What makes a police officer powerless? When citizens know their rights! 

 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 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! Instead of telling the police officer who you are, give him your drivers 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.

 3. I'm Going to Remain Silent - The Supreme Court says you should never talk to a police officer even if your not under arrest, without an attorney present. 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 any time by the police.

 4. 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 keep saying "I don't consent to this search."

 5. 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."

 

 Silence is not an admission of guilt and can not 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 yet without a lawyer 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 nothing 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 your 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 

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.

 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 in 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.