As we all know, carrying on tribal land is prohibited and against the law. That being said, we at Vigilant Firearms Training have been sharing advice passed to us by a state police officer that we have discovered to be faulty information. It is always our goal to provide you with the best and most accurate information possible.
The incorrect advice was: If you are being pulled over on tribal land and are carrying, you should call 911, keep driving, and let them know you are being pulled over by a car you do not recognize and you request assistance. The theory was to protect you from having your weapon seized.
The correct advice, obtained from a 911 Dispatcher is: If you continue to drive, the officer will have called Dispatch before you were able to call. They will have reported that you were “fleeing” resulting in a felony offense.
So what should you do? First of all, if you know you will be traveling through tribal land, do not carry or choose a route that avoids tribal land. If you forgot, while carrying, and found yourself being pulled over by a tribal officer, pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. Have your license and registration in hand (hands on the steering wheel in plain sight) before the officer comes to your window. This avoids reaching for your glovebox which may be misinterpreted as reaching for your weapon. Do not argue, admit whatever caused the stop, follow directions with no sudden moves and the likelihood your weapon is seized will be reduced significantly. One suggestion was to clip those forms to your shade to expedite the process and further prevent any misinterpretations.
Be safe out there and follow the laws.
Written by Rhynda “Storm”: Stephens, VFT Instructor