I’m going to partially disagree with Ruger.
First off, His advice is tactically sound, and generally good. That said, some states do not require “notification” or advising LE that you are carrying a firearm.
AZ has what is probably the kookiest “must surrender” law ever written. They explicitly state that upon any demand of LE you must surrender the firearm, but Ruger is specifically addressing notification. There is some dispute about whether or not you’re wise to notify during a stop. For a while, some of the state police agencies, who communicate with each other via various “professional” groups and organizations, were making it a policy to seize firearms upon notification. It was going on in VA by direction of the state police superintendent, and other states were doing it as a matter of practice, for no other reason than you as a motorist said “howdy trooper/officer/deputy, just to let you know, I’ve got a license / permit and am armed”.
Seizing a firearm is, frankly, incredibly dangerous to you and your family and honestly not something you should acquiesce to alone on the side of the road.
Police in general are notoriously bad gun handlers. A significant portion of them are not enthusiasts, only carry because of duty requirement and qualification fire only. These people do not understand the 3 rules, are unconsciously incompetent (gun handlers), not knowing how unskilled they actually are and put in a position of taking a gun off of your person, are sweeping you a minimum of one time with a loaded gun. That’s a lethal degree of force being applied against you no matter how authorized or justified it might be.
I tend to fall more on Ruger’s side than the “don’t notify” side of things because I’ve never (yet; knock wood) been victimized by one of the always seize the gun departments or revenuers. My state does not require notification but I do it. My state also ties the record of the permit/license to the drivers license so when the license is run, the permit is disclosed to the officer running the license. Further, your plates tie to your D/L and the officer is advised of this when your plates or run - so, while you’re being followed by police they’re often running your plate. dispatch will report back owner reported as ... d/l reports owner has a concealed handgun permit. So chances are the cops in my jurisdiction know I have a permit before we speak.
I tend to notify quietly once I’ve handed over license, reg. (I include the permit) and I tell them then, the same time I ask for the warning.
here’s why I mention the “do not disclose” side of the discussion. Sometimes you’ve got a cop who has lost their cool. This is a dangerous situation under any circumstance, but youtube is littered with videos of officers who, through their errant behavior have displayed for the world they should be employed otherwise. Deescalation is a talent that is rare and it is a difficult skill to employ on the spot if you haven’t practiced it so there may be a time when silence is your best friend.
Of course, there’s always the 5th amendment. Interactions with police on the side of the road do not deprive you of your 5th Amendment right to remain silent. You are not required speak during a traffic stop, you may be required to produce documentation or evidence that you’re legally permitted to drive, etc. but you can choose silence. It may not give you all the opportunities to present your human side, but it’s still permissible to remain silent to LE in the USA. For now.
I do also get Ruger’s advice about an armed truck vs. an armed person, but, I also think that’s monochromatic thinking. Lucille and I both can be armed
One is none and 2 is one. - Clint Smith.
