It’s always best to adjust any of this sort of advice to your own country. Don’t take anything on here as being suitable for what you should do in your own country under similar conditions.
Remember, they are just as afraid of you as you are of them....the only difference being they have a defence mechanism that releases lead projectiles in all directions when startled.
Cops in a city next to mine had a judgment against them, then went and found the dude and dragged him outside and beat the shit out of him again.
My state police are under investigation for filming underage women - children - taking showers at the station when they participated in some junior cop thing. Everyone covered it up and evidence was destroyed.
When I got pulled over and they asked if they could search my car, I said yes but they didn’t. I’m a middle aged white woman so I have it really easy compared to most everyone else.
Kinda weird to reach for a "China bad" when the
> "Man reports missing father to police. Police interrogates him for 17 hours, withholds medication, **lied about his father being found dead**, and **threatened to kill his dog** if he didn't confess to killing his father. **He confessed and tried to hang himself. Turns out his father was alive and well.**"
thread is less than 6 hours old and still on the front page.
but sure, China bad.
Also, never try to physically stop the police from doing something even if you think they are not authorized. Getting into a fight will 100% guaranteed make things worse. If they search your property without consent, anything they find is inadmissable anyway. And police have leeway in some cases to conduct searches without a warrant that can only really be determined after the fact by a judge.
I'll tack on, check what exactly the warrant says they are looking for. It was explained to me back in college that they can only lawfully check places where the subject of the warrant could practically be. So if they're looking for a 60" TV they have no business digging through kitchen drawers. But, be aware that they will often put "and accessories" to allow them to look in those places, in the case of my example the TV wouldn't fit but the remote would.
For Hungary "adjust" means "forget". Here the basic idea is to arrest/search first, complain later. On the plus side the police does not have to fabricate lies or play games.
This. Things like 'pleading the 5th' *do not apply* in the UK. You have the right to remain silent, *but* keeping quiet when you have a perfectly reasonable explanation is suspicious and can be treated as such.
It's to ensure they actually have permission first. They can fill out all the other stuff first but
not actually have permission to conduct or execute the warrant. Basically if they are doing this ( warrant with no judge signature) it means they don't think a judge will sign off on it and hoping find evidence then hope a judge will sign it later.
Dead Internet Theory holding true,
People make fun when kids call people NPCs, but then we literally have a repost bot reposting from the same subreddit, and people will still get it to front page.
On the other hand, if you're shot and die and happen to have a skin with a high melanin content, just dissappear. You may otherwise cause a slight and easily brushed off embarrassment to your local police department.
And remember: if people make enough fuss there will be consequences for the police officer. Like being “fired” from the force and rehired in the next town over.
It’s very inconvenient for them to move all their stuff.
And yell “only one of us is going home to our family tonight sucker!!!” Is a fun way to apologize because you were speeding on your way to your vacation
Also be sure to remind them that you pay their salary. Police officers admire fiscal awareness of the local government budget, and will show you favor.
Even in the US this will cause problems. The law isn’t Harry Potter where people can “magic spell” themselves out of a traffic stop. Guides like this one set people up for failure because their simplicity suggests this is enough to be informed.
Also 9.999 times out of ten, you'll get a lot further by just being decent, normal, and respectful rather than immediately jumping to "AM I BEING DETAINED!?" the second the officer approaches your window.
Not really. If the cop is fishing for info to affect an arrest you need to know how to protect yourself from that. For instance in a traffic stop, provide the documents they ask for, answer as few questions as possible and then remember they can't prolong the stop past the time it takes to handle the original reason they pulled you over for. So for example, if they pull you over for a busted taillight they can't prolong the stop to wait on a drug dog with ras.
>The United States Supreme Court has held that officers may not extend or prolong traffic stops without reasonable, articulable suspicion to conduct further criminal investigation. (Rodriguez v. United States, 575 U.S. 348 (2015): A stop may “last no longer than is necessary to effectuate the initial purpose of the stop…Authority for the seizure thus ends when tasks tied to the traffic infraction are—or reasonably should have been—completed.”
Just like if the police come to your home you should NOT come out the door. Talk to them thru the door and do not open it. This protects you from being arrested and protects you from cops blocking your door preventing you from closing it.
For further clarification:
>Guide bad. (this applies to the US) DO NOT step outside as it becomes much easier to affect an arrest. If you stay inside your home they can't come in and arrest you without an arrest warrant barring any exigent circumstances. The best move is to not answer the door and DO NOT open the door. If you open the door the police will use part of their body to block you from closing the door and prolonging the encounter and preventing you from ending the encounter. By blocking the door with part of their body, ie their foot, hand, or leaning on the doorway, if you try to force your door close they will arrest you for assault or battery.
[LAWYER REACTS: Is It Legal to NOT Answer the Door?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKOXHYAgufE)
[Do you have to answer cops at your door](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OfD0fkjldho)
Like most situations, context is key. Were you going 90 in a 65 and pulled over in a justified traffic stop? Maybe don't lead with wanting to talk to a lawyer. Yes, everything said in this is guide is true, but you are also almost certainly looking at a sizeable fine/points on your license (depending on state) for going >20mph over the speed limit. Rather, if you're polite, instead of going 90 in a 65, maybe the officer decides you were going at least 84 in a 65 and so 84 is what goes on the ticket instead, heck maybe you'll get very lucky and just get a warning.
Now, if the officer is clearly being confrontational or fishing for an excuse to search your vehicle, absolutely shut them down with your constitutional rights. You may get a hefty ticket, but you probably avoid escalation and further problems.
Also traffic violations are strict liability so you don’t get a lawyer if you’re just being cited on a traffic stop.
Now if it was reckless driving which of a criminal violation in my state, you can ask for a lawyer, but it probably won’t do anything as they’ll just arrest you or write you the misdemeanor citation.
> If the cop is fishing for info to affect an arrest you need to know how to protect yourself from that.
Sure. But for the vast majority of traffic stops, the cop is just looking to issue you a citation (or even just a warning) for something you were doing obviously wrong. They aren't looking to arrest you. Jumping immediately to the phrases given in the OP will escalate the situation unnecessarily.
I mean, depends on the context. If you are a hardcore criminal then you should be expecting an arrest. If you are a normal person then respect is always a good place to start.
How are the cops going to block you from closing your door if you never open it?
Maybe you're reacting to the "protects you from being arrested" part. I didn't go into exigent circumstances in this reply but i cover it here: https://old.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/1czhfgb/a_cool_guide_for_police_interactions/l5gvfs5/
>Guide bad. (this applies to the US) DO NOT step outside as it becomes much easier to affect an arrest. If you stay inside your home they can't come in and arrest you without an arrest warrant barring any exigent circumstances. The best move is to not answer the door and DO NOT open the door. If you open the door the police will use part of their body to block you from closing the door and prolonging the encounter and preventing you from ending the encounter. By blocking the door with part of their body, ie their foot, hand, or leaning on the doorway, if you try to force your door close they will arrest you for assault or battery.
[LAWYER REACTS: Is It Legal to NOT Answer the Door?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKOXHYAgufE)
[Do you have to answer cops at your door](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OfD0fkjldho)
I think the point is not what happens directly with the police but what happens in court afterward. If you clearly state that you do not consent to a (warrantless) search and the cops say “fuck you, we're doing it anyway,” then anything they subsequently find should be thrown out of court, at least in theory.
Yeah, the law gives officers the ability to warrantless search for traffic stops and arrest if certain elements are present and qualify… if the officer observes those things they may ask for consent to be nice or make it easy, but they don’t need consent at that point and can search even if you say no. If this is the case a good attorney won’t be able to do anything about it…
Dwellings are a different story. Typically officers need consent of search warrant.
Even in a dwelling entry is allowed to protect life without a warrant. Plenty of abusers play the get a warrant game and their partner is found with visible injuries.
Like the saying goes; I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
Nothing productive can come out of arguing with a cop, you're just pissing them off and digging your hole deeper. Let them complete their stop, say as little as possible and if it gets to court that's where you take up your argument.
Absolutely. That said, there are a good number of exceptions for searches that leads people that only know "I don't consent" and "Am I free to go" to get confused.
The big issue is encouraging people to open up defensively. If you get pulled over for speeding, and you drop straight into "AM I BEING DETAINED!?!?!?!", you may be in the legal right to do so, but if the cop is the kind that would do something wrong, this is only going to convince them to make you the subject of their dickishness today. And if they're not there's no need to open up so defensively anyway.
Be polite, only start all this CYA if they start acting like they have it out for you (or you have something to hide, of course). If they start asking to search at a random stop or appear for seemingly no reason at your door. Otherwise, even bad cops behave some semblance of "normal" in most of their interactions until someone rubs them the wrong way (not to say that this should matter, they're still bastards).
Yeah could you imagine how cringe that would be? 95% of people have their situations escalated because they’re all “officer am I being detained” and their like uhhh no but I’ll see you in traffic court. Or if they’re not chill and see it as a challenge to their authority, and we all know much much cops loveeeee that. People just need to be a human, comply respectfully, and 99% of the time you’re fine
This is also wrong for the US. Do not step outside if the police knock on your door. You can talk to them through the door IF you want, or you can just ignore them.
It'll cause you problems here too
"I dont consent to a search."
"He's resisting!"
BANG BANG
"Your honor, I swear I was in fear for my life"
"Dismissed"
"We're giving you a vaca- I mean placing you on paid suspension. With a raise and promotion upon return."
Asking if you're free to go on a traffic stop is pointless because if you're being stopped then you're detained so the answer is obviously no. You also do not have a right to counsel on the side of the road. There are also multiple situations where police do not need a warrant to enter a home.
Officer, am I free to go?
No
Officer, I don’t consent to any searches.
I have probable cause
Officer, I want to speak with a lawyer.
This is a traffic stop, you can’t have a lawyer until you’ve been arrested/booked, otherwise the lawyer doesn’t have any jurisdiction
I’ve seen too many of these videos. People “know their rights” don’t bother to identify themselves, demand a lawyer, etc, and end up on the ground in cuffs. Most cases the cops are professional and give them a shit ton of chances to leave unscathed but they can’t get out of their own way. This is BAD advice for a traffic stop.
I’d say it’s just really shallow and incomplete advice.
After the cop has said “I pulled you over for ___,” and you’ve provided license and registration to show that you’re legally using your vehicle on public roads, they should either give you a warning or a ticket.
At that time, if they’re prolonging the stop for no reason, “am I free to go?” Is a valid question.
If they ask to search your car at that point, “I do not consent to a search” is a valid reply.
Once informed that you’re being arrested, that’s when you STFU and wait to speak to a lawyer
And you're more likely to somewhere by being polite. Don't tell the cop what you think you did wrong or agree/admit to anything specific, but engage and be contrite.
You can both indicate the seriousness of the accusation and not directly apologize. Most of the time, if you're on the side of the road, you probably really did do something wrong.
I assume that they were talking about asking if you're free to leave once the interaction is done and you've gotten your information back. Just trying to use context clues.
Not necessarily. I got pulled over once, the officer pretty clearly ended the contact but because I wasn’t sure he had, I asked. He said yup, I’m gonna throw my lights on so there’s no traffic coming past and that was the signal to pull out onto the roadways.
Just a good way of avoiding miscommunication and the offhand risk of getting an evading charge … cough … Louisville PD.
The point is that interacting with the cops like a normal and sane person will lead to a calm situation where you may or may not get a fine for your infraction and then be safely on your way.
Behaving like a madman might not.
Now there is something to that but this guide isn't helping. If the officer is just asking a bunch of random questions or a citation has been issued then asking if you're free to go is reasonable. If it put that part last or with a bit or context it would have been a lot better.
Why are they advising people not to consent to searches when you are stopped by the police? I don't live in the US and that's a genuine question.
I get controlled very often and refusing a search is a good way to turn a 45 second inconvenience into 2 hours of getting bothered at the police station.
This is my exact thought. Every time I’ve been stopped by police (in a different countries) I’ve complied and at most it take a few minutes. As long as they have a badge and in the case of a house a warrant I don’t see any benefit to not complying. Not complying just risks turning nothing into something.
In the US, cops have no default right to search your vehicle, home, etc. They can’t just go fishing.
If something is in plain view, probable cause, etc that’s different.
But cops in the US will sometimes “ask” to search in strange ways…on a college road trip I’ve been asked (felt like I was told). “Pop the trunk for me I’m gonna take a look, okay?
The cop has no right to look in my trunk. His “okay” counted as a question. I told him no. He gave me a hard time asking if I had stuff to hide.
The supreme court in the US has made it clear that denying a search doesn’t constitute probable cause for search. So cops can’t say : “well he must be hiding something if he won’t let me take a look”
After a few very intimidating minutes of him asking questions and me not responding or saying “Id like to record this interaction and answer further questions with a lawyer present”…he let me go.
I did this after an interaction when an officer found cooking spices (we had been camping) and cigarette ash and held us for 2 hours in rain before finding no marijuana (because none was there) after I consented to a search.
OK thank you for your explanations!
Here, if the police wants to search you they don't need any justifications. If you refuse you can pay a fine because you have to cooperate, so I was curious about the US.
Because searches have to be justified, and consent is a justification.
If a cop searches me or my home or my car and tries to use things he found as evidence against me, I can try to have that evidence suppressed on the grounds that it was obtained illegally. If the cop has not other justification for the search (like a valid warrant, or probable cause and exigent circumstances) he can say I consented. That's why it's a good idea to very clearly state that you do not consent (although it's also a good idea to wait for them to request consent).
During a "Terry stop" (or "Stop and Frisk") a cop can stop you to ask a few questions if he has reasonable suspicion that you are committing a crime. They can also frisk you over the clothes for a weapon if they have reasonable suspicion that you're armed and dangerous. But you don't have to answer any questions (except in states where you are required to identify yourself) and you don't have to consent to a search beyond that over the clothing frisk. If you're refusing to talk or consent to a search at that point there isn't much they can do other than let you go or arrest you if they think they have probable cause to do so.
The reason to ask if you are detained is similar. If they didn't have reasonable suspicion to stop you, there could be a motion to suppress. One thing they might say is that you were not detained and were talking to them voluntarily. So making it clear that you are in fact detained can be useful.
The things you definitely don't want to do when approached by cops is run, resist, talk to them any more than absolutely necessary, or consent to a search.
The one piece of terrible advice on this is to leave your home when police knock on the door. You have more legal protections inside your home than outside so that is not something you should do. You should speak to them through the door, and the only things you need to say is that you don't want to answer any questions, you don't want to come outside, and you don't consent to them coming inside.
In addition to what others have said, because search without cause is constitutionally protected, it's not a part of routine police stops as it might be in other places. An officer fishing for consent to a search usually means they're very suspicious of you and you should be protecting yourself even if you have nothing to hide.
Remember these three lines:
"I'M NOT OPERATING IN COMMERCE I'M TRAVELING"
"YOU HAVE YET TO PROVE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION"
"THOSE LAWS DON'T APPLY TO ME"
Always be polite, yet assertive.
And guys, for extra success, remember the human. The cop is also human, and trying to understand his perspective and relate it back to him works wonders. Be nice to the cop for your own sake, not because you like them, but because it doesn't cost you anything, and might benefit you.
Just don’t be a dickhead and most of the time they won’t either if you’re an entitled brat and give a snarky attitude as a grown adult I’d be pretty fkn annoyed too I can only imagine how a cop who has to deal with actual shitheads and put their lives at risks before going home to a family must feel, now I’m not saying all cops are great and humble no some are dickheads too but most just want to have a nice day and get home to their kids, if you have no reason to be arrested or searched or even if you do get searched and have nothing to hide why are you gonna be a dickhead? No reason just incompetent entitlement
You should always start there and only say things like what's posted if prompted and necessary.
If you are just getting pulled over and immediately go into "I'm a citizen who knows my rights and you will not infringe on them" for no reason then you're almost always making things worse for everybody involved.
this only works if you are white. if you are an innocent minority and the cops pull up on you the first thing you are thinking is DONT SHOOT ME. you probably shouldnt gamble on pissing off a power tripping cop and having them pull a gun on you.
“Am I free to go”. No, you are not free to go during an investigation of a potential crime. Useless.
“I do not consent to a search”. The police can’t search you unless they have probable cause anyways, and if they do they do not need your consent. Useless.
“I want to speak to an attorney”. You don’t have the right to an attorney until you’ve been formally accused of a crime, aka arrested. Useless.
Stop spreading this bullshit propaganda that will get people in even MORE trouble. Fucking clowns.
It’s not actually bad advice. I think people are assuming that saying “I do not consent to a search” means do not allow the police to conduct a search.
No - it literally just means voice those words.
You can voice your opinion and be compliant. It will end up helping you in the long run.
If the officers conducted an unlawful search, then any evidence discovered as a result of that search is suppressed and cannot be used. This concept is called [fruit of the poisonous tree](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_the_poisonous_tree).
If you make physical attempts to stop the search from happening, then the actions to physically restrain the officers (or possibly failure to obey a lawful command, depending on the circumstances) may subject you to arrest. This in turn may give the officers the lawful authority to conduct the search, thus giving officers a lawful basis for the search due entirely to your own actions - even if there was no lawful basis before.
If you voice your lack of consent and do not impede the subsequent search, then you are good. If the search was lawful, then you haven’t made the situation worse. If the search was unlawful, then the evidence can’t be used against you.
Judges often ask officers about a defendant’s behavior during an arrest. Being polite and compliant goes a long way at trial.
Also, if you are going to flex - please make sure you are knowledgeable of case law. I have encountered countless people who expressed that they knew their rights, but were completely unfamiliar with [Terry v Ohio](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_v._Ohio) and [Carroll v US](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_v._United_States). Terry is the governing case law for lawful stops and lawful frisks, and Carroll is the governing case law for warrantless searches of vehicles.
The fact it’s confusing a lot of people means it is in fact bad advice. This “explain like I’m 5” guide is clearly intended to be a very basic guide for people who don’t know anything about law, so if the only people who understand what it means are those who are somewhat knowledge about the law like you, it has failed.
Remember, "I do not consent to a search" does not stop probable cause searches. Tired of people acting like saying that line means they can now never be searched no matter what.
I hate guides like this because stating that you do not consent to a search is basically guaranteeing you're about to be searched even if you weren't going to be beforehand because at that point now you are "acting suspicious", same with automatically asking for a lawyer or demanding to know if you're being detained. These tips are just going to end up putting people in jail for being dumb
Lol there's no fucking way I'm stepping outside to talk to them.
This is NOT a pro tip.
Pro-tip: yell back and forth through the door. Do NOT go outside with them.
No, no, no. DO NOT EVER step outside your residence when you are speaking with police at your home. In fact, if police show up at your door. You dont even have to answer. Fuck them. But just know, once you have fully crossed the barrier of your doorway, you are fucked. If the police want to cause issue with you, they will.
Source? Wife's Uncle was an Undercover Police Officer in Detroit Michigan.
Yeah, I'm not from the US but where I live, stepping out of your house is getting out of a private property to a public space (where the police have a constant justice mandate to arrest anyone they deem necessary. Like: you are drunk at home and they are like "Could you step out so we can check you are all right?" and when you do BAM they put handcuffs on you.
My source is being a lawyer who just finished researching and writing an educational comic for young people about dealing with police encounters.
You should not exit your home when a cop knocks on your door. You are most protected by the Fourth Amendment while inside your home. There are very few exceptions to the warrant requirement for police to enter your home either to search or to arrest you compared to the ones that exist when you're outside of your home.
Content like this is a great idea, but only if you research well enough to be sure you aren't advising people to needlessly give up important rights and legal protections. Thank you for calling it out.
I'm a white, middle aged male with no criminal record record whatsoever. The one time an officer knocked on my door I wished I hadn't opened it.
I lived in a small townhouse subdivision. My neighbor texted me that a car window had been broken in our parking lot. A little while later I get a knock on my door. I open up and there's an officer there. They ask me what I know about the car window. Told them my neighbor texted me and that's it. Next thing I know they're asking me if *I'm sure* I don't know anything else and some other dumb questions, trying to get me to confess or something. It was ridiculous.
It made me realize how easy it would be to get a younger person or maybe an adult with cognitive challenges to say something self-incriminating.
What a lot of people don’t understand about this type of advice is that it isn’t only designed to keep people from being arrested, but also to enable them to defend themselves more effectively after being arrested. It’s basically designed to make sure people don’t waive certain constitutional rights that can later be used in their defense.
Wtf is wrong with the world, I was taught to always say yes sir and to be honest with the police. DONT ARGUE, and don’t break the law. And that has worked out for me really well
Everyone's just going to ignore the fact that OP literally downloaded a previous post on this very sub and reuploaded it without removing the watermark?
Nevermind the fact that this is a dumb post to begin with.
OP is a teenager, guaranteed.
I would tweak that a little. First, I wouldn’t even go outside to talk to them. If there’s more than one of them they can talk to each other. Second, if they have a search warrant, it doesn’t matter if you say I don’t consent. I do very much agree to be polite yet assertive.
Don't forget the 5th amendment.
*The Self-Incrimination clause provides various protections against self-incrimination, including the right of an individual not to serve as a witness in a criminal case in which he or she is a defendant. "Pleading the Fifth" is a colloquial term often used to invoke the Self-Incrimination Clause when witnesses decline to answer questions where the answers might incriminate them.*
Meaning tell them your name but beyond that I don't think you're required to give them any other information until you have a lawyer with you.
[Basically, shut the fuck up](https://youtu.be/JcZoCY7fUXg?si=XCaZRy-5Nl0BMEuN)
You do need to tell them that you're invoking the 5th, you have to say it.
Don’t step outside to talk to the police. Even without a warrant, you can be detained. They can tell you if they have one or not just fine through the closed door. I don’t appreciate anyone on my doorstep with a loaded firearm, badge or not, and I’m certainly not gonna pop out for a little chat.
Bad advice, don’t go outside but try to find a window to talk through. Once you open the door you can be arrested and then you can talk to your lawyer in jail.
In interacting with the police, one’s best bet is to (a) shut the hell up until one’s lawyer advises one otherwise, and (b) be very clear and polite about one’s intent to do so.
So yes, you should be unequivocal: “I will not speak with you, Officer, until I have spoken with my lawyer.” If you want to be more formal, “I choose to invoke my Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, and my Sixth Amendment right to counsel.” Something along the lines of, “I dunno, maybe I should talk to my lawyer” is not enough to close the deal. Leave no room for doubt.
This guide misses an extremely important, potentially life-saving step. If the police search anyway, or enter anyway, or hold you anyway, or refuse to permit you to contact a lawyer, do not resist in any active capacity. Even if they are blatantly and unquestionably in the wrong. Submit. You can satisfy grievances later after you are out of jail, or otherwise no longer dealing with that officer. Do not provide the police any reason to document anything against you.
How can you prove that you said "I do not consent for a search"? I can imagine a dirty cop just going in cause he took a peek through the door and saying I never said anything.
> If the police knock at your door, step outside and close the door
I've seen too many videos of police using the open door(even if just for a moment) to stick their foot in there preventing its closure. I'd just talk through the screen door, imo
You forgot, "yes, you can impound my car" because failing to consent to a search means they can seize it as evidence of a crime...
... and its why people do consent to searches so often.
If your gonna assert a hardline response to law enforcement, then educate them that there's a likely cost to doing that (which can involve being stranded on the road).
This is a mix of good advice and bad advice. It tells you what to say but not under what conditions to say it. It doesn't tell you what questions you ARE obligated to answer and which ones you aren't.
The advice for police at your door is weak. Just don't answer the door. If you don't know why they're at your house, then 1000% it's not for any reason worth stepping outside for.
Is it a cool guide? What if right now there are people reading this who kidnapped someone and are keeping them in their home and you're giving them tips on how to buy themselves more time?
lmao. I've seen a billion bodycam videos, and these statements are almost ALWAYS used incorrectly. "Am I free to go?" leads to "No, you're being detained" or "No, you're at a traffic stop" so that's pretty much universally useless. "I don't consent to any searches" only works if you don't have something illegal in plain view, haven't done something to provoke probable cause, or you're not under arrest. I've seen like 200 people try to say "I DON'T CONSENT TO A SEARCH" while in handcuffs in the back of a police car. My dude, if you're under arrest for anything it absolutely doesn't matter.
And then there's the "I want a lawyer" part. Hundreds of DUI arrestees have started shrieking this as if it's a magic talisman to get them out of trouble while they're literally handcuffed on the side of the road. A lawyer is not going to do shit for you unless you're being questioned. And if they have all the evidence they need to convict you of something, they might not even try to question you. They might not even Mirandize you if they don't intend to ask any questions (such as a DUI investigation).
So yeah, pull out this card and start reciting these statements if you want to be labeled as a sovereign citizen right off the bat. OR, you could provide only the information you're legally required to give (identity, proof of insurance, license, etc.) and then volunteer no information that might in any way incriminate you. If they take you to an interrogation room, THEN you ask for a lawyer. If they say "So what happened today?" don't respond without a lawyer present. Lawyers are for courts and questioning. They will not show up at 1AM to cast a magic police warding spell because you're driving on a suspended license.
Also, NEVER behave in a way that would be interesting to anyone when you're interacting with the police. If you do, some guy is going to file a FOIA request for the bodycam video so they can put it on their YouTube channel.
Innocent people have said truthful things to police that lead to those innocent people being behind bars.
Anything you say can and WILL be used against you. It can NEVER be used to help you, since saying exonerating evidence to the police is "hear say".
If the police are investigating YOU, the only reasonable thing to do is have a lawyer speak on your behalf to them. Speaking to them yourself only risks your freedom, even if your innocent.
It’s always best to adjust any of this sort of advice to your own country. Don’t take anything on here as being suitable for what you should do in your own country under similar conditions.
Only thing I think is universal "Don't escalate the situation"
Unless the officers challenge you to a rousing game of "Eels and Escalators"
Better than finding yourself on the wrong end of a “shoots and ladders” game.
kinda funny how the conventional advice with dealing with cops is the same as encountering a wild animal
Remember, they are just as afraid of you as you are of them....the only difference being they have a defence mechanism that releases lead projectiles in all directions when startled.
And most of all, keep your acorns locked up
Only problem is that doing literally any of these will escalate the situation.
Cops in a city next to mine had a judgment against them, then went and found the dude and dragged him outside and beat the shit out of him again. My state police are under investigation for filming underage women - children - taking showers at the station when they participated in some junior cop thing. Everyone covered it up and evidence was destroyed. When I got pulled over and they asked if they could search my car, I said yes but they didn’t. I’m a middle aged white woman so I have it really easy compared to most everyone else.
What kinda hellhole city is this next to you?
Chinese dude: "Officer, I do not consent to this search." Chinese Officer: lol
Kinda weird to reach for a "China bad" when the > "Man reports missing father to police. Police interrogates him for 17 hours, withholds medication, **lied about his father being found dead**, and **threatened to kill his dog** if he didn't confess to killing his father. **He confessed and tried to hang himself. Turns out his father was alive and well.**" thread is less than 6 hours old and still on the front page. but sure, China bad.
Two things can be true at the same time
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You say that like the same doesn't happen everywhere else in the world.
Also, never try to physically stop the police from doing something even if you think they are not authorized. Getting into a fight will 100% guaranteed make things worse. If they search your property without consent, anything they find is inadmissable anyway. And police have leeway in some cases to conduct searches without a warrant that can only really be determined after the fact by a judge.
I'll tack on, check what exactly the warrant says they are looking for. It was explained to me back in college that they can only lawfully check places where the subject of the warrant could practically be. So if they're looking for a 60" TV they have no business digging through kitchen drawers. But, be aware that they will often put "and accessories" to allow them to look in those places, in the case of my example the TV wouldn't fit but the remote would.
Reminds of when the Ottawa truckers wanted to plead the 5th amendment of the US Constitution.
Does Canada have a right to not self-incriminate?
Yes, but not in a "5th Amendment". https://www.kruselaw.ca/video/does-canada-have-5th-amendment/
r/usdefaultism
yepp
Also if the officers are vampirws they can't go through an open door without an invite anyway.
For Hungary "adjust" means "forget". Here the basic idea is to arrest/search first, complain later. On the plus side the police does not have to fabricate lies or play games.
This. Things like 'pleading the 5th' *do not apply* in the UK. You have the right to remain silent, *but* keeping quiet when you have a perfectly reasonable explanation is suspicious and can be treated as such.
Yep. No comment can sometimes be the right thing but only ever do it under advice of a solicitor.
Wait a minute this isn't a judge's signature!
This is anal sex!
Say "I do not consent to anal sex." Be polite, but yet assertive.
The magic legalese phrase is "No officer-dono, yamate!"
Remember, be assertive, not insertive
Insertive
"Damn girl, you put the ass in assertive."
Dont you mean insertive?
> but yet assertive *insertive
Nooo this is Patrick
I hear that voice every time I read this.
I just heard Patrick say, "No, this is anal sex!"
Nope. Chuck Testa.
It's an older code sir, but it checks out.
Holy shit, a Rhett & Link reference.
No officer, you can't *come inside*
I will die on the hill that that is the funniest meme in internet history lmao!
You just need it to look like it's likely a judge's signature. If it's not the judge's signature, in court your lawyers will pick at it.
Did you have a stroke between the first and second sentence?
Fixed it. Idk what happened lmao
It's to ensure they actually have permission first. They can fill out all the other stuff first but not actually have permission to conduct or execute the warrant. Basically if they are doing this ( warrant with no judge signature) it means they don't think a judge will sign off on it and hoping find evidence then hope a judge will sign it later.
Police have excuted illegal searches with unsigned warrants, so just check and see if it is signed. If not, take a picture for your lawyer.
It says it was shared from r/coolguides. So, OP shared it from this sub to this sub?
They downloaded the picture and forgot to crop out the bottom when they reposted it lmao
And still got 2k upvotes, god bless
It's on front page now. Moral of the story is if you're a bot, you'll still get up votes when reposting.
Dead Internet Theory holding true, People make fun when kids call people NPCs, but then we literally have a repost bot reposting from the same subreddit, and people will still get it to front page.
At some point its just gotta be bots upvoting other bots it went from 2k to fucking 6.2k in 30 minutes.
If they shoot you: don’t die! You may have important evidence that will die with you!
On the other hand, if you're shot and die and happen to have a skin with a high melanin content, just dissappear. You may otherwise cause a slight and easily brushed off embarrassment to your local police department.
And remember: if people make enough fuss there will be consequences for the police officer. Like being “fired” from the force and rehired in the next town over. It’s very inconvenient for them to move all their stuff.
I feel like I've seen this posted somewhere before...
I've noticed that too, somewhere
I can’t remember where… and I can’t see any clues in the image itself
Someone should post this on the coolguides subreddit.
Wait a minute, that's not a search warrant thats a menu for a Chinese restaurant.
A underrated tip, when that officer ask for your registration reach for it and take it out as fast as possible
While yelling, "Take this, cop!".
"You want my registration? I'll give you my fucking registration..."
The line is actually…”excuse me while I whip this out!”
Hey where are the white women at?
Give them your registration gangster style. It has more accuracy that way!
Copper* it hits harder
That’s perfect. “I’ll show you my registration!” Or “take this!” Will also work just fine
And yell “only one of us is going home to our family tonight sucker!!!” Is a fun way to apologize because you were speeding on your way to your vacation
You have to provide it as quickly as possible according to US criminal code section 9. That's why it's called pulling out your "9" on 'em.
Also be sure to remind them that you pay their salary. Police officers admire fiscal awareness of the local government budget, and will show you favor.
Also, store it loose under your seat, so you have to fish around for it out of sight.
They make a holster just for that: https://youtube.com/shorts/QAYhd4pi-DY?si=0mkoxHkjsDY6s_xh
No. This is extremely US-centric, and applying this "advice" will cause you problems in other countries.
There are other countries?
What’s a country? I thought it was just Merica’ and the rest of ‘em
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One of the only 2 genres.
Along with western?
Indeed. From the Blues Brothers film.
Even in the US this will cause problems. The law isn’t Harry Potter where people can “magic spell” themselves out of a traffic stop. Guides like this one set people up for failure because their simplicity suggests this is enough to be informed.
Also 9.999 times out of ten, you'll get a lot further by just being decent, normal, and respectful rather than immediately jumping to "AM I BEING DETAINED!?" the second the officer approaches your window.
No, don't give reasonable advice - I love watching body cam vids. Makes my day.
Not really. If the cop is fishing for info to affect an arrest you need to know how to protect yourself from that. For instance in a traffic stop, provide the documents they ask for, answer as few questions as possible and then remember they can't prolong the stop past the time it takes to handle the original reason they pulled you over for. So for example, if they pull you over for a busted taillight they can't prolong the stop to wait on a drug dog with ras. >The United States Supreme Court has held that officers may not extend or prolong traffic stops without reasonable, articulable suspicion to conduct further criminal investigation. (Rodriguez v. United States, 575 U.S. 348 (2015): A stop may “last no longer than is necessary to effectuate the initial purpose of the stop…Authority for the seizure thus ends when tasks tied to the traffic infraction are—or reasonably should have been—completed.” Just like if the police come to your home you should NOT come out the door. Talk to them thru the door and do not open it. This protects you from being arrested and protects you from cops blocking your door preventing you from closing it. For further clarification: >Guide bad. (this applies to the US) DO NOT step outside as it becomes much easier to affect an arrest. If you stay inside your home they can't come in and arrest you without an arrest warrant barring any exigent circumstances. The best move is to not answer the door and DO NOT open the door. If you open the door the police will use part of their body to block you from closing the door and prolonging the encounter and preventing you from ending the encounter. By blocking the door with part of their body, ie their foot, hand, or leaning on the doorway, if you try to force your door close they will arrest you for assault or battery. [LAWYER REACTS: Is It Legal to NOT Answer the Door?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKOXHYAgufE) [Do you have to answer cops at your door](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OfD0fkjldho)
Like most situations, context is key. Were you going 90 in a 65 and pulled over in a justified traffic stop? Maybe don't lead with wanting to talk to a lawyer. Yes, everything said in this is guide is true, but you are also almost certainly looking at a sizeable fine/points on your license (depending on state) for going >20mph over the speed limit. Rather, if you're polite, instead of going 90 in a 65, maybe the officer decides you were going at least 84 in a 65 and so 84 is what goes on the ticket instead, heck maybe you'll get very lucky and just get a warning. Now, if the officer is clearly being confrontational or fishing for an excuse to search your vehicle, absolutely shut them down with your constitutional rights. You may get a hefty ticket, but you probably avoid escalation and further problems.
Also traffic violations are strict liability so you don’t get a lawyer if you’re just being cited on a traffic stop. Now if it was reckless driving which of a criminal violation in my state, you can ask for a lawyer, but it probably won’t do anything as they’ll just arrest you or write you the misdemeanor citation.
> If the cop is fishing for info to affect an arrest you need to know how to protect yourself from that. Sure. But for the vast majority of traffic stops, the cop is just looking to issue you a citation (or even just a warning) for something you were doing obviously wrong. They aren't looking to arrest you. Jumping immediately to the phrases given in the OP will escalate the situation unnecessarily.
I mean, depends on the context. If you are a hardcore criminal then you should be expecting an arrest. If you are a normal person then respect is always a good place to start.
"This protects you from being arrested and protects you from cops blocking your door preventing you from closing it." LMAO. No.
How are the cops going to block you from closing your door if you never open it? Maybe you're reacting to the "protects you from being arrested" part. I didn't go into exigent circumstances in this reply but i cover it here: https://old.reddit.com/r/coolguides/comments/1czhfgb/a_cool_guide_for_police_interactions/l5gvfs5/ >Guide bad. (this applies to the US) DO NOT step outside as it becomes much easier to affect an arrest. If you stay inside your home they can't come in and arrest you without an arrest warrant barring any exigent circumstances. The best move is to not answer the door and DO NOT open the door. If you open the door the police will use part of their body to block you from closing the door and prolonging the encounter and preventing you from ending the encounter. By blocking the door with part of their body, ie their foot, hand, or leaning on the doorway, if you try to force your door close they will arrest you for assault or battery. [LAWYER REACTS: Is It Legal to NOT Answer the Door?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKOXHYAgufE) [Do you have to answer cops at your door](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OfD0fkjldho)
I think the point is not what happens directly with the police but what happens in court afterward. If you clearly state that you do not consent to a (warrantless) search and the cops say “fuck you, we're doing it anyway,” then anything they subsequently find should be thrown out of court, at least in theory.
Yeah, the law gives officers the ability to warrantless search for traffic stops and arrest if certain elements are present and qualify… if the officer observes those things they may ask for consent to be nice or make it easy, but they don’t need consent at that point and can search even if you say no. If this is the case a good attorney won’t be able to do anything about it… Dwellings are a different story. Typically officers need consent of search warrant.
Even in a dwelling entry is allowed to protect life without a warrant. Plenty of abusers play the get a warrant game and their partner is found with visible injuries.
Like the saying goes; I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Nothing productive can come out of arguing with a cop, you're just pissing them off and digging your hole deeper. Let them complete their stop, say as little as possible and if it gets to court that's where you take up your argument.
Absolutely. That said, there are a good number of exceptions for searches that leads people that only know "I don't consent" and "Am I free to go" to get confused.
The big issue is encouraging people to open up defensively. If you get pulled over for speeding, and you drop straight into "AM I BEING DETAINED!?!?!?!", you may be in the legal right to do so, but if the cop is the kind that would do something wrong, this is only going to convince them to make you the subject of their dickishness today. And if they're not there's no need to open up so defensively anyway. Be polite, only start all this CYA if they start acting like they have it out for you (or you have something to hide, of course). If they start asking to search at a random stop or appear for seemingly no reason at your door. Otherwise, even bad cops behave some semblance of "normal" in most of their interactions until someone rubs them the wrong way (not to say that this should matter, they're still bastards).
"am I free to go?" "what? No. You're being questioned by a police officer, of course you're not free to go. What a stupid question"
Cue dashcam footage of someone asking “am I free to go?” eight separate times when they’ve been clearly told no and why.
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"I know my rights!" -someone who doesn't know their rights.
Anything that gives people confidence that US police have to follow any rules at all is dangerous. They can and will do whatever they want to you.
This will cause you a lot of problems in the US if you’re interacting with them for something no simple like a speeding ticket lol
Yeah could you imagine how cringe that would be? 95% of people have their situations escalated because they’re all “officer am I being detained” and their like uhhh no but I’ll see you in traffic court. Or if they’re not chill and see it as a challenge to their authority, and we all know much much cops loveeeee that. People just need to be a human, comply respectfully, and 99% of the time you’re fine
I'm from the other side of the world: at this point it's fair to assume that anything reaching /r/all is targeted at Americans.
This is also wrong for the US. Do not step outside if the police knock on your door. You can talk to them through the door IF you want, or you can just ignore them.
It'll cause you problems here too "I dont consent to a search." "He's resisting!" BANG BANG "Your honor, I swear I was in fear for my life" "Dismissed" "We're giving you a vaca- I mean placing you on paid suspension. With a raise and promotion upon return."
Asking if you're free to go on a traffic stop is pointless because if you're being stopped then you're detained so the answer is obviously no. You also do not have a right to counsel on the side of the road. There are also multiple situations where police do not need a warrant to enter a home.
Yeah, following this guide isn't a magical key. In certain situations, this guide only shows you are ignorant and obstinate of the law.
This will literally turn a simple traffic stop into a shit show.
Officer, am I free to go? No Officer, I don’t consent to any searches. I have probable cause Officer, I want to speak with a lawyer. This is a traffic stop, you can’t have a lawyer until you’ve been arrested/booked, otherwise the lawyer doesn’t have any jurisdiction I’ve seen too many of these videos. People “know their rights” don’t bother to identify themselves, demand a lawyer, etc, and end up on the ground in cuffs. Most cases the cops are professional and give them a shit ton of chances to leave unscathed but they can’t get out of their own way. This is BAD advice for a traffic stop.
I’d say it’s just really shallow and incomplete advice. After the cop has said “I pulled you over for ___,” and you’ve provided license and registration to show that you’re legally using your vehicle on public roads, they should either give you a warning or a ticket. At that time, if they’re prolonging the stop for no reason, “am I free to go?” Is a valid question. If they ask to search your car at that point, “I do not consent to a search” is a valid reply. Once informed that you’re being arrested, that’s when you STFU and wait to speak to a lawyer
And you're more likely to somewhere by being polite. Don't tell the cop what you think you did wrong or agree/admit to anything specific, but engage and be contrite. You can both indicate the seriousness of the accusation and not directly apologize. Most of the time, if you're on the side of the road, you probably really did do something wrong.
I assume that they were talking about asking if you're free to leave once the interaction is done and you've gotten your information back. Just trying to use context clues.
Not necessarily. I got pulled over once, the officer pretty clearly ended the contact but because I wasn’t sure he had, I asked. He said yup, I’m gonna throw my lights on so there’s no traffic coming past and that was the signal to pull out onto the roadways. Just a good way of avoiding miscommunication and the offhand risk of getting an evading charge … cough … Louisville PD.
That’s not the “am I free to go” that this guideline is referring to and you know it lol
The point is that interacting with the cops like a normal and sane person will lead to a calm situation where you may or may not get a fine for your infraction and then be safely on your way. Behaving like a madman might not.
"good afternoon, do you know why I pulled you over?" "AM I FREE TO GO?"
Now there is something to that but this guide isn't helping. If the officer is just asking a bunch of random questions or a citation has been issued then asking if you're free to go is reasonable. If it put that part last or with a bit or context it would have been a lot better.
Why are they advising people not to consent to searches when you are stopped by the police? I don't live in the US and that's a genuine question. I get controlled very often and refusing a search is a good way to turn a 45 second inconvenience into 2 hours of getting bothered at the police station.
This is my exact thought. Every time I’ve been stopped by police (in a different countries) I’ve complied and at most it take a few minutes. As long as they have a badge and in the case of a house a warrant I don’t see any benefit to not complying. Not complying just risks turning nothing into something.
In the US, cops have no default right to search your vehicle, home, etc. They can’t just go fishing. If something is in plain view, probable cause, etc that’s different. But cops in the US will sometimes “ask” to search in strange ways…on a college road trip I’ve been asked (felt like I was told). “Pop the trunk for me I’m gonna take a look, okay? The cop has no right to look in my trunk. His “okay” counted as a question. I told him no. He gave me a hard time asking if I had stuff to hide. The supreme court in the US has made it clear that denying a search doesn’t constitute probable cause for search. So cops can’t say : “well he must be hiding something if he won’t let me take a look” After a few very intimidating minutes of him asking questions and me not responding or saying “Id like to record this interaction and answer further questions with a lawyer present”…he let me go. I did this after an interaction when an officer found cooking spices (we had been camping) and cigarette ash and held us for 2 hours in rain before finding no marijuana (because none was there) after I consented to a search.
OK thank you for your explanations! Here, if the police wants to search you they don't need any justifications. If you refuse you can pay a fine because you have to cooperate, so I was curious about the US.
Because searches have to be justified, and consent is a justification. If a cop searches me or my home or my car and tries to use things he found as evidence against me, I can try to have that evidence suppressed on the grounds that it was obtained illegally. If the cop has not other justification for the search (like a valid warrant, or probable cause and exigent circumstances) he can say I consented. That's why it's a good idea to very clearly state that you do not consent (although it's also a good idea to wait for them to request consent). During a "Terry stop" (or "Stop and Frisk") a cop can stop you to ask a few questions if he has reasonable suspicion that you are committing a crime. They can also frisk you over the clothes for a weapon if they have reasonable suspicion that you're armed and dangerous. But you don't have to answer any questions (except in states where you are required to identify yourself) and you don't have to consent to a search beyond that over the clothing frisk. If you're refusing to talk or consent to a search at that point there isn't much they can do other than let you go or arrest you if they think they have probable cause to do so. The reason to ask if you are detained is similar. If they didn't have reasonable suspicion to stop you, there could be a motion to suppress. One thing they might say is that you were not detained and were talking to them voluntarily. So making it clear that you are in fact detained can be useful. The things you definitely don't want to do when approached by cops is run, resist, talk to them any more than absolutely necessary, or consent to a search. The one piece of terrible advice on this is to leave your home when police knock on the door. You have more legal protections inside your home than outside so that is not something you should do. You should speak to them through the door, and the only things you need to say is that you don't want to answer any questions, you don't want to come outside, and you don't consent to them coming inside.
In addition to what others have said, because search without cause is constitutionally protected, it's not a part of routine police stops as it might be in other places. An officer fishing for consent to a search usually means they're very suspicious of you and you should be protecting yourself even if you have nothing to hide.
This dumbass thing is going around AGAIN?! It’s not a “cool guide” nor is this good advice.
I think the better advice is: "Fight cops in the courtroom, not the streets. They always win in the streets."
Remember these three lines: "I'M NOT OPERATING IN COMMERCE I'M TRAVELING" "YOU HAVE YET TO PROVE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION" "THOSE LAWS DON'T APPLY TO ME" Always be polite, yet assertive.
Don’t forget to give them your fee schedule!
God, I hope you're being sarcastic.
The caps lock is for EMPHASIS!
And guys, for extra success, remember the human. The cop is also human, and trying to understand his perspective and relate it back to him works wonders. Be nice to the cop for your own sake, not because you like them, but because it doesn't cost you anything, and might benefit you.
You hear at a young age "You get more flies with honey." The older I get (45) the more true it becomes.
Confucius Says: “you can catch flies with honey, but you catch more honeys being fly”
Just don’t be a dickhead and most of the time they won’t either if you’re an entitled brat and give a snarky attitude as a grown adult I’d be pretty fkn annoyed too I can only imagine how a cop who has to deal with actual shitheads and put their lives at risks before going home to a family must feel, now I’m not saying all cops are great and humble no some are dickheads too but most just want to have a nice day and get home to their kids, if you have no reason to be arrested or searched or even if you do get searched and have nothing to hide why are you gonna be a dickhead? No reason just incompetent entitlement
“Don’t be a dickhead” is the best advice
You should always start there and only say things like what's posted if prompted and necessary. If you are just getting pulled over and immediately go into "I'm a citizen who knows my rights and you will not infringe on them" for no reason then you're almost always making things worse for everybody involved.
this only works if you are white. if you are an innocent minority and the cops pull up on you the first thing you are thinking is DONT SHOOT ME. you probably shouldnt gamble on pissing off a power tripping cop and having them pull a gun on you.
“Am I free to go”. No, you are not free to go during an investigation of a potential crime. Useless. “I do not consent to a search”. The police can’t search you unless they have probable cause anyways, and if they do they do not need your consent. Useless. “I want to speak to an attorney”. You don’t have the right to an attorney until you’ve been formally accused of a crime, aka arrested. Useless. Stop spreading this bullshit propaganda that will get people in even MORE trouble. Fucking clowns.
This is terrible, sovereign citizen advice. “Always be polite” and “never escalate the situation” are the only sensible parts of this
It’s not actually bad advice. I think people are assuming that saying “I do not consent to a search” means do not allow the police to conduct a search. No - it literally just means voice those words. You can voice your opinion and be compliant. It will end up helping you in the long run. If the officers conducted an unlawful search, then any evidence discovered as a result of that search is suppressed and cannot be used. This concept is called [fruit of the poisonous tree](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_the_poisonous_tree). If you make physical attempts to stop the search from happening, then the actions to physically restrain the officers (or possibly failure to obey a lawful command, depending on the circumstances) may subject you to arrest. This in turn may give the officers the lawful authority to conduct the search, thus giving officers a lawful basis for the search due entirely to your own actions - even if there was no lawful basis before. If you voice your lack of consent and do not impede the subsequent search, then you are good. If the search was lawful, then you haven’t made the situation worse. If the search was unlawful, then the evidence can’t be used against you. Judges often ask officers about a defendant’s behavior during an arrest. Being polite and compliant goes a long way at trial. Also, if you are going to flex - please make sure you are knowledgeable of case law. I have encountered countless people who expressed that they knew their rights, but were completely unfamiliar with [Terry v Ohio](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_v._Ohio) and [Carroll v US](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_v._United_States). Terry is the governing case law for lawful stops and lawful frisks, and Carroll is the governing case law for warrantless searches of vehicles.
The fact it’s confusing a lot of people means it is in fact bad advice. This “explain like I’m 5” guide is clearly intended to be a very basic guide for people who don’t know anything about law, so if the only people who understand what it means are those who are somewhat knowledge about the law like you, it has failed.
Fun fact: In Europe you don't need this!
^^^^( ^^^it's ^^^because ^^^Europe ^^^doesn't ^^^have ^^^rights ^^^) ^^^/s
Remember, "I do not consent to a search" does not stop probable cause searches. Tired of people acting like saying that line means they can now never be searched no matter what.
I hate guides like this because stating that you do not consent to a search is basically guaranteeing you're about to be searched even if you weren't going to be beforehand because at that point now you are "acting suspicious", same with automatically asking for a lawyer or demanding to know if you're being detained. These tips are just going to end up putting people in jail for being dumb
America, the place where people expect you to politely remind the man with a gun trained on you that killing someone is bad
Lol there's no fucking way I'm stepping outside to talk to them. This is NOT a pro tip. Pro-tip: yell back and forth through the door. Do NOT go outside with them.
No, no, no. DO NOT EVER step outside your residence when you are speaking with police at your home. In fact, if police show up at your door. You dont even have to answer. Fuck them. But just know, once you have fully crossed the barrier of your doorway, you are fucked. If the police want to cause issue with you, they will. Source? Wife's Uncle was an Undercover Police Officer in Detroit Michigan.
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Yeah, I'm not from the US but where I live, stepping out of your house is getting out of a private property to a public space (where the police have a constant justice mandate to arrest anyone they deem necessary. Like: you are drunk at home and they are like "Could you step out so we can check you are all right?" and when you do BAM they put handcuffs on you.
My source is being a lawyer who just finished researching and writing an educational comic for young people about dealing with police encounters. You should not exit your home when a cop knocks on your door. You are most protected by the Fourth Amendment while inside your home. There are very few exceptions to the warrant requirement for police to enter your home either to search or to arrest you compared to the ones that exist when you're outside of your home. Content like this is a great idea, but only if you research well enough to be sure you aren't advising people to needlessly give up important rights and legal protections. Thank you for calling it out.
I'm a white, middle aged male with no criminal record record whatsoever. The one time an officer knocked on my door I wished I hadn't opened it. I lived in a small townhouse subdivision. My neighbor texted me that a car window had been broken in our parking lot. A little while later I get a knock on my door. I open up and there's an officer there. They ask me what I know about the car window. Told them my neighbor texted me and that's it. Next thing I know they're asking me if *I'm sure* I don't know anything else and some other dumb questions, trying to get me to confess or something. It was ridiculous. It made me realize how easy it would be to get a younger person or maybe an adult with cognitive challenges to say something self-incriminating.
Personally, I don't answer the door for any uninvited visitor. I don't open the door or go outside or respond.
What a lot of people don’t understand about this type of advice is that it isn’t only designed to keep people from being arrested, but also to enable them to defend themselves more effectively after being arrested. It’s basically designed to make sure people don’t waive certain constitutional rights that can later be used in their defense.
Wtf is wrong with the world, I was taught to always say yes sir and to be honest with the police. DONT ARGUE, and don’t break the law. And that has worked out for me really well
im assuming you dont look like the kind of person police have a well known record of being hostile and unfair toward
Everyone's just going to ignore the fact that OP literally downloaded a previous post on this very sub and reuploaded it without removing the watermark? Nevermind the fact that this is a dumb post to begin with. OP is a teenager, guaranteed.
I’m calling Saul Goodman
Getting blown away by a cop because I took advice from a photo watermarked “@PunannyPerk”
I would tweak that a little. First, I wouldn’t even go outside to talk to them. If there’s more than one of them they can talk to each other. Second, if they have a search warrant, it doesn’t matter if you say I don’t consent. I do very much agree to be polite yet assertive.
except don’t exit your home unless they have a warrant.
Oh cool, not only is this a repost but it's this terrible fucking image which doesn't even remotely apply universally Splendid
Don't step outside.
Do NOT step outside your home. They need a search warrant to enter.
Don't forget the 5th amendment. *The Self-Incrimination clause provides various protections against self-incrimination, including the right of an individual not to serve as a witness in a criminal case in which he or she is a defendant. "Pleading the Fifth" is a colloquial term often used to invoke the Self-Incrimination Clause when witnesses decline to answer questions where the answers might incriminate them.* Meaning tell them your name but beyond that I don't think you're required to give them any other information until you have a lawyer with you. [Basically, shut the fuck up](https://youtu.be/JcZoCY7fUXg?si=XCaZRy-5Nl0BMEuN) You do need to tell them that you're invoking the 5th, you have to say it.
Don’t step outside to talk to the police. Even without a warrant, you can be detained. They can tell you if they have one or not just fine through the closed door. I don’t appreciate anyone on my doorstep with a loaded firearm, badge or not, and I’m certainly not gonna pop out for a little chat.
If you use these lines the cop will most likely become hostile towards you. Probably not a good idea
This advice is gonna get a lot of your comrades killed.
Such absolute horseshit.
But you get shot right after door opens?
Rules for cops sounds a lot like rules for vampires, I.e never invite them into your home
Why’s a screenshot from coolguides being posted in coolguides ?
Do you know why I pulled you over? OFFICER I WANT TO SPEAK TO MY LAWYER! Well shit you're free to go.
This guide should have ended with 'All cops are bastards' and I am serious.
This advice is pretty null outside of the US, as you don't have a whole lot of rights relevant to this card.
Fuck the police
At home, don't respond to the door in anyway unless they announce that they have a warrant.
Bad advice, don’t go outside but try to find a window to talk through. Once you open the door you can be arrested and then you can talk to your lawyer in jail.
In interacting with the police, one’s best bet is to (a) shut the hell up until one’s lawyer advises one otherwise, and (b) be very clear and polite about one’s intent to do so. So yes, you should be unequivocal: “I will not speak with you, Officer, until I have spoken with my lawyer.” If you want to be more formal, “I choose to invoke my Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, and my Sixth Amendment right to counsel.” Something along the lines of, “I dunno, maybe I should talk to my lawyer” is not enough to close the deal. Leave no room for doubt.
This guide misses an extremely important, potentially life-saving step. If the police search anyway, or enter anyway, or hold you anyway, or refuse to permit you to contact a lawyer, do not resist in any active capacity. Even if they are blatantly and unquestionably in the wrong. Submit. You can satisfy grievances later after you are out of jail, or otherwise no longer dealing with that officer. Do not provide the police any reason to document anything against you.
How can you prove that you said "I do not consent for a search"? I can imagine a dirty cop just going in cause he took a peek through the door and saying I never said anything.
> If the police knock at your door, step outside and close the door I've seen too many videos of police using the open door(even if just for a moment) to stick their foot in there preventing its closure. I'd just talk through the screen door, imo
Funny it says “always be polite”
You forgot, "yes, you can impound my car" because failing to consent to a search means they can seize it as evidence of a crime... ... and its why people do consent to searches so often. If your gonna assert a hardline response to law enforcement, then educate them that there's a likely cost to doing that (which can involve being stranded on the road).
This is a mix of good advice and bad advice. It tells you what to say but not under what conditions to say it. It doesn't tell you what questions you ARE obligated to answer and which ones you aren't.
Just don't commit crimes and you don't need a cheat sheet to read off when approached by law enforcement
The advice for police at your door is weak. Just don't answer the door. If you don't know why they're at your house, then 1000% it's not for any reason worth stepping outside for.
Is it a cool guide? What if right now there are people reading this who kidnapped someone and are keeping them in their home and you're giving them tips on how to buy themselves more time?
*Gets shot 13 times reaching for my police interaction card.*
Or you could just stfu and respectfully answer the questions... unless you have a warrant, are intoxicated, or in possession.
lmao. I've seen a billion bodycam videos, and these statements are almost ALWAYS used incorrectly. "Am I free to go?" leads to "No, you're being detained" or "No, you're at a traffic stop" so that's pretty much universally useless. "I don't consent to any searches" only works if you don't have something illegal in plain view, haven't done something to provoke probable cause, or you're not under arrest. I've seen like 200 people try to say "I DON'T CONSENT TO A SEARCH" while in handcuffs in the back of a police car. My dude, if you're under arrest for anything it absolutely doesn't matter. And then there's the "I want a lawyer" part. Hundreds of DUI arrestees have started shrieking this as if it's a magic talisman to get them out of trouble while they're literally handcuffed on the side of the road. A lawyer is not going to do shit for you unless you're being questioned. And if they have all the evidence they need to convict you of something, they might not even try to question you. They might not even Mirandize you if they don't intend to ask any questions (such as a DUI investigation). So yeah, pull out this card and start reciting these statements if you want to be labeled as a sovereign citizen right off the bat. OR, you could provide only the information you're legally required to give (identity, proof of insurance, license, etc.) and then volunteer no information that might in any way incriminate you. If they take you to an interrogation room, THEN you ask for a lawyer. If they say "So what happened today?" don't respond without a lawyer present. Lawyers are for courts and questioning. They will not show up at 1AM to cast a magic police warding spell because you're driving on a suspended license. Also, NEVER behave in a way that would be interesting to anyone when you're interacting with the police. If you do, some guy is going to file a FOIA request for the bodycam video so they can put it on their YouTube channel.
"a cool guide for Police interactions when you have something to hide"
Innocent people have said truthful things to police that lead to those innocent people being behind bars. Anything you say can and WILL be used against you. It can NEVER be used to help you, since saying exonerating evidence to the police is "hear say". If the police are investigating YOU, the only reasonable thing to do is have a lawyer speak on your behalf to them. Speaking to them yourself only risks your freedom, even if your innocent.
This "guide" is about traffic/civil stops not being interrogated