Bodycam footage shows what not to do at a traffic stop
By: -----
Boulder, CO - Boulder County Sheriff’s Office shared new body camera footage, hoping it serves as a learning opportunity for what not to do if you are pulled over.
Footage captures when a recent traffic stop for expired plates quickly took a turn on Diagonal Highway near Highway 52.
“I just want to know if either of you have a valid license,” the deputy says to the driver.
“They were trying to figure out what they were going to do with the vehicle and also confirm the information about the vehicle, who it belonged to and so forth,” BSCO Public Information Officer Vinnie Montez explained to FOX31.
Shortly after, footage shows what happens as the driver reaches into her glovebox to grab her registration. BCSO says she unknowingly grabbed a self-defense pistol, a compressed air pistol with the capability of shooting different types of rounds.
“In a moment’s notice where a deputy or an officer pulls somebody over, they see somebody reaching into the glove box, you know, they’re not going to sit there and look at the fine writing on the side of the gun,” Montez said. “They’re going to make a decision based on what they see.”
The deputy saw and quickly grabbed the self-defense pistol, asking the driver what it was.
“It’s called a burner, it’s, uh not a weapon, I’m so sorry I didn’t remember,” the driver said.
“You open that up, and you have a gun, what looks like a gun in there,” the deputy says, referring to the glove box.
“Even though this wasn’t an actual handgun, it looks exactly like a handgun,” Montez said. “And we just don’t want to have some type of circumstance come from that we have to make a deadly force decision. We’re just really glad the deputy did a really good job with this one. And we just want to remind people, so please take from this, be safe, let’s be smart, make sure we’re being open communicators so that everybody on both sides knows what’s going on.”
Having a weapon in your car isn’t against the law, Montez said. However, communicating that you have one with your hands visible before moving, is what he recommends drivers do in a situation like this.
“If you do get pulled over, take a quick assessment. Is there anything in the car that I’m about to reach for? There might be a knife or a gun or anything that looks like a weapon,” Montez said. “Just a quick communication, ‘Hey, Deputy, Officer, there’s this over here. I need to grab my registration.’ They’ll tell you what to do, how they want to handle it.”
The driver in this case was also cited for a revoked license (with multiple active suspensions), no insurance and driving without a required ignition interlock device.