Traffic stop, but don’t want passenger to know you carry?

[KBCraig]

Would an officer who "outs" someone be violating the CHL confidentiality law?

[camjr]

I was pulled over near Fort Davis by DPS troopers this summer on two different occassions (both times for no front plate). My wife knows I carry, but my children (ages 10 and 12) do not. These were the first times I had been stopped since receiving my plastic.

On both occassions, the DPS trooper read my mind. I handed them my DL, proof in ins., and CHL. The first trooper simply asked if "my friend was with me, and where", and winked. He returned my info and just said he wasn't going to out me to my kids. The second trooper asked me to exit the vehicle, but said he had a question he didn't want my kids to hear. He asked me at that point if I was armed, but only after I left the vehicle.

I appreciated their discretion in both instances. I asked the second trooper why I was pulled over twice for no front plate. He said that on Hwy 17 between Pecos and Ft. Davis, they were working a task force, pulling folks over for things like no front plate, failure to signal, broken lights, etc, primarily to check for illegals heading north or guns heading south.

[NcongruNt]

Thanks for posting this question. This has been on my mind as well. I carry at work, and no one is the wiser, save for one co-worker who is a gunny (but not CHL). He would not have known, except that the subject specifically came up when we were talking about the purchase of my LCP and various laws about car carry, etc.

Anyhow, in my work I am frequently traveling (locally) with coworkers in both my own and company vehicles, so this specific scenario has been a concern for me. Thanks to those that posted above regarding the note to the officer requesting discretion. I think I am going to print one up, as it seems like a good way to avoid being outed in front of coworkers.

All of my encounters with LEO thus far (one traffic stop and two calls to report suspicious persons/disturbances), I have been asked whether or not I was carrying. The wording was "do you have your gun with you" (or in the case of APD, "you don't have your gun with you , do you?" ), something I would not particularly care to be asked in front of coworkers. The note idea seems like it would be the way to avoid this, in most cases.

[smyrna]

I was pulled over near Fort Davis by DPS troopers this summer on two different occassions (both times for no front plate). My wife knows I carry, but my children (ages 10 and 12) do not. These were the first times I had been stopped since receiving my plastic.

On both occassions, the DPS trooper read my mind. I handed them my DL, proof in ins., and CHL. The first trooper simply asked if "my friend was with me, and where", and winked. He returned my info and just said he wasn't going to out me to my kids. The second trooper asked me to exit the vehicle, but said he had a question he didn't want my kids to hear. He asked me at that point if I was armed, but only after I left the vehicle.

I appreciated their discretion in both instances. I asked the second trooper why I was pulled over twice for no front plate. He said that on Hwy 17 between Pecos and Ft. Davis, they were working a task force, pulling folks over for things like no front plate, failure to signal, broken lights, etc, primarily to check for illegals heading north or guns heading south.

Now that's professional and courteous...

[Greybeard]

Quote: "Now that's professional and courteous... "

I'm thankful that the vast majority of DPS Troopers are, maybe even a little more so toward those who've gone through the hoops for the CHL.

[ChromeBumper]

Just say: "We're not all 10-12 about the Signal 32," and wink conspiratorially.

[killerfly128]

Just say: "We're not all 10-12 about the Signal 32," and wink conspiratorially.

Personally, I think that would go over like a fart in church. I'm pretty sure that would make the LEO nervous. I think ill stick to a post it note on the back of my CHL.

[DoubleJ]

I think he was joking.

[Weg]

I was involved in a accident a few months back in Hays county, and had a situation where I knew I needed to notify the officer I was carrying, but did not want to alarm the lady who had witnessed the whole thing, and volunteered to stay on scene until the police came to testify to the fact that it was the other guy's fault ( he fell asleep and swerved into my lane causing a glancing head on ). Anyhow, when the deputy showed up I just handed him my my CHL and DHL and said " Right front pocket ". He just said, o.k. thanks, and never mentioned it again over the 15 minutes he was there. The lady had no idea.

[Bunkins]

I've never ran into that situation, as I dont have a CHL yet, but I have thought about it.. Most people that are with me could care less. Though I do know several people who flat dont like guns.. I personally thing that once the LEO see's the card, just tell him it's on your 3 o' clock and hope the word gun isnt mentioned.. A note, I think it would cause problems..

The suggestion of just having the other person drive their vehicle, I feel is a bad idea if they dont know your carrying. Every time I've rode with someone and been pulled over, I'm asked to hand over my ID and such.. That could be a very bad idea depending on the person, even more so if they are anti's, but even a gun person may raise a fit that you have a firearm on your person while in their vehicle. If you ride with someone, I feel you should tell them you are carrying, otherwise you may have bigger things to worry about than them finding out after being pulled over.

Many of the DPS I've ran into, will get on the PA and ask you to step out of the vehicle. Some of the lazy one's have actually asked me to bring all my info and come sit in the car with them HAHAHA, doesn't bother me, I get to check out all the goodies in the car.. But it's happened several times. NEVER get out unless asked or told to do so. Dont take off your seat belt either ( ask me how I figured that one out ).. Just pull over, shut the engine off, and turn your hazards on, nothing else.

I think the best thing to do is either tell them the location of the firearm, or just tell them you are unarmed when they look at the CHL..

[Frost]

Hand the officer both cards and say "if you have any questions about my ID i would prefer not to answer them in front of my passengers". This clearly communicates your desire to the cop, but your passengers shouldn't catch on because they do not have the context to understand the comment that the officer does because he is holding your CHL. If you carry both IDs in a folding holder like this one:



It should work even better because it will not be obvious to the passengers that you gave him two IDs and they will be stuck wondering what questions the cop would have about your drivers license instead of wondering why you handed him 2 licenses which would make it easier for them to figure it out.

[Morgan]

Except the officer probably doesn't want them in such a device.

I'd think that the questions you'd CREATE in the minds of your passengers with a statement like, "if you have any questions about my ID i would prefer not to answer them in front of my passengers" would be far worse in many cases than getting outed. Just my tuppence.

I got pulled over last night... I don't have my CHL yet. I had my Beretta with me in my back pack....that's where my wallet was. The DPS officer never asked, I told him where my wallet was "In my backpack" when he asked for my license. of course getting it out my had was RIGHT BY my gun...he couldn't see it, and didn't ask if i had any weapons. It was a surreal moment, but of course I had less than zero intention to harm the young man.

[Excaliber]

Except the officer probably doesn't want them in such a device.

I'd think that the questions you'd CREATE in the minds of your passengers with a statement like, "if you have any questions about my ID i would prefer not to answer them in front of my passengers" would be far worse in many cases than getting outed. Just my tuppence.

I got pulled over last night... I don't have my CHL yet. I had my Beretta with me in my back pack....that's where my wallet was. The DPS officer never asked, I told him where my wallet was "In my backpack" when he asked for my license. of course getting it out my had was RIGHT BY my gun...he couldn't see it, and didn't ask if i had any weapons. It was a surreal moment, but of course I had less than zero intention to harm the young man.

Bad move.

If he had turned his flashlight on to watch what you were doing and saw the gun, he wouldn't have been amused and you would have found yourself chewing on asphalt and contemplating just how big the bore of his firearm looks from the business end.

Don't keep ID and gun in the same location, or even the same area.
Example: If the gun is in the backpack, keep the wallet in the glove box or console.

If you do have both in the same area, explain that to the officer and ask how he would like to manage that situation. He'll appreciate it and you'll come out of the stop with a lot less trauma than you might otherwise.

[Morgan]

Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure what to say... but he had ZERO chance of seeing it it was a DEEP backpack, and he was on the passenger side of the vehicle, communicating thru the passenger window.

[NcongruNt]

Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure what to say... but he had ZERO chance of seeing it it was a DEEP backpack, and he was on the passenger side of the vehicle, communicating thru the passenger window.

I'm going to have to agree with Excaliber. It seems like very bad habit to keep your wallet with your gun, especially in the same pocket in a backpack. Had one small thing happened incorrectly, or if the officer had any other reason to decide he didn't want you to get the wallet after all while you were getting it, you might have some 'splaining to do, and it might not have been the most pleasant of circumstances.

In the event of a carjacking or some other armed robbery, had an BG managed to snatch your bag, you're out both your firearm and your wallet. I'd certainly prefer to keep both on-body (and I'm assuming you will for at least the firearm once you get your CHL), as it is more advantageous in any number of defensive scenarios during some sort of assault while in a car.

Pending your CHL, you can still carry on your person while driving (Motorist Protection Act) as long as it's concealed, though if you are ever asked to exit your vehicle during a stop, it would be prudent to inform the officer that you're armed, something not necessary with the firearm in the bag. Keeping your wallet on your person or other location seems to be a better solution for your current situation. I myself have carried my firearm in a bag when traveling to a place where carry is prohibited (and spending a long period of time there), since my normal rig is a hassle to remove discreetly while sitting in the car in an area with a high volume of foot traffic.

Nothing you did was specifically illegal, but I would say myself that carrying the wallet and gun together in a bag is unwise. I think it is better to think ahead to mitigate the possible complications you might face while car-carrying than to risk a tense situation with an LEO.