united-states police disclosure
Does a black belt have to tell the police that he/she is a black belt
<p>Someone I knew told me that if a black belt in martial arts is pulled over, he/she has to tell the police that he/she is a black belt because he/she is a deadly weapon.</p>

<p>I told him that I didn't believe him because that sounds way too much like a threat, but he seemed really convinced that it was true.</p>

<p>Is it true?</p>

<p>Hard to <em>prove</em> a negative, but the answer is no.  Here's some support:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://martialarts.stackexchange.com/q/72">https://martialarts.stackexchange.com/q/72</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=460" rel="noreferrer">http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=460</a> explains possible origins of this myth:</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>By Jonathan Maberry</p>
  
  <p>This is one of the oldest American martial arts legends, and there is
  absolutely no basis or reality in it. First off, there is no
  department or process within the U.S. government to regulate martial
  arts, which means there is no instrument in place to identify persons
  practicing fighting arts, and no governmental method by which
  practitioners can be evaluated. ... 
  Actually there is not a country on earth where martial artists are
  required to register themselves as weapons, deadly or otherwise.</p>
  
  <p>This myth has its roots in two different aspects of mid-20th century
  history. In post-World War II Japan traditional martial arts were made
  illegal, and records were kept of those persons who were experienced
  practitioners of the arts. This was a bit of anti-Japanese backlash
  following the war and lasted only a few years. It has not been
  repeated, and it never spread beyond the borders of Japan.</p>
  
  <p>The other root is planted in the soil of the rich and often outrageous
  history of professional boxing. In the Joe Lewis era (the boxer, not
  the karate master), it was a common publicity stunt to have police on
  hand during a press conference to “register” the boxer as a deadly
  weapon. Understand, this was just a publicity stunt and carried no
  more legal weight than receiving the Key to the City actually means
  you can open any door with it and just walk in.</p>
  
  <p>In court cases involving violent confrontations, lawyers and judges
  may advise the jury to bear in mind a person’s martial arts, boxing,
  or military combat training when evaluating the facts of the case. For
  example, in the Matter of the Welfare of D.S.F., 416 N.W.2d 772 (Minn.
  App. 1988), the Minnesota Court of Appeals concluded that the
  defendant, who had "substantial experience in karate," was aware
  enough of the potential of his blows to deliberately break the
  plaintiff’s jaw. But that is a lot different from legally stating that
  the person in question is a registered or licensed “deadly weapon”.</p>
</blockquote>
