General Categories > Carry Issues
Wanted: Sage Advice from the CHP Gurus....
Hondo:
I've been poring over the Nebraska CHP law, but I have a question: If I have a handgun locked in a steel box under the seat of my vehicle.....am I "carrying" a concealed handgun ? Or am I only "carrying" a concealed handgun if it is on my person or readily accessible ?
I was driving a commercial truck and was flagged down after pulling across the scale for a vehicle inspection. Since it wasn't a 'usual' contact by law enforcement, and my handgun was locked in a steel box in the cab......I didn't 'notify' the officer.......he inspected the truck and at the end asked for my license and registration.....he was a little upset that I didn't 'notify'......I told him the gun was locked in a steel box, he said it didn't matter....it was in the vehicle.... He let me off because it wasn't a 'usual contact'......but I'm curious... Thanks in advance.
Dan W:
IMHO You were carrying concealed and should have notified... unless it was not loaded, without any ammunition in proximity, and it was inaccessible from anyone in the cab... then you may have met the requirements for Safe passage under federal law, or you may have been arrested and had your permit revoked if the officer decided to let a judge sort it out.
Is it really worth taking that chance?
Chris Z:
I agree with Dan, you probably SHOULD have notified the Officer. I always recommend to folks to notify the Officer (if you are a permit holder) even if you are not carrying. This way when an Officer runs your name, there aren't any surprises to them.
If it was locked in a case under the seat and not readily accessible, then technically I would say you were NOT carrying concealed.
Of course I'm not a Attorney, so my opinion is only my two cents.
JTH:
--- Quote from: Chris Z on November 29, 2016, 01:19:07 PM ---If it was locked in a case under the seat and not readily accessible, then technically I would say you were NOT carrying concealed.
--- End quote ---
The fact that it was loaded takes it out of clear transportation situations (not accessible to the driver, unloaded for transportation, etc), and into a grey area where it isn't well-defined (not accessible, but not correct according to interstate transportation rules either)....which is another way of saying "we don't know because there isn't a clear answer, so the only way to find out would be in court."
...and you probably don't want to do that.
Note: This isn't me disagreeing with Chris, I personally think you can't be "carrying" when it is locked away from you. However, that doesn't mean that law enforcement will agree, and the law itself on this is....non-specific.
My personal opinion is that if you have a loaded gun in the car, inform. If it is unloaded but on your person, inform. If it is unloaded in a case, don't worry about it.
SemperFiGuy:
--- Quote ---Wanted: Sage Advice from the CHP Gurus....
--- End quote ---
Not really a CHP Guru, but here are some thoughts that may be useful:
Let's start with "usual" contact." No "usual" contact provision is made in the NE Concealed Handgun Act.
The term "contact" is quite specific:
=====================================
NEBRASKA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
TITLE 272/CHAPTER 21
SECTION 2 - DEFINITIONS
002.04 Contact With Emergency Services Personnel shall mean that the permit holder is provided treatment by emergency services personnel in the course of their official duties.
002.05 Contact With a Peace Officer shall mean that the permit holder has been stopped, detained, questioned, or addressed by a peace officer for an official purpose or in the course of his or her official duties.
=====================================
You were clearly in "contact" with a sworn law enforcement officer in the course of his official duties.
What is less clear is the determination of when a handgun is being carried concealed and when it is simply being legally transported.
Federal transport condition is described in 18 USC 926a Federal Code, wherein the handgun is not readily accessible from within the passenger compartment. For an expanded case law definition of readily accessible, well....best to consult an attorney who is knowledgeable in federal and state firearms law.
My very uneducated non-lawyer guess is that your (unloaded?) handgun was not readily accessible to you in the legal sense, because it wasn't in a grab-and-shoot condition, due to its inclusion in a locked container.
However, if that locked container happened to be the glove compartment or console, then the handgun is (a) readily accessible and (b) an actual concealed handgun.
Now: Should you have notified the LEO of the handgun at the very get-go of the contact?
In the immortal phraseology of the Great Sarah Palin: Yew-Betcha!!!
Legally required? (Most Likely) NO
A very reasonable, sensible courtesy: YEWBETCHA!!
The LEO was gonna find out anyhow. Proof of Case: He actually did.
So........why not get the fact of the handgun out in the open at the very start of the contact?? Most folks don't want to deal with an unhappy LEO, especially if we made him that way.
Bottom Line Recommendation:
If you are a CHP Holder, Notify the LEO and Tell Him What's Going On. That is, "I do" or "I do NOT" have a concealed handgun in my possession at this time.
Because You Asked.
FWIW
sfg
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