If I may interject again...
I have to agree here.
You have to understand that while there is no obligation to inform, if we're in contact with you for whatever reason, and a firearm (or the profile) is observed, we are understandably going to react differently than if you just said up front, hey officer, I have a permit and am carrying.
It's just a courtesy. It eases a potentially tense situation, and there's never a mistake regarding what you were reaching for.
If you don't tell me that you're carrying lawfully, and I see it or find it say on an officer safety pat down, it opens up doors for so many more questions and concerns. If the officer happens to see you reach for something that happens to be in the general vicinity of the weapon, and sees the weapon or it's profile at the same time, I can assure you there are going to be issues
In retrospect, I can't remember how many people on traffic stops and other contacts over the years, have given me the courtesy of informing me of their lawful carry, to which I simply responded "thank you", and went on about my business. In the back of my mind, I know that at least at the time of issuance, they were not convicted felons. And the fact is, I've never been harmed or threatened with a firearm, by a lawfully permitted citizen
I will say that on occasion, that courtesy notification as well as the persons demeanor, has caused me to change my mind on writing a ticket vs. a warning.
That is HR218, which has been modified several time since it's inception under the Bush administration in 2004. It's the one I referred to in my first response.
It can now be found under 18 USC 926B and C (for active and retired LEO's respectively) (Public Law 111-272), and HR 4310 "The National Defense Authorization Act" (Public Law 112-239.
The link below should help anyone who feels they may qualify or have questions regarding it's applicability and restrictions.
http://www.fop.net/legislative/issues/hr218/hr218faq.pdf
It gives a bit more latitude than a state license, is significantly less expensive, and is quicker to obtain in most case, at least in Florida where it takes the geniuses in Tallahassee 2 months to get it done
Instead, it took me 30 minutes to qualify and obtain the 218 certification card.
The 218 certification, if I did my research correctly, also doesn't carry some of the restrictions normally found in State law, such as the prohibition against concealed carry into a "nuisance" establishment, or one that receives over 50% of it's income from the sale of alcohol. Under Florida law, that would be a
for a CCW holder.
That said, common sense has to prevail.
On the few occasions that I've entered a restaurant, and ended up at the bar (not generally my style), I have gone back to my vehicle and disarmed.
God forbid, something happens and I end up in a deadly force situation, I don't want to do so with a BAC of anything, and I certainly don't want to have a BAC, miss, and injure a bystander.
Criminal statutes aside, the resulting civil suit, and I will assure you there will be a civil suit, will be at the very least, uncomfortable. No reason to place ones self in that position to begin with.
Finally, most agencies around here, have prohibitions against their officers, active or reserve, carrying off duty into bars and other venues as those described above. I figure that if I follow suit I should be ok.
Sorry for the long post.
I'll try to be more brief in the future.
OD
... Sometimes they ask as Steve points out...sometimes they don't. If they don't and you do not volunteer the information and then a weapon is discovered the "official entity" generally do not react well to that and it can get "dicey".... 
...I have a concealed carry permit and if I ever deal with any official, I volunteer the information as soon as practicable and without exception I am thanked by the "official" and the encounters are never "tense". Another tip is never use or shout the word "gun". If you are in a noisy environment etc. or there are other officials nearby and all they hear is the word "gun" they sometimes react negatively to the word and the situation could get ugly...
...I'm just saying...
