I was pull over and I gave my CCW and Drivers License to the officer.  He asked me if I was carrying anything. I said yes.  I had a .25 Beretta mousegun.  He asked me if that was the gun assigned to my CCW.  I told him I could carry a 100 different guns and I would be covered.  Another police officer that I ran into thought the same thing.

There seems to be a misconception at least in Michigan that a CCW goes with only one gun.

For the guys who advise not telling the officer that I have a weapon.  The CCW is connected to my DL so why try to hide it.  I tell them up front.  

>For the guys who advise not telling the officer that I have a weapon. The CCW is connected to my DL so why try to hide it. I tell them up front.

And I at least thank you for that.  I feel fairly good about someone that's willing to tell me that they're armed upfront.  I'm not going to let my guard down, but at least I know you're armed, (and I'm going to ask where and what,) and don't have to guess.

As for CCW law, in a lot of places that's something officers don't deal with a lot, and don't have a lot of interest in, and therefore don't know the most about.  They're are tons of laws to know, and its the ones you use day to day that you know without looking.  Some officers probably assume that if thier dept. restricts thier choice of gun, others are limited the same way.

dp  

The problem with Michigan is that the general CCW law is still very new, and many Michigan cops are anti-CCW.  I appreciate it when a citizen who is carrying tells me they are armed when I pull them over.  Does it escalate the tension on the stop?  Not a bit.  I thank them for telling me, ask them where the gun is and request that they not put their hands where the gun is.  Other than that, it affects the way I deal with them not at all.  I always assume that everyone I pull over has a gun anyway, and at least if this person has a CCW I know they're not a convicted felon.

I've had many citizens ask how they should conduct themselves if pulled over while carrying, and I always tell them to keep their hands on the wheel when the officer approaches and tell him/her that they have a CCW and are armed.  In my state the CCW comes up with the DL info, and most officers would prefer to know right up front.  Most officers really appreciate being told.  It's not a legal requirement in my state, but it helps put most officers at ease, which makes things easier for everyone.

Sparky,

Was there a statistically valid poll of Michigan LEOs on the subject of those Michigan LEOs who are anti-CCW?

No, Dave, not that I'm aware of.  I base my statement on the fact that I spent the first 21 or so years of my life in Michigan, and had many contacts with LEO's from officers to chiefs and every rank in between.  The vast majority that I had contact with were against citizens being able to get a general CCW; most felt that it was an invitation to mayhem and disorder.  Unlike the west coast, where I am now, there was a general attitude on the part of law enforcement (including LEO's and prosecutors) that the general public was untrustworthy and that to allow 'them' to carry guns was a prelude to disaster.  

Of course, this is entirely subjective and I have no valid, peer-reviewed study to back it up.  Just my semi-humble opinion based solely on my personal experiences.

Sparky,

I don't konw what to say on that one.  Could it be that we're a bit more realistic out here? [;)]