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"Do you have any weapons in the vehicle?"
How does one best answer (or deal with) this dreaded question, esp. if you have firearm(s) in the trunk or LUCC (Locked Unloaded Container Carry) and don't want to get your vehicle searched?
Say you get stopped for speeding or get a traffic stop for a reason unknown to you (to your knowledge you didn't do anything wrong).
-You can't lie to the cop, because if he calls your bluff and searches anyway (illegal or not), you're up the creek for lying to him and he'll dig deeper into your business and you might go to jail simply for hiding the truth from him.
-Declaring a firearm or weapons ('Yes I have a legally owned Glock 22C in the trunk, unloaded, locked, etc.') is too risky, because then that invites an 'e-check' or some other firearms/law related excuse or suspicion to search your vehicle.
-"I don't consent to a search." This is probably the worst thing you can say. Now the cop will look for every reason in the book to search your car, and he knows for sure that you have weapons in the vehicle.
-Ignoring & redirecting the question. Say the cop asks this question to you, you might be able to skew from it by answering back, "Officer, I'd like to know why I've been stopped." But, if the cop keeps insisting or demanding an answer to his question, you are forced to say something in relation to it.
-Right to remain silent. This can be done in many ways, but the least potentially damaging seems to be an approach like, "With all due respect Officer, I am not comfortable answering that question and am not legally bound to do so, and I would like to discuss the matter with my lawyer before continuing."
Thoughts? How would YOU approach this question?
Say you get stopped for speeding or get a traffic stop for a reason unknown to you (to your knowledge you didn't do anything wrong).
-You can't lie to the cop, because if he calls your bluff and searches anyway (illegal or not), you're up the creek for lying to him and he'll dig deeper into your business and you might go to jail simply for hiding the truth from him.
-Declaring a firearm or weapons ('Yes I have a legally owned Glock 22C in the trunk, unloaded, locked, etc.') is too risky, because then that invites an 'e-check' or some other firearms/law related excuse or suspicion to search your vehicle.
-"I don't consent to a search." This is probably the worst thing you can say. Now the cop will look for every reason in the book to search your car, and he knows for sure that you have weapons in the vehicle.
-Ignoring & redirecting the question. Say the cop asks this question to you, you might be able to skew from it by answering back, "Officer, I'd like to know why I've been stopped." But, if the cop keeps insisting or demanding an answer to his question, you are forced to say something in relation to it.
-Right to remain silent. This can be done in many ways, but the least potentially damaging seems to be an approach like, "With all due respect Officer, I am not comfortable answering that question and am not legally bound to do so, and I would like to discuss the matter with my lawyer before continuing."
Thoughts? How would YOU approach this question?
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