We asked ACLU senior staff attorney Jason Williamson to lay out an individual's rights, and the ACLU's best advice for getting stopped by the police.
FULL TRANSCRIPT:
[JASON WILLIAMSON] If you're asked for your name, you should provide it. If you're asked for identification, you should provide it. Beyond that, you should say nothing more to the police other than asking whether or not you are free to leave.
If the police tell you that you are free to leave, then you should turn and walk away. Don't run away. Just walk away. Calmly.
If the police tell you that you are not free to leave, then you know that you're being detained, and at that point you want to make sure that you don't say anything else to the police. There's nothing good that can come out of it.
People want to explain themselves, they want to explain why they were doing whatever it is they were doing when they were stopped, or why the police are wrong for assuming they were engaged in illegal behavior. Just say nothing. Whether you think you are in the right or not, it's just not worth it to try to get into a conversation with a police officer to explain away your behavior, because those are the very things that will be used against you in court.
You have to be aware of the circumstances around you, understand what's happening, what time of day it is, who the officers are, how many of them are on the scene, because all of that's gonna be important after the fact if anything happens to go wrong.
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If you are a young black man you should give the officer "Attitude", and "Disrespect", for stopping you, and even asking you your name, you are a victim, and he is a descendant of "Slave Owners", that are oppressing the Black Race.
ReplyDeleteSound familiar?
RUN!
ReplyDeleteJust be courteous, respectful and, most of all, OBEY THE LAW!!!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteJust be courteous, respectful and, most of all, OBEY THE LAW!!!
February 23, 2017 at 4:23 PM
Yes, because there is never an unjust law. But arguing on the side of the road with a cop is not the best way to oppose a bad law. That's what courts are for.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteJust be courteous, respectful and, most of all, OBEY THE LAW!!!
February 23, 2017 at 4:23 PM
Yes, it would be in anyone's best interest to be courteous and respectful, and the police also should follow that advice which they don't always do.
A cops job is to ENFORCE the law. It is not their JOB to obey they law. Got any cop friends? Just ask them.
ReplyDeleteAnd be sure to stop right in the middle of a busy road instead of finding a safe place to pull over to protect yourself and the officer so they can yell at you and tell you that you were being disobient.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA cops job is to ENFORCE the law. It is not their JOB to obey they law. Got any cop friends? Just ask them.
February 24, 2017 at 12:00 PM
that's about the dumbest statement