WA State Pistol Concealment Rules/laws
- Thread starter Ishyid
- Start date
I won't claim to know the exact law...
But I believe that the police have the authority to ask you for ID at any time. They may, or may not have the legal right to stop you, I don't know. IT goes back to some old laws covering vagrancy.
Its not much enforced today, but there are still many places in the country where you can be required to show ID, (showing residence), and be able to prove you are not broke (have some money), or you could be arrested. Those laws are still on the books.
Local cops are most likely to be the ones asking. If you are not someone they usually see in the area, and do something to stand out visually, they might take an interest. I was stopped and asked for ID by a town cop some 30 years ago (ok, maybe not really relevant), just walking down the street to the post office, in a town I had moved into just a couple months before. He asked for ID, which I produced, and in conversation told me about the vagrancy statutes. I admit, I was rather scruffy looking at the time.
If you are carrying openly, in a public place, expect the police to check you out. Its not a violation of our rights, to set their minds at ease. As long as things are polite, and you are not detained, or restrained in any way.
With several officers murdered in recent memory, I, for one, would gladly let them know I'm no threat, just exercising my rights.
But I believe that the police have the authority to ask you for ID at any time. They may, or may not have the legal right to stop you, I don't know. IT goes back to some old laws covering vagrancy.
Its not much enforced today, but there are still many places in the country where you can be required to show ID, (showing residence), and be able to prove you are not broke (have some money), or you could be arrested. Those laws are still on the books.
Local cops are most likely to be the ones asking. If you are not someone they usually see in the area, and do something to stand out visually, they might take an interest. I was stopped and asked for ID by a town cop some 30 years ago (ok, maybe not really relevant), just walking down the street to the post office, in a town I had moved into just a couple months before. He asked for ID, which I produced, and in conversation told me about the vagrancy statutes. I admit, I was rather scruffy looking at the time.
If you are carrying openly, in a public place, expect the police to check you out. Its not a violation of our rights, to set their minds at ease. As long as things are polite, and you are not detained, or restrained in any way.
With several officers murdered in recent memory, I, for one, would gladly let them know I'm no threat, just exercising my rights.
MoscowMike
New member
Here's an interesting article about state "Stop and Identify" laws -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_a..._.E2.80.9Cstop-and-identify.E2.80.9D_statutes
Apparently only a few of those states also require you to provide identification papers. You can generally satisfy the requirement to identify yourself by giving the policeman your name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_a..._.E2.80.9Cstop-and-identify.E2.80.9D_statutes
Apparently only a few of those states also require you to provide identification papers. You can generally satisfy the requirement to identify yourself by giving the policeman your name.
I think that's crap. If he's not doing anything illegal or behaving in a threatening manner, the police have no right to ask for papers. Just like you can't ask a suspected illegal alien for papers right, even if they were pulled over for speeding?
I just heard an interview with this guy on the radio and it sounds like they violated his 4th amendment rights to me. The reason the officer cited was "I don't know who you are." He doesn't have the right to know who anyone is, unless he suspects them of breaking the law. The guy asked if he was being detained for some reason and the cop said no. The guy replied then this conversation is over. The cop then called for backup and they surrounded the guy. He eventually capitulated, because he didn't want to be late for his lunch date. They were effectively detaining him w/o cause.
I just heard an interview with this guy on the radio and it sounds like they violated his 4th amendment rights to me. The reason the officer cited was "I don't know who you are." He doesn't have the right to know who anyone is, unless he suspects them of breaking the law. The guy asked if he was being detained for some reason and the cop said no. The guy replied then this conversation is over. The cop then called for backup and they surrounded the guy. He eventually capitulated, because he didn't want to be late for his lunch date. They were effectively detaining him w/o cause.