Why Didn't You Inform Me Sooner?

I haven't been stopped in years, and have only been CCW for the past 1.5 years, but I personally don't have a problem with letting an officer know right up front that I'm carrying. I just don't see the problem with doing so, but I can visualize all kinds of problems in NOT doing so.

And all this macho bravado and chest-puffing about "rights", "there's no legal reason to inform", "my guns aren't the government's business", "all cops are out to get ya", and etc., all that is just insane, IMO. You're dealing with an armed Police Officer that can make your life a living Hell if you push his buttons the wrong way. Whether it's legal or not, or charges will stick or get thrown out, that's all immaterial to ME. It's still going to cost me LOTS of money and time, possibly even my job.

I just want the encounter to go down quick and peacefully, and I personally feel that my honesty will be to my benefit. Keeping my armed status a secret from an officer would not give me the warm, fuzzy feeling that being open and above board with him would.

Just my opinion, no flames please. Y'all do it your way, and I'll do it mine.

Quote:
If you reside in CO, then you need (by the new law) a CO resident permit to carry concealed outside your vehicle.

hkORION,just to make sure I'm clear on this a NC resident with a NC carry permit would still be able to carry outside the vehicle in CO even with the new law,correct?
The way I read it you have be an actual resident of whatever states permit you're carrying to be legal in CO.Of course that state must be recognized by CO.
A resident of Illinois with a Florida non-resident permit,for example, can no longer carry concealed in CO.
I believe about 6 states now have this rule.

Click to expand...

Drake-

Colorado has reciprocity with several states with the caveat that non-resident permits are not honored.

See the following site for a list of states that Colorado honors given the permit holder has a resident permit from their home state. A resident permit from a reciprocated state is allowed to carry in CO within the same parameters as a Colorado resident with a Colorado CCW.

http://cbi.state.co.us/ccw/reciprocity.asp

Just my opinion, no flames please. Y'all do it your way, and I'll do it mine.

Click to expand...

No problem,rondog.I wish to remain on your good side.
You can do all the flaming!

Colorado has reciprocity with several states with the caveat that non-resident permits are not honored.

See the following site for a list of states that Colorado honors given the permit holder has a resident permit from their home state. A resident permit from a reciprocated state is allowed to carry in CO within the same parameters as a Colorado resident with a Colorado CCW.

Click to expand...

Thank you,Czar.

D. Shut the hell up.


Telling them that legally you don't have to inform. Could piss them off.

No one like to be told how to do thier job, more so by people that don't do thier job. That is effectivly what you just said. yeah, they could be proffessional enough to let that comment slide, Do you want to take that bet? I don't. I would also not count on them know state law.

Just my opinion, no flames please. Y'all do it your way, and I'll do it mine.

Click to expand...

Well where I live I don't get the choice anyway so I'm gonna agree with you. I am required to inform so I do, and it's never been an issue.

But, that very well may be since because it's so common the LEO's don't think anything of it. I can see why someone in a more "hostile" state might want to be quiet.

yeah, they could be proffessional enough to let that comment slide, Do you want to take that bet? I don't. I would also not count on them know state law.

Click to expand...

If a police officer doesn't know state law AND has a short temper, I'd question their choice of profession.

You know, since you bring it up, I've always wondered if ISP (Indiana) has a a database that brings up permit holders? They are the ones who issue the LTCH, after all.

However, I've never been questioned about a weapon during a stop and I've never volunteered it. The officer and I just part ways when the harras.. I mean stop is over. No harm, no foul.

I’m sorry if your state requires you to inform, mine doesn’t

Click to expand...

I'm sorry too.Mine does.
Can you help us and the residents of the 9 other Must Notify States to get this anti 2nd Amendment Gun Control law changed?
You've got a natural talent for this kind of stuff,I do believe!

hkORION,just to make sure I'm clear on this a NC resident with a NC carry permit would still be able to carry outside the vehicle in CO even with the new law,correct?

Click to expand...

Open Carry is legal in CO without a permit (regardless of where you are from). Certain municipalities that are "home rule" (<- Denver fits in here) have banned open carry. Concealed carry is legal statewide, they can't take that away.

The way I read it you have be an actual resident of whatever states permit you're carrying to be legal in CO.Of course that state must be recognized by CO.
A resident of Illinois with a Florida non-resident permit,for example, can no longer carry concealed in CO.

Click to expand...

Correct. You need to be a resident of the state that issued the permit, and that state has to be recognized by CO in their reciprocity list (see above post).

Thank you,hkOrion.

Treo said:

Do you tell him

A) Officer under (your state) law I'm not required to.

B) I don't wish to answer that question W/out my lawyer present.

C) Some other response and if so what?

Click to expand...

A) I'm not required to notify you. I am doing so now as a courtesy so there won't be a misunderstanding when you see that I'm wearing a gun.

Treo said:

I do too Colorado State Law says that I am to surrender my permit upon demand. I consider " Do you have any weapons in the vehicle?" to be a demand.

Click to expand...

I respectfully submit that you consider incorrectly. "Do you have any weapons in the car?" does not even mention permits. How could it possibly be construed as a demand to show a permit? If the answer to "Do you have any weapons in the car?" is "Yes," then I would expect the next question to be "Do you have a permit?" When the answer to that is "Yes," the logical follow-up would be "May I see your permit, Sir?"

NOW you have a demand to show the permit.

Treo said:

Remember who lied first.

Click to expand...

Perhaps you should remember. You asked about Colorado and you specifically stated that CO does not require you to notify.So how could "Im sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to?" be a lie?

Treo said:

My object isn't to start a pissing contest W/ the cop ( you'll lose every time) My object is to get out of the stop W/ a minimum of hassel.

Click to expand...

That's not what you asked. You asked what other people would do if asked why they didn't notify sooner in the stop. There was no mention of your motivation.

I would have asked him,why would I want to?

After that , given that being asked to step out is never a good thing, I'd go into full " I do not wish to make any statements or answer any questions W/out my attorney present. " & "Officer I do not consent to any searches" mode

Click to expand...

Don't forget to take the car keys with you and lock the door behind you.

If he asks why you did that answer "Habit".

And of course you'd never agree to a search of the vehicle.

That said the question has been answered to my satisfaction.

Click to expand...

Case closed and now back to our regular programming.

I live in a notification required state and have never had a bad experience. I've never been disarmed or been given any amount of grief. I would continue to notify here regardless of the law, simply because it helps put police at ease. A relaxed police officer is always a good thing. If I am not carrying (which is unusual, or I'm in a place where it's disallowed) I will produce the license and say "I AM NOT currently carrying" along with my ID if asked for ID.

Since I don't have any bad stories about LEO interaction, here's some good ones:

Several years ago I was approached by a K9 sheriff's officer driving a 4WD truck while I was trying to free my truck from the side of a road during a freak "snow storm" which caught the road crews by surprise. It was supposed to be a dusting with no accumulation and I was on my way home from work. After I told him I was carrying, he offered to drive me into town, where the roads were in better shape, so my wife could come pick me up with the real (4x4) truck. Obviously, he didn't have to drive me anywhere and perhaps knowing I was issued a CHP placed him at ease. I offered to leave my 1911 in my car or give it to him for the duration of the ride. He didn't mind, so I kept it in my holster for the ride.

A few weeks ago my wife hit a large dog up the street from the house and did a lot of damage to the car. The dog was killed instantly, the front end of the car was smashed up, but my wife was fine. She came home, I surveyed the damage and we decided to call the police to file a report just in case the insurance company needed it. The officer came to our house, looked the car over, and wanted proof of insurance and registration for his paperwork. I went into the house and got my wife's purse, which is a Galco carry purse. I walked up to the officer and my wife and said "We both have our concealed licenses and there is a pistol hidden in one of these compartments." You know what his response was? "COOL!"

I guess I'm lucky I don't live in an area where I have to fear the reaction of police for exercising a right.

In Iowa, only if they ask.

Don't forget to take the car keys with you and lock the door behind you.

If he asks why you did that answer "Habit".

And of course you'd never agree to a search of the vehicle.

Click to expand...

Texasrifleman, that is a great idea! One that I haven't thought of. Even among all this bickering, I'm learning. Thanks.

Well, I for one will never mention anything about guns until asked. I figure if they want to know, they will ask. Of course I give a lot of clues generally. Like empty shell cases on the running boards, multiple guns in the open, hunters orange hat on the dash during hunting season, etc.

To me, asking about weapons isn't asking to see a permit. Of course in Wyoming, they know that the owner of the vehicle has a permit when they run the license. I've had more than a couple police say that they expect guys in trucks to have guns here.

TinyGnat219:
In VA you are not required to, but your CHP is tagged to your license. So, the trooper knows when you are pulled over.

Click to expand...

The way you worded that is deceiving, CHP isn't tagged to your license, but your identity is and from there your record, warrants, CHP, warrants, etc are all able to be accessed. BUT, LE doesn't get your license until after they've approached the car to get it...in other words, by virtue of running your tags they'll get registered owners, but most will wait and get the actual driver's ID and run that against any wanted/warrant/etc databases. That's also when the court's file will return your valid CHP...so the first time LEO comes to your car it will be to say "howdy, you were going too fast, gimme your papers" but he won't know you have a CHP at that point (nor will he know you're armed, presuming you're carrying concealed.) If you chose to inform him at that point it would be new news to him...

Least that's how my VA cop buddy explained it to me. YMMV

Treo: set some very specific parameters to this question because I was looking for an answer to a very narrow question, W/ all due respect I don’t care why you choose to inform I’m not going to unless I am legally required, or have a clear and compelling reason to do so.

Click to expand...

Well, then *I* respectfully submit you've already made your decision so why bother with the whole stupid question in the first place? Find out next time you get pulled over.

Remember, lying to a LEO is a whole 'nother crime...

What a waste of time this thread was...

I hate to say it, but it seems that Treo really has a hardon against cops in any way, shape or form. He seems to post lots of anti-cop stuff. Nothing against Treo, he just seems unnaturally wary of the po-po. Of course, Colorado Springs seems to have a LOT of shady characters roaming around. At least in the areas I go through.

I'm not a LEO, never have been, never will be, but I have nothing but respect for all of them. There ARE some out there that shouldn't have the job, just like in any profession. God only knows how many bad apples are lurking in our LEO and military units, amongst the stellar professionals.