LEO Encounter in Chicago

Using a throwaway and I apologize for the long post, just providing all the details. So some time has passed and I thought I’d post my story about an LEO encounter I had in Chicago, where I live. For reference, there is always a highly active debate in IL CCW forums about whether to inform an officer in Chicago specifically, given the city’s reputation.So a couple months ago I was in my car, dropping off my girlfriend after a night out in the city. We pulled over near her place and parked on a city street that gets a good amount of foot and car traffic, even late at night (it was 11 PM on a Saturday, and we are in Wicker Park). So we are parked legally on the street in front of some apartment buildings and we end up sitting there for a while talking, about 30 minutes. While we are talking I notice a woman in one of the apartment buildings to our side keep pulling back her curtains and looking at us. She was an older woman and was probably concerned as to what we might be up to. In hindsight, I don’t blame her since Chicago has crime issues in every neighborhood.A few minutes later I see a police vehicle coming down the street towards my direction with the flow of traffic. I notice that the vehicle slows down ever so slightly as it passes my vehicle and that’s when I put 2 and 2 together and figured the lady must have called the police on us for suspicious behavior. I check my side mirror and see the cop car pull a u-turn and flash on the lights. I immediately prepare, as all good CCW holders do: roll down my window, turn on interior lights, and pre-emptively get my license and CCW license (no duty to inform in IL). I am also carrying, off body, a glock 19 in a holster in the nook between my driver seat and center console. It fits perfectly in there and conceals well.Two police officers come up to my vehicle, one on each side. I say hello. The officer on my side immediately tells me they are responding to a call of suspicious activity and immediately asks me if I have a weapon on me. I was a little surprised he asked right away since I didn’t think he knew I was a CCW holder; I was in my work vehicle which is not registered in my name. I informed the officer I had a CCW license and a “pistol” in a holster. He asked where, I told him so. He then asked for my licenses. After a few moments he then asked for my insurance card. I told him it was in my glove compartment, and he asked if he could secure my weapon before I reached over to get it. I completely agreed and exited the vehicle so he could take possession of my glock.This is where I felt just a little uncomfortable. If anyone is familiar with Chicago then you know that Wicker Park is crawling with people on a Saturday night. And me being pulled over on the side of the road garners some attention from people passing by. So I am standing outside of my car while the officer removes my glock in holster from my car. He then proceeds to examine (admire?) my glock and holster in the middle of the street with all the people around and cars driving by. I let him know that it is loaded with one in the chamber for safety reasons, and he takes it back to his vehicle while he runs my information and I go back inside my car eager to get away from all the passerby’s who just saw a police officer take a gun from my car. Probably ended up on a Snapchat story.Fast forward. Officer comes back, apologizes for bothering me, places my weapon back where it was and wishes me and my girlfriend a nice evening.Overall, it was a respectful experience. The officers did not give me any crap or attitude about carrying in Chicago and were very respectful. I also thanked them for the work that they do in the city and offered my condolences for a commander who was recently shot and killed and went on my merry way.Tldr; pulled over in Chicago, no issues, cops were respectful. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/2Js39Yn