How to Deal With Unwanted Cops

spooky24
What is this never ending bull about 'your rights' when confronted by a police officer? You have the right to do as you are told-to answer the questions put to you.

Just how the confrontation goes is totally up to you-the officer is going to react to your reactions as he/she has been trained.

If you start to try to influence the situation by informing the officer of 'your rights' all that is going to happen is you spend the night in the tank.

If you produce ID when told to and answer questions when told to if you don't pose a threat or have outstanding warrants you will be allowed to go your way. If you approach the situation in a mature, noncombatant way normally you will be allowed to call some one to get your automobile before it is towed-saving yourself $500. Or call someone to begin the bail process. The arresting officer will decided those things based on how you react.

It really is that simple. If you are arrested you have the right to speak with an attorney after you have finished the booking process-and not before- and you have the right to know why you are being arrested.

Every single thing is based on how you react.

Goteborg
reply to post by spooky24

 

Excellent points. If someone thinks they've been wronged they have a right to a lawyer and their day in court. It's always been that way. When you start talking to officers about your rights all you're really saying is that you think you are the court.

courts don't grant constitutional rights....they already exist....

there are certain things you do, and do not need to do during an interaction with the police. it's just that simple.

just because a police officer has pulled you over, or engaged you in some kind of verbal exchange, DOES NOT mean you have no rights. badges do not grant the wearer extra rights...the badge isn't magic, it's a piece of metal that says "i've chosen to enforce the law, and get shot at for a living"

reply to post by Daedalus


I never said that courts grant rights. Courts resolve conflicts. If it were as simple as saying "I'm sorry officer but I know my rights so we can stop this nonsense now" there would be no need for courts. You think you know your rights, the officer thinks you don't, the proper place to resolve that conflict is in court. Respecting that process does not mean that someone is buckling under to fascists or any of the other incendiary garbage that has been spewed in this thread.

Goteborg
reply to post by Daedalus

 

I never said that courts grant rights. Courts resolve conflicts. If it were as simple as saying "I'm sorry officer but I know my rights so we can stop this nonsense now" there would be no need for courts. You think you know your rights, the officer thinks you don't, the proper place to resolve that conflict is in court. Respecting that process does not mean that someone is buckling under to fascists or any of the other incendiary garbage that has been spewed in this thread.

"fascist" is so overused...i'm pretty sure people who use it. don't even know what "fascism" actually is...

it's not realistic, or acceptable to expect every little thing to go to courts....that's a waste.

the only reason this thread even exists, is because so many police officers are ignorant of a citizen's rights, and believe that the badge grants them extra rights and authority, outside of the stated, reasonable limits.

now, i understand that there are dangers, inherent to being a police officer....it's not ALL their fault. some people are just bad, and want to shoot at, or try to stab, or blow up, or otherwise maim, or kill police, for no other reason than "they're police"....and that's f**ked up. but being jacked up all the time, acting like EVERYONE is a threat, and being so drunk on "power", that you believe everyone should acquiesce to your every whim, is no way to be either...

i'd like to say if police could be courteous and professional to everyone they encounter, and respect the rights of every individual, no matter how they might feel about them, there would be no more problems......but while this is THE BEST way for it to be, i know (and this is where cognitive dissonance comes in) that this is almost completely unrealistic....

they can't be angels, because demons exist, and they can't be demons, because angels exist...there has to be a better way...

a reply to: Daedalus

Good post. I agree with you for the most part.

the only reason this thread even exists, is because so many police officers are ignorant of a citizen's rights, and believe that the badge grants them extra rights and authority, outside of the stated, reasonable limits.

There you go again with 'citizens rights'

Although no one here knows it one of the things the Patriot Act did is muddy the waters between probable cause and suspicion. They were already murky in the first place and just being suspicious of a person can-and a lot of times does-replace the well worn boundaries of probable cause.

If you are walking down the street and an officer stops you and ask for ID they are well within their rights on just suspicion and nothing else. It was never like that before 9/11 and so may think it's intrusive it is the law now and you must abide by it.

If you produce your ID and ask why you are being stopped most officers will tell you something basic like 'we have a sting operation under way' however they are under no obligation to do so. If you refuse to produce your ID you can be detained until your identification can be attained.

I'm not in agreement with that as to me it's counterproductive-or like someone here would say- heavy handed. However it is the law now and you have no rights other than doing what you are told.

My thoughts exactly .. !

Along with this video .. US citizens forget that there's is NDAA and the Patriot Act .. both of which Negate all form of privacy and freedom...if you argue, and push back.. they can pull these 2 out and you're done...all they have to say is ..

we have 'probable cause'

originally posted by: intrptr
reply to post by RocksFromSpace

 

I'll say this and rile the "die for your rights" crowd. Today the police are operating on a different set of principles. These videos (and DupeTube is full of them) are nice in principal, but leave little to reflect upon in actual practice.

I know, I lived outdoors and can attest the best thing to do with them is let them have their menial way with you. They'll have it anyway. If they find nothing they got nothing. Let them grab at you, cuff you, rifle your belongings, whatever. Try resisting them and the majority will make your life far more miserable than if you just let them do their job as they see it.

The few that mean harm and will actually plant evidence aren't the rule. The rule is they are going to see your ID, they are going to ask questions, they are going to look through your stuff. Say yes sir, and thank you. Then go on your way.

Or go to "detention" or the hospital, your choice. Then you can argue your case in court after you get the stitches removed. I'm not advocating living like sheep, I'm advocating making a direct encounter with them as painless as possible for you.

a reply to: Komodo

US citizens forget that there's is NDAA and the Patriot Act .. both of which Negate all form of privacy and freedom...if you argue, and push back.. they can pull these 2 out and you're done...all they have to say is ..

we have 'probable cause'

I must have been "run" by police umpteen times for sleeping in a vehicle or diving in a dumpster. This was before 911, all the legal justification for violating ones rights didn't exist yet. Never once did I get the impression that they were "asking me permission" to do anything. Usually what they have to say is caged as questions but really you know at the time that its if we don't get your permission we'll do it another way, anyway.

And they always have probable cause. They have a list of probable causes they "ask" you about, if one doesn't pan out then they go on down the list of causes until you exhaust their "test" and they then either inflict "policy" or let you go on your way.

An example of "policy"… say you are asleep in your vehicle on a public street and they wake you and run your name and question you and "inspect" your vehicle and all of that passes their inquisition. Then they say, "I'm going to let you sleep here tonight but I don't want to find you here tomorrow, understand?"

Not on my beat kind of thing. You aren't technically breaking any laws but they are enforcing their will upon you because of departmental (political) "policy".

I could say something like, "I don't submit to searches" but that is "uncooperative" and only results in waiting for a sniffer dog to "search" instead. And they can say the dog "hit" and then search anyway, regardless.

Now you get a rep for being "uncooperative'"(a note in your file with them) and each encounter from then on only produces more harassment and intimidation on their part. If you just cooperate with their "procedure" you then establish a rep that is better for you in the long run.

"He's cooperative and we never find anything on him so let him be." It took me years in Silicon Valley to establish that rep and once I did they let me go about my business and even remarked they admired me for it. Once in a while they would actually check up on me and ask if I was aright, if I need anything.

That was an amazing experience.

They were actually looking out for my welfare. I could tell it was hard for them. They are caught between a rock and a hard place with "homeless" people and tread a thin line between their own humanity and the policies the town council want to enforce.

Last time I was arrested for hitting a drunken drama queen who was pushing and hitting me to gain access to my house after being told she was not welcome here and needed to leave, the ignorant and lazy cop who apparently has never heard of castle domain laws, hauled me out of my house handcuffed. I rather casually asked if he'd like to read me my rights and he said "I've got the patriot act, I don't have to read you your rights cuz you don't have any."

That little foray into the just us system cost me 5 grand and a permanent mark on my record. The drunken drama queen got off Scot free but she's young and has big boobs so, ya know, she's obviously innocent.

When dealing with law dogs you're not dealing with rational creatures so you need to adjust your response accordingly. The goal is to survive the encounter and then, if you have any money left to buy a little justice, you can try the courts.