Thread: Show law enforcement CWP when pulled over?

I was pulled over the other night for a license plate light out( busy labor day weekend), and after checking my info in his police car the officer asked if I had a weapon in the car. I have an oregon concealed weapon permit, and I told him yes. He informed me that it is proper etiquette to hand an officer your driver license and CWP when stopped. I have heard from some that this is the polite thing to do and from others that it is unnecessary because as soon as your drivers license is called in it comes up that you have a CWP. He was a very friendly officer and let me go as soon as he realized I was not drinking or making trouble.
I was just wondering what all of your opinions on the proper etiquette are, or if there are any enforcement officers(current or former) who could chime in on what makes them most comfortable.

There is an interesting article in the August/September issue of GUNS & AMMO HANDGUNS magazine on this very subject. Good reading for all concealed carry folks!

You don't have to show your CWP in OR or WA when pulled over, but it is not necessarily a bad call.

I've been pulled over several times in the last couple years (every time with a weapon in the car) and always hand my CWP to the officer with my drivers license. When they see it most ask if I have a weapon and I say 'yes' and tell them where it is. I have never been asked to step out of the car or anything, they usually just go back to their car like normal. Sometimes they even thank me for informing them.

One time on the side of the road with the WSP, the officer asked if I was a LEO or military. I told him neither and he gave me a little grief on why I don't need a weapon in my car, and promptly gave me a ticket. But most of the time they just appreciate it so if they happen to catch a glimpse of it they won't draw on you, or be overly cautious.

But in the end, you don't have to legally inform them.

I had a bad experience one time with informing the officer. I don't do it anymore, and things have went much smoother. I am polite, but do not give any info that isn't necessary. If he runs my license and asks me if I have a weapon, I will tell him what I have and where. Since I have started doing so, it is rare that they even bother to ask me.

WA doesn't require you to show it, but I thought Oregon did...

Regardless, with the few times I've been pulled over, I have always presented the appropriate state's permit and I've never gotten any grief.

Keith

Not required in Oregon and for me it is not asked, don't tell.

Some places like Portland the second you tell them it will get you out of your car, hand cuffed, and your weapon seized while they "verify" everything. It is easier to let them to find out after the fact when they run everything and decide if it is worth waisting the time or get on your way. If the officer is going to be an a-hole, it doesn't matter either way.

I never have had a problem when showing an officer my CHL. When I was asked for my DL and insurance info, I have also handed the officer my CHL. They look at it, thank me, and hand it back. No big deal. If I'm not mistaken, in Oregon, when they run your DL, it shows on their screen that you have a CHL. If you're hassled, it could be the that the officer has his own prejudiced about concealed carry, so no matter what you do, he'll hassle you. I figure, the more cooperative I am, the less grief I'll get. The guy, (or gal), just want to go home after their shift.

Originally Posted by keith66044

<snip> He informed me that it is proper etiquette to hand an officer your driver license and CWP when stopped. I have heard from some that this is the polite thing to do and from others that it is unnecessary because as soon as your drivers license is called in it comes up that you have a CWP. He was a very friendly officer and let me go as soon as he realized I was not drinking or making trouble.

While the officer may think it is proper etiquette, he is a Law Enforcement Officer not an Etiquette Enforcement Officer. The officer is wrong, it is an attempt to have you forfeit your rights voluntarily. Your 4th/5th amendment rights are just as important as your 2nd amendment right.

There is no law in either Oregon or Washington to notify an officer that you have a firearm in your car.

That being said, you may if you choose tell him you have a firearm in the car. You will not receive any benefit from notifying him. You may be temporarily disarmed. You can be polite without giving up your rights.

If he asks how fast you are going do you admit (guilty) to your speed? Personally I do not, I am polite, courteous and hand him my ID, registration and say nothing.

Originally Posted by XdM

You don't have to show your CWP in OR or WA when pulled over, but it is not necessarily a bad call.

I've been pulled over several times in the last couple years (every time with a weapon in the car) and always hand my CWP to the officer with my drivers license. When they see it most ask if I have a weapon and I say 'yes' and tell them where it is. I have never been asked to step out of the car or anything, they usually just go back to their car like normal. Sometimes they even thank me for informing them.

One time on the side of the road with the WSP, the officer asked if I was a LEO or military. I told him neither and he gave me a little grief on why I don't need a weapon in my car, and promptly gave me a ticket. But most of the time they just appreciate it so if they happen to catch a glimpse of it they won't draw on you, or be overly cautious.

But in the end, you don't have to legally inform them.

Again, it is your choice. You must of had a transplant WSP officer. Every single WSP I have ever met, either on the road or on the street are very versed in open carry, concealed carry and have no issues with civilians and guns. Officers generally give tickets based on how many warnings you have had recently, how far over the speed limit you were traveling and quota figures they may need to meet.

Originally Posted by Bam

Not required in Oregon and for me it is not asked, don't tell.
Some places like Portland the second you tell them it will get you out of your car, hand cuffed, and your weapon seized while they "verify" everything. It is easier to let them to find out after the fact when they run everything and decide if it is worth waisting the time or get on your way. If the officer is going to be an a-hole, it doesn't matter either way.

This has been my experience as well, I don't mention it in a traffic stop. I am not being pulled over for a weapons stop or anything else. I will not give them permission to enter my vehicle. And letting them know you have a firearm will give them permission under the court's authority of "officer safety".

While it is not required that you inform an officer I personally you suggest you look into supporting all of your rights and not allowing them to be given up voluntarily. Most people do give up their 4th/5th amendment rights voluntarily and that is a mistake.

If you haven't seen this video series on rights I suggest you familiarize yourself with them.

One of my good Buddys is a officer and I asked him the same question a few months back.

I will always give it to an officer unless I am obviously bin wrongly targeted. If I was in his shoes or you were wouldn't you want a civilian to do the same. These guys risk their lives day in and day out, and any traffic stop could be their last. It's a sick thought so any ease I can put on an officer is my pleasure. Belive me they are alot like us when it comes to our rights and guns. Most will be fighting gun bans and keeping our rights just as much as a civilian.

So in the effort to help out my local police dept I keep my licence and CCW together. I couldnt imagine the stress they have to handle.

I was pulled over a couple of years ago due to me not wearing a seatbelt (which was false, I was wearing it) but anyway I informed the WSP that I had a CPL and that I was carrying. He asked me to step out and face the car. He asked where it was at and I told him the small of my back. He disarmed me and took my glock back to his car and ran info on the gun and me. He came back to the car and thanked me for informing him and gave me my gun back. I still got the seatbelt ticket and later beat it in court. I wounder if I gave the officer reasoning to disarm me. In my opinion, (never been LE) but, if I had pulled someone over and they were upfront with me about being armed, I would feel better about that persons intentions rather than someone that didn't inform me and I find out during a search or something.... any thoughts on me being disarmed??? This officer looked young and probably not to many years on the job.

Originally Posted by Ragingpit

I was pulled over a couple of years ago due to me not wearing a seatbelt (which was false, I was wearing it) but anyway I informed the WSP that I had a CPL and that I was carrying. He asked me to step out and face the car. He asked where it was at and I told him the small of my back. He disarmed me and took my glock back to his car and ran info on the gun and me. He came back to the car and thanked me for informing him and gave me my gun back. I still got the seatbelt ticket and later beat it in court. I wounder if I gave the officer reasoning to disarm me. In my opinion, (never been LE) but, if I had pulled someone over and they were upfront with me about being armed, I would feel better about that persons intentions rather than someone that didn't inform me and I find out during a search or something.... any thoughts on me being disarmed??? This officer looked young and probably not to many years on the job.

If he ran your serial # on your firearm without your permission he violated your 4th amendment rights.

Last time I was pulled over, for a whopping 5mph over :/, I handing him my license, insurance card, and CPL. My CPL was on top of them all. He asked me if I had my firearm today and where it was. I was carrying my LCP so when I told him right front pocket I think I threw him for a loop. He said "pocket?" haha. He asked me to place it on the dash for the duration on the stop. I complied and had no issue. I waited until he got back in his cruiser, after the stop, before moving to grab it and put it back in my pocket. No issues whatever and he thanked me for letting him know.

Better to understand the flow of information on you. Your permit is known by all agencies and if one of them stops you and calls in your lic he will know you have a permit. However until you admit to carrying a gun haveing a permit means little in your paper trail.

When you admit to carrying you are "known to carry a weapon" and this will be recognized in your paper trail forever. Today this means little but for the future it may have some consequences. We shall see, won't we LOL LOL

jj

Originally Posted by Just Jim

Better to understand the flow of information on you. Your permit is known by all agencies and if one of them stops you and calls in your lic he will know you have a permit. However until you admit to carrying a gun haveing a permit means little in your paper trail.

When you admit to carrying you are "known to carry a weapon" and this will be recognized in your paper trail forever. Today this means little but for the future it may have some consequences. We shall see, won't we LOL LOL

jj

This is not completely true. Agency data bases are not all tied together. Many agencies run the plates to the registered owner. (And if you are not the registered owner but say his wife?) Often a criminal check of the registered owner comes back and that is all. To run a 2nd, 3rd or more query is rare, but is an increasing tool for LE. Yet still, not many run the 2nd or 3rd query on a legal activity (CPL, CHL). Why would they? It is legal.

I guess I should have been more specific and said Drivers lic but I assume common sense would prevail and people would know this. Sorry for the distraction LOL

jj

I tend to side with the idea that if it's just a traffic stop, your CHL is irrelevant. Unless I am forgetting some incident, I've been pulled over twice in the time I've had my CHL. I didn't bring up the fact, and in neither case did the officer ask or show any interest in me beyond the scope of the traffic stop. I figured if they knew, and didn't ask, then they didn't care. In both cases I was let off with a warning.

Originally Posted by Just Jim

Better to understand the flow of information on you. Your permit is known by all agencies and if one of them stops you and calls in your lic he will know you have a permit. However until you admit to carrying a gun haveing a permit means little in your paper trail.

When you admit to carrying you are "known to carry a weapon" and this will be recognized in your paper trail forever. Today this means little but for the future it may have some consequences. We shall see, won't we LOL LOL

jj

In Oregon, the fact that you have a CHL comes up when they run your DL on their MDT. It seems to me that having a CHL would kind of put you in that "known to carry weapon" category whether you were toting one that day or not. Then again, if you don't tell them you are carrying, they don't "know" for sure, unless they ask. Then aren't you in the same spot as if you had offered the information up front? Perhaps it's semantics, but but it seems that most LEO's would connect the dots.

Around here (Josephine County, OR), it is SOP for the LEO to run your license plate before contacting you, the guy they just pulled over. If the registered owner of the vehicle has a CWP, the LEO knows about it before he walks up to your window and says "Hi there". Not sure how they do it elsewhere.

When I get pulled over (it happens), I hand the officer my drivers license and CWP. I have not been asked if I have a weapon in the car, have never been hassled in any way or given a lecture about firearms. They do not bat-an-eye at the sight of the CWP.

What does make a difference, I believe, is a little common courtesy and being organized. Have your proof of insurance and registration together and handy, be polite, don't act nervous. If you appear anxious, unorganized and have not been up-front about your CWP, expect more than you want from the LEO.

Just my humble opinion.

Originally Posted by The Quiet Man

In Oregon, the fact that you have a CHL comes up when they run your DL on their MDT. It seems to me that having a CHL would kind of put you in that "known to carry weapon" category whether you were toting one that day or not. Then again, if you don't tell them you are carrying, they don't "know" for sure, unless they ask. Then aren't you in the same spot as if you had offered the information up front? Perhaps it's semantics, but but it seems that most LEO's would connect the dots.

Some people carry all the time Others just get a permit to carry during travel etc. Until you are proven to have a gun you are not for sure proven in court that you are known to carry one. Where does this lead? Well suppose your spouse wants to divorce and needs to hang you with a restraining order? The cops know you carry because it was documented.

Once the dots are connected, what can they do with it?

jj

It's simple really.

Senario: You get pulled over and the officer communicates to you what the infraction is and ask's for DL,insurace,Registration. He then returns to his/her crusier and runs your info and is told are valid with no wants or warrents.....and you have a CHL. Now the officer has to return on foot to your car knowing you might have a gun and I'm sure wondering why you didn't inform them in the first place. This hightens the situation a bit don't you think?

It's just my opinion but if you have nothing to hide then why not be upfront about it?