10 rules for dealing with the police

[strollingbones]

1. Always be calm and cool: a bad attitude guarantees a bad outcome.

2. Remain silent: what you don't say can't hurt you.

3. You have the right to refuse searches: saying no to searches can't be held against you.

4. Don't get tricked: remember, police are allowed to lie to you.

5. Determine if you're free to go: police need evidence to detain you.

6. Don't expose yourself: doing dumb stuff in public makes you an easy target.

7. Don't run: they'll catch you and make you regret it.

8. Never touch a cop: aggressive actions will only earn you a more aggressive response.

9. Report misconduct: be a good witness.

10. You don't have to let them in: police need a warrant to enter your home

10 Ways to Outfox Cops That Are Abusing Their Powers to Trick You | Civil Liberties | AlterNet

very good article on what the police can do and cant do and how to avoid being a victim

 

[California Girl]

Alternatively, don't break the law.

 

[Sallow]

8. Never touch a cop: aggressive actions will only earn you a more aggressive response.

I learned this one the hard way..hoooboy.

 

[George Costanza]

No 5 is very important. Police rely heavily upon the "consensual encounter," where they walk up to a person on the street or in a parked car. It always starts out the same way: "Hi, how ya doin' tonight?" Very quickly, though, it advances to: "You have anything illegal on your person or in your car?" And it goes downhill from there (for you).

Your response to the initial, "Hi, how ya doin' tonight?", should be: "Just fine, officer. And now, if you will excuse me, I will be on my way." And you promptly proceed to GO on your way. If the friendly officer says WORD ONE to you after that, your next statement should be:
"Officer, am I free to leave or am I being detained?" You can't lose that one. If you are free to leave, you are free to leave - and should. If you are not free to leave, then you are being detained, and there can be no further conversation absent a Miranda warning. If that's the case, do not waive your Miranda rights and refuse to talk to the officer. If he detains you and does not give your Miranda rights, don't talk to him anyway.

 

[bodecea]

No 5 is very important. Police rely heavily upon the "consensual encounter," where they walk up to a person on the street or in a parked car. It always starts out the same way: "Hi, how ya doin' tonight?" Very quickly, though, it advances to: "You have anything illegal on your person or in your car?" And it goes downhill from there (for you).

Your response to the initial, "Hi, how ya doin' tonight?", should be: "Just fine, officer. And now, if you will excuse me, I will be on my way." And you promptly proceed to GO on your way. If the friendly officer says WORD ONE to you after that, your next statement should be:
"Officer, am I free to leave or am I being detained?" You can't lose that one. If you are free to leave, you are free to leave - and should. If you are not free to leave, then you are being detained, and there can be no further conversation absent a Miranda warning. If that's the case, do not waive your Miranda rights and refuse to talk to the officer.

Good advice.

 

[slackjawed]

These rules could be summed up in one;
Treat policemen like you want to be treated while you do your job.

 

[strollingbones]

o the rules are important and may keep one from being on the wrong side of the long arm of the law

 

[Sheldon]

9. Report misconduct: be a good witness.

 

[Solace]

Always be polite.

 

[George Costanza]

Alternatively, don't break the law.

I see. If I have nothing to hide, then I have nothing to fear from a police officer.

Memo to California Girl: Would that it worked that way. Unfortunately, it doesn't. Police detain and question innocent people all the time - and if you are innocent, but happen to fit the description of someone they are looking for, or if they think you are guilty of something for any reason, then you had better know how to protect yourself, even if you are innocent.

Contrary to what you would like to think, the cops don't always play fair.

 

[JBeukema]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8[/ame]

 

[George Costanza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8

Amusing - but the point of this thread has less to do with "ass kickings" than it does with not being taken advantage of by the police and protecting yourself from improper police interrogation.

One comment on the video: Mr. Rock seems to concede that if you run from the police, you not only can expect an ass kicking when they catch you, but you also shouldn't complain when you get it. Wrong. Police are supposed to be professionals and they are also supposed to use only that force that is reasonably necessary to apprehend a fleeing suspect. Thanks to television cameras in helicopters and in the hands of concerned citizens, the days of cops' egos running rampant when chase down time happens, are drawing to a close.

 

[strollingbones]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuCFERehZ3M&feature=related[/ame]





you dont have to be breaking the law to be pulled over...and the old...tell me and i will go easy on you is just total bs...same ticket if you fess up or they call the dogs

and dont even get me started on road blocks

 

[Sarah G]

Alternatively, don't break the law.

I see. If I have nothing to hide, then I have nothing to fear from a police officer.

Memo to California Girl: Would that it worked that way. Unfortunately, it doesn't. Police detain and question innocent people all the time - and if you are innocent, but happen to fit the description of someone they are looking for, or if they think you are guilty of something for any reason, then you had better know how to protect yourself, even if you are innocent.

Contrary to what you would like to think, the cops don't always play fair.

Good advice George. I've only been stopped a couple of times for traffic violations but I found I was pretty nervous. Not that I don't trust cops but in that situation you just don't see some of this kind of stuff coming.

I instinctively just kept my answers short and sweet, I was polite and so were they.

Knowledge is power though and you have to have your own best interests at heart just in case they don't.

Useful posts in here on your part, George.

 

[Annie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8

LOL! I was going to post this. There is more than a bit of truth in this.

 

[CMike]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik[/ame]

 

[asterism]

Alternatively, don't break the law.

Sadly that's not enough. Crooked cops exist, and even some of the most that aren't have attitude problems and control issues.

 

[CMike]

Know your rights when dealings with cops.

 

[asterism]

1. Always be calm and cool: a bad attitude guarantees a bad outcome.

2. Remain silent: what you don't say can't hurt you.

3. You have the right to refuse searches: saying no to searches can't be held against you.

4. Don't get tricked: remember, police are allowed to lie to you.

5. Determine if you're free to go: police need evidence to detain you.

6. Don't expose yourself: doing dumb stuff in public makes you an easy target.

7. Don't run: they'll catch you and make you regret it.

8. Never touch a cop: aggressive actions will only earn you a more aggressive response.

9. Report misconduct: be a good witness.

10. You don't have to let them in: police need a warrant to enter your home

10 Ways to Outfox Cops That Are Abusing Their Powers to Trick You | Civil Liberties | AlterNet

very good article on what the police can do and cant do and how to avoid being a victim

I'd say #10 is playing with fire if you have kids though, because the Police Officer can call Child Services and they do not need a warrant to enter your house. The Child Services investigator can request the Officer escort her in "for safety" and then the Police Officer is in your house and free to look around for anything that might be considered probable cause for search. Then they can get a warrant. FYI, a "rumor" that illegal firearms is justification to get a warrant if the Police Officer sees a gun safe.

If the cop's goal is to take a look around and/or harass you they can do it quite legally.

 

[JBeukema]

No your rights when dealings with cops.

10 Rules for Dealing with Police (Order Now!) | How to Flex Your Rights During Police Encounters