Anyone accosted by police while carrying?

Harry Callahan

New member
Just was wondering if anyone has ever been stopped by the authorities while carrying, either open or perhaps you printed while CCing without knowing. If so, what happened?
 
Never once in twenty five years of carrying in CA and now Nevada plus 34 other states with reciprocity. I've been armed in probably in 20 or so of those states. I've had occasional traffic stops where I notified the officer I was armed without incident. In most, but not all cases, they took possession of the weapon during the stop, and always returned it to me at the end of the stop. I've been in every type of building or location where I may legally carry, and have never once been questioned about it.
 

Pahoo

New member
Accosted by police ????

Wording seems to be a little strong and appears that there is more to this story than you are posting. Once while transporting about five rifles and shotguns, in the back of my pick-up, was confronted outside a store and asked about them by a policeman. Explained what I was doing and why they were there. He was pretty nice about it and could clearly see they all were cased. Asked to see one and I obliged and asked him if he wanted to see the rest. Got my license, went back to his car and came back and told me to have a nice day. Okay, You too !!! ... :)


Be Safe !!!
 

#18indycolts

Moderator
The word accosted means to be approached and spoken to boldly or aggressively. I've been accosted by the police a few times and don't think anything of it..the cop doesn't know me and wants to make sure I'm legal. I'd feel kinda wierd if a cop would say "Hi there buddy, thats a pretty gun, mind if I see it?" Or when he says rather aggressively, "hey there,dont make any sudden movements and show me your permit "Accosted doesn't mean to assault, its simply how someone speaks to you.
 

Willie Lowman

New member
I have not but a friend got a stern talking to when she wasn't carrying.

The cop knew she had a CHP when he ran her plates but she didn't think to say anything because she didn't have her gun.

I am told he said "Are you forgetting anything?" a few times when she asked what he was talking about he got snippy and something like "Where is your gun? I knew you have a permit from your license plate."

Meh. I guess you need to tell them when you don't have a gun...
 

MTT TL

New member
Posted this a little bit ago...
Five stars to a CCW/LEO interaction

Good post. I miss festival season up there too.

I was stopped once in Colorado. When I got my registration out of the glove box four full 1911 mags fell out (I was a lot dumber back then). The cop asked me where the gun was and I told him it was on my hip. (legal in CO in a car even without a permit). He simply shook his head and ran my papers. He must have been feeling really generous because he let me off with a warning.
 

Pahoo

New member
The word accosted means to be approached and spoken to boldly or aggressively.
Gees, I guess I too have been accosted and didn't even know it. Thank you; professor. I feel better now, I think ??? ... :confused:

But there is still more to this story !!



Be Safe !!!
 

akfedor7

New member
I went through a roadblock a while back. I dont have a permit, but always keep a couple guns in the car. I keep my kel-tec in a little pocket on the left side of my seat, assuming it was hidden from view due to the fact that its seems tucked pretty tight, and its in a 350z, which is by no means roomy. So the patrolman asks for my license. Then asks for my insurance card. Looks at both, then as he hands them back to me says "and the next time you go through a damn roadblock you let the officer know you have a gun in your car. For my safety and yours both, I dont wanna look beside your seat and see a .380 sitting there. Now I know you have a right to bear arms, but you need to keep that thing in the glove box."

I was really caught off guard, and just sheepishly said "yessir officer". Then I thought man this guy really knows his guns to recognize it was a .380 from just looking at the backstrap, and being in the dark. Then I got to wondering... is it technically legal to carry a gun in your car in plain sight, or only if its hidden in a glove box or something??
 

NavyLT

Moderator
Yes, I have been accosted by the police while open carrying. I was eating dinner in a restaurant when an officer approached me. We went outside (first mistake, when he asked for me to step outside with him I should have said no). He lectured me for a few minutes about how I was scaring people. I finally relented and showed him my ID and CPL (mistake #2, I was under no obligation to show him ID or the CPL). He threatened to have my CPL revoked (a bold faced lie aimed at intimidation, against a state statute in Washington called Coercion).

I finally told him I was done with the discussion, if he thought I was breaking the law, then just give me a citation, otherwise I was going back in to finish my dinner. Once I called his bluff squarely like that he gave me back my ID and CPL and told me to go back inside. Then he proceeded to strong arm a less than 18 year old waitress into letting him kick me out of the restaurant. I paid for my meal and left, still open carrying my gun the way that I always do.

The next day I hand delivered a letter to the restaurant explaining what happened and expressing a desire that they honor the rights of persons to have the means available to defend themselves. It wasn't five minutes after I left the restaurant that they called me back, apologized profusely, explained that they did not call the cops and that I was welcome back any time with my friends, my family AND our firearms.

I wrote the police department a stern letter warning them that their officer was guilty of Coercion, and he overstepped his bounds greatly by removing a person from private property without any evidence of a crime being committed and with no desire on the part of the property owner to have the person removed. I also informed the chief of police that we would be having an open carry luncheon in the same restaurant as invited guests of the restaurant and he and his officers were welcome to join us if they desired.

The weekend following my incident about 12 of us open carriers from the area had a great luncheon in the restaurant and no police showed up. I try to go back a couple times a month to eat there and recommend the place whenever I can.
 

Harry Callahan

New member
Great story NavyLT. Thanks for sharing. Just goes to show that some(not all) LEOs think they should be able to interpret the law according to their own agenda.
 

austinjking

New member
I've been questioned by police why I carried a flashlight, one night during leave. I told the officer because I don't have CCW (not 21) and I like to see where I am going. Apparently all young men must be punks and hoodlums in my town! :barf:
 

SigP6Carry

New member
Navy LT, I'd like to point out: a restaurant may be private property, but it is still in public. You don't have the same rights in a restaurant as you do in a private residence or business you own. I'm not saying that what the officer did was right, it's still pretty crummy.
 

hoytinak

New member
Nope sure haven't. I've been pulled over twice since I got my CHL (speeding both times) and I've accidentally had the wind blow my shirt up and it stuck on the grip on my handgun exposing my firearm for all to see (including a sheriff's deputy that was standing there). Every time they'll all been polite and treated me with the same respect I treated them.
 

NavyLT

Moderator
Thomme said:
Navy LT, I'd like to point out: a restaurant may be private property, but it is still in public. You don't have the same rights in a restaurant as you do in a private residence or business you own. I'm not saying that what the officer did was right, it's still pretty crummy.

I fail to see what your point is.
 

jgcoastie

New member
Been accosted walking from the truck to the river with fishing poles and tackle box in hand before... State Trooper was parked on the road on the opposite side of my gun and couldn't see it, he asked me pretty dern sternly "Hey, where the h*ll is your gun?" I turned real slow with my hands up and showed him I was indeed armed, he told me "Alright, just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to have to pick through bear scat to find you later. Haha, have a good day, good luck fishin." "Same to ya!" I said, and went about my day...
 
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