Interactions with Law Enforcement While Armed

One of the most important considerations for anyone who chooses to own a firearm for personal defense is knowing how to interact with law enforcement while in the presence of a lawfully owned gun.

Understanding how law enforcement may perceive the presence of a firearm, under a variety of everyday situations, is critical to ensuring the safety of both law enforcement and gun owners alike.

Your instructor is Rob Pincus. Rob draws on years of personal experience carrying a firearm for personal protection as well as being an active member of the law enforcement community.

This Class provides you with specific steps and information to make sure every day police interactions are as routine as possible. It addresses specific situations like approaching an officer with a question, being armed while in a vehicle, being interviewed as an eyewitness, or being visited by an officer in your home. It covers the most common methods of concealed and open carry, as well as off-body and staged firearms.

With this Class, you’ll understand the importance of knowing the laws of firearm ownership and use in order to ensure compliance where you plan to possess a gun. Plus, you will learn how your firearm is carried or staged affects the manner in which you interact with a law enforcement officer, and steps you can take to ensure the safety of all involved.

Use this class to get valuable insight into how law enforcement may perceive interactions with lawfully armed individuals and how to avoid unintended actions which can quickly and seriously escalate otherwise routine situations.

Plus, through situational role-playing, you’ll see detailed demonstrations of traffic stop scenarios, led by a law enforcement officer. Apply what you learn in this important class to your personal protection plan. Learn to anticipate interactions you may have with law enforcement while you’re armed and the steps you can take to ensure a safe and cooperative experience.

More Than a Video Presentation

In addition to detailed video instruction and demonstrations, this Class includes a series of printable worksheets, provided to reinforce the information presented in the video. Use each worksheet to evaluate how to put the lessons you’ve learned into practice as part of your personal defense plan.

You’ll also be provided with a handy reference checklist, to retain in your vehicle, as a reminder of the steps to follow in the event of a law enforcement interaction while you’re armed in your vehicle.

BONUS MATERIALS FOR THIS CLASS

Training Worksheets PDF
Download these worksheets to complement your video, and get maximum command of material.

In-Vehicle Procedures Checklist
Use this reference list to maximize the safety of an interaction while you’re armed in a vehicle.

Class Notes Page PDF
Use this printable notes pages to document key aspects of the class or your training.

Video: Extra Discussion
Download this short video to hear added discussion with your instructor, Rob Pincus.

Video: Meet Your Instructor
Download this short video to meet your class instructor, Rob Pincus.


Session 1: Introduction

Meet your instructor, PDN Executive Director and defensive firearm expert Rob Pincus. Understand how this class helps you anticipate the procedures and practices used by law enforcement to keep themselves and others safe in a variety of circumstances, and the steps lawfully armed citizens can take to avoid unintended escalation, and to ensure their interaction with law enforcement goes by the book.


Session 2: Overview

Rob outlines many factors affecting how and why a gun owner may interact with law enforcement, and the importance of understanding the implications of those things in order to prepare for safe interaction. Rob provides insight into the variables to consider, including location and circumstances of the interaction, proximity of the firearm during the interaction, means of storing or carrying a gun, intended or potentially unintended actions of the gun owner, and the laws governing firearm use in the places that law enforcement interactions may occur.


Session 3: Carry a Gun Legally

Knowing and abiding by the law where you intend to use a gun for self-defense is critical to positive law enforcement interactions, and to avoiding potentially tragic unintended consequences. This Session provides information, suggestions and exercises to help students research, stay current, and comply with laws affecting their use of defensive firearms.


Session 4: Firearms in Buildings

This Session explores a variety of scenarios that could complicate your interactions with law enforcement in your home, workplace, or other dwelling when a gun is present and staged for defense. Understand the importance of addressing the presence of a firearm with law enforcement and how you can facilitate a safe and courteous interaction without compromising your use of firearms for personal defense.


Session 5: Firearms in Vehicles

In this Session, Rob addresses one of the most common and potentially complex situations involving law enforcement interactions while armed. This includes expert commentary and recommendations, plus dynamic role-play demonstrations from a law enforcement officer, showing examples of police procedures and advice for gun owners to prepare for traffic stops in a variety of circumstances.


Session 6: Firearms in Vehicles: Off Body Carry

Having a firearm that can be seen in plain sight while in a vehicle is likely to get the attention of a police officer who approaches the vehicle, and may cause the officer to proceed with added caution. This Session addresses such situations and provides important advice from a police officer’s perspective, including proactive steps drivers can follow to ensure a safe and efficient interaction.


Session 7: How to Carry

Carrying a firearm in a holster, inside the waistband (IWB), is very common among concealed carry permit holders. You’ll see concepts of firearm concealability and retention, along with demonstrated carry positions. Also covered are the benefits that IWB can have if interaction with law enforcement is necessary, and the steps to follow to ensure the safety of the gun owner and officer alike.

The practice of carrying a firearm outside the waistband (OWB) is legal in many states and the preferred means of carry for some gun owners. This session shows how OWB carry can affect, or even lead to, law enforcement interactions, with potentially serious implications. Demonstrations address a gun’s concealability when carried OWB and the issues gun owners who choose this means of carrying a defensive firearm must consider in order to avoid potentially dangerous escalation.


Session 8: Approaching Law Enforcement While Armed

There are many situations in which a gun owner may approach a police officer while armed. This Session provides valuable insight and useful demonstrations for gun owners to consider if initiating contact with an officer while armed. The concepts of body language, hand gestures, and demeanor are covered, and the implications of each are discussed.


Session 9: After Defensive Gun Use

Having a firearm that can be seen in plain sight while in a vehicle is likely to get the attention of a police officer who approaches the vehicle, and may cause the officer to proceed with added caution. This Session addresses such situations and provides important advice from a police officer’s perspective, including proactive steps drivers can follow to ensure a safe and efficient interaction.


Session 10: Final Thoughts


Share tips, start a discussion or ask one of our experts or other students a question.

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3 Responses to “Interactions with Law Enforcement While Armed”

  1. Charles Holland

    None

  2. William Powell

    Very informative and critical knowledge for all gun owners...Job well done.

  3. William Powell

    Thank you