How do you tell cops you're armed in traffic stop?

Interlacing my fingers is a bit too Gestapo-ish for me. I keep my hands on the wheel, and inform the officer. Probably after the introduction/ greeting.

Hands on the wheel, Hello Officer, I have a CCW permit and I am armed how would you like to proceed?

Hand him DL and CWP when asked for DL and say, "I am required to inform you that I am carrying a concealed handgun", or something very similar.

Hand over license, registration, insurance and permit and wait on the officer.

Leave your hands on the wheel.

Say: "Duty to notify, sir, I am permitted for concealed-carry, and I am armed".

First thing out of your mouth.

Les

In my state, it is not required to inform. However, common sense would say to inform the LEO in a non-threatening way, such as mentioning, "Officer, I am Legally Armed". If asked where the firearm is, I tell him.

If he wants to take possession of the firearm, I ask him how he wants to do it. Either I hand it to him muzzle away from us, or step out of the car and let him access it. If he says to leave it where it is, no problem. When asked for ID, car registration and proof of insurance, I would tell him where they are, in my left hip pocket, and in the glove box, and without rapid or furtive movements, supply the needed documents.

Most LEOs I have talked to about this seem to agree that is one way to de escalate the Officer's apprehension about the stop. One of the most dangerous things a LEO can do is to conduct a traffic stop.

This is surely not the only way to handle this, but is one way. This is what I teach students to do in our HCP classes.

It's none of their business. In this state it is not required to tell them. When they run your driver's license they will find out. If it is a bother to them they will ask. I realize that in some [socialist] states it's required to tell right off. Maybe I will if I know about it. Either way even when out of state police run my driver's license they will find out...

Better yet...Don't break the rules of the road and you will not get stopped in the first place...

Give the officer your DL, proof of insurance, and CHL. If he asks whether you're armed, then tell him. If he doesn't, then don't.

In Ohio you have to inform. You DON'T have to give him your CHL unless he asks for it.

Keep your hands on the wheel and tell him you've got an Ohio CHL and that you have your firearm with you.

If you DON'T have your firearm the law SPECIFICALLY says that you don't have to inform. Informing when armed is bad enough. I would never inform when not armed.

In Oregon open cary is completely legal, and concealed w/permit. I open carry on occasion, until I obtain my CHL that is. When stopped or approached by an officer, I leave it where it is, I don't touch it, I don't even look at it. It's exposed, and I leave it at that. I say nothing about it, unless asked.

I tell them first thing. Don't have to in Texas anymore since it comes up when they go back to their car and check you out. However, I have no problem sharing with them that I am armed, so I do it to avoid any potential problems. Too many stories from people.

If not legally required to inform in your state I would not offer that info unless the officer specifically asked. Otherwise it's a good way to get proned out by a rookie officer on the side of the road.

The self-induced interlaced fingers on the head bit sounds outrageous to me. Good lord, is that what we have come to?

I've only been stopped 2-3 times in the last 10 years I've had my permit. Each time I handed lic, ins and ccw and it went great. Once however, I was on foot near a construction project in the SF Bay area and 2 LEO's stopped to ask what I was doing in the area (5am). I was armed and told them so. they grossly over-reacted. LEO's where I live are a lot more realistic than those in that area.

When in my state (AL) I tell them nothing unless they ask, which almost never happens. If I'm out of state I just hand over the carry permit with the driver's licence because I only keep up with my states laws.

I have my papers waiting at the window when they get to it, with my CHP on top, right hand on the wheel.

"Officer, I have my carry permit, and I'm armed."

Never been a problem. Of course, I do everything else right (pulling over where this is plenty of room, turning on the dome light, etc). I'm sure those things help.

depends if its daytime or night time and where the gun is. when i ran places i would drive late at night with a bank deposit bag on the seat next to me with a 238 on top. i would turn on dome light roll down my window and put both hands where they could be clearly seen like u=out my window. as he was walking up i'd tell em where the gun was and that my hands were gonna stay where they were and wait to see what he wanted to do. this was fairfax in late 70's so it was a mixed bag some didn't care some came up and got the gun. none ever drew their sidearm. one did call for backup.
on my motorcycle i did the hands on top of the helmet and announced as soon as they got close. i had more trouble with my doberman and cops than guns and cops. she didn't like uniforms and if she was in the back of the pu i had to make sure i got out and grabbed her to calm her down. she generated a few slightly hostile interactions

If required I would say "sir I am legally armed."
If not required I wouldn't say anything.

I would not stick my head out the window and scream "I'VE GOT A GUN!"

I guess waving the gun out the window so the officer could see it would be a bad idea.

In the LEAST THREATENING manner possible.

The Bushmaster said:

It's none of their business. In this state it is not required to tell them. When they run your driver's license they will find out. If it is a bother to them they will ask. I realize that in some [socialist] states it's required to tell right off. Maybe I will if I know about it. Either way even when out of state police run my driver's license they will find out...

Better yet...Don't break the rules of the road and you will not get stopped in the first place...

Click to expand...

A real ambassador, a class act ...


He already assumes your armed....

First of all, does anyone on here doubt the danger inherent in a traffic stop for a police officer. They have no idea if you are a law abiding citizen or a psycho with a clean record running a meth lab in the back seat (has happened). Yeah, they are going to be a bit guarded.

To make then at ease, keep your hands on the top of the wheel in plain site until the officer, gets to your window. Whether legally required or not (In NC it is required), "Officer I have a concealed carry permit and I am armed.". Then follow the officers directions. You do not have to grant a request to search.

IMO putting your hands behind your head is going to make some officers suspicious. Besides, that is a posture for a criminal and carrying concealed does not make you a criminal. If it is at night, turn on a light (if not all the interior lights then the one on the drivers side). Most officers have the same end goal as you. To get home alive and well. Yeah there are pricks that will give you a hard time, however, they will give you twice the hard time being confrontational.

If stopped for a simple traffic issue, does the officer have the legal right to require you to hand over the gun? Saying it is carried legally, either concealed with proper permit, or open, so long as it stays snapped in the holster, should not that be sufficient?

I just keep my mouth shut so there is no miscommunication-if you speak, you run the risk of saying something you didn't mean to say-like "officer, I have a gun permit, etc". There's a chance he may only hear "officer, I have a GUN..."(or the officer that sneaked up on the other side of you car at night may hear only the word GUN)-there's a chance you may never get the word "permit" outta your mouth (it's happened in VA).

When they ask for my DL (and that's the first thing they always seem to do), I give him my CHP on top of my DL and let him figure it out-nothing's being said, no chance of miscommunication, etc.

In VA you don't have to inform, but I'm assuming if he's run your plates he already knows-I inform as a courtesy, and is there really any harm in telling him something he probably already knows?
Well, in VA there has been, but LEOs are slowly being educated on the law!
'Course, I live on the NC border, and in NC you do have to inform, so it's not a bad habit to get into so you don't forget where you are and forget to inform.
Also, if you're traveling, laws change-you may not have had to inform last week, but this week...?

Good question BeerSleeper. From what I have readon here and other board the officer does have the right to disarm you during the stop for his/her safety. It would be their discretion to do so and you would get your weapon back at the conclusion of the stop.

Personally, I would comply if the officer asked. if he/she overstepping their authority and did not return it, damaged it in any way, or even decided it was lecture time on my "so called right to have a CCW", I would have a heart to heart with the captain of that force in short order. If I did not like the outcome there would be a lawyer and a civil suit in short order. I have NEVER had that happen though, but I have been pulled over once in the last 10 years and that was to tell me a brake light was out (chronic problem with a TB).

At a minimum though I would know and comply with state laws where you live.