Why you should NEVER talk to the police.

I posted this video in the "wait till you are arrested" thread, but it's important enough that I thought it deserved its own.

In the video, a former criminal defense attorney and a retired cop talk to a class of law students. They both make the case that no matter how smart and savvy you may be, the police will find *something* in your statements to help incriminate you at a trial.

It's 48 very entertaining and informative minutes, and I'd encourage everyone to watch it.

I think it depends on what they are after you for. I am not going to play that game over a speeding ticket. Now if I am wanted for a crime then sure maybe.

and the sad part people are OK with these tactics.

because you know that what a man in uniform should be out to do, try to incriminate the citizens they protect.

I hate when people dare to compare the uniform of our armed forces and hold cops in the same light... I say no.

we abide by the ucmj, not technicalities and good lawyers.

a reply to: bbarkow

A few bad apples shouldn't spoil the harvest.

There are plenty of good cops out there and those innocent cops are being unfairly mistreated because the acts of a few crooked cops who have engaged in dubious activities.

This recent case of a cop being acquitted for what we construe as murder has peoples blood boiling and rightfully so; they should have the book thrown at them as they are meant to uphold the law and should not escape justice when they break the law.

I find the best defense is to not put yourself I the position to be confronted by the police. Worked for 39 years so far.

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker
I think it depends on what they are after you for. I am not going to play that game over a speeding ticket. Now if I am wanted for a crime then sure maybe.

Speeding? Who's the injured party?

That's what I detest. Being fined and criminalized over an assumption.

originally posted by: Orionx2
I find the best defense is to not put yourself I the position to be confronted by the police. Worked for 39 years so far.

Without a doubt. But that's not what OP's saying.

If you ever happen to get arrested, keep your mouth shut and lawyer up.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I don't know how you could be further from the point of the thread.

originally posted by: EternalShadow

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker
I think it depends on what they are after you for. I am not going to play that game over a speeding ticket. Now if I am wanted for a crime then sure maybe.

Speeding? Who's the injured party?

That's what I detest. Being fined and criminalized over an assumption.

I have never had any issues with the police. I am respectful and truthful and they have always shown me the same.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

That's the problem... it's not just a few bad apples, it's an actual modern police tactic to pretend to be your best friend, lie about wanting to look after your best interests, then throw you under the bus and use anything you say to incriminate you.

There basically trained to deceive, in order to destroy peoples lives.

Then if you aren't 100% truthful with them, for the sole purpose of protecting your own person welfare, they'll act like your the most immoral person on the face of the planet... then make it there priority to screw you over to as hard as they possibly can.

There supposed to be protecting the community, not running around looking for people to incriminate with low blow deceitful tactics.


......just sayin

Only one encounter I can remember with the police that I agreed with- and to be fair, if they were looking out to protect and serve there wouldn't have been an encounter here.


Where I live, cars need yearly "safety" inspections. This is well known to be a scam, bought and paid for by the new car dealers- the inspectors will fail for anything they can, and more or less people put up with it and just keep buying newer cars to avoid the hassle of 'fixing' things that aren't broken.
Me, though- I don't play that game. I do my own work- and anyone who works on cars knows, new cars are #.

My daily car is an '85 toyota- pop up headlights and all. VERY obviously an antique, by the state laws. Antiques are exempt from the inspection- and for a while I took advantage of that and registered for antique plates so I wouldn't have to deal with the scam either.

Got pulled over for not having a sticker- officer didn't see the sticker, and didn't read the plate before pulling me over.
Interaction was basically "Sorry, didn't see you had antique plates- have a nice day"

By far the best interaction I've had with them- but it's pretty obvious I wasn't pulled over for doing anything wrong- I was pulled over for a potential fine.

Horse snip. That's not freedom, and that's not protecting OR serving.

a reply to: bbarkow
just tell em... "eat me! don't I pay your salary?" "they like when your interested in the state budget" - George Carlin

Honest cops, ones doing their job for paycheck whatever, no biggie.

Some of them when they are on duty are looking all the time for anything to charge people with. If they are around, watch out. But you can't tell the difference.

During my outdoor phase I lived by this...

Never call a cop, never talk to a cop, never help a cop, never resist a cop.

originally posted by: EternalShadow
Speeding? Who's the injured party?

The people you may kill and maim. Sometimes laws and rules are there to protect the wider population against idiots and cretins. It seems to me that most people who speed walk away from the carnage they cause. Broken families and broken lives.

Back to OP. The problem with treating the police as the enemy is that no one wins. There are crap police and corrupt lawyers. Sitting on your hands does not improve both and does not help the majority who are not crap and corrupt.

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker

originally posted by: EternalShadow

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker
I think it depends on what they are after you for. I am not going to play that game over a speeding ticket. Now if I am wanted for a crime then sure maybe.

Speeding? Who's the injured party?

That's what I detest. Being fined and criminalized over an assumption.

I have never had any issues with the police. I am respectful and truthful and they have always shown me the same.

That is probably the best approach, but it doesn't always work--especially if you are in a category the police don't like. Today cops are very respectful toward me and I to them. But today I'm, 67 years old with short hair and drive a new semi-luxury car. A few years ago I was 27 years old with hair to my waist, a scraggly beard, and drove an old rickety hand-painted purple Volkswagen bug with antlers mounted on the top. The cops weren't very respectful to me then, even though I was polite and respectful to them. They were suspicious and stopped me often for no reason.

Why? Because I attracted them with my appearance. I did not look like a respectable citizen, even though I had a full-time job, did not do drugs, was well-educated, and paid my bills on time. When Black people say they are stopped because they were "driving while Black." I believe them. If you are in a class that is commonly at odds with the police, you are under a lot more scrutiny. I think it is fair to factor that in on these type of discussions.

a reply to: bbarkow

This guy is going to make more problems for you than actually getting you out of trouble..I've been pulled over several times and admitted that I was speeding...In fact out of the gate I said to a female officer that I was speeding and apologized while handing her the license. She ran my idea and told me to slow down with a smile.

Pulled over by a State Trooper in a speed trap and again I did the same thing and was let go with a more stern warning from this very intimidating jacked boot trooper..sometimes they just want honesty and a bit of remorse..

The posts above make some good points, but a lot of them are beside the point.

No matter how respectful everyone is to the police, or how respectful the police are in return - the point stands that you can not help your situation by answering questions. The cop has a job to do - part of which is to fool you into incriminating yourself.

I'm not saying anyone should be a p**ck during a traffic stop, I'm just saying that it's a bad idea to think you can talk your way out of anything - and that you shouldn't try. If the situation somehow escalates, your statements will almost always hurt you.

a reply to: paraphi

"You may.....you might....you could have...you likely...."

That constitutes an out of pocket expense, when in FACT you actually didn't injure anyone?? Your line of logic is, because they're idiots out there, the non-idiots simply trying to lessen their trip time should be fined and made an example of to keep said idiots in line.

Garbage.

a reply to: bbarkow

B squared-

I am retired off "The Job" and although I cannot dispense "Legal Advice" as I'm not an attorney but I can dispense "Friendly Advice" all day long.. In some circles this is known as "Officer Friendly's Free Friendly Advice".

If You are approached by a police officer regarding a traffic offense, the time to argue the stop is in Court not roadside. I'd also advise that You get all the things that You need to produce when pulled over, e.g. Driver License; Insurance card; Vehicle Registration. Have them in a place that is easily accessed, this will stop You from doing any "furtive movements" These movements 'may' be construed as You trying to conceal a weapon and/or narcotics. It also eliminates the 'need/want' for the Officer(s) "helping You out" by rifling through all Your stuff. Don't give the cops enough for them to articulate the reasons they could go for a "fishing expedition"..

Once they tell You the reason for the stop- Don't Argue. Again this is NOT the place.

Also KNOW that they only have enough time to 'detain You as long as it takes to write out the citation' If the cops pulled You over for an inoperative light, then to write that citation would NOT take 20 min. and then "waiting for the k9" This is NOT legal per the SCOTUS.

"You have the right to remain silent"

a reply to: JimNasium


One MUST realize that 'some' cops got beat up in High School and they have a vendetta and You might look like the guy who gave Him a 'snuggie' or that You look like the cheerleader that He had a crush on and broke His heart. It is for these TURDS that You "keep quiet"..

Anybody can be an A-Hole, it is counter-productive to be an A-Hole when the person You are interacting with has

#1. a gun
#2. A crappy attitude
#3. The powers of arrest.

Put Your Registration and Insurance Card where You can get at it w/out delay. Don't give them a reason to go on a "fishing expedition"..

Try and be a "bottle cap"..

Proud Member of LEAP-Law Enforcement Against Prohibition