Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

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schmieg
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Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by schmieg »

The 8th District has issued a decision on what this means. Please note that this was a 2-1 decision and may be addressed differently in other districts or it might be changed by the Ohio Supreme Court. While I like the decision, I personally feel that the courts will decide that "law enforcement purpose" extends beyond this decision and will be overridden down the road. The case is Strongsville v. Johnson, 2017-Ohio-7066, and the pertinent portion is:
IV. Carrying a Concealed Weapon
{¶14}
Although Johnson had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, the city charged him with carrying a concealed weapon under R.C. 2923.12(B)(1). That section requires a person “stopped for law enforcement purposes and who is carrying a concealed handgun” to “promptly inform any law enforcement officer who approaches the person after the person has been stopped that the person has been issued a concealed handgun license and that the person then is carrying a concealed handgun.” Johnson argues that he was not stopped for a law enforcement purpose because he had in fact been stopped before the police arrived because his vehicle ran out of gasoline.

{¶15}
The Revised Code does not define the phrase “law enforcement purpose,” but this case does not require us to provide its meaning in any definitive way. The police testified that their encounter with Johnson did not occur because they were enforcing any laws. They saw a stranded vehicle and claimed to be offering assistance. In fact, one of the officers conceded in his testimony that at the time he approached Johnson’s stranded vehicle, there was “no law” that he was intending to enforce. But even if we were to construe the phrase “law enforcement purpose” broadly to encompass situations like this one where the police approach a vehicle for safety reasons, Johnson was not “stopped” by the police. The statute is clear. R.C. 2923.12(B)(1) only requires an individual who is carrying a concealed handgun, has a license to do so, and who is “stopped for law enforcement purposes” to promptly inform an officer who approaches after the person has been stopped of the existence of the handgun.
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Mr. Glock
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by Mr. Glock »

That is an interesting turn of phrase. And technically correct.
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by JustaShooter »

schmieg do you mind if I post your take on this decision on our Facebook page and group?
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schmieg
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by schmieg »

JustaShooter wrote:schmieg do you mind if I post your take on this decision on our Facebook page and group?
Feel free. I threw it out there so people would know. Just don't rely too heavily on it at this point.
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by MyWifeSaidYes »

Johnson was not “stopped” by the police. The statute is clear.


THIS is the part I like best.

You haven't 'stopped' me if I'm already stopped (regardless of your 'law enforcement purpose' :wink: )

Will a different court try to muddy that which is clear? Almost certainly. I just hope they don't succeed.
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schmieg
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by schmieg »

MyWifeSaidYes wrote:
Johnson was not “stopped” by the police. The statute is clear.


THIS is the part I like best.

You haven't 'stopped' me if I'm already stopped (regardless of your 'law enforcement purpose' :wink: )

Will a different court try to muddy that which is clear? Almost certainly. I just hope they don't succeed.
Personally, I love the decision. I just suspect that it won't survive long as precedent. For that matter, it's only the law now in the 8th District. Of course, the 8th District is where a lot of the harassment of licensees occurs. Had this guy given the cops his drivers' license in the first place, he would have skated on all charges from this decision. As it is, this decision reversed his convictions of the CCW, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice, so he should be thankful to just be found guilty of failing to produce his drivers' license..
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by evan price »

Mr. Glock wrote:That is an interesting turn of phrase. And technically correct.
And that's the best kind of correct!
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by djthomas »

schmieg wrote:Personally, I love the decision. I just suspect that it won't survive long as precedent.
Hopefully because a change in the law obviates the need for it to do so.
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by Chuck »

Is there a link to this decision?
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schmieg
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by schmieg »

Chuck wrote:Is there a link to this decision?
You can try this one. If it doesn't work, I can file attach it to you.

http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/do ... o-7066.pdf
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by dc3dog »

My permit instructor explained it this way, if the office is conducting an investigation then you must inform them promptly. If as in this case the office is offering to provide assistance then they would be investigating "why a motor vehicle is in need of assistance". As I see it the failure to provide a drivers license is a moot point. As soon as the officer approached the vehicle, before the office spoke, the defendant in this case should have made the office aware he had a permit. At least that is my understanding of this law. I welcome others opinions on this point.

The problem I have with this law to promptly inform is that it takes away my right to privacy. In my hypothetical scenario, lets say I am a passenger in my coworkers vehicle when they are stopped by law enforcement. Now I am forced by law to give up my privacy and inform the officer (and my coworker) 1) that I have a permit and 2) that I have a firearm with me (or not). Obviously this is not my coworkers business but sure as the sun will come up tomorrow they will be telling everyone "back at the office" about my personal business before the day is out.

I for one would like to see this law changed. Ohio is one of only a few states with this requirement. Please let me know what you think and I thank you for your opinion even if you disagree with me.
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by 3FULLMAGS+1 »

dc3dog wrote:My permit instructor explained it this way, if the office is conducting an investigation then you must inform them promptly. If as in this case the office is offering to provide assistance then they would be investigating "why a motor vehicle is in need of assistance". As I see it the failure to provide a drivers license is a moot point. As soon as the officer approached the vehicle, before the office spoke, the defendant in this case should have made the office aware he had a permit. At least that is my understanding of this law. I welcome others opinions on this point.

The problem I have with this law to promptly inform is that it takes away my right to privacy. In my hypothetical scenario, lets say I am a passenger in my coworkers vehicle when they are stopped by law enforcement. Now I am forced by law to give up my privacy and inform the officer (and my coworker) 1) that I have a permit and 2) that I have a firearm with me (or not). Obviously this is not my coworkers business but sure as the sun will come up tomorrow they will be telling everyone "back at the office" about my personal business before the day is out.

I for one would like to see this law changed. Ohio is one of only a few states with this requirement. Please let me know what you think and I thank you for your opinion even if you disagree with me.
Getting rid of notification COMPLETELY is at the top of OFCC's priority list, along with fixing other issues with our carry laws in Ohio.

Notification can cause all kind of problems. Check out our ongoing discussions here.....

http://ohioccwforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=87752" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by docachna »

Next time you make a run at repealing it, get some affirmation from LEO in states like TN, where the affirmative duty to notify is not shifted to a CHL holder UNTIL an LEO asks if he has any weapons on him. Seems to work down here --- and in a number of other states, as I understand.

It's not so much the duty to notify, as it is the poorly written and vague statute, and the inconsistent application.
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by 3FULLMAGS+1 »

[quote="docachna"]Next time you make a run at repealing it, get some affirmation from LEO in states like TN, where the affirmative duty to notify is not shifted to a CHL holder UNTIL an LEO asks if he has any weapons on him. Seems to work down here --- and in a number of other states, as I understand.

It's not so much the duty to notify, as it is the poorly written and vague statute, and the inconsistent application.[/quote]

(1) We ARE "making another run at it".....it' hb 142

(2) I think we have testimony from two officers at the present time. Problem is, officers work "under" someone else like their chief or sheriff and sometimes wont speak up.

(3) Yes, it does work with no problems at all, in the other 39 states or so.

(4) Yes, the law as is, is poorly written AND vague. We are trying to get the law changed from what it is now "to" notifying if and when we are asked by LE "first". As far as being inconsistent, again yes, it is , because of the vagueness of the word "promptly" in there AND that there are LE that don't like us carrying that will use that against us, and they have.
And add the fact that just about every law enforcement association almost always speaks out against any changes to our laws regarding carry.
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Re: Stopped for Law Enforcement Purpose

Post by qmti »

Maybe I went about this wrong but I was interested about the movement of this bill and sent a email to Rep. Scott Wiggans who I believe sponsored the bill on Sunday 8/28/17. Received the automated response back on Monday that email was received. No further response from his office yet.
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