When I had a gun store, I always carried. I knew all the police officers in my town of Beatrice by their first name, and was and still am good friends with the retired police chief as well as the retired swat team leader. I have shot, as an invited guest, at a police shooting range. I went white water rafting with one officer on a vacation in Colorado, and we were pretty close friends. They knew I broke down my gun at a traffic stop when I was away from my area, and I don't recall any of them offering any advice on the subject.
Seeing LOE's from an inside perspective, all they want to be able to do, is pull their own boots off at the end of each shift. Many could get better paying jobs with a lot less stress, and some end up doing that after a couple years, because the pressures of that job are so great. If you can get past the 3 year mark, 4 year mark, it gets easier, as you find a grove to work in, and a shell to build around yourself, but it is never easy, and it is always potentially volatile .
Having a zip lock bag of handgun parts is just one way to show an officer respect and make that stop less stressful.
With an FBI background check, I think the CCW permit is just as good as a broke down gun, and I see no reason to do that in the future. No officer should fear anyone with a CCW permit, however, I do not think the gun should NOT be stored in the same location as your license, car registration and proof of insurance, again, to lower the stress level of the officer.
When I get pulled over, I have both hands on the wheel, 11 & 1, all my windows are down, radio off, blower motor on the heater off, all interior lights are on, four way flashers are on, and I pull off the street, and sit under a street light if possible. If I must stay on the road, like on a highway, I am well off the road in the grass, so the officer has room to work. The ignition is off, and the keys are out of the ignition, with them sitting in plain sight on the dash. I have my license , registration, and proof of insurance on the dash, as well as all paperwork for any trailer I may be pulling. I speak in a polite and courteous manor, maintaining eye contact with the officer, and keep my hands on the wheel, until instructed to do otherwise.
I don't speed, I don't drive with expired plates, don't pull unlicensed trailers, and always follow all traffic laws. If pulling a trailer, ( I frequently pull a trailer) I make sure all lights are working, and if there is a problem with lights, I put on a red safety flashlight.
