Dealing with the police

[Isaac-1]

Before replying to this I took a moment to think over my various interactions with police officers over the years, some in small towns some in medium to large cities where I have lived. Some of the officers seemed more professional than others, some casual, others you could tell were on some type of power trip. It is the ones in the last group that I think so many people tend to remember the most, I know I certainly remember the one that insisted I walk an extra half mile around through the front entrace of the apartment complex where I lived when walking home to my apartment many years ago when my car had broken down at the local grocery store and would not allow me to take a short cut across the empty office complex parking lot to get to my apartment when my apartment was only a couple of hundred feet away. By comparison I had to think for a couple of minutes to remember the nice Sheriff's deputy that pulled over once while I was changing a flat tire on the side of a busy highway, held his light so I could see what I was doing, etc. There is no real point here, just pointing out how people tend to remember things.

 

[Lawdawg45]

When I saw this topic title, I had a good idea at some of the responses, and I was right.

One thing I can offer from my perspective over the years of my career is this............ suspects are evasive and refuse to answer questions, while people who have nothing to hide openly share. It's human nature and you even see it in toddlers, when they've done something wrong they hide and refuse to communicate. Take from that what you will.

LD

 

[Davek1977]

suspects are evasive and refuse to answer questions, while people who have nothing to hide openly share.

so, you mean to tell me that, in your experience as a law officer, everyone utilizing their right to remain silent has something to hide? Are you saying you act on a presumption of guilt anytime someone isn't willing to engage you in conversation? It seems as much in your terminology, regarding those who don't talk as "suspects" while those that openly engage you are merely "people". Again, my first post holds true yet again.....of COURSE law enforcement wants people to run freely at the mouth, as people have a tendency to say too much. I'm betting the average defense attorney would have different advice than "if you have nothing to fear, talk away." I don't take marriage advice from divorce lawyers for much the same reason i don't take legal advice from cops.......take that for what you will.

 

[Nicky Santoro]

The level of paranoia some people have is disturbing . . .

As is the malfeasance of some police officers.........

 

[GoWolfpack]

It's impossible to know ahead of time if an officer you interact with will be Dudley-Do-Right on patrol: truth, justice, Mom and apple pie who just desperately wants to help people live better lives, or Officer Ramrod looking for an excuse to test out his new taser and maybe arrest somebody if he's lucky.

Dudley might outnumber Ramrod 1000 to 1, but unless I know an officer personally I just can't be sure, and the consequences are severe enough that it's not worth the risk.

 

[Loosedhorse]

suspects are evasive and refuse to answer questions, while people who have nothing to hide openly share. It's human nature and you even see it in toddlers

If someone punished the toddler when he openly shared, you would soon find him evasive to all questions, whether he had done something wrong or not.

And part of what this thread has been discussing is how badly you can be punished for openly sharing with an LEO, even if you've done nothing wrong.

Hey, I like being open. But there are times when it is more important to know my rights. I don't generalize about LEOs; to the extent that they generalize about persons who decline to "cooperate", well...

 

[Kleanbore]

This seems to have drifted far from the subject of the very helpful OP, which I suggest that everyone read and heed.

 

[Lawdawg45]

This seems to have drifted far from the subject of the very helpful OP, which I suggest that everyone read and heed.

"A tip to the unaware or unfamiliar in dealing with the police:"

My reply to the OP

For me, on a traffic stop my suspicions are squelched with answers, and I would never ask of someone, something I wouldn't provide myself. Myself and my family go about their daily business with nothing to hide, and I have instructed all my family members to be polite and comply with every request if stopped. If the roles were reversed and you had stopped someone who refused to answer anything except name and/or D.O.B., those who honestly responded would be suspicious. I do find it humorous that the paranoid crowd worried about "Big Brother", don't realize those same people/agencies are watching the LEO much closer than John Q. Citizen.

LD