What's Up Sheepdogs? Ryan here with Tampa Carry.

Getting pulled over is already a stressful process, and having a gun in the car brings that stress to a whole new level.

Many states require you to immediately notify a law enforcement officer that you have a firearm. In the state of Florida, we are not required to tell police about our firearm unless they ask.

However, I don't want an officer to see my firearm or my concealed carry permit and get scared, so I always disclose the fact that I have a gun immediately. 

Would you agree with me there is a right way and a wrong way to tell the police you have a gun? If you're rude, aggressive, and disobey a direct order from the police, is the situation ever going to end positively? No, it will not.

The Right Way...

The right way to inform the officer you have a firearm is first to understand that you are going to raise the officer's stress level the moment you tell them you have a gun.

My goal is to lower their stress before I tell them about my firearm. 

How do we lower their stress? It starts by pulling over immediately, turning your car off, rolling your windows down, and sitting still with your hands on the wheel. What's the first thing the officer asks for when they approach your window? License and registration. Don't hand them anything. Respond by saying, "Yes, sir" or "Yes, ma'am, but first I want to inform you that I have a concealed carry permit and I have a firearm." 

The officer will ask you where the firearm is located, and you should tell them. Then I ask the officer, "What would you like me to do with my firearm?" Most of the time, the officer will say, "Just don't touch it."

I Was Not Expecting This...

One time I had an officer ask me to get out of the vehicle, so I did. He took the firearm from me, unloaded it, and placed it in the trunk of my car. Do you think this pissed me off? Of course not! All I want is for the officer to feel safe and for me to be safe so that I can move on with my day. 

Even if I was pissed off, is it smart to let the officer know that? Of course not. Most police will treat you the way you deserve to be treated. If you're polite and respectful, you will be treated with respect back. If you're rude, disrespectful, and argumentative, there's a good chance you're going to find out what pavement tastes like.

That's all I have for today. So until next time keep training and stay safe...

Ryan G. Thomas

P.S. You’re one step away from getting your Florida concealed carry permit….FAST & EASY…

And for a limited time you can watch the concealed carry course online for free... Click here to get started...