While most cops are good guys who put their pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us, there’s always some (maybe 3%?) who demand that extra measure of “respect my authoritay!” An ISU coed on her way to Chicago found one of those this past weekend.
Pulled over for a minor traffic infraction on I-55, this 5’5″, 95-pound soaking wet young woman with a CCW license did all the usual CCW safety stuff as she pulled over.
Things began to go sideways when Trooper Nosy noted that he saw she had a valid CCW license.
Do you have it?
“Yes…”
Pretty soon, he demanded to inspect the magazine to ensure it contained 15 or fewer rounds.
Now, I know this young woman. She’s sweet, courteous and very pro-gun. But given her petite frame, she’s not going to conceal (or carry) any happy sticks… unless she’s maybe wearing a chest rig.
But that didn’t stop Trooper “I gotta know how many rounds your mag holds” from pushing the inquiry.
This Trooper conducted this fishing expedition even though the IL CCW law doesn’t require the CCW holder to divulge the make, model, serial number or magazine capacity of the carry gun(s).
Not only that, but Pritzker’s new Illinois Gun Ban Act was ruled unconstitutional on Friday. (Stories 1 2 3)
And if all that wasn’t bad enough, the restrictions on magazines aren’t due to kick in until April 10th by my public school math – 90 days after Pritzker signed the bill into law. (See the magazine section starting on page 95).
What’s up with this rogue ISP Trooper? Or is this a new directive from on high… as in the Governor’s office? But surely the governor’s aides can’t be as dumb as a sack of hammers, can they?
On second thought, please don’t answer that.
Most police officers know as much about the statutes as they know about firearms. Not a lot…
Many police officers have a superiority problem; these persons are superior to you peon.
These troopers have marching orders from the ISP management. The troopers do not want to lose their jobs. Some of them are hacks and rather than saying yes sir, and quietly going on as before, these hacks think they’ll make their bones pleasing their watch commanders and deputy chiefs.
I am a retired LEO with 28 years experience, I have seen these types in all agencies.
As in any other facet of life blanket statements don’t apply because people are individuals; ‘the police are here to help you’.
Reply: “Concealed is meant to be CONCEALED” plead the “5th”, demand to know how many “rounds” his service pistola has “at the ready” and if (s)he only has 10/15 rounds as per “requirements” of an unconstitutional “law”! GET THE BADGE NUMBER AND NAME OF OFFICER, discuss situation with representative and attorney.
Anyone still dumb enough to think ISP is anything but a bunch of glorified meter maids with delusions of grandeur? How long before they start going door to door making the same demands? We are supposed to trust them with registering our guns?
I have news for people – this isn’t a rogue officer. They have been ordered to ‘enforce’ (pronounced harass) the law vigorously. They don’t care what some judge says about anything. I strongly recommend that if you are out travelling armed where the ISP roams, you better have all your ducks in a row no matter whether you think you are right or not. You can very easily end up losing your 2A rights over a damn magazine. Do yourself a favor and if you have a couple of spare mags, buy yourself a couple of limiters for them at least while we are in the ‘grey area’. No one wants to lose their guns over stupidity like this.
And yes, it galls the hell out of me to have to knuckle under to these Paul Blart wannabes. But there is theory, and there is reality. Pick your battles. Out in the middle of nowhere, legal theory doesn’t mean much.
This is Good Advise.
We live in a state where “RIGHTS” can be Declared “WRONGS” by the people in charge, regardless of History, Rule of Law or the Court.
My Opinion; If you live within an Hours drive or less of an adjoining state, start buying your food, clothing and gas out of state.
Don’t think he had probable cause or reasonable articulable suspicion to demand to see her gat. Abusing peoples’ fundamental constitutional rights seems like a piss poor way to win friends and influence people.
Wait until one of them SHOOTS an armed citizen for failure to comply instantly over a request like this. Cops are understandably wary by nature, but some of them are completely drunk on power and make really bad split second decisions. They already know you are armed because their little computer told then you are a CCW before they ever pulled you over. It doesn’t take much for a nothing traffic stop to go deadly in a big hurry.
I still believe most cops are good people doing an impossible job dictated by idiots that have no clue about what police really do. When cops become political, they clearly cross a line. I see ISP as being political now.
I don’t want to throw anyone to the wolves, but it would be an interesting suit when any police organization arrests someone based on a legally declared unconstitutional law.
Uh, yeah. The insurance companies are not gonna be real happy.
We can count on ISP to take any opportunity to “attack”.