Called in DUI Driver, LEO contact with CHP

[crash5150]

Good ol chico.. for as much fun it is.. lots of DUI's. I spend a lot of weekend nights with a friend of mine in Chico. She sells pizza on the street so I keep her company. She doesn't get harassed by the drunk guys as much when I'm there. I carry my glock 22 in my sherpa holster at my 3 to 5oclock.. depending on my belt loops. lol.

Last night I wore a shorter jacket but I had a couple layers on cause it was cold so it was ok. However a trained eye would see that I was carrying. Prolly not the best way to carry but its what I had to work with at the time.

On my way home, witnessed someone going the wrong way down a one way street. He was going the same why I was going and I observed some classic signs of a drunk driver. I was getting ready to call the PD when CHP rolled up behind me and i got there attention.. and they made a traffic stop.

I'm sure CHP would have noticed the buldge so when I got out of my car, I gave the officer my rice paper and told him for officer safety in case you notice I'm armed, I want to be on the same page. He took a look, said thank you and that he appreciated that I told him. I gave him my statement of what I saw. Then we BSed about guns and shooting. He owns a Glock 23... looked at the 27 but he would accidentally release the mag with every shot.

My first LEO contact, and I probably could have gotten away with not telling him, but I was avoiding the chance of a well trained eye.

Driver arrested and booked for DUI.

[Keith92555]

Score one for the good guys.

[Rond4x4]

Cool.

[Gladiator]

Originally Posted by crash5150

I'm sure CHP would have noticed the buldge so when I got out of my car, I gave the officer my rice paper and told him for officer safety in case you notice I'm armed, I want to be on the same page. He took a look, said thank you and that he appreciated that I told him.

Very smart you told him. I would rather YOU tell me before I notice the buldge. Otherwise, you would have felt a metal circle screwed into you ear, asking what the buldge was. You did good, I wish everybody was that smart.

[derringer]

Originally Posted by crash5150

I gave the officer my rice paper and told him for officer safety in case you notice I'm armed, I want to be on the same page.

LOL! If you were a danger to the officer you shouldn't be carrying, and I really doubt you would have told him if you were!

What you meant to say was, "....for MY safety..."

[derringer]

Originally Posted by Gladiator

Otherwise, you would have felt a metal circle screwed into you ear, asking what the buldge was.

And if it was a cell phone or camera you'd get to join him on his day in court, Officer Callahan

[Gladiator]

Originally Posted by derringer

And if it was a cell phone or camera you'd get to join him on his day in court, Officer Callahan

You must not know the difference, those two print very difference than a gun. I on the other hand do. I haven't been wrong yet.

[crash5150]

Originally Posted by derringer

LOL! If you were a danger to the officer you shouldn't be carrying, and I really doubt you would have told him if you were!

What you meant to say was, "....for MY safety..."

You know what I mean.. Safety for all but I've always used the term officer safety.

[derringer]

Originally Posted by crash5150

You know what I mean.. Safety for all but I've always used the term officer safety.

I know. It just struck my funny bone for some odd reason. Sorry.
You did well, and it's great you got a wacko drunk off the road before he got someone seriously hurt or even killed. Good job, crash5150

[Rob P.]

Originally Posted by Gladiator

You must not know the difference, those two print very difference than a gun. I on the other hand do. I haven't been wrong yet.

It only takes once.

[WKC]

Originally Posted by Rob P.

It only takes once.

True. It only take once. But, I rather be wrong than dead. So if in doubt, that bulge is a weapon till I can be sure otherwise.

You need to look at it from the other side of the traffic stop.

[Tom98915]

Sounds like you did OK. And good for you for helping the LEO cite with the drunk with your statement. We need to get those people off the streets.

I had a drunk in front of me a few weeks back and called CHP who sent out a patrol unit. They DID pull them over and take them in. So that's another drunk who did not hurt or kill anyone that night. That is good thing.

[Rob P.]

Originally Posted by WKC

True. It only take once. But, I rather be wrong than dead. So if in doubt, that bulge is a weapon till I can be sure otherwise.

You need to look at it from the other side of the traffic stop.

Actually, I don't.

In fact you are the one who needs to look it at it "from the other side." Something in the back of my mind makes me think of a thing called the US Constitution and the provisions in it. Nothing in there about "officer safety" or even any premise of "thou shalt abuse your official position at the expense of the general populace." Quite the opposite in fact.

That you do a risky job which places you on the edge of danger does not give you the right or the obligation to stick the barrel of your firearm into someones ear on UNSUBSTANTIATED SUSPICION ALONE. And for all your training you cannot claim to have PC on the basis of seeing an unidentified bulge under someone's clothes. No one can.

As I said, it only takes once and you are financially toast and your unlucky victim an instant millionaire. You should rethink your actions and the thought process behind your motivation. Your family will not be happy that you "came home at the end of your shift" only to inform them that they are now homeless and insolvent because you didn't take the time to REALLY THINK about what you were doing while on the job that day before you tried to kill/did kill an innocent person for no reason at all. And, believe me, it would not be that difficult to prove that your mindset was exactly that.

Of course all that I just said is merely internet bravado on my part. You can ignore my words with impunity. After all, you're a trained professional. Right?

[derringer]

And, afterall, as we here on this forum are all well aware, a concealed handgun means a bad guy, no question about it. Or, if we aren't bad guys, I guess we're just deemed too spineless and powerless to do anything about a violation of our civil rights. I was hoping he'd come back and say he was just kidding. Scary.

I, personally, highly respect the police for what they have to go through every day. But, perhaps a review of being aware of keeping an adequate safety zone, and honing some instinct shooting skills could save some hapless civilian from such unwarranted treatment that is sure to change his opinion of law enforcement for the worse.

[rycerz]

Originally Posted by Rob P.

Actually, I don't.

In fact you are the one who needs to look it at it "from the other side." Something in the back of my mind makes me think of a thing called the US Constitution and the provisions in it. Nothing in there about "officer safety" or even any premise of "thou shalt abuse your official position at the expense of the general populace." Quite the opposite in fact.

That you do a risky job which places you on the edge of danger does not give you the right or the obligation to stick the barrel of your firearm into someones ear on UNSUBSTANTIATED SUSPICION ALONE. And for all your training you cannot claim to have PC on the basis of seeing an unidentified bulge under someone's clothes. No one can.

As I said, it only takes once and you are financially toast and your unlucky victim an instant millionaire. You should rethink your actions and the thought process behind your motivation. Your family will not be happy that you "came home at the end of your shift" only to inform them that they are now homeless and insolvent because you didn't take the time to REALLY THINK about what you were doing while on the job that day before you tried to kill/did kill an innocent person for no reason at all. And, believe me, it would not be that difficult to prove that your mindset was exactly that.

Of course all that I just said is merely internet bravado on my part. You can ignore my words with impunity. After all, you're a trained professional. Right?

Hmmm you gotta study up on some laws and gov't cases before you can make most of your statements. I"m not going to pick them appart one by one but lets put it this way: if you are stopped by an officer and you don't disclose you have a gun and he decides that there is a very high likelyhood that you're armed and you didn't disclose, he'll decide you're probably a danger to him. This most likely means you're coming out the window... no matter how much or little it's open Ok, maybe I"m exagerrating a bit, but the bottom line is that you're considered then a threat. And you know what? The officer is not financially responsible as long as he does what another officer with like experience and training would do. Yeah you can sue the dept and might win some money but that's a different story.

Anyways, it comes down to a courtesy thing: let them know and they'll appreciate it. Don't let them know and be discovered and you're likely (especially in CA) be treated like a criminal till proven otherwise.....

Add to that all the cops that have recently died during traffic stops and or have been attacked during traffic stops and you should realize that their sense of danger is up a couple notches.