TexasCHLforum.com

KBCraig wrote:

bwahahaha wrote:

srothstein wrote: Well, from the point of view of a long time experienced Texas officer, I would have to say that you have some valid points and a somewhat jaundiced view also.

I do have a cynical view of DPS and sometimes let that get the best of me. Today was one of those days. I am not a fan of DPS, and was very disappointed to read OP's account of a particular Trooper's conduct during his traffic stop. That said, I appreciated reading your post and the other posts in this thread -- part of the reason for being here is to learn from everyone else and I definitely figured some things out today

Steve is the epitome of a "peace officer". He's also quite a gentleman in how he expresses his opinions. (The two go hand-in-hand, I believe.)

FWIW, I understood your reaction. I am also angered when LEOs routinely disarm CHLs outside their statutory authority. That's something we need to address by TSRA talking directly to Col. Booth, or talking indirectly through the Legislature. Personally, I'd prefer to just work things out with DPS. The law is already clear enough, and it allows for officer safety. "We disarm everyone" doesn't meet the statutory requirements.

+1

bwahahaha wrote:

The Highway Patrol is largely a do-nothing agency (I don't count drug interdiction ops and traffic patrol as useful).

To be very generous I'll call them a "do very little agency" instead.

If we are to take "agency" for it's common meaning....then you are talking about the entire DPS. Surely, you have not read all the contents of this link: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/ and still concluded that this "agency" is of so little worth.


bwahahaha wrote:

They're revenue collectors -- and I think that's all that they are. Do they provide any kind of meaningful benefit?

Further, you seek to extract the Troopers from the "agency" and then make the comment above. Unfortunately, the answer to your question "Do they provide any kind of meaningful benefit" is answered is the very link you provided:

Lt. Gov. Rick Perry addressed the graduating class at Palmer Auditorium in Austin.

The troopers began the six-month training academy in October. The instruction, which included traffic and criminal law, arrest procedures, accident reconstruction and classes aimed at personal growth, is double the training required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.

The students also received intensive training in firearms, driving and self-defense, as well as enduring a grueling physical fitness regimen.

"We feel DPS troopers are some of the best trained law enforcement personnel in the country and that’s bad news for criminals and drunk drivers," said Thomas. "Every year, troopers put hundreds of narcotics traffickers behind bars and get millions of dollars of drugs and drug money off Texas streets. They are also among the first responders on the scene of natural disasters such as tornadoes and floods."

Yup, I'd say there is substantial benefit in that!

Would it be fair to say that this "Federal Agency" you belong to has employee's/agents/officers/divisions that have different roles from one another? And if so, would it be fair of me to contest the worth of the entire agency by means of examining one small area?

Somehow, I think you'd be loathe to permit that.

bwahahaha wrote:

flintknapper wrote:

bwahahaha wrote: The Highway Patrol is largely a do-nothing agency (I don't count drug interdiction ops and traffic patrol as useful).

All in all, what a disappointing interaction with this guy.

MY........thats a bit unfair don't you think?

I think it's fair. To be very generous I'll call them a "do very little agency" instead. They nab intoxicated drivers, provide some relief to full-service agencies w/r/t collisions (OTOH, full-service agencies burn patrol time backing them up on traffic stops), and occasionally take persons wanted for felony-level offenses off the street.

The vast majority of their time, however, is spent driving around in circles running moving radar in largely unpopulated areas. They're revenue collectors -- and I think that's all that they are. Do they provide any kind of meaningful benefit? I'd love to see an accurate, impartial study that shows they do. I'd be floored.

I don't consider them to be on par with any full-service police agencies.

Are you speaking of Texas Dept. of Public Safety Troopers or just the "highway patrol" in general (nationwide)?

If the former, I would submit that you know very little about what they do.

I appreciate your right to have (and express) an opinion, but wouldn't an "informed" opinion be of more service to us all.

Here is a good place to start your education:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/

Thanks, Flint.

Big Calhoun wrote:The whole disarming thing caught me by surprise also, but I kind of felt like, who am I to question him. It was the first time I've been stopped since living in Texas and I am black so I just wanted everything to go smoothly. At the end of it, I thought he treated me with respect and was ultimately just doing his job and doing his best to keep him and I safe. No complaints here.

Makes sense to me.

Sounds like a pretty good stop all in all.

We are happy to have you as resident of Texas and here on the forum as well.

Thanks, for sharing your encounter.


Flint.

bwahahaha wrote:

Big Calhoun wrote:
I was a little bummed about getting a ticket but like I said, he had me and I wasn't going to try to offer excuses. Very pleasent, professional, and personally, I couldn't ask for a more friendly contact. Kudos to Texas DPS...

I may be in the minority here but I consider this a bad contact.

Why?

He disarmed you -- why?

He didn't trust you enough at the end of the stop to just give the gun back. C'mon -- back of the seat?

His small talk about the make/model of your gun was ridiculous given the fact that he'd taken your gun.

His small talk was made in order to attain cooperation, not because he's a nice guy.

He instructed you to rearm at the next rest stop -- not ATS.

He cited you for a victimless "crime." You harmed no one through your actions. You (allegedly) exceeded an arbitrary speed limit and were treated as a criminal for it.

Bottom Line: HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE DID NOT TRUST YOU, EVEN AFTER YOUR CHL STATUS WAS VERIFIED.

It's not as if you initiated the contact.

The Highway Patrol is largely a do-nothing agency (I don't count drug interdiction ops and traffic patrol as useful).

All in all, what a disappointing interaction with this guy.

MY........thats a bit unfair don't you think?

OnTexasTime wrote:FROM THE DPS SITE:

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers will ask you:

Whether you are licensed to carry a concealed handgun
Whether you have the gun with you
Where the gun is located
A trooper may disarm a licensee anytime he or she feels that safety is at risk. The trooper will return the gun at the end of the traffic stop when the threat to safety has passed.

I have never been asked to get out of the car or to hand over my gun. It seems like troopers are more likely to ask the driver to leave the car when there are other persons in the car than when its just the driver.

"Reasonably" believes!

This remains somewhat open-ended, and I fear that more and more it is simply becoming "policy" with some officers/departments.

**********************

§ 411.207[0]. AUTHORITY OF PEACE OFFICER TO DISARM. A peace
officer who is acting in the lawful discharge of the officer's
official duties may disarm a license holder at any time the officer
reasonably believes it is necessary for the protection of the
license holder, officer, or another individual. The peace officer
shall return the handgun to the license holder before discharging
the license holder from the scene if the officer determines that the
license holder is not a threat to the officer, license holder, or
another individual and if the license holder has not violated any
provision of this subchapter or committed any other violation that
results in the arrest of the license holder.

********************



In the 11-12 years I've been carrying I've been stopped twice, both stops were excellent in every respect.

llwatson wrote:Sounds like you behaved perfectly. No apparent reason to disarm you, though, from your report.
But, on the upside, make sure you keep your certificate from defensive driving. Call your auto insurance company, and they should give you a discount for that.

Yup,

All good... except for this.