Routine traffic stop, asked about my registered firearms

[I Swan]

I really hope sojurnertruth is trolling and doesn't really believe what he has been saying. I do admit I've been getting a kick out of the back and.forth about butts in the air. I've been pulled over a few times in last 10 years I own hundreds of guns and not once was it brought up.

I own no registered assault weapons though. Also have been pulled over while having 17 guns in trunk luckily that went ok and they never knew and acted professional even though it was fishing.

My guns were discovered at the bs border patrol checkpoint in Imperial county they whined because I had loaded mags but they were not in the guns. They ran my ID but had to let me go.

I feel those checkpoints are unconstitutional it's not the border. Luckily I rarely need to go through them and haven't had an issue in a long time.

[billrd]

A: Of course I legally own firearms, Officer. I'm an American citizen.

Q: Do you currently have any of those firearms in your vehicle or on your person, Sir?

Q: Do you have reason to believe that I have firearms in my vehicle or on my person, Officer?

Even that's way too much chatter between a citizen and an Officer asking such an absurd question. Technically, you're under no obligation to provide any information beyond your License, Registration and Insurance.

PROBABLE CAUSE!!!!!!!
Knowing you OWN firearms would not be sufficient.
If this question and a few more leads to a search, etc., it may be illegal.

[The_Highwayman]

Nope, a cop can ask anything they want. No intrusion. The "intrusion" could have been avoided by not making an illegal turn.

Now, that said, I just wouldn't answer the question. Don't be there to interfere with their job, but on the same token there's no sense in giving them blind consent so their job is easy.

+1

The cop has aright to ask, for his safety and everyone else's but I agree with not giving them blind consent to search. BTW, anyone else notice the accents of both the OP and the cop? where was this at?

[tuolumnejim]

He's a previously banned member, 'grabalnog', who does not know how to talk or discuss with adults without resorting to name calling, insults and foul language.

Oh, and he is banned... again.

I wonder what the tards DUmp name is?

[Mayor McRifle]

Except if you say no, they are going to use as excuse for a search anyway.

A search for what? They still need probable cause that a crime has been, or is being, committed. Legally owning guns is not a crime.

[Mayor McRifle]

If you are legal you have nothing to fear.

Exactly.

[Mayor McRifle]

PROBABLE CAUSE!!!!!!!

Probable cause of what? What would the illegal activity be?

[A-J]

just tell the truth, if you have a gun in the car say so when asked, if you don't say no and be done with it. First of course make sure that if you do have it in the car, its locked, legally stored and there is no ammo with it. The cop may or may not check once you say yes and move on. If you are legal you have nothing to fear.

I agree they should not be asking that stuff and I am torn if they need that information or not, since on the safety side if i was a cop i would want to know if the person i am stopping may have a gun and can shoot back, but on the other hand, if the database says I legally have a gun, that already implies I am a "safer" stop since I am likely a law abiding citizen who does not pull a gun on a whim, if I did, I would not be legal anymore.

I can see both sides here...

My problem is transport...I have truck or a motorcycle, legal locked away from driver storage is at a premium but I do the best I can and hope that showing I tried with the best intentions will be good enough. Lock the ammo in its own bag, guns locked in case, maybe next to each other and yes in my truck I could reach both but they are separately locked and behind the seat in the truck, both in same trunk on motorcycle.

Man, I try not to pick posts apart, but you managed to give two significantly bad pieces of infomration in one short post. The law does not require either of the bolded items you specified.

[IVC]

The cop has aright to ask, for his safety and everyone else's but I agree with not giving them blind consent to search.

Well, that's a bit of a stretch. If it was for officer's safety, he would have the right to perform a limited search such as during a Terry Stop (which is in connection to criminal activity, not traffic infractions.)

If there is a need for such questioning, the police union should push for the legislature to create such a law so we can go to court and resolve this issue once and for all.

[Frisco3Gun]

"I have nothing illegal in my car, officer."

[IVC]

If you are legal you have nothing to fear.

Exactly.

Borderline correct and always a very bad idea.

Any information or additional interaction can only be used against you, and never to support you. If you say/do things that are incriminating, they will be used against you as self-incrimination; if you say/do things that are exonerating, they will be inadmissible in court as hearsay under the assumption that "of course one is going to say favorable things about himself."

It's a one-way ratchet wrench, so choose wisely. The real question is "why would LEO do something that they clearly have no authority to enforce?"

[Oceanbob]

just tell the truth, if you have a gun in the car say so when asked, if you don't say no and be done with it. First of course make sure that if you do have it in the car, its locked, legally stored and there is no ammo with it. The cop may or may not check once you say yes and move on. If you are legal you have nothing to fear.

I agree they should not be asking that stuff and I am torn if they need that information or not, since on the safety side if i was a cop i would want to know if the person i am stopping may have a gun and can shoot back, but on the other hand, if the database says I legally have a gun, that already implies I am a "safer" stop since I am likely a law abiding citizen who does not pull a gun on a whim, if I did, I would not be legal anymore.

I can see both sides here...

My problem is transport...I have truck or a motorcycle, legal locked away from driver storage is at a premium but I do the best I can and hope that showing I tried with the best intentions will be good enough. Lock the ammo in its own bag, guns locked in case, maybe next to each other and yes in my truck I could reach both but they are separately locked and behind the seat in the truck, both in same trunk on motorcycle.

I would caution against telling any Police Officer you have a Gun on board. Once they know you have a Gun, they don't need a Warrant to look at and examine that gun and some members here have been handcuffed and sat on the Curb while a feeding Frenzy of Police Cruisers and supervisors arrive to have a look.

It's better to just say No. If the police persist on Searching your car, ask them to get a search Warrant. Ask for a Supervisor if needed.

Also, it's perfectly legal to have an unloaded gun in a locked case with loaded magazines in the same locked case. The mags just can't be inserted into the gun. So telling people to carry ammo in a separate locked case is FUD.

Also you can have that secure locked case on your lap or on the seat next to you. In fact, anywhere in the car is fine.

The police don't care about intentions. They care about Arrests. Just follow the law and keep your mouth shut.

Sorry about the U Turn officer. Am I free to go?

No officer, nothing like that. You want to Search my car? Get a warrant first officer.



Have a locked case that doesn't scream Gun Inside....



Combo locks are best

[mshill]

Officer: "Do you own firearms?"
Driver: "Is that illegal now?"
Officer: "No, it is not, but I noticed you have some registered in your name."
Driver: "Hmm... that's interesting."
Officer: "Do you have any firearms in your car?"
Driver: "Is that illegal now?"
Officer: "No, but if you do they need to be properly transported."
Driver: "That's good to know. Thank you officer. Here's my license, registration and insurance."

I just want to do this once just to see where it goes. Frankly, if I get an LE asking those questions I expect his next question will be to ask me "if I'd like to step out of the car?" and likely to go south from there.

Good thing is I haven't been pulled over in a decade or so.

[ParaLarry]

Do we have a lawyer specializing in firearms law that can comment on this thread?

[Mitch]

Good thing is I haven't been pulled over in a decade or so.

Such an easy circumstance to avoid . . .