ThisIndiana is not a "Duty To Inform" State, there is no legal reason to hand him your LTCH with your DL
ThisIndiana is not a "Duty To Inform" State, there is no legal reason to hand him your LTCH with your DL
I know many don't agree, but IMHO, the officer should be made aware of any weapon in the vehicle they might happen to find/notice in the course of a traffic stop. Rest assured, it WILL NOT go well for you if a LEO discover's a gun in your possession that they were not informed of.
Hah! Maybe seven or eight years ago I was pulled over just north of Spencer when they were doing one of their special OWI enforcement things. It was the one and only time I was asked to exit the vehicle and the one and only time I've been asked about weapons. The silly phony statements and questions were a little irritating like the "you were weaving all over the lane" and the classic "You know your license about to expire, right" when I had a couple of years left before renewal.
When they asked me if I had a gun or any other weapons, I was a little tired of the "interrogation," so I responded "Of course I do."
Then one of them asked me where it was and I said, "Which one?"
He asked, "What do you mean, which one?"
So I then I clarified that since he asked me where my gun was, I needed to know to which of my guns he was referring. The look on their faces was priceless. Apparently the concept of a second gun never occurred to any of them.
So then the lead guy said, "Just don't go for it and we won't have any problems."
Hah.
Classic! Got into an aurgument with a very close LEO buddy of mine. At that time he took possesion and ran numbers on every gun he came across. (he no longer does this.) His excuse was that him having the gun was safer becaue he KNEW where the gun was. So I asked him about the backup weapon or other guns in the car. By the look on his face he sorta missed that one.
Or better yet a cop asking about my gun but completely forgetting about my wife in the vehicle with me.
No. Ideally, you should be able to ignore the question, but we all know that for some LEO, exercising one's right to remain silent is probable cause to detain and search.I'm in the "don't mention it" category, but if the LEO asks where your gun is, are you legallly obligated to answer? If no, I'd answer vaguely.
Normally, I would leave my gun on my hip. Friday, I was out buying suits, so I didn't want the hassle of keeping track of my gun while trying on pants. My relatives also weren't stoked with me leaving the firearm unattended at their place.
I don't think I would have mentioned it if it had been on my hip, but this stop had me wondering.
Here we go again. Why start a gun conversation if you don't have to?
In the last year, I've become the king of the verbal warning.
Number of stops: several.
Percentage of stops carrying: 100%
Percentage of times asked about a gun: 0%
Percentage of times asked for the registration: 100%
Percentage of times I volunteered that I had a gun: 0%
My 2 cents- DO NOT carry the registration with your gun. Don't volunteer, but don't lie.
NEVER START THE GUN CONVERSATION.
He might be one of the smarter ones and OC, rendering the need to fit pants around the firearm moot.How do you know you'll get the correct pant size when you're not wearing your gun?
Your wordrobe should be sized to fit your firearm, as should your demeanor, your vehicle, your spouse, your training, your life, etc...
Gun comes first. Work and build around it. If the gun becomes just a casual thing that you have around sometimes, then your name better be Chuck Norris.