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CHL Traffic Stop stories. What Is yours?

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    Active Member
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    0   0   0
    Aug 4, 2014
    367
    26
    Tomball/Magnolia
    My CHL/gun seizure and dumb college kid story

    Sorry to contribute to the off-track trend of this thread, but I am confused as to why some of you would carry your weapon and your insurance card in the same compartment in your vehicle. You know that if you are stopped, you'll need to present your insurance card, so why on earth would you make it more difficult/dangerous on yourself, and the officer, by doing that? Not to be too insulting, but that shows a lack of common sense, in my opinion.

    Very logical question. In fact, when I was in college I was stopped for speeding (imagine that). Went to get my insurance paper out of the glove box. Didn't even think about the fact that my gun (unloaded) was right under the papers. I quickly complied with the "insurance and license" request. As I darted my hand in the box and sat back up, the cop already had his gun in my back and asked if that was a gun in my glove box. Uh, oh ya. That? Got taken in that evening. Had to hire a lawyer and go to court. The truth is that I just forgot it was in there. This is pre-CHL days, by the way...1995ish. And there was no ammo or even mags in the car. Just a gun and dumb college kid. So, I told the judge that I went to the pawn shop to try to sell it but they were closed (9:30pm). In that day, you could only transport a gun if it was to a sporting event, to sell or buy, or if you were crossing three county lines. Funny enough, I think it was the following year they passed all the CHL stuff so what I was doing would have been legal with the CHL. Anyway, they said "Why would you think they'd be open so late?" I said, "I've never been to a pawn shop. I thought maybe they were like those stores that stay open late for quick cash like a convenience store." Judge gave me the "ya right" look. Cost me about $950 in court fines, 30 days probation fees (deferred adjudication for class A misdemeanor 'unlawful carrying of a weapon'), and lawyer fees. Suckola for a poor college kid. But if the cop was a little jumpier, I could have been killed because of poor judgment and I'm sure he would have been exonerated.

    As for my CHL traffic stop, I was pulled over for expired inspection sticker when I was attempting to sell an old farm truck. When I handed my licenses to the officer, the issue was no longer my traffic infraction but my possession of a weapon. The officer asked (calmly),
    “Do you have your weapon with you?’
    “Yes.”
    “Where is it?”
    “On my hip where I always carry it.”
    “Would you please step out of the car?”
    At this point the officer had me place my hands on the car while he talked me through disarming me. He then took the weapon (Glock 19) to his car, unloaded it, and ran the serial numbers. After the encounter, he placed the frame on the dash and the magazine on the rear bumper. He said he was giving me a verbal warning regarding the inspection (after I showed him the sales offer from Texas Direct Auto to help validate my claim) and asked that I wait until he left to reload the weapon. He went to the far end of the parking lot apparently leaving. I reloaded the weapon and began to leave toward the front entrance. I assume he found a dead end so he turned around to exit the main entrance. As I pulled up to leave also, he backed up as if to let me go first.

    He was impeccably polite and professional, but it's still a shame that he violated my constitutional rights. By taking the weapon from me, he effectively searched me and seized my property without probable cause. Lawful carrying of a weapon is not probable cause for removing the property. There is case law to this effect. Furthermore, by having my CHL and having a requirement to present it to the officer, it’s also a violation of the Equal Protection Clause to the extent that it requires that I present additional identification when most people are not required to for the same act. Carrying a concealed weapon in the vehicle (for most people) is legal without license. Had I not had a CHL, I could have had the same weapon carried the same way but would not have been asked to step out of the vehicle, would not have been searched, my property would not have been seized, and the serial numbers would not have been ran. I may or may not have received a $10 ticket.

    In fact, I'd think that cops would rather have a CHL stop because at least they KNOW the person is a) probably carrying a weapon, b) probably a good guy, and c) not a felon. It should be the unknown they fear. If they approach Joe Blow, they don't know if he's armed. They don't know if he's passed a background check. They don't know if he's a felon. They should think of the CHL like the TSA program where you can do a background check and then you get the express lane through security checkpoints. The CHL should be the "security check completed" express card, not the "go on high alert because this might be the next Adam Lanza or 'Dr. Chingy-Money cop-killa'".
    Hurley's Gold
     

    HBadger

    Member
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Sep 18, 2014
    56
    1
    S. Austin/Buda/Lockhart area
    I've had polar experiences- one time I was cuffed, disarmed, then after everything checked out, released without a speeding ticket, the other time the female officer just looked at my CHL did not get overly excited, and did nothing to secure my weapon or me (and let me go with a warning again).
     

    txsblues

    New Member
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    0   0   0
    Jun 22, 2014
    16
    1
    I work nights and come home at very odd hours of the a.m., hence this is why I got a CHL. Noticed a headlamp out on my car early Thursday a.m. coming home from work. Stopped by an AutoZone and bought new bulbs on my way back to work Thursday afternoon. Got pulled over by Richmond PD on my way home Thursday evening. The new bulbs and receipt with Todays date were sitting on my front passenger seat so I felt confident the officer was going to let the headlamp violation slide with a warning. I rolled down all my windows, turned on my interior lights and kept my hands on the steering wheel during the stop. He asked for my license and I got my wallet from the cupholder and handed him both my license and CHL. I told him I was carrying and asked how he wanted to proceed. He handed me back my CHL and said he was going to run my license and if everything checked out ok he was going to write me a warning ticket. Another patrolman in a different vehicle pulled up and stood at the right rear of my car during the remainder of the stop. The first officer was pretty friendly and didn't seem concerned about the CHL. Not sure if the second patrolman arriving had anything to do with the fact I was carrying but he never got involved other than standing near the rear of my vehicle. 10 minutes later I was on my way down the road with a warning ticket. I was not aware that I also had a license plate light which had burned out. I was always curious how a traffic stop would go down while carrying…. overall I would say it happened as I expected it should. One more mile down the road and I would have been home safely and would have replaced the headlight in the morning without incident.
     

    Reinz

    Well-Known
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Sep 5, 2014
    2,255
    96
    East TX
    Being a traveling salesman for 20 yrs, I've had my share of pullovers. Since day one of the CHL all officers have been polite, except one.

    She got me for speeding on a two lane blacktop. Deep ditches, so I could not pull over for about a mile and a half.

    Boy was she hot! "Why didn't you pull over!!!!!!.?" I calmly explained it was not safe being only two lanes and steep ditches.
    It was hard to keep a straight face, she looked just like Ellen Degeneres.

    Thinking that I was hiding things while going down the road, Ellen's partner was searching my car with his flashlight standing away from the car.

    I handed Ellen both licenses and insurance and she asked where was the gun. I told her it was on me. She very excitedly said "Don't go for it!!!!" I very calmly shook my head and said "I'm not".
    Then she asked what kind was it? I told her it was a 9mm.

    Now it gets weird.

    She said "were exactly is your weapon?"
    I told her in my pocket. Then she said, "I can't see it!"
    I swear, I almost busted out laughing. I just grinned and asked,"isn't it SUPPOSED to be concealed?"

    Then she said "How would your company feel if they found out that you were carrying a gun in their corporate car?"
    I replied, "how would they know unless you told them? And, am I breaking any Texas law by doing so?"

    Then she started harping on how there is no way that I'm carrying a nine in my pocket.

    Needless to say I was just happy to finally get my ticket and leave.

    The next day I went to the JP and visited with him in his office. I told him all about Ellen. He told me that he gets complaints on her. He ended up letting me do deferred adjudication.
     
    Last edited:

    Huntindoc

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    0   0   0
    Jan 20, 2011
    174
    11
    Temple
    I have had several encounters.

    One time the officer (local) asked me what I was carrying. When I told him, he said that several other officers also used that model as their off duty weapon and asked me how long I had it and how I liked it. We proceeded to talk guns for 15-20 minutes until he said he needed to get back to work. He agreed to try to make it to one of our local steel challenge shoots and we could do some shooting together sometime. Don't even think he gave me an official warning that time.

    Another time I was stopped by a very green, very young, (and quite attractive) female officer (again local) who when I handed her my CHL she began stammering a little as she asked me if I was carrying. I told her that I was and that I had one on my right hip and one on my left ankle. She began visibly shaking at that point and the stammering became almost a stutter. I kept my hands in very plain view and told her calmly, "Honey relax, everything is ok. Look, I am a local Family Doctor. My clinic is right around the corner. You don't have anything to worry about. You are just doing your job and everything is fine. I am happy to take a ticket. It is no big deal. I'm just going to wait here while you do your work. Ok?" She went back to her car and returned a few minutes later. Handed me my Creds and told me "I'm not going to give you a ticket today. Have a nice day." Then left. She had me more scared than any stop in my life. I am not sure she still works for the department. I haven't seen her around since.
     

    andyd2023

    New Member
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    0   0   0
    Sep 15, 2014
    7
    1
    East Texas Near Winnsboro
    So far I have been stopped 4 times in the last 6 years or so. The first three were all OK stops, First time on I30 in Fate, The Officer asked about where my Gun was but did not seem concerned at all. Second time was again on I30 farther out passed Cumby, TX got stopped by a state trouper He said I was weaving????? (Did not seam legit ) but he asked about the gun asked to see it, and had me place it on the empty seat next to me with the mag out. He was not interested in the weapon after I placed it on the seat, he was very polite and ran My ID then let me go with no citation or warning. Third time was in the local town, speed drops from 65 to 55 and I was a little slow on adjusting my speed. The officer asked if I was carrying, when I said I was he said OK and went back to his car and wrote me a warning, we talked about old Ford trucks for about 10 minutes and he excused himself and left for another call. The Forth time I screwed up,,,, The Wife and
    I were headed to Tyler, TX for a night out and I was going a little fast and got puller over. Well I was not thinking right and made the mistake of only giving the Officer my Texas Drivers license, I did not get out my CHL because I was not carrying. He took my license and went to his car and ran it, he then came back up to my car and asked for my CHL! and IF I was carrying? I apologized and told him NO I was not armed. He said when He ran my license number It came back with a red border and that meant either I had a CHL or an Active Warrant. I apologized to him again for MY mistake. He was very nice about it, He also told me that I should give any LEO both my drivers license AND CHL anytime they ask for ID, if I am armed or not.
    LESSON LEARNED!!!
    Andrew
     

    BRD@66

    TGT Addict
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    0   0   0
    Jan 23, 2014
    10,771
    96
    Liberty Hill
    In my 18 yrs of CHL, my experience has been the same as the OP. Twice by DPS, once by Wmson County & once by Early PD. No hassle from anyone. Got a speed ticket out of the Early deal.
     

    Bozz10mm

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    0   0   0
    Oct 5, 2013
    9,616
    96
    Georgetown
    Well, I don't have any CHL traffic stop stories. Last time I got a ticket was 46 years ago, and I believe it was for loud pipes, excessive noise or something. Wife's a different story, LOL. Now watch, tomorrow I will get pulled over.
     
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