TexasCHLforum.com

I show my CHL if IDed by an LEO. It can't hurt.

Bob M wrote:Why give the LEO your CHL when you don't have your weapon with you?
It's not required. It only causes more questions from the officer.

I was talking with an APD officer a couple weeks ago about CHL in general. He is a strong supporter of it and thinks everyone eligible should get a CHL. He also said he gets pretty upset if he stops someone, armed or not, and they don't present the CHL with their ID.

I assume we're talking about a traffic stop, etc. My understanding is the CHL will show up when they run the DL, so showing both licenses would likely result in fewer questions in the long run. OTOH, if a cop is checking ID at a bar to catch underage drinkers, then I would just show my DL.

cbr600 wrote:I assume we're talking about a traffic stop, etc. My understanding is the CHL will show up when they run the DL, so showing both licenses would likely result in fewer questions in the long run. OTOH, if a cop is checking ID at a bar to catch underage drinkers, then I would just show my DL.

And you don't have to show the CHL in the bar because you are not carrying in the bar anyway. 51% sign is posted.

cbr600 wrote:I assume we're talking about a traffic stop, etc. My understanding is the CHL will show up when they run the DL, so showing both licenses would likely result in fewer questions in the long run. OTOH, if a cop is checking ID at a bar to catch underage drinkers, then I would just show my DL.

A couple of years ago I was riding my Harley home from the gun-free zone I work at. I was not carrying, but I was wearing the fanny pack that I sometimes carry in just to have a handy place to stash a pack of smokes and a lighter. I got stopped for speeding by a couple of DPS troopers. Since I wasn't carrying, I just gave them my DL and insurance card as they requested.

The trooper goes back to his car. A couple of minutes later he says, in a loud voice, "Sir! Are you carrying a firearm at this time?" I turned to look at him and saw that he was behind the open driver's door of his cruiser.

I replied, "No officer. Not at this time." While I am saying this, his partner was slowly walking up behind me on my right side.

The trooper walked up to me and said, "Sorry sir. Your CHL came up on my screen and I had to ask."

Now I know that he saw the fanny pack and that he knew what kind of fanny pack it was. So it was understandable that he might have thought that I was carrying. But I just smiled and said, "No problem officer. I would have made a declaration if I had been carrying, but since I am not I didn't."

He wrote me for the speeding ticket and that was that.

I suspect it would have gone more smoothly if I had showed him my CHL up front, even though I wasn't carrying.