Surviving a Police Encounter as a Concealed Carrier

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Surviving a Police Encounter as a Concealed
Carrier
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• If a law enforcement officer stops you and you
  are legally carrying a firearm on your person or
  in your vehicle, should you inform the officer?
  And if so, how should you tell them?
• Every patrol officer fears being shot in the line
  of duty, and every time an officer initiates a
  traffic stop, they risk having an encounter with
  an armed criminal who intends harm. Civil rights
  attorney Lorenzo Banks says, Just like you get
  nervous when youre getting pulled over this
  officer is kind of nervous. It means most
  traffic stops begin with both parties feeling
  tense.

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• The mission of D.O.P.E. the Movement is to help
  officers and citizens De-escalate Officer Patrol
  Encounters. D.O.P.E.s founder, retired Oklahoma
  City Police Lieutenant Stan Campbell, says that
  citizens can ease the tension at the beginning of
  a law enforcement encounter by demonstrating
  through words and actions that they are not a
  threat and that they care about the officers
  safety. With this in mind, as a veteran of law
  enforcement, Stan believes that informing an
  officer of a lawfully concealed firearm at the
  beginning of an encounter often increases the
  tension rather than de-escalating.

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• In 2016, officer Jeronimo Yanez of the St.
  Anthony, Minnesota Police Department stopped
  motorist Philando Castile for a broken tail
  light. Dash camera video shows that the encounter
  began cordially. After being asked for his
  license and insurance, Castile says, Sir, I have
  to tell you I do have a firearm on me. The
  officers demeanor changes from cordial to
  concerned after Castiles disclosure. Dont
  reach for it then! the officer says. There is a
  short, terse verbal exchange before officer Yanez
  draws his pistol and fires into the vehicle.
  Evidence suggested that Castile was reaching for
  the documentation the officer requested, but
  Yanez feared he was reaching for the gun. Castile
  died from his wounds, and Yanez was found guilty
  of second-degree manslaughter.

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• Castile wasnt legally required to disclose to
  the officer that he was carrying a firearm.
  Minnesota is a Notify-When-Asked state which
  means lawfully carrying citizens are not legally
  required to tell an officer about a firearm
  unless specifically asked. Stan references the
  Castile case as an example of how disclosing the
  presence of a firearm could quickly devolve into
  tragedy. Had Castile not mentioned the firearm,
  Stan says, its likely the stop would have
  continued cordially, and Castile would have
  driven away with a ticket and without the
  concealed weapon ever becoming an issue.

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• Some states have statutes requiring that
  concealed carriers notify patrol officers if they
  have a firearm during a traffic stop. In these
  Duty-to-Inform states, Stan says citizens are
  legally required to disclose when they are
  carrying, but he also notes there are ways to do
  it without unnecessarily escalating the tension
  of the encounter. If there is time before the
  officer approaches, a motorist can have their
  concealed carry permit readily available along
  with their license. Stan says that mentioning the
  words firearm or gun may increase tension.
  Instead of saying, Sir, I have to tell you I do
  have a firearm on me, as Castile did, Stan
  suggests a motorist could say, Officer, I want
  to let you know I am a concealed carrier. It is
  a way to comply with the law without
  unnecessarily escalating the encounter.

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• More important than the words a motorist says is
  what they do with their hands. Motorists who
  disclose to an officer that they are armed should
  make sure the officer can see both of their
  hands, perhaps by grasping the top of the
  steering wheel. They shouldnt make any sudden
  movements. A well-trained officer will give
  specific instructions, and motorists should
  comply slowly, asking permission before each
  action. In Castiles case, he continued to reach
  for his documentation after disclosing he was
  armed, and the miscommunication that followed
  tragically cost him his life.

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• Concealed carriers have a responsibility to know
  whether they are in a Duty-to-Inform state, a
  Notify-When-Asked state, or whether they have
  complete discretion. The website
  worldpopulationreview.com has a list of the
  states that fall into these categories for quick
  reference, but you should also directly research
  the statutes where you live (some counties in
  California, and the municipality of New York have
  laws that supersede state law).

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• Responsible citizens often feel they have a duty
  to disclose if they have a firearm during a
  police encounter, but in most states, this is not
  a legal obligation. As the Castile case
  demonstrates, unnecessarily disclosing that you
  have a firearm might only serve to increase the
  tension of an officer patrol encounter. If your
  state or local government mandates legal
  disclosure, there are ways you can present the
  information without unnecessarily alarming the
  officer or increasing the danger to yourself. In
  other states, where the law gives you discretion,
  you can decide if, when, and how to disclose that
  you are armed.

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• However, you proceed, if you demonstrate that you
  care about the officers safety by keeping your
  hands visible, if you communicate your intentions
  before you make any movements, and if you comply
  with the officers instructions, you will be much
  more likely to have a positive officer patrol
  encounter even if you end up getting a ticket.