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IJ1981
Member
÷and
You are correct!
Duty to Inform the LEO if Carrying on Official Contact
- Thread starter IJ1981
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IJ1981
Member
True. Constitutional Carry did away with the onerous law in Ohio. Congratulations!
AlexanderA
Member
In Virginia, patrol officers have access to the data base of carry-permit holders. Upon a traffic stop, when an officer runs your plate, he would know if you were licensed to carry. At that point, his logical presumption would be that you are most likely carrying. There's no affirmative duty to tell him you are carrying. (He already knows.) But it might be smart to tell him if you are not carrying.
No obligation to disclose in SD, but wise for the LEO to suspect that there is a gun in the car, and wise for me to keep hands easily visible and avoid quick movements or noncompliance. I do have a carry permit and will be courteous and respectful.
herrwalther
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When Alabama went to permit less carry, they added a duty to inform provision. The problem is, the media outlets have both reported that discosure must happen when asked and immediately upon contact with law enforcement. I will have to look up the actual meat of the law and ask a few police officers I still trust which one it is. As immediately and when asked, contradict each other.
Ks5shooter
Contributing Member
I believe it should be the LEO to decide whether to ask,Then I would answer honestly.In NJ its mandatory to tell LEO immediately.
dobedo
Member
In MD there is no requirement to do so and in other states there is. Best to know laws in each state you carry to keep out of trouble.
I think our LEOs will all say that they assume everyone is armed, but that they appreciate being told.
As to whether the law requires it or no, what good would it do? Criminals won't likely admit it and they're the threat.
As to whether the law requires it or no, what good would it do? Criminals won't likely admit it and they're the threat.
What are we trying to accomplish with such notification?
Gary Slider
Member
Handgunlaw.us has a page that lists the states that by law require you to inform first thing an officer on official contact.
People here are correct don't rely on a third party website to give you the correct information. That is why Handgunlaw.us has a document for each state and listed on that states page are links to official websites for that state concerning their Firearm Laws that a person needs to know especiallly when traveling. That states page also lists many of those laws with links directly to the statutes of that state so you can read the laws for yourself.
I have been doing this since 1995 when info was hard to come by on the web and most states didn't allow carry. I have been carrying a firearm legally for over 35 years now and travel across the USA. What I list on each states page is information I wanted when I traveled. Again you have to verify anything you read on any website. I will also add many Attorney Generals info sites also state one way or the other that what the have listed should not to be taken as legal advice!!!!!!
People here are correct don't rely on a third party website to give you the correct information. That is why Handgunlaw.us has a document for each state and listed on that states page are links to official websites for that state concerning their Firearm Laws that a person needs to know especiallly when traveling. That states page also lists many of those laws with links directly to the statutes of that state so you can read the laws for yourself.
I have been doing this since 1995 when info was hard to come by on the web and most states didn't allow carry. I have been carrying a firearm legally for over 35 years now and travel across the USA. What I list on each states page is information I wanted when I traveled. Again you have to verify anything you read on any website. I will also add many Attorney Generals info sites also state one way or the other that what the have listed should not to be taken as legal advice!!!!!!
trackskippy
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The problem with all these silly laws (rules really, as they are normally not Constitutionally legal in the first place) is, the only people who obey them, are the people they want to control in the first place (ie, the whipped masses). They know damn well, the problem people wont, and they are not the target of the laws. 
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IJ1981
Member
c
Thank you, Gary, for almost 30 years of great work, keeping us informed.
DukeConnor
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What is a Official Contract ?
Carl N. Brown
Member
Duty to inform was required in Tennessee until the police decided legal carriers were not a problem and asked it no longer be required.
If police run my Tennessee tag number, they get back the TDL number and THCP carry permit number of the registered owner of the car tag.
If police run my Tennessee tag number, they get back the TDL number and THCP carry permit number of the registered owner of the car tag.
Official contact. If the police have any reason to speak to you.
jmorris
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It’s been awhile since I have been pulled over but I always have my drivers license, CHL and proof of insurance, hanging outside the window in one hand and other hand on the steering wheel.
Around here presentation of a CHL seems to reduce the chance of a citation being issued. Probably opposite in some places I read about though.
Around here presentation of a CHL seems to reduce the chance of a citation being issued. Probably opposite in some places I read about though.
For those required to inform I always recommend just straight up tell them you are concealed carrying. No need to make it weird or awkward with too many words.
If you aren't required to inform its not going to be any issue unless you're asked to get out of the car. That's not going to happen very often for those who aren't breaking any laws but law enforcement is allowed to request that you get out of the vehicle on traffic stops. If you are asked to get out of the vehicle it's probably going to go better for you if they know you have a gun vs them finding it themselves.
If you aren't required to inform its not going to be any issue unless you're asked to get out of the car. That's not going to happen very often for those who aren't breaking any laws but law enforcement is allowed to request that you get out of the vehicle on traffic stops. If you are asked to get out of the vehicle it's probably going to go better for you if they know you have a gun vs them finding it themselves.
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Old Dog
Member
Yes, exactly how I feel about this.
For some reason, a lot of folks get really prickly about the whole proposition. I've been on both sides of the driver's side door, and also had to sort out players, witnesses and bad actors in social situations (i.e., brawls after night club closings, fights involving weapons, neighborhood disputes, DV calls and assaults, etc.).
It's nice to know at the start (that the person you're in contact with is armed), and it does let the officer know that an individual has been vetted by the state and is probably a good citizen (or one who just hasn't been caught yet).
Fair question. Helps put the officer at ease, usually, unless the spidey-senses are already tingling. Formalize (and force) a little courtesy, maybe. Gives someone a chance right off the bat to fail to disclose a condition the officer will discover anyway upon running the driver license. Gauge an individual's presence of mind, state of nervousness, signs of deception.
But, odds are, even in states with no requirement to disclose, i.e., Washington, the question will get asked by the officer up front anyway. Hard to believe, I know, but most (alas, not all) experienced officers have finely tuned BS detectors, so if you want to act like an a-hole just because you got pulled over or were present at the wrong place at the wrong time, you might get the full meal deal instead of just, okay, thank you, carry on.
As several others have noted, criminals or someone with bad intent will lie anyway, so, like almost every law regulating carry of firearms, it typically affects -- and maybe annoys -- only the law-abiding citizen. At the end of the day, though, seems rather a minor annoyance in the greater scheme of things., this having to disclose business.
Dave DeLaurant
Member
According to my instructor at the last CCW renewal session, my county sheriff's (Fresno County) current position is to stay mute on this matter unless it was situationally relevant or I was asked by an officer directly. One reason given (FWIW) is that CCW holders here are perceived by officers as the good guys, and might receive more sympathetic treatment.
California being a may issue state, this rule/practice probably varies more between jurisdictions.
California being a may issue state, this rule/practice probably varies more between jurisdictions.
In TX you don't really have to inform*, but if you have a permit, they will know when they run your DL. What I've found is that they seem to appreciate it if you tell them up front. And since they're going to know anyway if they ask for your DL, you might as well see if you can cash in on that little bit of appreciation.
*The law says to inform but there's no penalty for failing to do so.
*The law says to inform but there's no penalty for failing to do so.
It just seems like its of marginal value to me.
Seems like it might open a can of worms leading me to be required disclose other things to the police.
crstrode
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Freedom of speech includes freedom to not speak.
I think it's important to remember that officers perform anywhere from hundreds to thousands of stops per year with ten thousand or more over a career. The vast majority of the stops are on every day people not doing anything more suspicious than a minor traffic infraction and the officer is simply doing his job and trying to be proactive for his boss. The officer isn't nervous and on edge for the majority of these stops because they're just normal people. It's when something outside the normal happens that an officer becomes suspicious and has a higher level of alertness.
Something unexpected like seeing a gun laying in a center console or in the glove box, or having a shirt ride up and seeing a gun will make the officer far more on edge than seeing a cased rifle in the back seat or being informed that there's a firearm in the vehicle before it surprises him. The key is to do it in a chill manner that doesn't come across as weird or suspicious. "Hey just want to let you know there's a handgun in the vehicle" while keeping your hands in plain view is really all it takes to inform an officer. It's when people get weird and say things like "sir officer sir I just want to inform you of the presence of a concealed carry handgun under my shirt on my left side in a IWB holster blah blah blah" and get all tongue twisted that an officer starts wondering what this guys issue is. You don't have to give up any of your rights but be polite, be at least mildly friendly, and be normal.
As a side note, in a state with lots of firearms both legal and otherwise it sometimes surprises me just how few people actually carry guns on their person. I'd hate to quote a percentage but it's got to be quite small.
Something unexpected like seeing a gun laying in a center console or in the glove box, or having a shirt ride up and seeing a gun will make the officer far more on edge than seeing a cased rifle in the back seat or being informed that there's a firearm in the vehicle before it surprises him. The key is to do it in a chill manner that doesn't come across as weird or suspicious. "Hey just want to let you know there's a handgun in the vehicle" while keeping your hands in plain view is really all it takes to inform an officer. It's when people get weird and say things like "sir officer sir I just want to inform you of the presence of a concealed carry handgun under my shirt on my left side in a IWB holster blah blah blah" and get all tongue twisted that an officer starts wondering what this guys issue is. You don't have to give up any of your rights but be polite, be at least mildly friendly, and be normal.
As a side note, in a state with lots of firearms both legal and otherwise it sometimes surprises me just how few people actually carry guns on their person. I'd hate to quote a percentage but it's got to be quite small.
old lady new shooter
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Old Dog
Member
Like what?
The only things you're required to disclose, if it's a traffic stop, is proof your driver license is valid, your vehicle's registration is current and you have automobile insurance. That's it.
