Police officers hate to hear these
words:
"Am I free to
go?"
"I'm going to remain
silent."
"I don't consent to a
search."
You have rights during a traffic stop or during any police encounter.
Learn what your rights are and use
them!
1. Your Safety - Start by putting the police officer at ease. Pull
over to a safe place, turn off your ignition, stay in the car and keep your
hands on the steering wheel. At night turn on the interior
light. Keep your
license, registration and proof of insurance close by like in your "sun
visor."
Be courteous, stay
calm, smile and don't complain. Show respect and say things like "sir and no
sir." Never bad-mouth a police officer, stay in control of your words, body
language and your emotions. Keep your hands where the police officer can see
them. Never touch a police officer and never run
away!
2. Never Talk To A Police Officer - The
only questions you need to answer is your name, address, date of birth,
sometimes your social security number but NOTHING else! "In some states you can
refuse to give your
I.D. card to a police officer, know the laws of your state." Instead of telling
the police officer who you are, give him your driver's license or your I.D.
card. All the information the police officer needs to know about
you, can be found on your i.d. card or drivers license. If you can keep your mouth shut, you just might come out
ahead more than you expected.
I'm Going to Remain
Silent - The Supreme Court says you
should never talk to a police
officer even if you're not under arrest, without an attorney.
The Supreme Court ruled you
must speak up and SAY to the police officer "I'm going to
remain silent" and
then keep your mouth shut even if you're not under
arrest. How can you be falsely accused and charged with a crime,
if you don't say anything? Never talk to a police officer before or after you
get arrested. Anything you say or do, can and will be used against you at
anytime by the police.
3. Just Say NO to Police Searches!
- If a police officer didn't need your permission
to search you, he wouldn't be asking you. Never give permission for a
police officer to search you, your car or your home. If a police officer does
search you, don't resist and just keep saying "I don't
consent to this search."
4. Am I Free to Go? - As soon as the police officer ask you a question ask him, "Am I free to go?" You have to ask if you're "free to go," otherwise the police officer will think that you're voluntarily staying around to talk with him. If the police officer says that you're being detained or arrested tell the police officer, "I'm going to remain silent."
4. Am I Free to Go? - As soon as the police officer ask you a question ask him, "Am I free to go?" You have to ask if you're "free to go," otherwise the police officer will think that you're voluntarily staying around to talk with him. If the police officer says that you're being detained or arrested tell the police officer, "I'm going to remain silent."
Anything You Say Can And
Will Be Used Against You!
Silence is not an admission of guilt and
can't be used against you in court.
Police officers
will be videotaping or audio recording you and this is why you must NEVER talk
to the police officer. You have every right NOT to
talk to a police officer and you should NOT talk to a police officer unless you
have first consulted with a lawyer and the lawyer has advised you differently.
Police officers
depend on fear and intimidation to get what they want from you and this includes
giving up your rights. The government made a law that allows police officers to lie to
American citizens. That's another reason not to trust the police or the Federal
government.
Never voluntarily talk to a police officer,
there's no such thing as a "friendly chat." Let the police officer do all the talking and you
stay silent. The Supreme Court has recently ruled that you should NOT talk
to a police officer if you have NOT been arrested and you
must say out loud "I'm going to remain
silent." It can be very dangerous to
talk to a police officer or a Federal Agent. Innocent people have talked
to a police officer and ended up in jail and prison all because they spoke to a
police officer without an attorney.
Police officers have the same right as you, "Freedom of
Speech." Police may ask you anything they want, but you should never answer any
of their questions. Don't let the police officer try and persuade you to talk!
Say something like "I'm sorry, I don't have time to talk right now." If the cop
insists on talking to you, ask him "Am I free to go?" The
police officer may not like when you refuse to talk to him and challenge you
with words like, "If you have anything to hide, why won't you speak to me? Say
to the officer again "I told you I don't have time to talk to you right now,
Am I free
to go?" If you forget or the police
officer tricks you into talking, it's okay just start over again and tell the
police officer "I'm going to remain
silent."
The Supreme Court has ruled that if a police officer
doesn't force you to do something, then you're doing it "voluntarily."
That means if the police officer starts being intimidating and you do what
he "ask" because you're "afraid," you still have done it voluntarily.
(Florida v. Bostick, 1991) If
you do what the police officer "ask" you to do such as allowing him to search
your car or answer any of his questions, you are "voluntarily" complying with his "requests."
So don't comply, just keep your mouth shut unless you say
"Am I
Free to Go?" or "I don't consent to a
search."
Be as nice as possible to the police officer, but stand your
ground on your rights! Where do some of your rights come from? Read the
Fourth
and Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Traffic Stops
and Your Rights
Keep your license, registration
and proof of insurance in an easily accessible place, like your sun visor.
When pulled over by
a police officer stay in the car, turn on the interior lights and keep your hands on the steering wheel.
Sit still, relax and
wait for the officer to come to you. Any sudden movements, ducking down, looking
nervous or appearing to be searching for something under your seat could get you
shot.
Don't forget during traffic stops the police are videotaping you, this is
why you must NOT talk to the police officer. Police officers like to ask the
first question and that's usually, "do you know why I stopped you? Do you know
how fast you were going?" The police officer is trying to get you to do two
things, admit that you committed a traffic violation and to get you to
"voluntarily" start a conversation with him. Remember the police officer is
not your friend and should not be trusted! The only thing you need to say is
"I'm going to remain silent or
am I free to go?"
The police officer might start asking you personal questions such as
"where are you going, where have you been and who did you see, ect." At that
point it's the perfect time to exercise your rights by asking the police officer
"AM I FREE TO GO?" There's NO legal requirement that American citizens
provide information about their comings and goings to a police officer. It's
none of the police officers damn business! Keep asking the police officer "AM I
FREE TO GO?" You have to speak up and verbally ask the police officer if you're
allowed to leave, otherwise the courts will assume that you wanted to stay and
talk to the police officer on your own free will.
Passengers in your vehicle need to know their rights as well. They
have the same right NOT to talk to a police officer and the right to refuse a
search "unless it's a 'pat down' for weapons." The police will usually separate
the passengers from each other and ask questions to see if their stories match.
All passengers should always give the same answer and say, "I'm going to remain silent and am I free
to go?" Remember you have to tell the police officer that you
don't want to talk to him. It's the
law
How long can a police officer keep you pulled over
"detained" during a traffic stop? The Supreme Court has made mention that no
more than 15-20 minutes is a reasonable amount of time for a police officer to
conduct his investigation and allow you to go FREE on your way. But you have to
keep asking the police officer "AM I FREE TO GO?"
During a traffic stop a good time to ask "AM I FREE TO
GO," is after the police officer has given you a "warning or a ticket" and
you have signed it. Once you have signed the ticket the traffic stop is legally
over says the U.S. Supreme Court. There's no law that requires you to stay and
talk to the police officer or answer any questions. After you have signed the
ticket and got your license back you may roll up your window, start your car and
leave. If you're outside the car ask the police officer, "AM I FREE TO
GO?" If he says yes then get in your car and leave.
Car Searches
and Body Searches
Remember the
police officer wouldn't be asking you, if he didn't need your permission to
search! "The right to be free from unreasonable
searches is one of America's most precious First
Liberties."
Police officers swore an oath to uphold the U.S.
Constitution and not to violate your rights
against unreasonable search and seizure
Fourth
Amendment. Denying a police
officers request to search you or your car is not an admission of guilt, it's
your American right! Some police officers might say, "if you have nothing to
hide, you should allow me to search." Politely say to the police officer
"I don't consent to a search,
am I FREE to
go?"
For the safety of police
officers the government allows the police to pat down your outer clothing to see
if you have any weapons. If the police officer feels something that he believes
is a weapon, then he can go into your pockets and pull out the item he believes
is a weapon.
A police officer may ask
you or even demand that you empty your pockets, but you have the right to say
"NO! AM I FREE TO GO?" There's NO law that requires you to
empty your pockets when a police officer tells you to do so. The only time a
police officer are allowed to be taking your personal property out of your
pockets is after you have been
arrested.
The
police officer is allowed to handcuff you and/or detain you in his police car.
Don't resist or you will be arrested! There's a big difference between being
detained and being arrested. Say nothing in the police car! Police will be
recording your conversation inside the police car, say nothing to your friend
and don't talk to the police officers inside the
car!
If you are arrested and your car is towed, the
police are allowed to take an "inventory" of the items in your car. If anything
is found illegal in your vehicle, the police will get a warrant from a judge and
then charge you with another
crime.
Don't Open Your Door At Home
If A Police Officer Knocks!
If
the police knock on your door at home, there's no law that says you have to open
your door to police officers. "Don't worry if they do have a search warrant,
they'll kick down your door before they knock." *
There is NO law that requires you
to open your door to a police officer.* Don't open your door with the
chain-lock on either, police officers will shove their way in. Simply shout to
the police officers "I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY" or just don't
say anything at all.
Guest and roommates staying in
your home/apartment/dorm need to be told of their rights and not to open the
door to a police officer or invite police officer into your home without your
permission. Police officers are like vampires,
they need your permission to come into your home.
Never
agree to go to the police station if the police want to question you. Just say,
"I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY."
* In some emergency
situations (for example when a someone is screaming for help from inside your
home, police are chasing someone into your home, police see a felony being
committed or if someone has called 911 from inside your house) police officers
are allowed to enter and search your home without a warrant.
Teenagers have rights also, if you're under 18
click
here. If your children
don't know their rights and they go talking to a teacher, school principal,
police officer or a Federal agent without an attorney, it could cost your family
dearly and change the lives of your family forever!
Dealing With
a Police Officer In Public
NEVER give consent to a police officer
and allow for a conversation to start. If a police officer stops you and ask to
speak with you, you're perfectly within your rights to say "I do not wish to
speak with you," then say good-bye.
At this
point you should be free to leave, but the police officer might ask for your
identification. If you have identification on you, tell the officer where it's
at and ask permission to reach for it. "In some states you're not required to
show an I.D. unless the police officer has reasonable suspicion that you committed a
crime, know the laws of your
state!"
The police officer might start asking you questions, at this point you
may ask the officer
"Am I
Free to Go?" The police officer may
not like this and may challenge you with words like, "If you have nothing to
hide, why won't you speak to me?" Just like the first question, you don't have
to answer this question either.
Police officers need your permission to have a conversation. There is NO law that says you have tell a police officer where you are going or where you have been, so keep your mouth shut and say nothing! Don't answer any questions (except name, address and age) until you have a lawyer.
Police officers need your permission to have a conversation. There is NO law that says you have tell a police officer where you are going or where you have been, so keep your mouth shut and say nothing! Don't answer any questions (except name, address and age) until you have a lawyer.
Probable Cause
A police officer has no right to detain you unless there exist
reasonable suspicion that you have committed a crime or traffic violation.
However a police officer is always allowed to initiate a "voluntary"
conversation with you. You always have the right not to talk or
answer any questions a police officer might ask you. Just tell
the police officer,
"I'm
going to remain silent."
Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, police may engage in "reasonable" searches and seizures. To prove that a search is reasonable the police generally must show that it's more likely than not that a crime has occurred and that if a search is conducted it's probable that the police officer will find evidence of the crime. This is called "probable cause."
Police may use first hand information or tips from an informant "snitch" to justify the need to search your property or you. If an informant's information is used, the police must prove that the information is reliable under the circumstances to a judge.
Here's a case when several police officers took the word of a "snitch," claiming he knew where a "drug dealer" lived. Corrupt police officers in Houston Texas took it upon themselves to go to this house that the snitch had "picked at random" and the officers kicked in the front door at 1:30 in the morning. Police never bothered to get a warrant from a judge. The aftermath was... Police Officers In Texas Are Allowed to Murder Innocent People and Get Away With It
Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, police may engage in "reasonable" searches and seizures. To prove that a search is reasonable the police generally must show that it's more likely than not that a crime has occurred and that if a search is conducted it's probable that the police officer will find evidence of the crime. This is called "probable cause."
Police may use first hand information or tips from an informant "snitch" to justify the need to search your property or you. If an informant's information is used, the police must prove that the information is reliable under the circumstances to a judge.
Here's a case when several police officers took the word of a "snitch," claiming he knew where a "drug dealer" lived. Corrupt police officers in Houston Texas took it upon themselves to go to this house that the snitch had "picked at random" and the officers kicked in the front door at 1:30 in the morning. Police never bothered to get a warrant from a judge. The aftermath was... Police Officers In Texas Are Allowed to Murder Innocent People and Get Away With It
Should We
Trust Police Officers?
Are police officers allowed to lie to you? Yes
the Supreme Court has ruled police officers can lie to the
American people. Police officers are trained at lying, twisting words and being
manipulative. Police officers and other law enforcement agents are very skilled
at getting information from people. So don't
try to "out smart" a police officer and don't try being a "smooth talker"
because you will loose! If you can keep your
mouth shut, you just might come out ahead more than you
expected.
Teach your children that they must call a parent for permission
before they're allowed to talk to police officer. Remember police officers
are trained to put your child at ease and build trust. A police officers job is
to find, arrest and help convict a suspect and that suspect could be your
child!
Although police
officers may seem nice and pretend to be on your side they
want to learn your habits, opinions, and
affiliations of other people not suspected of wrongdoing. Don't try to answer a
police officers questions, it can be very dangerous! You can never tell how a
seemingly harmless bit of information that you give to a police officer might be
used and misconstrued to hurt you or someone else. Also keep in mind that lying
to a federal agent is a Federal crime. "That's why Martha Stewart went to
prison, not for insider trading but for lying to a Federal Agent."
Lies Police Officers Will Say To Get You to
Talk
There's many ways a police officer can LIE and
trick you into talking. It's always safe to say the Magic Words: "Am I
free to leave? I'm going to remain silent and I want a lawyer."
The following are common lie's the
police use when they're trying to get you to talk:
* "You will have to stay here and
answer my questions" or "You're not leaving until I find out what I want to
know."
* "I have evidence on you, so tell me
what I want to know or else." (Police can fabricate fake evidence to convince
you to tell them what they want to know.)
* "You're not a suspect, were simply
investigating here. Help us understand what happened and then you may leave."
* "If you don't answer my questions, I
won't have any choice but to take you to jail."
* "If you don't answer these
questions, you'll be charged with resisting arrest."
* "Your friend has told his side of the
story and it's not looking good for you, anything you want to tell me?
If
The Police Arrest You
"I WILL NOT TALK UNTIL I HAVE A LAWYER!"
* Don't answer any questions the
police ask you, (except for your name, address and age.) Any other questions the
police officer ask you, just say I want to talk to my
lawyer.
*
Police officers don't always have to read to you the Miranda Rights after you've
been arrested. If you "voluntarily" talk a police officer, the police officer
doesn't have to read your Miranda Rights. Talking to a police officer at anytime
can be very dangerous!
* Never
talk to other jail inmates about your case.
*
Within a reasonable time after your arrest or booking, you have the right to
make a local phone call to a lawyer, bail bondsman, relative or any other person
you choose. The police can't listen to you your phone call if you're talking to
your lawyer.
* The
longest you can be held in jail is 72 hours. If you get arrested on a 3 day
weekend you may not see the judge until Tuesday morning. Otherwise you will usually get out of jail in 4 to 24
hours if you can make bond.
* If
you're on probation or parole tell your P.O. you've been arrested and say
nothing else to him!
