Offering permit if pulled over

View · by **Slavep** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:05 pm

Just looking for some opinions.
If you are carrying legally and get pulled over for a minor driving infraction...do you offer the information that you are carrying, even if they don't ask?

View · by **LarryFlew** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:31 pm

Personally I do not but also see no reason not to. If asked to step out of the car or go back to his car I would.

View · by **MJY65** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:38 pm

I haven't been pulled over in the 35 years I've been driving, but my plan is to have the wallet on the dash with DL and PTC easily available. I would not bring up the presence of the pistol unless I was asked or being told to get out of the vehicle.

View · by JJ on Fri Nov 04, 2016 2:59 pm

Depends on the situation. If I'm in the 7-county metro area, I'll shut up until asked. Way to many cops with little man syndrome running around.

Outstate, I've been clipped a couple times, and always show my PTC with my DL. They law enforcement out there seems to "get it" a lot more.

Different strokes, different folks. At the end of the day, the best thing you can do is slow down, and not get popped I. The first place.

View · by **shooter115** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 3:56 pm

I got stopped for speeding on the way to Easter dinner this spring while carrying. I gave him my PTC at the same time as my license and had zero trouble. It was something I never really worried about as I know most the officers and deputies in my area and used to be involved with their training and qualifications. The Sheriff is friend of mine and a guy I've shot pistol matches with. When I saw the deputy get out in the rear view mirror, my first thought was uh-oh......who's this guy. Nope, cool as a cucumber. I actually dropped the sheriff a note the following Monday to let him know how things went. Here's what I sent.

Hey *****,
Just thought I would drop you a note about an interaction with one of your deputies over the weekend. Yesterday we were heading to meet my wife's family for Easter dinner. I was driving the wife's car, a 2013 Impala with her in the passenger seat and my son in the back in his car seat. We were driving north on the Hwy 59 bypass just past Green River Road when we passed two squads parked on the opposite side of the hwy. Shortly after passing I noticed the flashing lights in my rear view mirror and pulled over, kind of expecting them to go by on route to a call, but he pulled in behind me. Crap. When I knew I was stopped, I grabbed my wallet out of my chest pocket and pulled my DL ready and as a courtesy also prepared to give him my PTC, since I was carrying as usual.

When Deputy Larson approached our vehicle, he asked if I knew why he stopped us. I said I did not. At the time I kinda thought I might have been speeding, but the wife and I were having a conversation and I wasn't really paying attention. He said he locked me in at 68 in a 60 and asked for my license. I complied and handed him my DL and PTC at the same time. He asked if I was carrying at the time and I said yes. He responded with "That's fine, we don't need to worry about that right now", he then handed me back my PTC and headed back to his squad with my license. After a couple minutes he returned handed me back my license and informed me of a verbal warning and told me to slow it down. He then as small talk asked me what I was carrying. Embarrassingly I admitted I was just carrying my little LCP .380 at the time. His response was something along the lines of "that's not a bad choice" ( I think he was laughing on the inside) He then said to have a nice day and let me go.

This was my first time interacting with Deputy Larson and am happy to say he handled everything as an absolute professional. This was also the first time I've ever been stopped as a driver while carrying a weapon and always wondered how that conversation was going to go if it was an officer that I didn't know. Thanks to Deputy Larson it went just fine.

View · by **Randygmn** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 4:45 pm

Not sure how others do it, but this is how I handled my one and only stop while carrying. I had my 6 year old nephew in the backseat in a car seat. It was a nighttime stop and it was dark out (8pm or so). I was pulled over in St Louis Park for speeding (5 miles an hour over). After being pulled over, and before the cop approached, I lowered the drivers side and passenger side front windows. I also turned on the overhead dome light. Also, before he approached, I took out my license and carry permit and placed them on the dash. as he was approaching, I placed both hands on top of the steering wheel, palms up. He had a flashlight in his hand, but never even turned it on (he thanked me afterwards for being so considerate. Also, this was way before all this recent craziness that started in Ferguson). I said, "Good evening officer. I want to inform you that I have my permit to carry and do have a firearm on my person. Can I hand you my licenses?" He thanked me for telling him (the first of 3 times he said thank you). He told me I was speeding. I gave him my DL and PTC. He thanked me again. After looking at my DL and PTC (very quickly), he handed them back. He thanked me for third time and told me how he appreciated that I was considerate. Finished by saying "have a good evening", and it was over that quickly. Very similar to the story I've told on here before about the time I got stopped with a box of ammunition I'd forgotten in my backpack, as I went through airport security as MSP. All this to say- It matters a lot how you treat others, including police officers. (Department of Homeland Security too, lol).

View · by **Slavep** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 5:00 pm

Some good stories here! I just received my permit today. My husband has carried longer than I have been with him. He has only had one incident and it wasn't good. He says it's kind of a grey area and to make your decision based on the circumstances. I just want to be ready if it ever happens, so I thought I would get some ideas from others. Thank you!

View · by **gun_fan111v2** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 6:44 pm

Slavep, best advice I received on this was to make sure that the wallet is accessible without the gun being exposed

View · by **linksep** on Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:41 pm

It's a tossup between offering permit or keeping mouth shut until asked, but don't yell I'VE GOT A GUN!

I keep it behind my DL so when I pull out my DL to hand it over I could also pull and hand over PTC at the same time.

View · by **Slavep** on Sat Nov 05, 2016 12:17 am

Wallet is usually in my purse but now I carry my DL and Permit in my belly band when I am out. Of course he will then see the pistol. So I'm guessing I should inform them first, huh?
I forgot about how I wanted to carry when I first posted. The belly band feels great though and no printing at all.

View · by **fingers** on Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:33 am

I never get pulled over but if I ever do, I would not mention it unless asked. My philosophy is why complicate things? Why make an already uncomfortable situation more tense? The recent story about the guy legally carrying getting shot dead during a traffic stop cements my belief that it should not be mentioned. Although I definitely don't fit the same demographic as the victim in that situation, there is no reason to complicate things. If you compile a list of pros and cons about whether you should mention that you are carrying or not, I can't imagine anything in the "pro" column. The law does not require you to disclose whether you are carrying and I approach it the same way as when my doctor has me fill out a questionnaire about whether guns are in my house. Its not relevant and none of anyone's business.

View · by **Slavep** on Sat Nov 05, 2016 5:45 am

I'm not sure if I heard about that one. Where did it take place?

View · by **MJY65** on Sat Nov 05, 2016 6:06 am

Slavep wrote:I'm not sure if I heard about that one. Where did it take place?

I'd imagine he's referring to Castile in Falcon Heights.

View · by **BU1** on Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:19 am

Slavep wrote:Wallet is usually in my purse but now I carry my DL and Permit in my belly band when I am out. Of course he will then see the pistol. So I'm guessing I should inform them first, huh?
I forgot about how I wanted to carry when I first posted. The belly band feels great though and no printing at all.

Not a good idea to have ID stashed next to a weapon. What happens when you have to show ID for something like writing a check, or purchasing with a credit card???

View · by **2in2out** on Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:31 am

MJY65 wrote:
Slavep wrote:I'm not sure if I heard about that one. Where did it take place?

I'd imagine he's referring to Castile in Falcon Heights.

And I still think the girlfriend probably informed the police officer that there was a gun before Castile did. I don't know when this will work its way through all of the iterations of court/disciplinary proceedings, and we may never know for sure. But, I I think it's entirely possible that the girlfriend was ultimately responsible for what happened.

Good video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOO99qcASEM

The one thing he doesn't point out is that you're not required to tell the officer you have a permit or that you're carrying. I think he's right, though - prepare what to say ahead of time.

Related threads
http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=56208
http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=56674&st=0&sk=t&sd=a