Concealed Carry Traffic Stop

[jcole123]

I’ve seen people say that if pulled over while legally concealed carrying a firearm that you should always let the officer know, and I’ve also seen people say the opposite. I have my carry permit, I just want to know the right way to go about it incase I’m ever stopped while carrying.

 

[Tryin']

Not required to inform in Indiana.

Most cops don't care either way. It can be a little icebreaker with a cool cop, or it can get you disarmed by an uneducated one.

I DO recommend informing if your firearm is suddenly going to come into view. Say you are traveling with one in the glovebox and that's what you need to open to get your registration. Or maybe you have to reach past and expose your pistol holster to get your wallet.

Do, don't, it doesn't matter until it does.

 

[indyjohn]

If you get invited to step out of your car, I would say something like "I keep my firearm in x location". Because really, if you get asked to get out, you've got bigger problems at hand.

For the record, I haven't been pulled over in decades. Just don't do stupid $h1t in you vehicle and you're good to go.

 

[Expat]

I always heard PoPo likes us to tell. So I plan to yell gun and wave it out the window so the officer is aware.

 

[wtburnette]

Use Handgunlaw.us or take a class in Indiana gun laws and make your own informed decision.

 

[bobzilla]

And there’s no need for a license (we don’t have a permit in Indiana) since July 1 last year

 

[BJHay]

As long as the firearm isn't going to be visible I don't say anything.
Regardless of whether I'm carrying I always keep my hands on the steering wheel and avoid rummaging around for anything. I might get my wallet out and put it on the dashboard before the officers comes to the car.

There was a patrol officer in a firearms class I took in Lebanon. He was asked to say a few words about traffic stops. I thought it was interesting that in his opinion people who keep their hands on the wheel are almost always legal gun owners that are carrying. It must not be just me that does this.

 

[chipbennett]

It's been a long time since I've been pulled over - since well-before I even owned a handgun. (I was still in college.) So, I've not actually been in this situation.

How I think I'd handle it:

1. Get out license, registration, and insurance before cop approaches
2. Turn on dome light, if dark
3. Place hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel and wait for cop to approach
4. Be friendly and cooperative, but offer nothing not explicitly required by the cop, and don't get chatty
5. Realize that the cop will already know I have an LTCH (either from license plate or DL check)
6. If cop asks if I'm carrying, be truthful. Avoid use of "gun" or similar. (E.g. "Yes, sir. I am carrying. My holster is X.")
7. Follow officer instructions if/when given.
8. Get internally annoyed/frustrated, if asked to get out of car, disarm, etc. - but save any reaction for later call to Guy or perhaps social media ranting.
9. Allow the traffic stop to be ended, put my firearm back together/back in place, and go about my day

Personally, I think it is a violation of civil rights to be disarmed without RAS of presenting a danger to the officer, just as it is a violation of civil rights to be told to exit the vehicle as part of a temporary detention for a traffic violation. But thus far, the courts have disagreed with my view, and the time to express grievance is not on the side of the road during the traffic stop. So, I would do my best to ensure the traffic stop ends as quickly and as amicably as possible.

 

[wtburnette]

I was pulled over about 6 years ago. I did most of the above (aside from the dome light as it was daytime). Officer asked if we had weapons in the car and both my wife and I said we did (this was prior to understanding we didn't have the duty to inform). He asked where and we both said on our hip. He said just make sure they stay there and we went about the rest of the traffic stop as normal. No muss, no fuss.

Today, I'm not sure if I would have answered yes or not, but both my wife and I were open carrying at the time and both guns were possibly visible to the officer, so I though it best to avoid any hassle by being truthful. If I were concealing, as I normally do, I likely wouldn't have said yes.

 

[chipbennett]

It's been a long time since I've been pulled over - since well-before I even owned a handgun. (I was still in college.) So, I've not actually been in this situation.

How I think I'd handle it:

1. Get out license, registration, and insurance before cop approaches
2. Turn on dome light, if dark
3. Place hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel and wait for cop to approach
4. Be friendly and cooperative, but offer nothing not explicitly required by the cop, and don't get chatty
5. Realize that the cop will already know I have an LTCH (either from license plate or DL check)
6. If cop asks if I'm carrying, be truthful. Avoid use of "gun" or similar. (E.g. "Yes, sir. I am carrying. My holster is X.")
7. Follow officer instructions if/when given.
8. Get internally annoyed/frustrated, if asked to get out of car, disarm, etc. - but save any reaction for later call to Guy or perhaps social media ranting.
9. Allow the traffic stop to be ended, put my firearm back together/back in place, and go about my day

Personally, I think it is a violation of civil rights to be disarmed without RAS of presenting a danger to the officer, just as it is a violation of civil rights to be told to exit the vehicle as part of a temporary detention for a traffic violation. But thus far, the courts have disagreed with my view, and the time to express grievance is not on the side of the road during the traffic stop. So, I would do my best to ensure the traffic stop ends as quickly and as amicably as possible.

Oh, I forgot about one. It was only a couple years after college, and it was a complete ******** stop (that I fought/beat in court). Still, all of the above remains true.

 

[chipbennett]

I was pulled over about 6 years ago. I did most of the above (aside from the dome light as it was daytime). Officer asked if we had weapons in the car and both my wife and I said we did (this was prior to understanding we didn't have the duty to inform). He asked where and we both said on our hip. He said just make sure they stay there and we went about the rest of the traffic stop as normal. No muss, no fuss.

Today, I'm not sure if I would have answered yes or not, but both my wife and I were open carrying at the time and both guns were possibly visible to the officer, so I though it best to avoid any hassle by being truthful. If I were concealing, as I normally do, I likely wouldn't have said yes.

I'm not sure how I'd handle that. I've thought of using the approach of responding, "Sorry, officer, but I'm not answering anything unrelated to the reason for your stop." But that might only serve to agitate the officer, and prompt an escalation, especially if in response to "Are you armed?" or "Are there any weapons in the vehicle?"

I think where I am currently is that I wouldn't volunteer the information, but would be truthful if responding to an explicit question from the officer. Anything else would be less-likely to lead to my desired outcome. A coy response (such as mine above) would likely cause the officer to assume that I am armed/have weapons. A lie (while, as far as I know, not unlawful) would likely cause an escalation if discovered.

 

[Expat]

I'm not sure how I'd handle that. I've thought of using the approach of responding, "Sorry, officer, but I'm not answering anything unrelated to the reason for your stop." But that might only serve to agitate the officer, and prompt an escalation, especially if in response to "Are you armed?" or "Are there any weapons in the vehicle?"

I think where I am currently is that I wouldn't volunteer the information, but would be truthful if responding to an explicit question from the officer. Anything else would be less-likely to lead to my desired outcome. A coy response (such as mine above) would likely cause the officer to assume that I am armed/have weapons. A lie (while, as far as I know, not unlawful) would likely cause an escalation if discovered.

I saw on some video the citizen responding with "I am carrying nothing illegal" or something akin to that. The officer didnt react, so...

 

[Jaybird1980]

I'm a sovereign citizen not subject to federal or state laws!

Am I being detained!

Edit: that should have been in all caps.

 

[wtburnette]

I'm a sovereign citizen not subject to federal or state laws!

Am I being detained!

Edit: that should have been in all caps.

and purple...

 

[Jaybird1980]

and purple...

Purple is for wimps

 

[indyjohn]

but both my wife and I were open carrying at the time and both guns were possibly visible to the officer, so I though it best to avoid any hassle by being truthful.

I did not realize your wife was so cool...

 

[wtburnette]

I did not realize your wife was so cool...

She's my ex now, so not that cool...

 

[grillak]

I always heard PoPo likes us to tell. So I plan to yell gun and wave it out the window so the officer is aware.

follow it up with "you'll never take me alive! and...i've been smoking pcp!"

make sure you're streaming on facebook live

 

[jcole123]

And there’s no need for a license (we don’t have a permit in Indiana) since July 1 last year

Yeah I actually signed up for my license and completed all of the steps right as they announced going to Constitutional Carry. I frequent Kentucky, where I hunt and camp so it allows me to also carry there.

 

[Lpherr]

I was stopped in Ft. Wayne several years ago.
The officer never asked, and I never mentioned.
No ticket, no hassle.


I'm still looking for my wallet though.