a tag that says "Verified LEO". If there is such a tag, that means that they really ARE an LEO. You, obviously, are not... so YOU have little to no ground to stand on in knowing what makes a career in LE and what does not (well, I would say you may have a grasp on the latter).

You see, Point Blank, while you have a cool username, you are what we refer to as "sheep". You can go around and graze, completely oblivious to the wolves that continually circle you. You have that opportunity because of us sheepdogs. We hold the wolves at bay. So, don't go telling a sheepdog that he's doing it wrong when you have seen little more than the grass on which your grazing and the *** of the sheep in front of you.

[chewy]

What, so now YOU know everything Switch? Just because you're OLD doesn't mean you know everything. If ever you want to stop kicking doors and doing SWAT work and leave being a Criminal Investigator and learn what REAL police work is like you call me... I'll bring you to the border where you can work as a CBP Officer. It's not until you've sat on your butt for years asking stupid questions to even stupider people and being encouraged by your bosses to do nothing that you realize how hard it is to be a REAL cop!! You know the saying... "your either SWAT or ... you actually work for a living" :D


Hehehehehe... you know I want to be you. In fact, I want to be you so much I started kicking the door open at work instead of just pushing it... just to get the feeling back!! :p


I have to agree with point blank... phantasm, rather than being alert and prepared by the assumtion that everyone is out to harm him, should approach every traffic stop as if everyone were his friend... because that couldn't POSSIBLY go badly :rolleyes:

point blank your a tool... and not the useful kind like a hammer!

[point blank]

Okay I understand everyone, my apologies! Thanks for your responses.