First inform, non-event

[rimfireOH]

I've been carrying when/where I can since I obtained my Ohio CHL in late August last year. Whenever I get into the car or go out for a walk, I prepare by reminding myself that/if I'm carrying and where my firearm is. And I've practiced my "pulled-over speech" hundreds of times. Practice makes perfect, something I need when I'm stressed or nervous. Both times that I've been stopped in the past 20 years ended up in warnings, but just the thought of getting pulled over quickens my pulse.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we blew a tire in Ohio on the turnpike, heading east out of Cleveland. I pulled over, out of traffic and got busy on the tire.

I've been told (by my wife, who heard it from her girlfriend, who....) that the first thing a LEO will is run your plates and that your CHL status will come up. I've also been told (ditto) that the LEO will automatically call for backup (I guess this happened to wife's girlfriend a few times). So the decision I had made is that I would inform whether I carrying or not -- if they likely know my CHL status, I'd rather put them at ease so I can get done sooner and get on my way. (Yes, I know there's great debate on this subject.)

So, when the Ohio State Trooper pulls up behind us with lights flashing, then got out and approached me, I promptly informed that I was a CHL holder and was not armed.

Where were my hands? Tightly wrapped around a tire-iron, but in plain view. He was clearly not concerned nor did he seem interested. I remember hearing something about "thanks." Just wanted to know how we were getting along. He walked to the front of my vehicle (to check if I had front plates?) and then passed me again (still wrestling with tire) and then got in and drove off.

So, my first inform was a non-event. We finished changing the tire and then headed back onto the highway. Over the river and through the woods...

[glocksmith]

The sad part is, he probably could care less whether you needed help. He was just looking for some other violation and used your breakdown situation as a pretext for snooping around.

[rimfireOH]

The sad part is, he probably could care less whether you needed help. He was just looking for some other violation and used your breakdown situation as a pretext for snooping around.

Could be. Snowplow operator had stopped just a few minutes earlier to offer assistance. Once he saw we were in good shape (spare wasn't flat and we seemed self-sufficient), he wished us luck and continued on his way. LEO was much the same: did we have a viable spare and could we do this -- once he was satisfied, he continued on his way.

I was wondering, though. If I had been carrying/armed, would I have needed to inform? I was the one stopped, the LEO didn't stop me. But I was "approached", so perhaps I would have needed to inform. Moot point since I wasn't carrying, but thinking about these things in advance...

[JustaShooter]

I was wondering, though. If I had been carrying/armed, would I have needed to inform? I was the one stopped, the LEO didn't stop me. But I was "approached", so perhaps I would have needed to inform. Moot point since I wasn't carrying, but thinking about these things in advance...

First, why weren't you armed?

Since you informed when not armed in that situation, I'm curious why you would ask? Presumably, you would have also notified had you been armed at the time, whether required or not...

I would not have notified had I not been armed, but I would have notified had I been armed. To me, he was performing his official duties so it fell within a "law enforcement purpose" and regardless of whether he actually stopped me or I was already stopped, I would have informed.

[Nocturnx]

Why would you inform if you are not carrying? I don't get it. The title of this thread cracks me up, of course it was a non-event, you weren't even carrying and informed when you didn't have to! LMAO

[Javelin Man]

Why would you inform if you are not carrying? I don't get it. The title of this thread cracks me up, of course it was a non-event, you weren't even carrying and informed when you didn't have to! LMAO

At least the officer didn't reach in to take his holster!

[glocksmith]

Why would you inform if you are not carrying? I don't get it. The title of this thread cracks me up, of course it was a non-event, you weren't even carrying and informed when you didn't have to! LMAO

Don't they teach these things in a state approved CHL certification course anyway?

[techguy85]

The state mandated topics say nothing about legal requirements, only firearms training. So an instructor has no obligation under the law to discuss it. Most do touch on it, but not all.

[Nocturnx]

At least the officer didn't reach in to take his holster!

Whammy!

Sorry OP, I didn't mean to crap on your thread. I was in a bit of a mood this morning... I'm glad your situation was uneventful because you never know these days. Carry safely and carry on my friend, welcome to the forum.

[rimfireOH]

The state approved CHL certification course I attended did cover when it is required to inform. The instructors got some other things wrong (Specifically, cause I know I'll be asked, we were told that when we became CHL holders, we could never, ever open carry again. Clearly baloney, but that's what they said.), but it was covered that the only time we must inform is when carrying.

My decision (at the time of my flat tire) to inform the LEO that I'm a CHL holder but not carrying comes back to putting the LEO at ease. I want my stop to be as short and as easy as possible so I can go on my way. Of course, from the LEO's perspective, I could be lying, I could be armed whether CHL or not, and perhaps the LEO should assume that everyone they approach is armed. I don't know.

There are entire threads on this board going over this topic (here's an old but good one: http://ohioccwforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12538), and I didn't mean to start another one. My personal position on needlessly voluntarily informing is changing, even since November last year--I'm more at the "probably, but it depends on the situation" part of the spectrum.

I've found this board to be a wealth of knowledge and it has changed my thinking and my behavior on a number of things. Thanks for keeping the topics lively!

[MyWifeSaidYes]

rimfireOH-

Welcome to the forum!

It is YOUR choice on when to inform. Make your choice and go with it.

But PLEASE don't say you are notifying to put a LEO at ease.

If you are armed, he now knows you have a gun and will NOT be at ease.

If you are NOT armed, he won't believe you, and will NOT be at ease.

Any cop that is at ease during a traffic stop is a DEAD cop.

You are notifying, when you are not required to, in order to put YOURSELF at ease.

Right?

[rimfireOH]

First, why weren't you armed?

A good and valid question. First, cause I had to pass through PA and I don't (yet) have my PA license. Second, my ultimate destination was a military base and it wasn't clear at this stage in the trip that I'd be able to carry onto it. (According to my relative stationed there, I could have carried onto the base, just couldn't enter any buildings. That's how it was posted when we arrived and how it was explained to my relative.)

But all-in-all, a good and valid question.

[JustaShooter]

First, why weren't you armed?

A good and valid question. First, cause I had to pass through PA and I don't (yet) have my PA license. Second, my ultimate destination was a military base and it wasn't clear at this stage in the trip that I'd be able to carry onto it. (According to my relative stationed there, I could have carried onto the base, just couldn't enter any buildings. That's how it was posted when we arrived and how it was explained to my relative.)

But all-in-all, a good and valid question.

For future reference, PA law allows you to be armed in your vehicle with your OH license. See http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/pennsylvania.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI ... /18/18.PDF" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6106
Firearms not to be Carried Without a License
(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who
carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business,
without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree.
(2)
A person who is otherwise eligible to possess a valid license under this chapter but carries a firearm in
any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of
abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license and has not committed any other
criminal violation commits a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(b) Exceptions.
--
The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:

(11)
Any person while carrying a firearm in any vehicle, which person possesses a valid and lawfully issued
license for that firearm which has been issued under the laws of the United States or any other state.

The concern about the military base would certainly have given me pause - especially since I would have guessed it to be completely off-limits to have a firearm in that instance (though I might have been inclined to call and ask...)

[Tweed Ring]

I've been carrying when/where I can since I obtained my Ohio CHL in late August last year. Whenever I get into the car or go out for a walk, I prepare by reminding myself that/if I'm carrying and where my firearm is. And I've practiced my "pulled-over speech" hundreds of times. Practice makes perfect, something I need when I'm stressed or nervous. Both times that I've been stopped in the past 20 years ended up in warnings, but just the thought of getting pulled over quickens my pulse.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we blew a tire in Ohio on the turnpike, heading east out of Cleveland. I pulled over, out of traffic and got busy on the tire.

I've been told (by my wife, who heard it from her girlfriend, who....) that the first thing a LEO will is run your plates and that your CHL status will come up. I've also been told (ditto) that the LEO will automatically call for backup (I guess this happened to wife's girlfriend a few times). So the decision I had made is that I would inform whether I carrying or not -- if they likely know my CHL status, I'd rather put them at ease so I can get done sooner and get on my way. (Yes, I know there's great debate on this subject.)

So, when the Ohio State Trooper pulls up behind us with lights flashing, then got out and approached me, I promptly informed that I was a CHL holder and was not armed.

Where were my hands? Tightly wrapped around a tire-iron, but in plain view. He was clearly not concerned nor did he seem interested. I remember hearing something about "thanks." Just wanted to know how we were getting along. He walked to the front of my vehicle (to check if I had front plates?) and then passed me again (still wrestling with tire) and then got in and drove off.

So, my first inform was a non-event. We finished changing the tire and then headed back onto the highway. Over the river and through the woods...

Simply put: It is clearly your choice to notify or not notify, when not armed. I have trained all my students to practice a simple set of statements to ease the notification process. Moreover, I have found the most frequent police interaction with police are traffic stops. Those interactions can induce stress upon the civilians.

Do what makes you comfortable in regards to such notification. I have been stopped once; I was not armed, but I still make a notification to the officer. He seemed appreciative.

[phillip]

The state mandated topics say nothing about legal requirements, only firearms training. So an instructor has no obligation under the law to discuss it. Most do touch on it, but not all.

Not so:

Concealed Carry Manual - This booklet, which summarizes Ohio’s concealed handgun law, is required reading for all applicants for a concealed handgun license.

Published by the Ohio Attorney General. It IS a legal requirement. See minimum requirement section of same. Page 5 states:

"As part of the training, applicants also must receive and certify that they
have reviewed a copy of this publication."