Crime & Safety
Ask a Trooper: What Should I Do If You Pull Me Over and I Have a Gun in My Car?
Washington State Patrol District 1 spokesman and recruiter Guy Gill answers your questions about the rules of the road.
Q: If I am pulled over and I have my pistol in the glove compartment (where my insurance and registration are located), what is the best way to inform the officer that I have the pistol in there? I don't want to alarm the officer. – Patch reader Vanessa Zumwalt
A: When a Trooper makes contact with you, please advise him or her immediately that you have a weapon inside the vehicle and its location. The trooper will ask questions from there and may ask that you keep your hands visible during the contact. A responsible carrier of a firearm will already know this and gladly cooperate with the trooper. In most cases we'll finish up with the traffic stop, thank you for being honest and forthcoming, and send you on your way.
--
Find out what's happening in Rentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Trooper Guy Gill is the Washington State Patrol recruiter and spokesman for District 1, covering Pierce and Thurston counties. Follow him at @wspd1pio on Twitter.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
