When do you HAVE to show ID?

Here's what happened to me

Here is what I base my answer on. Way home for lunch one day, I cut a left turn too sharp with my head turned and ran over a stop sign in the middle of the street. I go directly home and immediately call the city and tell them who I am, where it was, my addresss, etc and notify my insurance company.

I get a call a little later from a city cop telling me I "have" to come to the police station for a report. I had broken no law regarding the accident (according to Washington state laws). I go to the police station later that day and the cop issues me a ticket based upon the incorrect statute (leaving a lane unsafely). I go to court and explain to the judge that I was guilty of an improper left turn, which I was not cited for and why I was innocent of leaving a lane unsafely - there was no traffic in the intersection at the time of the accident. I get fined the full $175 for doing my duty anyway. It would have cost me over $250 more to appeal - non refundable even if found not-guilty.

I had no duty whatsoever to report to the police department, but I did it anyway out of respect for the cop. Had I not went to the station, sure, he could have mailed the citation to me. But to take time to go out of my way to go there and then he lays a BS ticket on me and I get a ball busting judge who let two female repeat DUI offenders walk out with their driver's licenses intact just before my case just adds salt to the wound. I will never do anything like that again. If a cop has no legal reason to ask me a question, I will not provide them with any info.
 
Yikes, that sucks!

One thing I'll never do is give permission for anyone to search my home, my car, or my person. Anyone who wants to do a search will need a warrant or some sort of exigent circumstance. (The only exceptions are what's required to get on a flight these days.) I've read about too many people having problems, and I know a few of those people.

(If I were still in the Navy and bought a used car, one of the first things I'd do would be to have base security run the drug dogs through it so I wouldn't get busted for anything the previous owner did. And I'd save the documentation until I got out. But that's the only other exception I'd make.)
 
From http://www.flexyourrights.org/frequently_asked_questions#02

In Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada, the Supreme Court upheld state laws requiring citizens to disclose their identity to police when officers have reasonable suspicion to believe criminal activity may be taking place. Commonly known as 'stop and identify' statutes, these laws permit police to arrest criminal suspects who refuse to identify themselves.

Currently the following states have stop and identify laws: AL, AR, CO, DE, FL, GA, IL, KS, LA, MO, MT, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, ND, RI, UT, VT, WI
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The quote above does state that the police need reasonable suspicion that a crime is being committed, but just try to prove that the cop did not. Of course, since this is a gun forum, it is safe to assume that many of us will be carrying. Not having an ID with you is most definitely a crime if you are carrying a weapon. It does not mean that you must show it but I would not want to test that while carrying. My time is too valuable to have to go to court to defend myself over something like this.
 
I guarantee you that when I was an LEO I could have held you until you did identify yourself very easily if I chose to do so and there would be little legal recourse. All I would have had to do is say you matched the description of a wanted person or a verbal description from a witness to an event and I would get away with holding you until you were identified.
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So is an apology forthcoming to anyone who was condemned for "cop bashing" if they talked about "testilying" or other forms of abusive, corrupt police behavior in violation of the individual rights they were sworn to uphold?
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Exactly. LEOs and non-LEOs know this type of behavior exists. Stating that it does not or that it is rare just makes one look foolish.
 
One thing I'll never do is give permission for anyone to search my home, my car, or my person.
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Amen to that. My older children and my wife know that they are not, under any circumstances, ever to invite an LEO into our home. The LEO can state his business outside on the front porch just like an encyclopedia salesmen or anyone else we don't know. The conversation will be made outside with the front door closed behind us. Any request to come inside will be politely denied.
 
Not having an ID with you is most definitely a crime if you are carrying a weapon.
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That's why I carry a roll of nickels in places I can't normally carry. Poor mans Brass knuckles. Best used against soft tissue and not against bones like with real Brass knuckles, you can break your fingers doing that. A good gut punch with a roll of nickels will put someone on the floor much faster than just a fist.
 
Where I work, I request ID and you choose not to give it, you're removed from the property. Don't go, I arrest you. If you're a member of the community and don't give up ID, you're hit with in-house judicial sanctions.... and maybe get arrested to boot depending on how far you push the encounter. All very legal and it's been up-held in court numerous times.

When we are jointly working with the muncipal officers, they are kind of jealous about that as they have different criteria. Likewise, when we're working with them off-campus, we have to remember the rules are different.
 
The quote above does state that the police need reasonable suspicion that a crime is being committed, but just try to prove that the cop did not.
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Please keep in mind that being required to identify yourself and being required to provide a form of identification are two different things. This distinction keeps getting lost in this thread. Again, the OP’s original question was, “Do you have to show ID to the police just because they ask for it?" Even if the cop is lying about his basis for reasonable suspicion, you may need to identify yourself - such as stating your name - but you are not required to provide a form of identification unless you are engaged in some sort of activity that requires a license.
Of course, since this is a gun forum, it is safe to assume that many of us will be carrying. Not having an ID with you is most definitely a crime if you are carrying a weapon.
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Actually, it depends on state law. As a previous posted noted, NH apparently does not require you to have any sort of license to carry concealed. Also, my understanding is that AZ allows open carry without any license.

Bottom line: You need to know your state laws regarding carrying a firearm.
Where I work, I request ID and you choose not to give it, you're removed from the property. Don't go, I arrest you. If you're a member of the community and don't give up ID, you're hit with in-house judicial sanctions.... and maybe get arrested to boot depending on how far you push the encounter. All very legal and it's been up-held in court numerous times.
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Private property and government property are completely different from getting stopped while walking down a public street. I don't know where you work, but it must be either on private property or government property, so whatever rules apply there won't apply to a public street.
 
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