imported post
On December 27, 2008 at approximately 11:00 PM, I was stopped by a Louisville Metro Police Officer in a marked K-9 unit on N. Hurstborne Pkwy. at I-64. I was confused as to why I had been stopped. The officer approached my driver's window and asked for my operator's license. I replied to him that I wished to inform him that I have a CDWL and was armed at the present time. He asked where it was and I told him it was on my left hip. He instructed me to put my keys on the dash (I could not due to the car's keyless ignition system), and unbuckle the seatbelt with my left hand and exit the vehicle. At this point the officer told me that if I reached toward my left side that he was going to feel a gun in my face. This isn't something I would expect a police officer to say. He grabbed my left wrist as I exited the vehicle and twisted it in a very uncomfortable manner and walked me toward the back of the car. He disarmed me and I asked why I had been stopped. He said I was operating the car in an erratic manner, accelerating and then decelerating, then accelerating again. My car has a very short first gear and I was pulling away from a stoplight. I explained that I picked up the car 3 days ago and was still learning the clutch. He patted me down, then berated me for not knowing exactly what was in my pockets. I had already informed him that I had no other weapons or anything that could hurt him. After he unloaded my handgun he placed it on the trunklid of my car. I take very good care of my vehicles and was upset enough about it that I said something to the officer. This didn't alter his course of action. He had me retrieve my insurance card from the car, and spoke down to me about not knowing how to drive a manual transmisson car. I replied that I had many other manual cars but none like this. He told me that I had to find a better place to learn to drive a stick than Hurstborne. I performed a field sobriety test and passed.
I am very disappointed with the conduct of the officer. I did not need to be treated like a felon after revealing that I was a LEGAL gun owner, I didn't need to be threatened or coerced into following lawful orders, I didn't need to be subjected to verbal abuse, spoken down to, or have my personal property disrespected. In fact I did nothing wrong, as evidenced by my lack of a ticket at the stop. This kind of behavior doesn't reflect well on the officer or the department.
This has been posted in the Kentucky section of OpenCarry.org as well. I anxiously await your response on this matter.
On December 27, 2008 at approximately 11:00 PM, I was stopped by a Louisville Metro Police Officer in a marked K-9 unit on N. Hurstborne Pkwy. at I-64. I was confused as to why I had been stopped. The officer approached my driver's window and asked for my operator's license. I replied to him that I wished to inform him that I have a CDWL and was armed at the present time. He asked where it was and I told him it was on my left hip. He instructed me to put my keys on the dash (I could not due to the car's keyless ignition system), and unbuckle the seatbelt with my left hand and exit the vehicle. At this point the officer told me that if I reached toward my left side that he was going to feel a gun in my face. This isn't something I would expect a police officer to say. He grabbed my left wrist as I exited the vehicle and twisted it in a very uncomfortable manner and walked me toward the back of the car. He disarmed me and I asked why I had been stopped. He said I was operating the car in an erratic manner, accelerating and then decelerating, then accelerating again. My car has a very short first gear and I was pulling away from a stoplight. I explained that I picked up the car 3 days ago and was still learning the clutch. He patted me down, then berated me for not knowing exactly what was in my pockets. I had already informed him that I had no other weapons or anything that could hurt him. After he unloaded my handgun he placed it on the trunklid of my car. I take very good care of my vehicles and was upset enough about it that I said something to the officer. This didn't alter his course of action. He had me retrieve my insurance card from the car, and spoke down to me about not knowing how to drive a manual transmisson car. I replied that I had many other manual cars but none like this. He told me that I had to find a better place to learn to drive a stick than Hurstborne. I performed a field sobriety test and passed.
I am very disappointed with the conduct of the officer. I did not need to be treated like a felon after revealing that I was a LEGAL gun owner, I didn't need to be threatened or coerced into following lawful orders, I didn't need to be subjected to verbal abuse, spoken down to, or have my personal property disrespected. In fact I did nothing wrong, as evidenced by my lack of a ticket at the stop. This kind of behavior doesn't reflect well on the officer or the department.
This has been posted in the Kentucky section of OpenCarry.org as well. I anxiously await your response on this matter.