JeffArtis.com believes the overwhelming majority of police officers in this great country of ours are good, hard working and honest people. However, JeffArtis.com also believes that there are some "bad apples" serving as police officers in police departments across this great country of ours. In addition, there is some confusion on what individual community members can do, cannot do, should do and should not do when interacting with the police.
JeffArtis.com feels that community education is the key to bringing about a greater understanding between the police and the community. Hopefully, the following information concerning police/community encounters will serve that purpose. Take care.
JEFF ARTIS, PUBLISHER JeffArtis.com COPYRIGHT, JEFF ARTIS, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
JeffArtis.com WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A FEW TIPS ON:
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE STOPPED BY THE POLICE
TO THE CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO HELPED ME COMPILE THIS INFORMATION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU ARE DRIVING AND ARE STOPPED BY THE POLICE.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
1. Protect yourself. Slow down. Pull over at the first safe location. If driving at night, drive to the first lighted safe location.
2. After you have stopped, leave your seat belt on. Sit near your window with your window closed. Put your hands on the steering wheel at 10 and 2. If there are people in the car with you, tell them to keep quiet.
3. Be courteous. Do not get an attitude. Do not get angry. Attitude and anger is a one way trip to jail.
4. Do what the policeman tells you to do. Cooperate. Be respectful. But, pay attention. Listen out for the officer's name. Try to observe the officer's badge number. Study the officer. Look for marks, tattoos, hair color, eye color, and scars. Try to observe the officer's car number. Again, never give the police a reason to arrest you.
5. When talking to the officer never, never lie. Use, "Yes, Sir", "No, Sir", " Yes, Mam", "No Mam", to address the officer. Be polite. Also let the office know what you are doing if you have to reach for something. For example, tell the officer, "The information you just asked for is in my glove compartment," or, "The information you just asked for is in my wallet in my back pocket," or, "The information you just asked for is in my pocketbook." Don't make jerky motions. The officer just may think you are reaching for a gun or a weapon.
6. Don't talk too much. Do not volunteer information. You may be dealing with an honest officer. You may be dealing with a dishonest officer who will take your words, twist them and use your own words against you. In a traffic stop situation you just never know. You only need to say or ask four things when talking to the officer. 1) "Am I free to go?" 2) "Am I under arrest?" 3) If you are under arrest you need to say, "I need a lawyer, now." 4) If the officer asks you another question, you need to say, "I have nothing else to say until I talk to a lawyer. I need to talk to a lawyer, now." Remember, there a huge legal difference between asking, "I want to talk to a lawyer," and "I want to talk to a lawyer, now." Simply put, you must show that there is no doubt that you want to talk to a lawyer "now," not later.
7. If you are placed under arrest, don't say another word until you talk to a lawyer.
8. Be honest with your lawyer. If you already under arrest and awaiting trial, lying or hiding parts of the truth will only come back to haunt you.
9. If you are awaiting trial, do not talk about your case to anyone. Someone may be listening. When you get home, write what happened down on paper, especially if you feel your rights have been violated by the police or if you are innocent. While writing this information down, remember that no detail is too small.
10. Know your Constitutional Rights. Learn all you can about the 4'th, 5'th, and 6'th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
11. Learn about proper police procedures from your local police departments. Many police departments are begininning to hold community education programs.
12. If you feel your rights were violated during a traffic stop, please contact your local civil rights organization.
IF YOU ARE STOPPED BY THE POLICE WHILE NOT DRIVING WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
1. Don't run. Running admits guilt. Running may cause the police to sic their dogs on you.
2. If you are with friends, tell your friends to keep quiet. Also tell your friends to take good mental notes.
3. Give your correct name and address to the police if or when you are asked. It's the law.
4. Follow steps 3 - 12 listed above.
REMEMBER: FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE TIPS CAN HELP PREVENT A POLICE STOP FROM TURNING INTO A NIGHTMARE.
YOU'VE HAD AN UGLY INCIDENT WITH THE POLICE.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
1. In these types of situations, always remember one thing. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT YOU CAN PROVE!
2. If you've been injured, go to the hospital. Keep copies of the medical reports.
3. Take pictures. If you can, take pictures of the injury/injuries before you go to the hospital and/or when you return from the hospital. If you are at the hospital, ask the hospital to take pictures of your injuries for you. In all picture taking situations, you will need to be discreet when taking pictures concerning possible police misconduct/police brutality. Some officers will take your camera, cell phone camera or camcorder away from you and break them, usually in front of you, sometimes at your feet. If this happens, keep your mouth shut. Do not react. Remember, if you retaliate against the officer for breaking your belongings, you are going to jail. Be smart and remember the rules listed on this page.
4. Write down the answers to the following 10 questions ASAP. Also, be prepared to give answers to the following questions. 1) What happened? 2) What did you do after the incident? 3) What was the name and/or badge number of the offending officer/officers? 4) Do you have a copy of the police report of the incident? 5) Was an official complaint filed against the offending officer at the police department? 6) Are there any emergency room reports of any injuries suffered in the incident? 7) Are you receiving any treatment for any injury you suffered by the offending officer? 8) Are you expecting to receive any future treatment for any injury you suffered by the offending officer? 9) What witnesses are willing to come forward to support your claim? 10) How will your version of what happened differ from what the officer is going to say happened?
5. Once you write this information down, memorize it and keep it to yourself. You never know who is listening. You never know who will go back to the police telling your business.
6. File a police report with your local police department ASAP. Keep copies.
7. Check to see if anyone has a video or other pictures of the incident. Any and all evidence will come in handy in the future.
8. Decide how you want the incident resolved. Once you reach this decision, keep quiet about it. Again, you never know who is listening. You never know who will go back to the police telling your business.
9. Contact your local civil rights organization, a lawyer or both ASAP.
10. Keep quiet. I can't stress this enough. Do not talk about your case. You never know who is listening. You never know who will go back to the police telling your business.
POLICE BRUTALITY IS DIFFICULT TO PROVE. HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THESE 10 SIMPLE STEPS CAN BE VERY USEFUL IF THE NEED ARISES.