Reporting over the police radio about CCW

[Clark]

This was sent in from one of our Great Veterans.

One complaint here in Oregon. If you have a concealed weapon permit andget pulled over by police, they will call in your name etc and dispatch
will respond with further information such as address and the fact you
are authorized to carry concealed. My dislike is this is done over
unsecured radio that anyone with a scanner can listen to. I feel a
scrambler should be used. I am a NRA Patron member and used to have thevehicle decal. But decided I didn't want the world to know what my
vehicle or home might contain. Always a chance of inviting a thief to
steal firearms. In Oregon there is a big habit of having a glass gun
cabinet right at the front door. I think a bad practice.

It really stinks that they do that up there.

I asked our local law enforcement and they have a radio that jumps to different freq on each click of the mic. They also do not have the CCW tied to the license of the car. That is why it is very important to show your CCW Permit to any Law Enforcement when pulled over. With your hands visible and drivers license and permit out the window.

Any thoughts on this one?

[VegasGeorge]

The only reason I can think of for a police dispatcher telling an officer that the owner of a vehicle is also a CCW holder is the misguided notion that somehow CCW holders present a particular danger to the police. How absurd is that? This sounds like one of those stupid "feel good" regulations foisted on us by the anti gun crowd. In any event, it's a useless thing to do. How is an officer going to respond any differently because of this information? He's not. I expect every officer, in every traffic stop situation, to proceed with the utmost caution, and act as if the occupants of the stopped vehicle are armed and possibly dangerous. That's only common sense.

[Bill of Rights]

I'm not a LEO, but it seems to me the only value in dispatch telling the officer this is so that if he/she happens to see a weapon in the car, he/she doesn't overreact and call in for it to become a felony stop unnecessarily. Just my guess and $0.02.

Blessings,
M

[VegasGeorge]

Of course, a CCW permit holder should immediately offer the CCW permit to the officer along with the drivers license. I would also verbally inform the officer "I have a CCW and have my weapon on me." That should prevent any mistake or misunderstanding about the presence of the gun.

[Raccoon]

Ah, my 2 cents worth comes in now.

As most of you know, I am an LEO.

We do not have a database of CCW holders that I can access. Running under the assumption that to get a CCW, you have to be squeekly clean, the average CCW holder will obey the law to let you know that they have a CCW. Here in Oklahoma you have to announce that fact to the officer. So when someone says, "Hi officer, I have a CCW Permit and I am armed", the officer should understand that if they were a badguy, they probably would not offer that up. If I encounter a CCW permit holder, I ask them where the pistol is, and once I have secured the weapon, I check the CCW license. If they have one, they get the unloaded pistol and ammo back. Some of my fellow officers will let them keep the pistol holstered, and discuss how they should stay away from it. It does highten the sense of caution some, but if they have a valid license, they are probably going to be an upstanding citizen anyway.

[Bill of Rights]

I've read lots of discussion on that, George, and most that I've come across are of the opinion that unless your state law compels you to divulge automatically, you should not do so. For example, here in Indiana, I must show my LTC on demand. If I get pulled over, I'll probably fetch out my wallet and set it on the console between the seats, then put my hands on the wheel, in plain sight. When the officer approaches, IF he/she asks for my license, I'll get it out and hand it over. IF he/she asks for my LTC, I'll produce that as well, and IF I'm asked about my gun, I'll tell them where it is holstered. I have a great relationship with my local LEOs, though, and while I might have to show my license, it's far less likely that I'll have to show my LTC and even less so my gun. For me, the point is about cooperation, but not obeisance. As a man, I am the officer's equal. As a citizen, I am his/her employer and he/she is a public servant. In the officer's role of enforcing the law, if I've broken the law, I've invited his/her attention, but that does not by any stretch of the imagination mean that I must voluntarily disarm in the officer's presence.

Would an off-duty officer be asked (or forced) to disarm at a traffic stop (presuming the stop ever happened)? No? Then why should I?

Blessings,
M

[Bill of Rights]

Ah, my 2 cents worth comes in now.

As most of you know, I am an LEO.

We do not have a database of CCW holders that I can access. Running under the assumption that to get a CCW, you have to be squeekly clean, the average CCW holder will obey the law to let you know that they have a CCW. Here in Oklahoma you have to announce that fact to the officer. So when someone says, "Hi officer, I have a CCW Permit and I am armed", the officer should understand that if they were a badguy, they probably would not offer that up. If I encounter a CCW permit holder, I ask them where the pistol is, and once I have secured the weapon, I check the CCW license. If they have one, they get the unloaded pistol and ammo back. Some of my fellow officers will let them keep the pistol holstered, and discuss how they should stay away from it. It does highten the sense of caution some, but if they have a valid license, they are probably going to be an upstanding citizen anyway.

Thanks Raccoon, I was hoping you'd reply here. I know that you don't ensure that you go home every night by not being cautious, and I can respect that. I am curious, though, why you would disarm a person who follows the law and notifies you? You said that some of your fellow officers do not disarm the citizen, so it's not dept. policy, and thus, I'm curious as to your reasoning in doing this.

Blessings,
M

[Raccoon]

Well, most of our tickets went to $160. If it were a $20 speeding ticket or even $55 most people complain, but they accept it. When the city counsel decided it should go to $160 or $120 for some, the look of shock and anger comes over most peoples faces. We have been told that it is the tactics that help us go home safe ever night. We train and train and train. I dont usually disarm most CCW people when I know they have one. But, other officers feel that if they disarm someone, they can relax a little bit more than being jumpy at every move. You have to remember that most of the people we deal with in the law enforcement area, are going to troublemakers or criminals. It's just what we have to do. It is hard to determine who is good and who is bad. And if you are wrong, you may pay the ultimate price. That is another reason we are taught to handcuff, even if we feel someone is not a threat when transporting to the jail. I, myself have seen a drunk guy firsthand, that was very cooperative, until we started asking the questions about where he lived and what his phone number was etc. He knew he was being arrested, and it wasnt until the questioning that he became extremely verbally abusive, and started thrashing around. Had he not been restrained, he would have likely done quite a bit of damage. So, disarming someone, or handcuffing if searching or arresting, just makes us alot safer, and allows us to give more leway to the person. If they move fast, it might be because they have a mosquito biting them, but if not handcuffed, my reaction might be to strike or shove them to get that critical distance, etc. Most people when pushed have an automatic reaction to resist. AGain, are they trying to keep form fallng on their face, or are they trying to get a position to attack? So, if you can minimize the ability for them to fight, you can give them more of a leash to see what their intension is. In all reality, I think I have only come across one or two CCW's, and it was not a problem. Most just dont break the law. Most dont have anything to prove. Just dont do the things bad guys do. Like take the pistol out of the holster to innocently give it to me when I'm wlaking up to the car. Badguys do that and pull the trigger too. It's all about safety.

[DAN]

Racoon, thanks for making it clear that safety is paramount when making contact with any citizen. I would gladly obey any officers directions including giving up my ccw weapon. I don't feel that it is anything personal. It is just the price of doing business.

Keep up the good work.
DAN

[Stubob]

When I have been pulled over for speeding, I have always held my CCW Permit and drivers licence out the window with both of my hands holding the cards.

The State Patrol or Local Lawenforcement have given me warrnings, and they wanted to know what I was carrying and where it was. They also stated in each case to not move fast, and keep my hands away from the firearm.

Being respectful durring a pull over is something we need to do anyway, as they have a tough enough job.

I am not saying that a CCW Permit will get you out of a speeding ticket....but your actions durring the interaction with the Police is very important.

[nodaywithout]

Being respectful durring a pull over is something we need to do anyway, as they have a tough enough job.

I am not saying that a CCW Permit will get you out of a speeding ticket....but your actions durring the interaction with the Police is very important.

Well Said! Kudo's

[Genghis77]

Thought I would add that it is SOP, in Oregon, for the officer to secure the weapon. This will even be the case should the officer stop another police officer not on duty. It is a matter of safety. The officer does not know you and your credentials may be forged or stolen. States not doing this are probably puting their officers at a substantial risk.

What I object to is the open communications over radio. They all have computers on secured links. The information should be transferred in that manner.