As a concealed carry guy, I have always been interested in how police officers conduct themselves during a traffic stop. This evening, my wife and I were heading to dinner going east on Hwy 9 West. I noticed a patrol car going the opposite direction and came off the gas out of reflex more than any awareness that I was speeding. He turned on his lights and whipped around, but I was convinced that I was not the subject of his interest. I was slowing down as the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 mph by the Riverwind, and moved to the right to let him pass. Nope. He followed me over and I pulled over.
The officer approached on the passenger side and asked if I knew why he had pulled me over. I honestly answered that I did not, because while I knew I was going a little over the posted limit, I didn't think I was standing out from other drivers, especially enough to warrant such immediate and abrupt action. He informed me that I was going 67.5 in a 55 mph zone, which I found plausible but was surprised that he had a read on me while we were both traveling toward each other. He asked to see my driver's license at which time I told him that I possessed an Oklahoma handgun license and that I was armed, and that my firearm was in close proximity to my wallet.
"How would you like to proceed?", I asked him. He told me to retrieve my license and then asked for my handgun license as well. He said if they checked out, he would let me off with a verbal. We were in our new car so there were no plates for him to run. He returned a couple of minutes later and I noticed he had drawn his sidearm and had it against his leg. At this point I was a tad freaked out. I'm a middle-aged white guy and am not the demographic that gets a hard look from law enforcement. He handed me back my cards and reminded me to keep the speed down. I thanked him and he backed all the way around his patrol car, pistol still at his side. (Kind of comical, actually.)
So my point in all of this is not to bash the cop. He gave me a break when I certainly deserved a ticket. What threw me was first, how quickly I was on his "radar", and second, how seriously he reacted (I assume) to the mere presence of a legally carried firearm. Perhaps he was looking for a similar vehicle. Maybe the proximity to the casino suggested he may catch a drunk driver or other ne'er do well. We were in a brand new (less than 24 hours!) SUV and my inner tin-foil-hat guy started to think maybe new vehicles broadcast their speed via Bluetooth or some other means.
So is this the new normal? There is case law, at least in my former state of Washington, that the mere presence of a firearm is insufficient to warrant alarm. With the popularity of "civilian" concealed and open carry, I find it suspect that tat alone should escalate things.
The officer approached on the passenger side and asked if I knew why he had pulled me over. I honestly answered that I did not, because while I knew I was going a little over the posted limit, I didn't think I was standing out from other drivers, especially enough to warrant such immediate and abrupt action. He informed me that I was going 67.5 in a 55 mph zone, which I found plausible but was surprised that he had a read on me while we were both traveling toward each other. He asked to see my driver's license at which time I told him that I possessed an Oklahoma handgun license and that I was armed, and that my firearm was in close proximity to my wallet.
"How would you like to proceed?", I asked him. He told me to retrieve my license and then asked for my handgun license as well. He said if they checked out, he would let me off with a verbal. We were in our new car so there were no plates for him to run. He returned a couple of minutes later and I noticed he had drawn his sidearm and had it against his leg. At this point I was a tad freaked out. I'm a middle-aged white guy and am not the demographic that gets a hard look from law enforcement. He handed me back my cards and reminded me to keep the speed down. I thanked him and he backed all the way around his patrol car, pistol still at his side. (Kind of comical, actually.)
So my point in all of this is not to bash the cop. He gave me a break when I certainly deserved a ticket. What threw me was first, how quickly I was on his "radar", and second, how seriously he reacted (I assume) to the mere presence of a legally carried firearm. Perhaps he was looking for a similar vehicle. Maybe the proximity to the casino suggested he may catch a drunk driver or other ne'er do well. We were in a brand new (less than 24 hours!) SUV and my inner tin-foil-hat guy started to think maybe new vehicles broadcast their speed via Bluetooth or some other means.
So is this the new normal? There is case law, at least in my former state of Washington, that the mere presence of a firearm is insufficient to warrant alarm. With the popularity of "civilian" concealed and open carry, I find it suspect that tat alone should escalate things.
