Youtuber, gun enthusiast, and friend of GunsAmerica Hank Strange was pulled over on Easter Sunday in Gainesville, Florida, by Alachua County sheriffs because the window tint on his Dodge Challenger was too dark, allegedly.
Whether that was the real reason the police stopped Strange or whether it was just a pretext for a more troubling reason — Hank was racially profiled — is not exactly clear. Hank obviously feels strongly that he was racially profiled and provides good evidence to support that suspicion, yet unfortunately the evidence is not concrete enough to definitively prove his case. In other words, the officers have enough plausible deniability to avoid any charge that they stopped Strange because he was black.
But despite the rather troubling circumstances of the stop, Strange turns the lemons he was handed into lemonade by using footage from the incident to discuss it and give sound advice to the gun community.
What he ultimately says is that worry first about getting home safely, then your Constitutional rights. It makes total and complete sense. You can watch Hank remain calm, cool and collected during the stop when the officers proceed to disarm him with his hands on the hood of the police car.
To add. This same county sheriff’s dept on 2 occasions let me go on a 73 mph in a 55 & 89 in a 55…both 2 lane roads. Only verbals. I pulled over & waited for them to u-turn.no search..just said slow down, so it depends on the individual officer…go figure.
First off, he stated that the car that pulled him over was going in the OPPOSITE direction. HIS WINDSHIELD WAS NOT TINTED>>>NOT TINTED, smart guys.I got stopped on a “city” street (pop. 275) said I didn’t stop at a stop sign.Nonsense.I had just passed an old gas station, abandoned with 3 sherrifs cars there. So one followed me.I was driving a conv with the ttop down. My hat was turned backward so it could not blow off my head.They(now 3 cars) had me stop out.Asked about weapon.I stated it was on pass side floor by the console.I guess they had already run my license, as they knew I had a CCpermit.Then the Captain said his K-9 was going to searh the car. The dog apparently thought there were drugs. Then I go through the”what drugs are you taking” I stated none.Then he asked again including prescription drugs. I said none. Then he asked if they could search my trunk.I said no.All this & I am white & 73 years old.Next time I’ll drive the pickup.I was calm.
Hank you seem to have been trying get red neck police bigots to like you. You did give them a valid reason to pull you over. Stop blaming the black family and their Easter party.
They could care less about your friends in law enforcement. Or how much you agree with them politically or socially. You seem to have a white red neck mentality.
From your conversation you seem to long for some kind of white acceptance. This is pitifull.
You wanted to get home safely to your family.
You don’t understand American bigotry. You talk about black crime quite a bit. What about white crime Hank? What about whites doing drugs?
You give me the impression that you suffer from a deep and profound lack of self knowledge. Perhaps you should read and study Cheikh Anta Diop. Maybe even take a good semester course about African American history that deals with Dr Diop.
we wish you well
Your stop appeared to be valid. You said that they pulled you over bcuz you’re a Negro. However, your window tint is so dark that one cannot see WHO is driving, let alone what color you are. Stop trying to play the race card, already.
Too many good men and women DIED protecting these rights. GOD grants rights, not governments,not politicians,not judges and NOT POLICE. I look at this as police willfully,purposely violating rights WITHOUT the slightest chance of repercussion or consequence. It sickens me to know that these “peace officers” cast aside their oaths so easily, Those who meekly submit dishonor those who gave their lives and fortunes for the preservation of these rights. Should the violation of these rights carry the same price as the preservation? There needs to be an accounting in my opinion, to stand strong and resist by ANY MEANS NECESSARY,with equal force and determination.
Well, you are a SOVEREIGN CITIZEN, keep watching YouTube chief and continue your fantasy.
Hank,
Way to stay cool calm and collected and make it home safe to your family. I see where they did some violations of your rights but you remained calm and saw the bigger picture, which was to walk away.
I applaud your demeanor during that stop. Keep safe.
thanks for sharing
Ken
Officer stops subject on pretext of being in violation of obscure law. Officer uses technical aspects of verifying this supposed violation to initially remove the subject from the vehicle to separate him from potential weapons and also to place the subject in a situation where any actionable probable case on his person cause could then be used to search the vehicle (smell of marijuana, etc). Officer then gains entry to vehicle interior by rolling the window down to “check the tint”. A visual inspection is then done by the Officer at that moment for probable cause for contraband, etc. The reason the officer has the firearm placed back in the vehicle is so that the officers have an EXCUSE to search the vehicle all due to “OFFICER SAFETY” since now the subject can’t go back to retrieve his insurance, etc and the officer gets to search around in the vehicle for them. This is all done very smoothly and just like a choreographed dance. This is what state troopers do when they target you for whatever reason. Then they will dance around for a reasonable reason to place items into the trunk of your car, etc. See a pattern. The whole time they are saying things like, “Do you mind…”, “If it’s ok…”, “I’m going to do X for my safety if that is ok…” all gaining your consent. 8 years law enforcement experience.
Police are intensely curious about their neighbours,and often bored,looking for any excuse to pull over anyone. What was the methodology used to generate a measured number representing degree of tint? Lose the tint. Removes at least that excuse. And yes,it sure looked like a way to generate an unofficial search. Plausible deniability is neither plausible nor deniable. Except in a court of law.
Pardon me but I don’t see where Hank was “profiled” as the windows of his car are so dark as not being able to see who is driving.
Besides this is what the police do….. write tickets for motor vehicle violations. Nobody likes to be pulled over and Hank seems to be a really nice guy but there is no harm or foul here. The police who stopped him were very polite and respectful to the point of being sickening sweet. This is the way it should be. And about disarming him, I’m sure the police were following normal procedure as things can go wrong very quickly in the real world.
Sorry Hank but you have no gripe here
Hank, I do not doubt you were profiled, either for you race, or the muscle car you are driving. You need to camouflage.
Get yourself a “soccer mom” mini-van, and you will have far fewer pull overs by police. This would be a compromise of your freedoms.
I stop to use a restroom of a park beside my work one morning at 4:30 A.M. As I finished up I heard a car pull up. I heard foot steps approaching, and before they could knock on the door, I knocked from the other side. I stepped out the door moments later to find one officer behind me, and one to my front. They asked me for my divers license and insurance. I immediately stuff my hands into hooded sweatshirt (hoodie), and they questioned me for several minutes about why I was there when the park was close. Finally the dispatcher came over the radio and told them the car was validly register to me, and also that I was a CCW holder. I had been standing there for 3 minutes with my hands in my pockets, and had not been searched. They immediately let me leave.
I am a white male. I do not believe this stop would have gone the same way for an African American male. I hope they had to go into the restroom clean themselves when I left, after letting me stand there with my hands in my pockets for 3 mins.
Hank mentioned that a spotter made eye-contact with him prior to the stop. They knew Hank was black before they pulled him over.
Note to self: If LEO wants to take my CCW he can put it in HIS car until the stop is over. Don’t want to give him an excuse to gain entrance into my vehicle.
Wonderfully and eloquently done. I saw more than a few things that seemed shady. I saw placing the gun in
your car as a slimy way of visually searching your car. Also, asked ( ordered ) to get out of your vehicle is a
crock of B. S. You called it well,. Racially profiled. Even better, you explained it in such a way that even the
most virulent of a-holes could not miss your point. You avoided all the hot button buzz words and attitude
that tend to alienate most haters. Congrats to your Pops for bringing you up the way he did and glad you
came to the U.S.
OMG grow up, so he got pulled over, big deal. This person carries a gun and makes his living around the gun community, his skin should be a lot thicker than that. So he cooperated with law enforcement, big deal, news flash that’s what law abiding citizens do, that’s the norm, nothing that deserves a commendation. The commendation goes to Law Enforcement wich continue to do their job and hold the thin blue line despite YouTube rangers like this guy.
If he asked me that quite simply id be tempted ask him Officer, May i set your gun on the front seat of MY vehicle first as were both on level playing fields? Both of us being law abiding citizens of coarse.
(Wont lie honestly id put my hands on the hood of his car or on top of his car so he doesn’t confuse my movement as aggression and say im NOT giving you permission, but i will NOT resist even if you choose to break the law and disarm me, and promptly and kindly ask for his Shift Supervisor. Resisting is obviously stupid, yet being respectful and precise in what you say plus knowing the laws in your state and local jurisdiction is key.)
“Whether that was the real reason the police stopped Strange or whether it was just a pretext for a more troubling reason — Hank was racially profiled”
Hard to be racially profiled when you can’t see through the windows….
Evidently, the “pat down” didn’t find the LCR in the ankle holster…lol
I know some want to say well, just forget about your rights and make it home safe. Yes but I do not remember when I was asked to sign off to giving up my rights. Its not up to LE to decide what rights I can have and which ones they can choose to ignore.
I know the pretext was the tint, maybe it was over the limit, most won’t even bother with the meter. I got stopped a few yrs ago driving thru GA, the I75 drug corridor, tho probably fair to say most are just people trying to get one place to another. That was the pretext, illegal tint, tho I know for certain it wasn’t. Went to a shop, paid for the proper 35% tint, had the sticker in the door. Lounden co deputy never looked at the sticker, never used a meter. He said it was to dark, it was to dark. He was not even close to nice when he threatened to make me peel it off right there on the side of the highway, then be forced to drive where you couldn’t see out most of the windows. He gave me a good lecture about his absolute authority, he didn’t care if it was legal back home, he said it was to dark, end of the story. He let me off tho after about 40 min of him running his mouth. Probably missed several actual cars with drugs, vs a family going after visiting grandma.
I have lost all respect for LE. Nor do I trust them. Last time I got stopped, was here locally, now I don’t live in a big city with alot of crime, no a small town of 3800 people, 5 traffic lights in the whole co, it would be hard to remember the last armed anything here. Yet that young deputy kept his hand on his gun the entire time, I wasn’t even in my car, but putting videos back in the red box. Anything I said other than ‘yes sir you are absolutely right’ was arguing. I could feel the whole time he was trying to escalate the situation, I had to try hard not to go along. He seemed genuinely disappointed when my license came back clean, and everything was in order. No ‘you have a nice night sir’ or even close. Pretty much threw my paperwork at me and left, running the exact same stop sign he said I didn’t stop for, guess its different. My 7 yo son watching the whole time, needless to say he won’t be learning respect for cops from me.
It’s routine for some cops, depending on the department, to request the driver to step out. The fact that you’re already outside your vehicle and you have a gun on your person, regardless of permit, you will be disarmed. Don’t take it personal. And yes, the cop has every right to do so. I’m a cop. I’ll be damned if I did not take it for the remainder of my stop. Hurting your feelings is the last thing on my mind. Any cop who tells you otherwise is not prudent and should quit immediately. Cops have pet peeves. It was a matter of time before you ran into one that can spot illegal tints from a mile away. It was your day that day. I don’t care if you have been driving with your illegal tints for a year. The cop was right right? Your tints were illegal. Petty? Maybe? To you maybe. Maybe me too. Does it matter? No. He’s got you and that is all that matters. Contact FDLE if you feel there is a race problem come Easter every year. Take action. Be heard about that. I agree with you on that issue. But those cops did a great job with their stop with you. Everything was legal and by the book.
It does burn me up that I was stopped only because I was out of state, far out of state, and a state that probably had a higher chance of finding something illegal in my car. I was an older white male, driving in an area where I had frequently seen other out of state cars pulled over with trunk open and luggage spread out behind the car. This was back in the late ’90s and on trips ten years later I did not see this happening. Back to my incident, I was in pretty heavy traffic on I-44 near Springfield, MO, and the reason I was pulled over was not because I was keeping up with traffic doing 75 in a 70-posted zone, but because I was not keeping in the right lane often enough, and failing to signal my lane changes- according to the officer’s standards. After I had passed the documents check he siad he’d let me go without a warning ticket.
But before he left my window, he asked me how I would reply if he asked to look in my trunk. This is what burns me up – I had no witnesses, so I had to decide if he would lie about my civil good natured behavior up to that point. I took the easy way out and told him I would let him look – but he decided against the illegal search. I have often wondered since then if he would have found an excuse to search my car. To me this entire incident was a clear improper use of police authority.
I’m a white guy. In culture, as much so as skin color. I do not hold anybody’s skin color against them. But I abhor the “race card” and those who pull it out with no good reason can be subject to the full force of my ire. Back in the day, I had long hair, and drove junk cars. I have seen my share of profiling by police. These incidents and youthful bravado, with a hint of mistrust shaped the way traffic stops went for me. Occasionally there were stops which led to me being “roughed up” and threatened with serious bodily harm that in and of itself would certainly be considered assault, and terroristic threats, respectively. None of which could be even dreamed of as within official policy of the officers and their departments. I always reacted in kind. It’s who I am. Somewhere along the way I guess I grew up. I began to realize that my attitude, the persona which I projected and my willingness to go to the mat were shaping things more so than anything the cops did. I did get shorter hair. I at least attempt to keep my vehicles in good repair functionally and cosmetically. When I get pulled over these days, I roll down whichever window the officer approaches, then I keep my hands on the wheel, with a friendly demeanor, I inform the officer of firearms I may have in the vehicle. This on an average day includes several AK’s, my openly carried Glock, and maybe two or more other hand guns mostly all loaded. Once I had an officer ask me if he could set my AK on the roof of my car while we talked. Sure, of course. If that makes the officer more comfortable? I can do that. I jokingly requested he be sure to remind me once our conversation was over so I wouldn’t drive off with it on the roof. He made an anti Obama remark, (which I did not even think of responding to) and wrote me a ticket for wasting a finite resource instead of the several hundred dollar speeding ticket he would have been within his right to hand me. The lesson I took home? Even if the officer says something you may agree with, don’t be in a car with several loaded firearms and be commiserating or complaining about the president. That, and being decent can go a long way toward mitigating a potentially expensive traffic stop. All that stuff in the past? That’s where I keep it unless I can share it with others for a productive lesson. What I’m saying is that my earlier experiences were a combination of cultures colliding, but when they went to extremes, they were driven by myself as much as the cops involved. I think some soul searching would find the same for many who outwardly believe these things are driven by skin color alone. Take Hank Strange’s advice here. Rights don’t matter when your’e dead or in prison for life. Or later, when you have the time to take stock of your own actions, and realize the enormity of life altering decisions made in the heat of the moment over some real or imagined slight against the letter or spirit of your rights. The best way to get respect? Simple, give it first. Save your money, make friends, go home safely, live to fight another day.
My view of the situation is the same. Nicely said.
The officers were courteous, explanations given for each action and a warning ticket issued for the illegal tinted windows (too dark for drivers window/front passenger window). Hank was courteous also. I don’t understand why he is playing the “race card” about the stop. The only thing I question is why the officer took Hank’s gun and placed it back in his car.
Asking for the CCW permit, DL and Ins. card is standard and required. He should not complain about any of that as the officer is doing his duty to ascertain these items are valid, legal and not forged. It is always best for someone being stopped to advise the officer ‘ I am carrying a firearm and do have a permit’.
Yes, there may be other factors as mentioned, about why there were so many officers on duty in the area. Again this is no reason to be upset. Also from looking at the dark tint on his car it would be hard to tell what color his skin was.
A State Trooper stopped me one night, with my wife in the car, after I did make an illegal U-turn. At the time I had my suit coat off laying on the seat and was wearing a firearm in a shoulder holster. He advised me to step out of the car and as I did
I put on my suit coat. He told me to slowly walk toward the front of his car. He stated you better have a good reason to have a gun. I advised him I was a police officer and he told me to slowly pull out my police ID, DL and INS. card and lay it on the hood of his car. He took those and checked them out. He was courteous and explained his actions and I complied. I was also given a verbal warning about the U-turn.
I retired after 40 years in law enforcement and I have stopped many cars with dark tinted windows. I stopped one car on a nice sunny afternoon for two reasons. One, the Florida tag had a very dark tinted cover over it where you could not read the tag. Two all the windows were so dark tinted you could not see anyone in the vehicle.
A black female jumped out (wearing a state prison guard uniform) screaming at me “the only reason you stopped me is I’m black”. I told her “lady I could not even see you much less tell what color you where and that not the reason I stopped you”.
Anyway she created a scene as I was writing her a warning ticket for obscured tag and the tinted windows and ran to the back of her car and began tearing off the tag cover. I simply said that’s fine lady now I can see your tag and drove off after she took the two warning tickets. I would suggest Hank does take the time to do a ride along because it opens the eyes of many citizens once they do.
in Florida you are not required by law to inform any LEO that you are carring, my wife worked for HCSO for 34 years and this is a fact. although it is in your best interest to inform them.
The Deputy that placed the gun in the car took much too long. I would say you might have actionable events if you wish to pursue.
That was an excellent video editorial illustrating the power law enforcement can project on the public. It is disturbing that even the most law abiding citizen with the best of intentions can be placed in such a fragile situation that could turn suddenly bad if the officers choose to indulge in a bad attitude.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I will show it to several people.
He is lucky they didn’t drop the “baggie of dope” in his car. Cops Lie and they Lie under Oath and they Lie to cover their ass. Lie Lie Lie , Cops think they “make law” not “being subject too law.” A crooked Cop is a very major flaw in society. It is not racial it is a Power trip these Cops are on in life. Put more crooked Cops in Prison and they will get the picture.
The problem is, by failing to object to these numerous searches of his vehicle, he can no longer claim illegal search to dispute anything they “find”. I would not have consented to either search. If the officer is uncomfortable with my having a firearm on my person, I would object to his disarming me, but he’s going to do it anyhow. After he takes it, he can place it in his vehicle, but not in mine if he’s going to use it as a pretext to repeatedly search my vehicle.
Well stated aka: Hank, seems as if they did go a bit over board. On the other hand with the current conditions I can understand the “Boys In Blue” tend to be over cautious. It has been a long while since being pulled over. Here in Tennessee we have a Hand Gun Carry permit (HGC) it is the same id number as your drivers license (permit is vertical but same info). I do carry a list of states with reciprocity, most do a few don’t. The time I was stopped, what I did was had him my HCP, driver’s license and insurance card WITH the HCP on top. Stating handgun was in console with no round chambered. All he asked, what make and model. What it boils down to ….. Had he run my license it would have shown that I may or may not have a handgun with me. Anyone that states “you don’t have to tell them” is first class jerk (expletives deleted). Look at it this way; place yourself in his seat, SURPRIZE this guy may be packing! Where is it, what is it etc. Let them know up front, you did the proper thing at the time Hank. Oh by the way love the Mohawk man! The result, he thanked me for being up front, all he said was keep my directional on longer when changing lanes. Pay to be up front and truthful.
Per recent comments by obersturmfuhrer McCarthy aka chief of police in Shitcago, this would have been adequate reason for the cops to shoot first and ask no questions later. Tho if Shitcago cops are as lousy shots as New Jerk city, the citizen aimed at would have been perfectly safe.
I did 26 years as a deputy in Los Angeles County. If stopped, I always stop safe, kill the engine, roll down all windows and drape my hands over the wheel. Stay buckled up until directed otherwise. Be nice. Tell the officer if you have a weapon! Never leave your vehicle unless directed.
Good advise Ole Ed. I might add one more thing: After dark, turn on the inside lights. This way the officer can see that there is no threat and should put the officer more at ease……it will probably also tell him that you are or were a cop.
I got pulled over about 2 yrs. ago for the exact same thing, my window tint was about 4 or 5 numbers below legal. I am in the Great State of Georgia. I am from N.J. originally. My State Trooper was overly nice to me and wrote me a ticket, and gave me a warning about not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign. I did take the window tint off and have not replaced it yet. I thought he conducted himself really nice and I have no complaints. We are both white and I totally get the whole racial profiling thing. I just wish it would all go away somehow. Peace and great video, Hank……Jim
As a white guy with a BS in Law Enforcement, having worked as a Correction Officer, with friends and family that were police, District Attorneys and Judges, and having 26 years service in the active Army and National Guard, I’ll lodge the opinion that this was a bogus stop. His “tinted windows” were in the judgement of the officer in the middle of the specified range, in the words of the officer, so that was an excuse. When presented with a valid drivers license and CCW the officer removed his pistol and then placed it in the vehicle, and then warned Strange that any move towards the vehicle would be considered a “hostile act.” And then asked for insurance information which would normally be kept in the vehicle. The “pat down” was also bogus and uncalled for as no indication of violations of the law had been apparent. This was a bullshit stop and in my opinion a clear case of racial profiling. And the Sheriff is a “Dick.”
Eric:
I noticed in your list of “qualifications” that you have never worked the streets, not surprised. It’s also obvious that you have no knowledge of police procedure when dealing with an armed person. The actions of the Officers prevented any potential for any misunderstanding on both the part of the Officers and Mr. Strange. No misunderstandings means it’s safer for everyone. No one got hurt, no one got arrested, no one was disrespected and no ones rights were violated. That’s the way this traffic stop should have gone down.
One more thing: I suggest that you examine your attitude before you get stopped for a routine traffic violation. Your lack of respect for Real Police Officers could put you in an uncomfortable situation.
Kevin, I’ve worked with several “street officers” and have assisted in numerous traffic stops, but not for many years. Apparently things are a little different here in Oregon. And I’ve experienced several traffic stops (warnings) myself. I’ve never been frisked, asked to put my hands on the hood of the cruiser, nor been patted down. Nor have the several other people I know that were also stopped for traffic infractions and also have a concealed firearms license. I have been asked to keep my hands visible which is correct and prudent. I believe my attitude is just fine thank you, and if stopped again I’ll do the very same thing I’ve always done. Cooperate. With the exception that if a vehicle search is requested they better have a warrant. Regarding your last comment, I have the utmost respect for any police officer that follows the laws that all citizens are expected to follow, which includes the police. I have none for those that make up rules or bend them “just because” they feel the need to do so. Obviously we have a difference of opinion, as well as living in different states.
His lack of respect should have no bearing if he has an encounter with a “Real Police Officer.” What uncomfortable kind of situation are you insinuating? A true professional wouldn’t let someone’s “bad attitude” affect the traffic stop. It’s cops with attitudes like yours Kevin that are turning the general public against you.
Police Officers have a lot of discretion when acting within the law and especially for making traffic stops. I’ve heard it said and I think it’s true that the average person can’t drive more than a few blocks without breaking some kind of minor traffic law. Officers make judgment calls for reckless driving and many other offenses. As long as the Officer can articulate the reason for the stop, it’s a legal stop. Officers use discretion when writing tickets. If you show disrespect when dealing with the Police, YOU ARE STUPID and stupid people put themselves at a disadvantage in every situation they come in contact with.
If you ever find yourself in a hurry to make a flight and get stopped for speeding, I’m guessing you will not only miss your flight but you will also get a ticket. That’s the kind of uncomfortable situation I was talking about. Blame the Officer if you want to but the Officer is not required by law to give you a break, you can thank your attitude for your uncomfortable situation.
Take another look at the video. It appears to have been a legit stop. The windows were tested with a tint meter and were about half of the legal value. The officer was right about his sense of the overtinting, and he had a right to check it out. The officer didn’t “remove his pistol and then placed it in the vehicle”, he asked Mr. Strange if he wanted it placed in the police car or his own vehicle. The officers didn’t know that Mr. Strange had documents in the vehicle; I carry my registration and insurance in my wallet, how about you guys? Yes, the “hostile act” comment might be considered a bit over the top; he might have said “do not approach your car”. The patdown was a “Terry frisk”, I believe, which is legitimate and for everyone’s safety. They could have found (or created) some pretense to search the rest of the car, but they didn’t. It’s not a “clear case of racial profiling”, as there’s no evidence at all that it was racial. And, as others have noted above, the police were polite and not aggressive or disrespectful, and theirs is a dangerous job, especially in traffic stops and domestic calls. Everybody did fine, and everyone went home safely. And with only a warning.
Frank, if the tinted windows were “about half the legal value,” does that not mean they were half under the maximum tint allowed, not half again more? You are able to carry your insurance papers wherever you choose. Most people I know leave them in the glove box as that’s where the registration is kept. And if perchance I found it necessary to loan my vehicle to another and they were involved in an accident I would have effectively screwed them by insuring that proof of insurance on my vehicle wasn’t available. Then I’d be going to court to prove that my vehicle was insured. You do what you feel you must, and you are entitled to your opinions. But to address your last comment, if those windows were legal why would there even be a warning?
Hank:
I think you are being oversensitive. From what I could see, the Officers were very polite, did not violate any of your rights, were courteous and did their job they are being paid to do which is to enforce the law and protect themselves and the public. They even asked if they could disarm you which they didn’t have to do. Keep in mind that when you are a LEO, any routine traffic stop could cost you your life, the officers that live the longest are the ones that are overly careful. Complacency is possibly the worst enemy of a street cop. Do you think the stop would have gone any different if you had been white? I don’t think so. Also, because of the constant media attention to anything that could be remotely construed as racial profiling, most White Officers I know try very hard to prevent even the perception of discrimination when dealing with Black People. Any action on the Officers part, true or not, that could be interpreted as being racist could cost that Officer his or her job and career.
Finally, You handled the situation the smart way by returning the respect you were given, that’s why you didn’t pay a fine and if you don’t want it to happen again, fix your windows.
Good comments for both sides! Way to go Hank! In the south, sub-tropics, the sun is hot and tenting has its use. I never used it but, I use those silver reflectors when parked, this does nothing for sun burning your skin when driving, causing possible skin cancer, but I do see both sides of tenting windows issue. The main issue we are seeing in the news between cops and people of color are the stupidity of those who run and don’t listen or do what the officer ask you them to do, are defensive, combative etc…if they have nothing to hide, do as told, stop when told to and be respectful as Hank was and what most people who are stopped do, this issue in America would not be happening, is to here profiling? Yes weather it is on purpose or just a reaction, it’s still done on everyone of all races, what you don’t see is whites rioting, destroying their neighborhoods, attacking innocent people, stealing, looting their neighborhood stores etc such as some, and I say some blacks. This behavior does nothing towards being treated equally. Each individual no matter color deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and with rights afforded to everyone no matter color! That said, use of he justice system even as it is far from perfect, it is better than looting, rioting, causing someone else harm either physically or financially. I am not saying the cops are right, they have gotten so power crazy, by the letter of natural he law and rarely do they give a break which educates and makes people feel lucky not to get a ticket and thinking positive thoughts, a ticket just pisses most people off then they continue doing same thing. Cops use to protect and serve, now they collect revenue, they do some good in some instances but are bully’s in others. There are good cops and bad ones, I for one, can shoot as good if not better than most cops I have seen shoot. So I feel safer if I have control of my own safety, you know the saying there’s never a cop around when you need one! I believe everyone should have the right to carry open or concealed and no cost should be involved. Taking a class every few years does not mean those with conceal carry are good shots, so why have to pay? Its a way to track who has a gun And gives cops a reason to disarm you. Write, your legislators to change the law, elect gun friendly politicians, but most of all, stop and stand there and do as the cops ask be polite and just as Hank did you’ll be on your way unless your record check says you are wanted, still better to be arrested than carried by eight to your final rest ng place. For the cops who do the wrong thing, jail and prison should be your fate. Carma does get you in the end! I lived in Alaska, took pistols, rifles in stores and banks no one went running out due to fear and I had a beard, long hair and would pick people up who had hair down to their rear ends, had pistol and rifle 50-100 miles from twin, never thought someone was bad j st because they had those on them, made for conversation. If the people demanded their news agencies reported as much on good uses of guns we would not have the fear by city folks of guns, which all they see or hear is bad, shooting teams as sports in every junior high and high school would also help teach respect and how much fun guns are.
As to the stop. The LEO’s were behind him, they couldn’t see he was black, so I doubt race had anything to do with the stop, the car is just another car, nothing to attract the LEO’s attention, I’m sure there are a few thousand just like it on that highways system daily, Now as to the rest of the stop, I did find it unusual for the cop to make such a big deal of putting the weapon back in the car, he spent a lot of time just laying it on the seat, unless he was clearing it, and the “ploy” of using the gun in the car thing as a means to allow the officer to open the glove box plus look any place he could in a short time we hinky, Hank was wrong in reaching to show where the dun was but it’s understandable, a muscle reaction. I’m glad it worked out ok for him, it was interesting, also how did he get the video?
The cop was overly polite, almost to the point of making a training film.
Hi Hank,
You did everything right. It would be a pleasure to have ALL my stops respond the way you did. The cops were well within policy and conducted a textbook stop. My only problem was securing your gun in your car, not out of policy, but not a good idea. Keep in mind Hank, these guys don’t know you from Adams house cat. The questions were to “feel you out” a bit. I stopped a car one night for having a tail light out and found out after getting them stopped, they had just robbed a 7-11 and both had handguns under their seats. Not a comfortable feeling.
Reference the tint. Sometimes when I was bored, I might make a stop for improper tint. I never profiled, but you do fit a typical profile of someone that may be a problem; kind of a hot rod car (admit it), non conventional hair cut, and of course black. Sad as it seems, blacks are responsible for a disproportional amount of criminal activity. So, being honest, if I was looking to ferrit out some criminal activity, I might stop you and check you out, even if you were white. Racist, sorry Hank, not this time! If they were racist, they would have cite you for the tint, not just issue a warning. By the by, when you allowed them to look for your registration, that became a consent search. Be careful in the future. John Shirley (real name) FHP Trooper 8 years, Federal Agent 25 years.
As an instructor, and one having risen to the command level as a LEO, I tell everyone I teach and know, advise the LEO when stopped you have a firearm and if you have a CCW permit tell him or her. It avoids misunderstanding and creates a bond of trust between the LEO and the citizen. As Paul stated above not doing so can lead to issues. In some states you are not required to, but I have always known it was appreciated when I told the officer, even though they did not know I was a former LEO.
Great job staying in control of this situation. Being a white concealed carry male this video pisses me off a bit. Appears that Hank was considered guilty of something other than tinted windows until all possible means were exhausted by the pd to prove otherwise. I have been pulled over twice in Tennessee, provided the officer with all required paperwork, informed them that I was carrying. Never asked to get out of the car or surrender my firearm. Not even one ticket. Hank set a great example for us all. Not so certain that I could have maintained his composure. Thanks to Hank for sharing this video, I understand how this situation could have gone wrong very quickly. I fully believe if I am ever in this scenario I am better prepared to handle the situation. Thanks again Hank!
They’ve changed the law on window tint, and didn’t tell anyone.
Used to be 15% was fine, then they changed it to 35% and didn’t let anyone know…………….
Had to pull mine off at an inspection last year. Just got my knife out, and pulled the film off the window.
He could have done the same right then and there. It’s easy.
Well done Hank. The CCW protocol is to notify an LEO the very first thing after the greeting
that you are carrying. If you have a CCW, do that first thing. NEVER put your hands where they can’t see what you’re doing
after you say you have a CCW. ANY act of aggression or nervousness can make an LEO react in a bad way.
There is a heightened tension that abounds right now and LEO’s have split seconds to decide to use force or not.
Some of them don’t “get” the training they’re given and react with bad consequence.
Those are some of the incidents we hear about on the news. When anyone gets scared and a big adrenaline rush hits,
they’re reaction is NOT the same every time. For a good LEO, it is. There are some marginal employees and sheriff dept’s
are not immune to that. BTW, I am not an LEO, but I have a lot of friends who are.
I tend to have a lead foot, especially when I was younger, and about the only times I’ve been stopped in recent memory were for speeding. Being polite and cooperative has gotten me a warning rather that a ticket the last 3 or 4 times, in spite of going more than 20 mph over on a couple occasions. Funny story — about 5 years ago I was driving through a small town, following a guy who was doing about 15 mph in a 30 zone. My car idles faster than that, and I had to keep riding the brake. Finally a couple blocks from the edge of town, he turned, and I instinctively hit the gas. By the time I reached the edge of town, I was doing over 50, and there was the town cop sitting in a grocery store parking lot with his radar gun. I didn’t even wait for him to come after me. I just hit the brakes and pulled off to the side of the road. He was laughing when he walked up to the side of my car and asked, “do you know how fast you were going?” I replied, “over 50, I’m sure.” To which he replied, “yeah, 53 to be exact.” Then he said, because I was more honest and polite than just about anyone he had ever stopped, he was just going to give me a warning.
If the window tint was too dark, how would they know he was black? I have seen cars that the windshield, let alone all the other windows was so dark you can’t see even an outline of a person, how the hell do they see OUT?
That is a pure safety issue. Just because they sell dark window tint doesn’t mean it’e meant for the windshield.
“I have seen cars that the windshield, let alone all the other windows was so dark you can’t see even an outline of a person, how the hell do they see OUT?”
Just because you can’t see in doesn’t mean that the occupants can’t see out perfectly well. On a bright day, your eyes are adapted to the ambient light outside the vehicle. That ambient light is going through a car’s tinted windows, giving the occupants enough light to see very well (their eyes are also adapted to the lower light level they perceive from inside the vehicle). But there is no light source inside the car; your ability to see inside relies on ambient light entering the car and then reflecting back out. Because the incoming light is reduced by the tint, then reduced again when reflected out of the interior, your bright-adpated eyes are unable to see the interior of the vehicle.
The windows were in Violation! Don’t tell me that you didn’t know this! The Laws are meant for you and everyone else to abide by. If you abide by the Law, you have nothing to worry about. If your told to stop or to put your hands up….DO IT. We’ve all been taught that from being a kid. Don’t play that “I didn’t hear or understand.” What part of “Abide by the law”, don’t you understand?
I am a white man with a beard and ponytail and ride motorcycles most of the time… I have been pulled over many times based on my appearance. I also carry concealed with a Florida permit, and as a courtesy, inform the detaining officer of this and tell them if I am carrying at the time. Rule of thumb… for me as well as “Hank”… if you cannot deal with the scrutiny, don’t give them probable cause… in my case, they use the good old all inclusive “pipes too loud” in Hank’s case, over tinted windows. It’s sad that citizens both black and white are losing their rights daily to overzealous cops… it just happens to be more media frenzy when it happens to blacks.
Consider this from a LEO point of view. If I make a stop and the occupant DOES NOT tell me they are carrying, and during the course of the interview I spot an undisclosed weapon, guess how I am going to react. Please, for the safety of both you and I, just say something to the effect of “Officer, please be aware that I have my personal firearm in the car, or on my hip, or whatever”. While I’m still going to be cautious it’s far better than me hollering out “GUN” to my partner and the possible escalation of what should otherwise be a routine encounter. As pointed out here, BE SAFE, GO HOME SAFE.
If your so afraid of possible contact with an armed citizen, pick another profession. As a paramedic I’ve seen people seriously injured from attacks with objects as common as a ballpoint pen.
It’s not called being afraid it’s called being aware that guns kill and cops get killed by guns all the time. Having said that guess who supports citizens rights to bear arms on a large scale,,,,,most cops. Don’t be so closed minded with your arrogant comment. Or better yet go to the police academy yourself and let’s see how you feel after getting a taste of the real world!
Seen my share of the real world. Both in the Military and as a Paramedic. My point was that there a lot more things out there that can kill or injure you. If you failed to see that part maybe your the one that needs to get a taste of the real world. Get off the public tit and get a real job instead of walking around thinking you’re some kind of god with a badge and gun. You’re part of the problem right now in this country. Want people to stop bashing cops? You know who the bad ones are, kick their asses down the street instead of protecting them. In any other profession the bad apples get shit canned. In law enforcement they get promoted and protected by the Union.
If you see an undisclosed weapon, your natural reaction should be to ask about the weapon and process from there, not take an automatic aggressive stance. Caution is clearly warranted and that’s where your mindset should be and after an undisclosed weapon is seen, asked about, then processed for truth/lie indicators, then you ask the occupant to exit the vehicle, then process further. Crisis averted and your caution level is degraded. Instead, you’ve admitted you take a different approach. Choose another profession, you aren’t temperamentally suited for the job. You are willing to escalate just because you see something because you didn’t ask the appropriate questions. Who’s fault is that.
I find your comment regarding “natural reaction” to be comical. To the contrary I would argue most people who discover someone is armed, and not wearing a uniform of some sort, automatically go into caution/concern mode.
You drive anything flashy or loud you will more than likely be stopped at some point. I just look at is as a statistical happening. I’m courteous and I let them know I am armed, all of my paperwork is in order and I’m polite.
I got stopped one time for having an “aftermarket exhaust”. (I was driving my sons loud import). I laughed and asked him if itvwas a new law. He said it was from the 60s. I kind of laughed and joked with him about who he thought was driving the car. I also pointed out that a factory exhaust was no longer available for the car. So how was I supposed to drive the car legally? I do believe in profiling. He thought a punk kid was driving and wanted to have a closer look.
Also unless it is raining I drop my windows when I get stopped, one less thing to deal with.
“Hank” seems to have valid concerns about the stop. I didn’t see what the police saw as to how dark the window tint is, so I wonder if “racial profiling” was a factor or “car profiling” was what triggered this event. What I did see a strange behavior by a patrol officer regarding the disarming of “Mr. Strange”, but Hank did reach around to touch the weapon when asked about it, which might have initiated the behavior of the officer to be much more guarded, Hank acted well controlled and respectful during the entire process. The officers although polite, were not as respectful. BUT, and this is a pretty obvious, if you give the police a legitimate reason to interact with you, well you are providing the reason they are looking for. Hank, remove the window tint, it’s just plain silly in the first place, it’s counter productive, and it makes the police think you are trying to hide something The Sheriff needs to retrain his officers, and maybe himself a bit.
I don’t get what this tint indicator is. Can someone explain. And what if is is factory? You would have to replace the windows.
There is no factory tint. Many dealers install it in some states, but if it is illegal in that particular state, it is illegal for the dealer to sell it that way. Either way, there is no need to replace windows.
Used to be tint could not be darker than what was available from the factory when it was built, probably still is.
Different States have different laws, with some (most?) States limiting car window tinting to a certain level of light transmission (e.g., 75%), under which the tint is illegal. Window tint can be tested with a photometer to determine if it is or is not in compliance with the law.
Florida does not require a CWP to notify LEO that he or she is carrying. Obviously if asked you do tell the truth.
Even if you’re not required, by law, to inform the LEO that you have a gun on you, and ur told to exit the vehicle, it just saves a lot of stress and hassle, for BOTH parties, if you hand them ur CCW Permit before you exit. And DON’T use the word GUN. Because GUN! is an action/response trigger.
Good point on the ‘gun’ word NLP issue. Add that to the necessary police re-programming training for citizen’s serving and protection priorities.
Could they even see him through that ridiculous tint to tell what race he is?
And is the tint indeed too dark? It looks it to me; it’s hard for the driver to see out at night, and the cops wanna be able to see in to see what the occupants are doing…..
I thought it strange they asked you to exit the vehicle. That whole situation lends to drugs suddenly appearing in your car, especially if they didn’t like something you said. Good job on getting home. It reminds me of the time I had an AK on my back at the popular shooting spot. The local Deputies didn’t like us being there. I made it home just fine using the same principals Hank describes. Much respect on a situation well handled.
It’s not strange at all to be asked to exit the vehicle. This method is taught in police academies throughout the country. Many law enforcement agencies encourage this method be applied whenever possible. I think one of the greatest things to take from this is the use of common sense versus conflict. How one gets treated or handled, should an officer discover your armed versus that person telling them they are armed, could be night and day. As much as we would like to think cops have super human capabilities they don’t. They don’t have a clue as to the intentions the occupant(s) of a vehicle might have towards them. The simple courtesy of informing an officer that you are legally armed amounts to just good ole common sense. I truly believe on the two occasions I got stopped, and did just this, it was that courtesy that led to the same on the officer’s part and I received warnings instead of citations. Presumption is assumption. You don’t want cops to do it, don’t do it in return!
by law you don’t have to tell the cop that you have a cwp and are carrying a gun—
I’ve had CCW licenses in 3 different states and ALL of them require the carrier to advise police immediately upon detention that I’m licensed and whether I’m currently carrying or not. This may not be true in your state, but making verifiably incorrect comments like yours above is a disservice to any who read them. This is something you might want to think about if you’re truly of a mind to help inform others…
In Florida you do not have to inform anyone that you are carrying concealed and unless they have probable cause for arrest or detainment or are making an arrest they cannot search you to find out… if they ask you, you do not have to answer.
Sorry but in many states you DO have to tell an officer that you have a CWP and are armed. If you do not do so you risk loosing your CWP. Ohio is one such state and there are others.
I live in Washington State, an Open Carry State. We do not have to declare at traffic stops, but dispatch will inform a LEO about your DL status, any warrants, and the fact that you have a CPL. They know before they approach.
I am a resident of the State of Washington and even though I am required to declare…I always do. In the past five years I have been stopped a number of times. I wait until the officer is there at the window, can see my hands on the wheel and if the window is up I keep one hand on the wheel as I hold my left hand up and point to the window indicating I intend to open it. Then when it is open I declare….
“Officer….before we start here, I need to let you know I have a permit to carry and am armed. It is on my right hip here and my wallet with DL is in my right rear pocket. So how do we do this?”
So far, I haven’t had any negative experiences with the LEO’s I did this with and a couple of those stops were at night. Actually, everyone of them were very professional and didn’t get overly excited…..thanked me for letting them know ….and then told me to go ahead. By the way, none of them asked for the permit nor did any of the LEO’s I dealt with ever had their hand on their weapon during the process. I never felt like I was in any danger in any of those stops.
But then, as the author says, I focus on getting home and give them no reason to be concerned about me….just saying …..
I too am a WA State resident. I have a carry permit. Note that although this is an “open carry” state, if you do not have a permit for concealed carry, you cannot carry a loaded handgun in your car, period. And even if you’re a permit holder, the law requires that any loaded handgun in your vehicle be on your person.
RCW 9.41.050
Carrying firearms.
(2)(a) A person shall not carry or place a loaded pistol in any vehicle unless the person has a license to carry a concealed pistol and: (i) The pistol is on the licensee’s person, (ii) the licensee is within the vehicle at all times that the pistol is there, or (iii) the licensee is away from the vehicle and the pistol is locked within the vehicle and concealed from view from outside the vehicle.
From what I have been able to find in the RCW, it is unclear if it’s OK for a non-permit holder to openly carry a handgun on his person in a vehicle if the weapon is not loaded. It may be that the state would consider a firearm in a vehicle “concealed,” so if it’s on your person in a vehicle, you’re carrying concealed, something you’re not permitted to do without a license.
Also, I don’t know how this particular law applies to women who carry their pistols in their purses. While driving, most women do not have their purses on their persons. If they’re permit holders with handguns in their purses, they’d be in violation of the above RCW. I wonder if any female permit holder has ever been charged under this statute for having a handgun in a purse in a vehicle, when the purse was not on her person.
Also a WA resident. When stopped, (I’m a biker), I remove my helmet and eye protection, and wait on the bike. The LEO invariably approach from my left rear. When asked for license and registration, I inform them that I am reaching for my right rear pants pocket, and my right chest jacket pocket. I wait for acknowledgement, then retrieve my wallet and registration. I hand my CPL over with my DL. Every single LEO I’ve interacted with in this fashion asks if I have the gun on me, then if they can see it. I say “Yes, sir”, then “No, sir”, in that order. Once you’ve proven you are legally licensed to carry a concealed firearm, law enforcement has no legitimate authority to verify the presence, type, or status of the weapon. I always remain respectful, but no one besides myself has any reason to access my legally – carried firearm, and I make that clear. It’s never raised an issue with the LEOS I’ve encountered, from WA State Patrol, King County Sheriff, or Seattle PD. Know your rights, be respectful, but stand firm.
Great narrative. You demonstrated amazing restraint and common sense. I fully agree with your thoughts about getting home safely and take care of the other stuff later. I support any man that will show that kind of respect for our Rights and uses his abilities to act on them. Your Father taught you well and it looks like you are handing that same knowledge and respect ( for ones self ) on to your Sons. Stand Tall, Stand Firm, and be Blessed. John
Informative vid. I find it a very strange tactic for the officer to take the weapon (for officer safety of course) and put it in citizens car, followed by: if you move towards you car I will take that a a hostile act (infering officers intent to apply force to stop citizen). Now officer wants other documents but citizen can’t get them. That opens the opportunity for an officer to enter the car and have access to search and a bad officer could plant something. Never saw a policy where the firearm was not secured in the officers car AFTER being cleared.
Cooperation did lead to a fix it warning so thats a plus.
This appears as harassment to me. And shows a police state mentality.
At this stage, you can see by removing the weapon, then putting it back, then asking for individual items like license, insurance, etc. is clear attempts at furthering their ‘probable cause’ adventure. A normal stop is, getting pulled over, officer approaches the vehicle from the passenger side, asks if you know why you were stopped, asks for license/insurance/registration, may ask you if you have any weapons in the car, which may proceed to the admittance of the concealed weapons permit, which may include that documentation, and then asked to exit the car to ask you for where the concealed weapon is. Once that is established, then officer should run the plates/license/insurance. When all clear, you go on about your business. Interaction complete.
That didn’t happen here. They fished and Hank, nothing against him gave them permission to get back into the car. I would have told them no, but i totally understand the instance Hank was in.
Will – You are spot on. That was incorrect procedure by the officers as they should have taken control of the firearm until it was clear Hank was lawfully allowed to carry. Not place it back in his vehicle. And you did catch the “sly” process to which the officer carried out an illegal search of the vehicle with the opportunity to plant something.
Let me add a twist… I live in AZ, let’s say it’s July or August and what would I have done if the officer asked me to place my hands on any part of their very hot vehicle???? Whether I politely (or hostilely) responded no, it would have been “game on”.
Regardless, I do not believe this stop was racially charged. His tint (just like mine) is crazy dark and should be of concern to all officers, especially at night time.
I have been pulled over several times (yes, 2+ times), and as I have showed respect to the men and women who assist us with defending ourselves and family, have only received warnings.
-Bubblehead (Deep, Silent, Deadly and Fast)
I’m a Caucasian and have been profiled and pulled over by police in my younger days. It’s never fun, but you totally did the right thing. I learned to shut up, be polite, and get home safe. Back in my day we didn’t have dash cams and personal recording devices, which is something that I avail myself of today. For me, knowing that my window tint was an excuse for them to pull me over, I’d take it off. But that is just me. Again, glad you shared this and I hope it goes viral so everybody can learn what to do.
https://youtu.be/QR465HoCWFQ
Thanks a lot for sharing you experience ! Living here in Arizona is not so different. In my judgement you did
everything correctly but one could hear and feel the officers alarm in their voices and and actions.
AS you said it could have gone very differently had you said some of the things I was thinking and feeling. Yes I am white but share exactily your feelings and probably would have not been as
as calm and politically correct as you were. I also went through all of the classes, have a cc permit as you said strickly for defensive purposes. Again thanks for sharing this video, I’m sure it will give many people a
a much better understanding of whats really going on.
I would be pissed too. You handled it more professionally than the officers did.
Disarmed for the officers safety?
What about our safety?
Officer, would you think it was reasonable that I secure YOUR firearm to ensure my safety?
Are you saying that you carry a firearm to protect yourself from the Police? I hope that’s not what you meant. Try putting yourself in the Officers place for once, they don’t know you or your intentions. However, you do know a lot about the Officer: they have gone thru extensive training and mental evaluation, they have no history of domestic violence, no felony record and they are held to some of the highest standards of any profession and most of all, they deserve your trust. This is true of 99% of all police officers. I have never encountered the other 1%, hope you don’t either.
The officer would know the exact same things about a CCW holder as you have the same standards to be issued one.
Many yrs. ago, I was at my Dads house when my brother- in- law called an asked if I would come down town and get him so he could come to the house an clean up an go back to the pool hall. I carried a ruger security-six 357mag. at all times while in Bessemer, AL. I went down the hill into town, an parked. I left my gun under the set. Went inside an he was in the middle of a game, an I sat at the bar waiting on him to finish. Went out an got in the car, an started to back out when a car was blocking me. I looked to the left an the light was green, an no cars was in site. I said well I’ll just bump the curb an go around the ally. my in-law said its the cops! They didn’t have any lights on an I said if they want me they’ll meet me around the ally! They did, the officer asked me to turn off the car, an step out of the car. I did, an if I had a gun or Knife on me. I said that I had a knife an showed him. He said come with me an went to his car. still no blue or red lights. Told me to have a set in back, the door was still open! He called in an said to warm up the mechine, an told the rookie to tell the passenger to find another ride. I said, if I’m going with you to tell your rookie to get my gun out from under the seat. He said I thought you said all you had was a knife? I said no, you asked if I had a gun or a knife on me! I answered your question. So, we left. Got to the station an I said, you have to tell me what to do, I’ve never been on this side of the front desk. He said the same thing you see on tv. Go to the window an unload your pockets, I did, change wallet keys knife the 6 bullets that the rookie gave me an the 12 I carry in my right back pocket. The man said your loaded for bear? I said no I heard the bad guys are braver by the dozen so I carry 18 ! I asked if I could smoke, they said wait til after the test. after the test, the first officer came to me an said You haven’t drank anything? I said no! Why didn’t you say something? I said why didn’t you ask? Come on I’ll take you back to your car, but don’t load your gun til I let you out of the car. Well, he did. An said from what I seen you do, I would of locked you up. If you refused the test… I said we drive over the side walk at home all the time. He said well don’t do it in town. So I went back inside the pool hall, an told my in-law come on I’m going home if you want a ride get in. He said I don’t know if I want to now or not. I cranked up, an he got in. As I was pulling out on the street, he pulled a zip lock bag out from under the seat. What is that? He said crack! Huh? Cocaine. I stopped in the middle of the street an orderd him out of my car, an said do you know how close they came to finding it? It was right next to my gun! You would of denied it was yours an I would of went to prison, I was hopping the cops would of came back bye. But they didn’t, an he’s never been in my car since
‘Only true through the eye’s of a cop.’ I am the daughter of a police officer and your statements are all wrong. In my fathers day ,yes, those statements were more correct. However today we have the worst of the worst in possession of the badge. They are hired because of being under-educated bully’s usually with mommy complex’s. Their profession has the highest rate of domestic violence of all professions. Extensive training adds up to what, less than a 30% accuracy rate. Even my father cannot support what has happened to today’s police dept. They have lost sight of ‘protect and serve’ for being sheep to the political games. The Supreme court ruled that police officers have no duty to protect citizens only for fellow officers. Sad day’s we live in , but the good news is– these same officers will be the future guards at all the FEMA camps WAKE UP AMERICA
I was very curious about this myself. I don’t think a normal traffic stop gives reason to disarm someone and pat them down, although the officer did ask him before doing all of his actions. Did he have the right to refuse all of that? I’m no lawyer, so I don’t know.
I got pulled over last year in Florida my the Highway Patrol for speeding………..I am white, 70 and Ex Military, sporting a Viet Nam Vet plate out of Georgia. The officer was black- He treated me with the utmost respect , I showed him my DL as well as CCW and all he asked me is where I was carrying. No hassle just respect. I also advised him out of professional courtesy that I had two other firearms including a silenced SBR with paperwork. He did not even bother to want to see my NFA stamp.
I was dismayed to see the voracity of these LEO’s in confronting you even after you told and showed them a CCW. I never have in my life seen a LE stop where you are asked to come out of the vehicle………….to me, that was poor police procedure.
Glad you handled it calmly , I dont know if I would have done as well with their attitude.
BTW- The Trooper let me slide on the ticket and thanked me for my service in Viet Nam………..surprised me as I was at 98 in a 70 zone.
Thanks for sharing.
D.