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Mrs. VolTexan...Part 2

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 12:45 pm
by Vol Texan
My wife had two stories involving her EDC this week - so that's why I named these Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 is found here.

About a week ago, my wife got pulled over in Spring Valley Village - which is one of the 6 or so micro-cities along 1-10 between 610 and Beltway 8 in Harris County.

She was returning home from a business trip to Louisiana, and had stopped to drop off one of her employees at her home, and was driving down Bingle Road toward I-10 for the last leg home. Because of the long drive, she had her handgun in her Remora holster, in the driver's door pocket for the ride.

She was pulled over for one burned out headlight. She rolled down her window, turned on the inside lights, and presented both licenses to the officer out the window as he approached.

He asked if she had her gun, and she said, "Yes". He asked where, and she told him it was in the pocket of the driver's door. He asked if she minded if he took it, and she said, "Sure, go ahead...would you like to open the door yourself and take it?", while she kept her hands away.

He did that - he opened her door, took the gun, and closed her door back. He came back again in a moment with a warning only for her. She mentioned that she was surprised that the light was off -she'd just made a long trip and had seen both lights on as reflections off the bumpers in front of her. He walked back up front again - and now the light was on again. They agreed there must be a short somewhere, and she'd get it checked out.

He brought the gun back, put in in the pocket again, and everything was over. He apologized for the inconvenience of disarming her, but he, "Wanted to go home safe tonight," and thanked her for being agreeable to being disarmed.

Her thoughts...he was very young, and may not be comfortable with LTC holders just yet. Overall, it was a good stop, and she made it home safely - with both headlights still on when she arrived.

Re: Mrs. VolTexan...Part 2

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:46 pm
by allisji
Vol Texan wrote:My wife had two stories involving her EDC this week - so that's why I named these Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 is found here.

About a week ago, my wife got pulled over in Spring Valley Village - which is one of the 6 or so micro-cities along 1-10 between 610 and Beltway 8 in Harris County.

She was returning home from a business trip to Louisiana, and had stopped to drop off one of her employees at her home, and was driving down Bingle Road toward I-10 for the last leg home. Because of the long drive, she had her handgun in her Remora holster, in the driver's door pocket for the ride.

She was pulled over for one burned out headlight. She rolled down her window, turned on the inside lights, and presented both licenses to the officer out the window as he approached.

He asked if she had her gun, and she said, "Yes". He asked where, and she told him it was in the pocket of the driver's door. He asked if she minded if he took it, and she said, "Sure, go ahead...would you like to open the door yourself and take it?", while she kept her hands away.

He did that - he opened her door, took the gun, and closed her door back. He came back again in a moment with a warning only for her. She mentioned that she was surprised that the light was off -she'd just made a long trip and had seen both lights on as reflections off the bumpers in front of her. He walked back up front again - and now the light was on again. They agreed there must be a short somewhere, and she'd get it checked out.

He brought the gun back, put in in the pocket again, and everything was over. He apologized for the inconvenience of disarming her, but he, "Wanted to go home safe tonight," and thanked her for being agreeable to being disarmed.

Her thoughts...he was very young, and may not be comfortable with LTC holders just yet. Overall, it was a good stop, and she made it home safely - with both headlights still on when she arrived.
I'm sure that you must have confirmed that all high-beams and low-beams were working... That's very strange to get pulled over for a headlight being out when no headlights were out. Did he issue her a written warning or just verbal?

Re: Mrs. VolTexan...Part 2

Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 4:26 pm
by OneGun
This is an excellent example demonstrating that simply cooperating with the LEO rather than trying to pick a fight is the best course of action.

Re: Mrs. VolTexan...Part 2

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:45 am
by Liberty
I give the officer an F in public relations and professionalism though. Disarming a CHL holder for a routine is an almost unheard of practice these days. The headlight that mysteriously goes off and on? Sounds a little suspicious and like a cover for an illegal stop. We supposedly live in a free country and have freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. If there was a legitimate reason for the stop and disarming he could have explained without lying.

Yes, Mrs. VolTexan handled it well. But I wish these bad officers and departments would get exposed and held accountable. I think this particular officer was more interested in increasing his contact count than he was in safer streets.

Re: Mrs. VolTexan...Part 2

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 9:20 am
by Jusme
Liberty wrote:I give the officer an F in public relations and professionalism though. Disarming a CHL holder for a routine is an almost unheard of practice these days. The headlight that mysteriously goes off and on? Sounds a little suspicious and like a cover for an illegal stop. We supposedly live in a free country and have freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. If there was a legitimate reason for the stop and disarming he could have explained without lying.

Yes, Mrs. VolTexan handled it well. But I wish these bad officers and departments would get exposed and held accountable. I think this particular officer was more interested in increasing his contact count than he was in safer streets.

I agree the officer either, was poorly trained, or just wanted to exert his authority. I have been stopped twice since I got my LTC, coincidentally both times for headlight out, both asked if I was carrying after seeing my LTC, and the gun's location, but neither wanted to disarm me. All encounters I have had with LEO, both CC, and OC have been positive, as well as conversations I have had. The overwhelming majority, of officers I have spoken with, are glad that there are law abiding citizens who are carrying, and look at us as an extention of the law enforcement community.