Friday, December 17, 2010
Georgia Carry.Org Sticker = Special Treatment At Traffic Stop
"This is me getting stopped by Sandy Springs PD for speeding. The second thing the officer asked me, after asking for my license, was if I had any firearms. I responded that I was choosing to exercise my right to remain silent on that question. That answer prompted the officer to have me get out of the car for a pat down. The officer told me that the reason for his question (about firearms) was because I had a 'right to carry' sticker on my car. Yes, he actually said that."
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Honestly, I'm not going to blame the officer here for covering his butt. He had reason to suspect there may be a firearm and your refusal to answer left him nervous about it. Seemed like a fairly basic pat down and from what we can see he didn't do anything hinky with the check of your car. He even says there wouldn't be anything illegal about it if you had a firearm in the car and that the Georgia Right to Carry sticker represented a perfectly good group, didn't sound like he had any problem with them.
ReplyDeleteIf he'd tried to use the sticker and your refusal to claim probable cause for a search that would be a very different story. I also have issues with his weight, but overall I think it wasn't that out of the ordinary. From the sounds of it he's fairly well informed and not anti-gun, just trying to make sure he doesn't have someone produce an unexpected weapon. That's the same reason he asked you to sit on the bumper, it puts some separation between you and anything in the car and makes sure you aren't directly behind him while he's looking.
To me the key part here is that he didn't try to use that as probable cause and a more intense pat down. Basically the cop made a quick check that you weren't carrying a pistol then a spot check of the car with his light. None of that needed the sticker, or would have been that odd if you had nothing at all on the car and had answered no about a question about weapons, which they generally ask as a standard question.
Well said, but there doesn't seem to be consistency throughout the LEO system. Last year I was stopped for following too close and since it is the law in NC, I told him I had a CCW after he asked for my license. He didn't miss a beat and simply repeated the license request again. I asked if I could get out of the car to get my license out, he said yes, and once out he asked if the CCW was on me and if so where, but never did ask to see the weapon or CCW permit. Now this was in the daytime and I was with my 14 year old daughter, so they are probably more cautious at night as I know I was when I drove a cab.He never mentioned once any of my chrome letters or stickers though........SCV, Glock, Tyrant Lincoln, III, We're Screwed 2008 and NC Rangers Corps:)
ReplyDeletelol, I haven't seen a "We're Screwed 2008" yet, of course, I'm in CT and near Hartford, land of the grasshoppers.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletelol, I haven't seen a "We're Screwed 2008" yet, of course, I'm in CT and near Hartford, land of the grasshoppers.
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Here you go!
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqOLUk9