Getting pulled over with your CCW and how to not get shot.

Howard Law

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Mar 23, 2015
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So there's been a recent video of a man getting pulled over, announcing that he is armed, then when asked for his license teaching to his back pocket and getting shot.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...traffic-stop-aftermath-broadcast-on-facebook/

So let's discuss how not to get shot because it's actually something many of us encounter.

First. You have no duty to disclose(in Georgia) you are armed. In some instances it can escalate the situation unnecessarily by announcing it. Conversely, if you believe the officer will see your weapon or notice that you may be carrying, letting him know your carrying can ease nerves and suspicion. This takes some common sense as no stop is same and where the gun is in the vehicle can ha he be need to announce or not.

Next. So you've announced that your armed. The officer may ask to see the firearm, he may not(in my personal experience he simple unloaded the firearm and held onto the magazine). Now this thread isn't to debate your search and seizure rights, but whatever the officer asks you to do is best to have confirmed by the officer. Por ejemplo, the cop says, "hand me your ID", then you should respond "my ID is in my back pocket, can I reach back there and grab it".

Additionally. Make sure you're comfortable too. If your nervous to reach for things asked of you because you are afraid of a negative reaction, then feel free to ask the officer to hold onto the weapon or ask the officer if you can just step out of the car so he knows your not in reach of the weapon. If the gun is in the glove box and you need to grab papers front there it's not the end of the world to just say, "I'd rather if you would just open my glove box so both of us feel safer".

Lastly, stay calm. An officer is going to use verbal signals and non verbal signals to determine his approach and level of caution. If your shaking, wide eyed, etc... Then an officer will respond to this by increasing his vigilance and caution. Remember that until your License is run the officer doesn't know who you are or your criminal history.

Lives can be lost in 1 or 2 seconds of confusion or panic from either side of a stop. So keep your wits about you, use common sense, and keep calm.
 

Laufen

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So there's been a recent video of a man getting pulled over, announcing that he is armed, then when asked for his license teaching to his back pocket and getting shot.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...traffic-stop-aftermath-broadcast-on-facebook/

So let's discuss how not to get shot because it's actually something many of us encounter.

First. You have no duty to disclose(in Georgia) you are armed. In some instances it can escalate the situation unnecessarily by announcing it. Conversely, if you believe the officer will see your weapon or notice that you may be carrying, letting him know your carrying can ease nerves and suspicion. This takes some common sense as no stop is same and where the gun is in the vehicle can ha he be need to announce or not.

Next. So you've announced that your armed. The officer may ask to see the firearm, he may not(in my personal experience he simple unloaded the firearm and held onto the magazine). Now this thread isn't to debate your search and seizure rights, but whatever the officer asks you to do is best to have confirmed by the officer. Por ejemplo, the cop says, "hand me your ID", then you should respond "my ID is in my back pocket, can I reach back there and grab it".

Additionally. Make sure you're comfortable too. If your nervous to reach for things asked of you because you are afraid of a negative reaction, then feel free to ask the officer to hold onto the weapon or ask the officer if you can just step out of the car so he knows your not in reach of the weapon. If the gun is in the glove box and you need to grab papers front there it's not the end of the world to just say, "I'd rather if you would just open my glove box so both of us feel safer".

Lastly, stay calm. An officer is going to use verbal signals and non verbal signals to determine his approach and level of caution. If your shaking, wide eyed, etc... Then an officer will respond to this by increasing his vigilance and caution. Remember that until your License is run the officer doesn't know who you are or your criminal history.

Lives can be lost in 1 or 2 seconds of confusion or panic from either side of a stop. So keep your wits about you, use common sense, and keep calm.
I totally agree. Not that the reaction was justified, but I'd wager that in the recent shootings the victim announced a firearm then reached for a wallet. Keep your hands on the steering wheel or out the window, and ask before making movements to obtain any documentation. I have a feeling these simple steps could avoid a lot of hassle.
 

scand

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Whenever I get pulled over (which may be once a year at the most)... I roll the window down before he gets to the car, hands on the wheel, cordial...when he asks to see my license I tell him "I'm reaching in my back pocket to get it", hand it to him along with my CL (even though he didn't ask). 9 times out of 10 I get a warning. The only ticket I have had in years was a damn seatbelt ticket in my work truck...

Attitude and appearance go a looong way, but you all know this
 

PewPewPewCo

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Whenever I get pulled over (which may be once a year at the most)... I roll the window down before he gets to the car, hands on the wheel, cordial...when he asks to see my license I tell him "I'm reaching in my back pocket to get it", hand it to him along with my CL (even though he didn't ask). 9 times out of 10 I get a warning. The only ticket I have had in years was a damn seatbelt ticket in my work truck...

Attitude and appearance go a looong way, but you all know this
Most cops I've talked to said having your CCW is an immediate sign your not a criminal so they like seeing one.
 
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dougiemac

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Three requirements for a justified shoot that applies to LEO and civilians....

ABILITY: Your attacker must have the ability—the physical, practical ability—to cause you harm.

OPPORTUNITY: Although opportunity can be viewed as a subset of ability, it is an equally important criterion. Basically, while your attacker may very well have theability to cause you harm, it means nothing unless he also has the opportunity to do so—right here and right now.

JEOPARDY: The most subjective factor of the AOJP analysis is the jeopardy requirement, sometimes called “imminent jeopardy.” This criterion requires that, in your specific situation, a “reasonable and prudent” person would have believed himself to be in immediate danger.


There is a fourth that is often cited, preclusion.

PRECLUSION: Preclusion is not so much an individual consideration as it is an all-encompassing lens through which to view your actions. More complex than the others, it is nevertheless just as important. It is the idea that, whatever the situation, you are expected to use force only as a last resort—that is, only when the circumstances preclude all other options.
 
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dougiemac

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Always remember:
  1. The threat must be current, immediate, and unavoidable.
  2. Your level of force must be appropriate to the threat.
  3. Your use of force must stop when the threat ceases.