Good Cop, bad Cop?

[AustinBoy]

I have been reading a lot of posts tonight and I see a lot people asking questions about what the police can and cannot do. Call me nieve, but all of the police I have ever encountered have been nothing but polite, even in my teenage years when maybe they shouldn't have been!

Do I show my CHL? (not asking for the answer in this thread)
Can a LEO do this?
Can a Leo do that?

I have several friends who have their CHL. My application is currently in process.

Two of them call their CHL their "get out of jail free" card. Everytime they have presented it, the LEO has treated them with the utmost respect.

There are a lot of negatively slanted questions being asked about police.

My question is this.
Has anyone ever presented their CHL and the LEO's attitude became worse?

I am not trying to start a LEO slamming thread. Just the oppisite. I would like to hear some really nice stories.

I would hope that, in general, LEO's would take having a CHL as a good thing.

Am I wrong?

Ty

P.S. All that said and yes, I live in Austin!

[rm9792]

Do I show my CHL?

Two of them call their CHL their "get out of jail free" card. Everytime they have presented it, the LEO has treated them with the utmost respect.

My question is this.
Has anyone ever presented their CHL and the LEO's attitude became worse?

I am not trying to start a LEO slamming thread. Just the oppisite. I would like to hear some really nice stories.

I would hope that, in general, LEO's would take having a CHL as a good thing.

Am I wrong?

Ty

I would show it, but it is not a get out free card. All depends on the officer and mostly your attitude. Most LEO are very nice but some bad apples exist. Unfortunately they seem to be the most encountered as they are probably the ones doing most of the pulling over. I have never had one get worse and most just give it back without even looking at it. 1 time in pearland I was illegally disarmed but that was a oldtimer mistake that his younger partner corrected him on, afterwards.

[Dragonfighter]

I've only had one that was anything but professional and he got censured...that was a long time ago and I wasn't the person of interest. I've had some that weren't in a particularly good mood but remained professional, some were down right chatty. By far though, the most consistent agency as far as calm demeanor, professionalism and courtesy has been DPS in my experience. I tend to be a careful and lawful driver, but in nearly 40 years of driving, you come across an officer or two.

[marksiwel]

Carrying a CHL means that you will more than likely deal with an officer or two and be under extra scrutiny for being armed.
No LEO bashing, but you will have to deal with them and they come in all kinds of shapes, colors and 'tudes

[PappaGun]

Have you checked out the LEO Contacts and Bloopers?

[Skiprr]

Carrying a CHL means that you will more than likely deal with an officer or two and be under extra scrutiny for being armed.
No LEO bashing, but you will have to deal with them and they come in all kinds of shapes, colors and 'tudes.

Explain please why, "Carrying a CHL means that you will more than likely deal with an officer or two and be under extra scrutiny for being armed."

I'd really like to hear your explanation. Really.

[marksiwel]

Carrying a CHL means that you will more than likely deal with an officer or two and be under extra scrutiny for being armed.
No LEO bashing, but you will have to deal with them and they come in all kinds of shapes, colors and 'tudes.

Explain please why, "Carrying a CHL means that you will more than likely deal with an officer or two and be under extra scrutiny for being armed."

I'd really like to hear your explanation. Really.

You get pulled over, there's sometimes a problem. You pull your gun, there is a problem. Your gun falls out of your pocket for some reason. Your Shirt blows up during a heavy wind, someone sees your gun and freaks out, you go to the state Capital and they put you through a metal decator (Possible future), you go into a goverment building where the illegaly have a 30.06 sign and a metal dector you have to explain your Rights to the cops there about how you can carry on City property, you go to the State Fair and they want you to write down your CHL info.
You might not have ANY run ins with the police, but theres a better chance you will have a longer chat with them if you carry a gun daily. I try to avoid the police but as of this last week I've had them at my Door, and where I work (shoplifting)

[OverEasy]

I was pulled over 3 times in 2009.
1) DPS, for a problem with my brake lights. I gave him all my 'papers' and told him I was armed. "Thank you sir, please take care of the brake light, drive safely." No ticket, polite and professional. (young guy, no smile)

2) Waller Co. Sheriff, I was speeding, he was comming towards me. He turned on his lights. I pulled off on the shoulder and had all my 'papers' ready by the time he U turned and pulled up behind me. He handed my CHL back to me and said "I don't need that". I told him I was armed and he just smiled. He asked me If I knew the speed limit. I told him I wasn't paying any attention, that I was starving and headed to Waller to get some lunch. He laughed, gave me a written warning and told me to slow down a little. No ticket, polite and friendly. ( middle aged guy)

3) Montgomery Co. Sheriff, I was speeding a little bit. He was hidden off to the side. After I passed him he pulled out and turned on the lights. There was no shoulder to stop on. I put on my hazard flashers and drove about 1/4 mile until I came to a driveway to pull into. I gave him my 'papers' and told him I was armed. He thanked me and went back to his car. He came back, gave me my 'papers' and told me they were patroling that section of road to try and get people to slow down due to recent accidents. He asked me to be careful. No ticket, polite, professional with a smile. (middle aged guy)

So, I don't know if the CHL was a 'get out of jail free card' or if it was because I'm the nicest guy you'll ever meet. I was probably only pulled over 3 times total in the previous 36+ years. Twice I got speeding tickets I deserved, the other was for changing lanes without using my signal, no ticket.

I get treated worse by the people in the post office and the drive thru teller than I do by Texas law enforcement officers, so far.

Regards, OE

[The Annoyed Man]

I've only been stopped once since 04/06 when I first moved to Texas, and the whole thing lasted no more than 4 or 5 minutes, tops. It was Southlake PD, and it happened just last month. I showed both ID, and he asked me if I was armed. I said "yes, right here," and pointed to my Versipak, which was slung over my left shoulder. He thanked me and said, "do me a favor and don't open it (the bag)." I grinned, and assured him I wouldn't. He was polite and businesslike in a professional way, and seemed in a hurry to get the stop over with so he could run off and bag some other poor soul. Other than the fine (for an expired inspection sticker), it was a relatively painless experience.

I told him I was armed...

I would never do that, the reason being that if you did get stopped by one of those officers who has a bad attitude toward armed citizens, he might take it, incorrectly, as a veiled threat. It's a step down from greeting the officer as he/she walks up to your window with "I have a gun!"

My policy is, hand him/her the CHL, and wait for him/her to ask me if I am armed. That way, my simple "yes" response cannot be interpreted as a threat. If I show the officer my CHL and he/she doesn't ask, then I have to assume that they don't care one way or the other if I am. But the whole point of my policy is to set the officer at ease with the stop. They have enough stress in their jobs, without my adding to it. Plus, I figure that if stopping me is a more pleasant experience for them, they might be more likely to cut me a break.

But under no circumstance do I regard my CHL as a get of jail free card, and my personal opinion is that anyone who does think that is likely to have more encounters than they care for, and will be surprised by the outcomes.

[Frost]

Don't interact with police if you can avoid.

[PeteCamp]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Last time I got pulled over was in the early 1970's.

I do have a funny story though. I was traveling to a training session with a Lt., a Sgt., and two other police chaplains. We chaplains are sworn officers who carry badges and photo ID's, and wear uniforms. We are required to identify ourselves as such if and when we get stopped.

We were driving an unmarked Crown Vic and one of the other chaplains was driving - going a bit fast. An old salt DPS Trooper pulled us over and when he arrived at the driver's window, the chaplain presented his DL and his badge. (Now you don't present a badge to identify yourself, you present the department photo ID - he was just very embarrassed and forgot.) The Trooper handed the badge back, winked at the back seat, and said: "Sorry ... we'll be giving double greenstamps for badges next week ... this week it's tickets." Closed his ticket book and walked back to his cruiser.

We laughed all the way to the session and back.

[Pete92FS]

I've only been stopped once since 04/06 when I first moved to Texas, and the whole thing lasted no more than 4 or 5 minutes, tops. It was Southlake PD, and it happened just last month. I showed both ID, and he asked me if I was armed. I said "yes, right here," and pointed to my Versipak, which was slung over my left shoulder. He thanked me and said, "do me a favor and don't open it (the bag)." I grinned, and assured him I wouldn't. He was polite and businesslike in a professional way, and seemed in a hurry to get the stop over with so he could run off and bag some other poor soul. Other than the fine (for an expired inspection sticker), it was a relatively painless experience.

I told him I was armed...

I would never do that, the reason being that if you did get stopped by one of those officers who has a bad attitude toward armed citizens, he might take it, incorrectly, as a veiled threat. It's a step down from greeting the officer as he/she walks up to your window with "I have a gun!"

My policy is, hand him/her the CHL, and wait for him/her to ask me if I am armed. That way, my simple "yes" response cannot be interpreted as a threat. If I show the officer my CHL and he/she doesn't ask, then I have to assume that they don't care one way or the other if I am. But the whole point of my policy is to set the officer at ease with the stop. They have enough stress in their jobs, without my adding to it. Plus, I figure that if stopping me is a more pleasant experience for them, they might be more likely to cut me a break.

But under no circumstance do I regard my CHL as a get of jail free card, and my personal opinion is that anyone who does think that is likely to have more encounters than they care for, and will be surprised by the outcomes.

I totally agree with TAM. I've been pulled over one time since I've had my CHL (by HPD) and the officer was totally professional. He was not even interested in looking at my CHL when I presented it and I didn't volunteer that I was armed. I assume if he wanted to know he would have asked. No since in raising any tensions anouncing that you are armed.

[joe817]

I agree with TAM & Pete. Never try to second guess a LEO on what he needs from you. Cops don't like you trying to second guess them.