Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Police Encounters


A post from Mimi's mom:

We have a list of subjects we've been planning to blog about. However, now that this blog is being read we've suddenly become quite shy. In lieu of the planned post, we'll just post a few comments with some links. We'll come back to this subject later.
.
Living in a vehicle can subject you to unwanted attention. Police scrutiny is a concern for many. Anyone that lives outside the norm is often considered suspect. You might say "I have nothing to worry about; I obey the law." Did you know that, in some areas, you might be breaking the law just by parking a vehicle used for camping on the street?

My advice for dealing with law enforcement is to be polite. Beyond that, it is helpful to know your rights.

The following link will take you to a video where a former criminal defense attorney and a police officer advise that you *never* talk to the police. It is possible to remain polite and still exercise your right to remain silent.


This link will take you to a site where you can copy the ACLU's reference card on handling various police encounters.


Remember to always get the officer's enforcement agency, name, and badge number. Also, write down the time, date, and other facts as soon as possible.

Lastly, if you do have an encounter with law enforcement please rate the officer at http://ratemycop.com/ . Keeping law enforcement accountable and being able to acknowledge those that treat you fairly and with dignity is just a great idea!

2 comments:

  1. If the street is used for camping, why would it be a problem?

    OR did you mean to say;

    Did you know that, in some areas, you might be breaking the law just by parking a vehicle used for camping on the street?

    Grammar, grammar grammar!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I meant to say what you said. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete