By Donovan Beard

February 14, 2025

 

Getting pulled over by a law enforcement officer is never fun and it can be even more nerve racking when you have a concealed firearm on you. I have spoken to many Oregon Law Enforcement Officers and have specifically asked what this process looks like from their perspective and how they prefer the lawfully armed citizen to navigate this type of an encounter.

When a law enforcement officer determines that they are going to stop a vehicle, very often they will run the vehicle plate number through their dispatchers to determine if the vehicle is stolen or not. The police dispatcher very often will communicate to the officer who the vehicle is registered to and if that person who the vehicle registered to has a concealed handgun license issued to them. If this occurs, then it is not unreasonable to think that the officer will reasonably assume that a firearm is in the vehicle.

The very first thing you should do is slow your rate of speed and activate your turn signal to communicate to the officer that you are complying with their request to pull over. You should look for a safe spot on the road or in a parking lot to pull over, that keeps the law enforcement officers’ safety in mind. When you pull over you should put your vehicle in park, and have your drivers license, insurance and vehicle registration in hand when they approach. I recommend that you have all your documentation on the driver’s side visor, so it is easy to access without having to dig through compartments inside the vehicle while the law enforcement officer is standing on the side of the road at your window.

As the Law Enforcement officer is approaching your vehicle it is recommended that you keep your hands on the steering wheel and avoid quick rapid movements. The goal with this interaction is to be polite, professional and cooperative with all lawful requests.

In the state of Oregon, you as a concealed handgun license holder are not required to voluntarily notify the law enforcement officer that you have a firearm on your person or in your vehicle, however if they specifically ask if you have a firearm on you or in your vehicle you should not lie. If it is determined by the officer that you are in possession of a handgun or other firearm, the officer will handle the situation based on their comfort level. Some officers may simply say “leave it where it is and keep your hands on the steering wheel” and some officer may elect to take possession of the firearm during the duration of the stop and return it to you when they are done. Regardless of what the officer elects to do, it is important to be cooperative, polite and professional. Even if the officer is doing something that you consider wrong, arguing with the officer is not typically going to work in your favor. If you feel that the officer did something wrong, you can always talk to a lawyer and file a complaint with that agency for them to internally review.

To advocate for the law enforcement officer for a second, we all know that being a police officer today is stressful, dangerous and challenging for a myriad of reasons. I always recommend giving law enforcement officers the benefit of the doubt, but do remember you have constitutional rights that apply anytime you are interacting with agents of the government.

If you are interested in getting online training for your Oregon Concealed Handgun License, click the Get Certified Now button below.