I just finished up a quick segment on WKLIF in Dallas about interacting with the police while armed. It is a topic that I have been speaking about quite often lately. For over two decades, I have been on both sides of this interaction and had it go very well and not so well at times. Having worked as a police officer in both urban & rural environments and dealt with many people who were armed (legally or illegally), there are definitely, I can assure you that your behavior, actions and attitude can have a dramatic affect on the officer’s perception of safety.
I prefer the idea of “Cooperate”, over the traditional advice of “comply” when it comes to interactions with the police while armed. The idea is to de-escalate any potential tension, not increase any tension already existing because of the officer’s concerns. If you are carrying gun for personal defense, you should have a good idea of the types of behaviors or motions that could alarm a police officer. Some quick tips:
1. Always calmly let the officer know that you are legally armed with a gun or any other defensive tool. Tell them, don’t show them.
Regardless of whether or not it is required by law, this is always a good idea.
2. Keep you hands visible,and don’t make any sudden movements.
3. Keep you hands open when possible and away from the part of your body where any defensive tool is concealed.
4. Remember that the officer you are talking to may not be the only officer watching you, there may another officer observing from a different angle that can see things as well.
5. Keep your ID and CCW Permit on your body at a spot where there are no defensive tools so that accessing them can be done without simultaneously reaching towards something the officer could consider threatening.
6. Lower tinted windows, turn your interior light on at night and place your hands (with fingers splayed open) on the steering wheel when an officer approaches your vehicle.
These simple tips can help you to de-escalate any interaction with police officers and let them quickly know that you mean them no harm and intend to cooperate with them, regardless of the nature of the interaction. As the number of CCW Permit Holders has grown dramatically, I.C.E. Training Company has also been educating police officers about interacting safely and professionally with armed citizens for many years. For more information on interacting with police while armed, check out the DVD we produced on the topic several years ago.
-RJP
I live in Texas and agree in various ways to all of this discussion. There are law enforcement in my family. When I have been pulled over I have windows down and drivers and LTC permit that I give to the officer when asked for my license. I have always been thanked for being upfront with the officer
I have seen many videos for this, but information here is complete and very easy to understand. Thank you this useful information.
Thankyou, I have always wondered what I would do. Other cc owners in my state say don’t let them know! What are you kidding me? Honesty will always get better cooperation with local and state law enforcement. I can only carry if I am hunting, target shooting or fishing. Even though I carry a conceal carry for the state of New York, (it is a county thing). Thankyou for further training and advice.
While armed when you see a police official you should always be calm so that you don't do anything stupid in front of Police. If you do anything stupid the Police might feel a threat. Always remain calm and keep your weapon inside and then talk them through the situation.
Forget whether it's law or not, it's just common sense to diffuse any potential situation and let everyone, especially the police force know all the information at that moment - really good advice, thanks for the post
We have a police force to provide citizens with a sense of safety and security. The police are there to maintain peace and order in society as well as prevent and detect crime. They are there as the law enforcers - to make sure that everyone, including the police force itself, follows the law at every step.
I'm a police officer myself. You have really written this article very well. For all the people out there if you have a gun and you cooperate with us then you have nothing to worry about.
Before the officer gets to my vehicle I normally have my ID and CCW permit out and ready to show him. This way he doesn't need to worry about me rummaging through my things to find them. Great tip about the interior light. My dad always told me to do that growing up.
I AGREE WITH TELLING THE POLICE UP FRONT, WITH THE CURRENT RACIAL TENSIONS DIVIDED (THANKS TO A BALL LESS PRESIDENT) COPS FEEL THE TARGET ON THEIR BACK MORE THAN EVER WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH THE PUBLIC CARRYING CONCEALED OR NOT I THINK THE KEY TO THIS AND ALL SITUATIONS WHEN YOU GET PULLED OVER IS "KNOW YOUR RIGHTS" SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T THEIR RIGHTS THEY GET THEMSELVES IN A JAM BE RESPECTFUL BUT ALSO BE ASSERTIVE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE REMEMBER "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER"
As a former police officer I agree with Rob, if the backup officer watching sees a gun, your going to get the fully treatment at gun point. I've been in the vehicle with federal officers working undercover and got stopped for traffic by uniformed PD, they were all ready on yellow as the tag came back not on file. Our driver just kept his hands on the wheel, and told the officer, I'm armed, I have my credentials in my left back pocket, gun is in holster on right hip. No big deal after ID was checked. Also keep some spare Ammo in the trunk, a Las Vegas PD Sgt who teaches CCW told me they stop armed folks all day long, it's not a big deal, we may ask to see the gun (run it NCIC to make sure it's not stolen), at the end of the stop I will give you back your unloaded gun. Do you really think I'm going to write you a traffic ticket then hand you back a loaded gun?