TexasCHLforum.com

My four experiences are a mixed bag but none worse than slighty unpleasant. The first was the result of being tail-ended by a driver who had himself been tail-ended too close behind me. The reputation of the Austin PD had me worried. But when I handed the policeman my DL and CHL, he only asked "You have it with you?" I responed in the affirmative. He asked if what he thought was my holster was in fact a holster and I confirmed that too. "Okay, thanks", turned and interviewed the other drivers. Having been prepared for an unpleasant experience, I was surprised. When he came back I expressed my appreciation for his manner and he gave a courteous and well reasoned reply.

Of the next three experiences two were completely neutral. The policeman looked at the CHL and handed it back without a word. But one of them was slightly negative. On this occassion I was pulled over for some minor thing like a tail-light out or such on the way home from taking my daughter to a school function. I had disarmed to enter the school building. And put my pistol in the pocket of the car door, since in the school parking lot, re-holstering discretely was not possible. The policeman seeing my CHL asked where my pistol was. Also his manner went from gruff to defensive. I pointed out the location of the pistol. He asked me to leave the car door open. And, though slightly offended (did I actualy seem stupid enough to shoot my way out of a fix'er-up ticket? [don't answer]), this turned out to be the way the encounter turned more positive. I didn't think the door swung open was safe. We were parked near a corner, occluded to drivers from one direction; the policeman's vehicle further obscuring visibilty of my car. Possibly resulting in my door being struck. So I suggested that I leave the car and close the door. He saw this as sensible, and his manner went from defensive/suspiscious to paid-to-be-friendly. Good enough for me.

While I havent had a contact yet, my wife has.
While on her way to work about a month back, she was pulled over for "weaving" by the county. She remembered to give him her CHL along with the TDL. The officer ask where the weapon was and she told him in the console. He said that was fine, just leave it there. Told her to be more carefull and to have a good day. No ticket, no warning, no hassle.

Very good contact with San Jacinto county.


Too Tall

My wife has been pulled over by not only Austin PD but by DPS and has only positive reaction from both of them. I get the feeling that most officers feel that if you are responsible enough to have a CHL that you are not really a "bad guy". Having that CHL has gotten her out of a couple of tickets.
Bobb

Nothing said or actions different in either case. First was minor speeding by constable. Second was inside the police station filing a report and asked for ID.

I took a Citizen's Police Academy Class in Jefferson County that included firearms training. The class coordinator (a Beaumont Police Lieutenant) encourged class participants to obtain their CHL.

In the past 8 years, I have had four stops by LEO's. All four just handed me back the CHL. Three of them seemed to have no interest. The fourth, a state trooper, after our business was concluded, asked me what I was carrying and what in. Seems he was a bit of a gun nut also. He was carrying a Sig, but shot IPSC with a Springfield 1911.
ALL the officers were overly courteous.
dutchman

They always have been fine. DPS twice, city LEOs four times. Heck, even one of the city cops asked what kind I was carrying!

One city cop looked at my license and CHL and just glanced at them and told me to slow down:-)

Another city LEO at a speed trap (yep a SPEED TRAP) did the super shuffle up to the window (he knew about the fatal funnel and was real careful getting up to the window) looked at my CHL and then relaxed (still gave me a ticket though.)

Now I have been in New Orleans, and I've been told if you are stopped they will disarm you and are a bit rough. But this is just rumor and since I was not stopped I don't know for sure!

Since obtaining my CHL in 2002, I've been stopped twice by DPS for minor traffic violations. No citation either time. Both times my pistol was inside the truck and not on my person. One time there were other people in the truck and the other time I was alone. Both times I exited the vehicle upon stopping. One time the DPS trooper was male and the other time female. Both times they were polite and didn't appear to be concerned about the weapon. The male trooper asked what kind of gun I had and I think it was just out of curiousity. Years ago when I was a deputy sheriff and the CHL was new, I stopped a Chevy surburban at night with several people inside and the driver told me his pistol was in the console. It was the people inside that concerned me slightly but no problems resulted.

Right after we recieved our CHL, my buddy got stopped in Montgomery for speeding. When he saw the CHL he asked my buddy where the weapon was. My buddy says "in my holster. Do you want it?" LEO said no just leave it where it is.. All in all no problems.


Too Tall

Been stopped by DPS, RRPD and APD. All were courteous and DPS were the only ones that felt a need to disarm me. Got some funny look standing by the road with my hands on my head with DPS Trooper taking a pistol off me. Placed my pistol on the bumper of my truck, we talked for a bit and then we wrote me a warning and told me not to forget to get my pistol on the way back to my truck. RRPD and APD just told me to keep my hands in site and no fast moves.

Stacey

warhorse545,
I'm curious about DPS disarming you. Did the trooper appear to be a rookie?
What were the circumstances?
Thanks,
Bubba

Bubba,
He looked to be rather young but no idea if he was a rookie or not. Was stopped close to Seward Junction west of Georgetown and was coming onto dusk. Maybe the dusk had something to do with it? Was doing 60 in a 55 in a truck with a bed full of fire wood. Not something uncommon really. Guess he felt better about me not having the pistol on me. He was courteous about it and did not appear nervous.


Stacey

CHL's in some cases can help a person get out of a ticket for sure, but there are always some Clinton-era type cops who think the only ones that need guns are cops.

It seems the younger officers are more concerned with it than the older ones. I think it is a generational thing, Gen-Xers just don't understand that there are times when people need to be shot.

Someone "informed" me the only reason for a pistol is to shoot someone. My response was, "Yup, that needs to be done sometimes." They were horrified!-----Sorry I got off topic.

Glenn

[quote="Baytown"]Someone "informed" me the only reason for a pistol is to shoot someone. My response was, "Yup, that needs to be done sometimes." They were horrified!-----Sorry I got off topic.

Glenn[/quote]
Doesn't sound "off topic" to me :)
In Texas "he needed killin" is something the stupid liberals will NEVER understand !

Baytown wrote: It seems the younger officers are more concerned with it than the older ones.

you got that backwards. the higher your rank goes, the more anti and liberal your politics become. we have 22 year old officers who don't understand why someone wouldn't carry a gun and high ranking decrepit officers who don't think their mother shouldn't be allowed to carry.