I spend most of my time in AL and GA. AL is not a "duty to inform" state, meaning you don't have to tell a cop if you are carrying. I am unsure if GA is the same, but it doesn't matter. If I am pulled over and armed, as someone else said, I tell them. I usually give them my permit along with my driver's licence. Usually they will say something like "you don't pull yours and I won't pull mine." Like someone else said, usually when they run your DL, they will know you have a permit. If the cop feels like you were trying to hide it, he may react in a way that is less than optimal for you. Maybe he was going to let you off of a speeding ticket with a warning, but finding out you were "hiding" your CCW, he could change his mind......just something to think about
As for risking it and carrying without a permit, a weapons charge is not something you want in your jacket.......

 

http://www.usacarry.com/concealed_ca...formation.html

 

As a retired LEO, I can carry concealed in the state of Georgia.
However, I wouldn't carry concealed across a state line without
having a CCW. Not sure about reciprocity between states concerning
retired LEO's.
And it's a good idea to let an officer know you're armed, whether or not you're
required. Everyone dislikes those kinds of surprises.
Just my $.02.

 

I can not agree with this more, both for you and for the rest of us. Getting caught carrying without a permit (and across state lines for that matter) will land you in serious trouble, and earn the title of AssHat! Situations like that give anti-gun proponents fuel to make life difficult for the law-abiding gun owners....

I do fundamentally have a problem with the fact that I can not travel anywhere in this country and not be allowed to carry a handgun to protect myself. I don't look for trouble and would actually say that I go out of my way to avoid it, but I still feel that I should have the right no matter where I am to have the ability to protect myself....but until the laws change I will not have this ability. When I travel to communist state of Maryland for the holidays (my in-laws) I leave my gun at home....it pains me but that is the law and I deal with it.

stepping down off soapbox

DB

 

GA is not a state where you are required to inform an LEO if you are carrying. In GA the "permit" is a Georgia Firearms License (GFL) and allows you to carry concealed or you can OC (Open Carry). Georgia laws need some updating...while you can carry into a resturant where more than 50% of their income is from food sales, you cannot carry in a "public gathering." The mystery is that "public gathering" is not defined in the laws. There are obvious ones, such as a sporting event, etc., however even the LEO's in the state have expressed frustration on what constitutes a public gathering...is that 5 people talking on a street corner?

Another oddity in GA is that a carried firearm must be in a holster...so carrying a weapon in your pocket is considered illegal, even with a GFL.

Unfortunately it is my observation that the majority of LEO's here are NOT well versed regarding both constitutional law and state law regarding the legal carry of firearms. I belong to a forum specific to the State of Georgia, and there are countless instances where individuals legally carrying a firearm have their weapon removed from them and the SN run to check if it is stolen. This is a violation of State vs. Jones.

I have not been stopped for a traffic violation in probably somewhere close to 20+ years, however if I were, I would NOT inform the officer I was carrying a firearm unless State law specifically called for me to do so (Michigan requires you inform the officer if you are carrying a firearm).

Don't get me wrong...there are many instances in GA where the officer acts appropriately, however there are just as many where the officer crosses the boundary of legal search and seizure. I don't blame the LEO's, I blame the State for not properly training them. There are several lawsuits currently pending, and many where when the officer(s) reacted inappropriately they were found at fault in legal proceedings.

I may come across as being anti-police. Nothing could be further from the truth...I am an ex-leo (11 years in the Pacific Northwest) however the difference was that when Washington began issuing concealed carry permits, the State ensured that all departments were throughly trained on what the implications were.

Simply the choice is yours whether or not you tell an officer that you are carrying a weapon legally, again, unless it is mandated by state law that you must do so. Personally I do not.

 

Odds are that you do not all know what to do with those things. Good luck to the rest of us.

 

Those things?

You're right, I wish those of you who choose to be defenseless the best of luck, especially your family. Obviously, you know nothing about qualifying for a CCW.

 

Oh but after 6 years military service in the Spec Ops community and 11 years service as an LEO...I can assure you I do know what to do "with those things."

As far as luck for you...I can only speak for myself...don't break into my house...don't display the three parts of AOJ towards me or another innocent and you have nothing to worry about.

Don't know about AOJ? Maybe you aren't as well read as those who take on the responsibility we know we bear when we elect to carry a firearm legally.

Personally outside of being an LEO I have had only one situation occur personally. I was walking to my car from a building supply store in broad daylight and a young blond man in his 20's came from around a van parked next to me, drew a knife, and demanded my car keys. Instead what he got was the working end view of a Colt Combat Commander. I guess he had enough sense to know that when you bring a knife to a gunfight you are going to lose, and he ran.

Now...had I given him the keys would he have just taken my car and left? Maybe...maybe not. I am not willing to bet my life on that, however feel free to do so for yourself.

After 11 years of police work, I can say without any reservation whatsoever that the police are NOT obligated to protect you...and that has been through the court system so many times it would make your head spin. There are roughly 305,000,000 people in this country. There are roughly 750,000 commissioned law enforcement officers...divide that by three because they don't work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week but in shifts. Do the math. Are you really foolish enough to believe the police are going to be there to protect you?

You don't want to carry a firearm...fine by me. But don't display your obvious ignorance by making a statement such as the one above.

This thread needs to be moved over to the Gun Enthusiast forum.