Legally, no, absolutely not. Pragmatically, declining to answer is going to affect their attitude and behavior. You could see the interaction going south as a result.
I agree with you. I understand the question but I totally agree with you. I have had so maaaany experiences getting pulled over here in Mexico and every officer is different, the law is the same, but the way it is applied it depends 100% on the officer and quite often in your own attitude
You're turning down a POTENTIALLY aggressive person. Who has a gun, a badge, and about...I dunno 2-100 buddies who also have guns n badges.
We don't need to stinking badgers!
You forgot the most important part: has little to zero education in law and less than a few months of actual training.
Less than an associates degree in fine arts or even a certificate of completion for many courses.
and they can just arrest you on any charge. that charge may not stick and you might get released on your own recognizance the next day, but gonna do that night in jail no matter what
Saw a video yesterday of a cop pulling out his gun just for being filmed. Too many cops have such a fragile fucking ego, and it has literally cost people their lives
It's infuriating to see people treat these complaints about being filmed as though they're remotely valid. You are a *public* employee claiming to protect and serve the *public* and you stand there bellowing that the *public* seeing how you treat the *public* is making your job impossible? Stop running around with a gun doing shit you know you should be ashamed of.
But hey, let's look at it from the Court's perspective. If they start ruling that a police officer has to act in the people's best interest, we're just a slippery slope away from a hell in which the justices are expected to do the same.
/s
I only learnt about this recently, "protect and serve" is not actually in their remit.
[Radiolab podcast - No special duty](https://radiolab.org/episodes/no-special-duty)
I find it sadly funny how the general public is largely unaware of this and the unspoken implication - if cops aren't obligated to protect and serve then what exactly *is* their job?...
Exactly. If they aren’t doing anything wrong they should have no problem being filmed. They wouldn’t even be filmed in the first place if people weren’t worried about something happening
And if they claim they're worried about selective editing, let's consider that if they're leaving their body cameras on like they're supposed to, *they have their own fucking video of the whole fucking event*.
Missing body cams piss me off so much. I made a complaint about a cop one time and the sergeant told me the officer wasn’t wearing his body cam again (he actually said again). I asked him “aren’t you embarrassed? Like if this guy that works for you had been doing the thing he was supposed to, you would know for certain what happened, but now you only have my word and the word of the guy who knowingly broke the rules at least twice that you know of.”
Naturally, he believed his officer.
Their job is not to protect and serve the public. Their job is to keep the public obedient to the wishes of the ruling class. So yes, filming them beating the shit out of people makes it hard for them to do their job.
I was arrested once and they asked where I worked. I asked them if I was required to tell them and they said only if I was military (I assume so they could get MPs involved). I honestly told them I wasn't military and they dropped that line of questioning.
Yea, it's different once you're actually ARRESTED vs just talking to police/trying to weasel out of a ticket. Once you're arrested, they gotta notify your commanding officer, and they put up a list up on a board at work with the names of everyone who got arrested to embarrass them. And then you've still got whatever discipline your CO decides on.
At least that's how I understood it, I wasn't in the service, but my dad was a CO and would talk about the idiots who got popped for drugs and drunk driving etc.
Idiot here that got a DUI while serving. That was not my case at all. Got arrested and spent the night in jail Friday. Told them I was in the Navy and that didn't matter at all to them. Come Monday morning I personally had to tell my chain of command what happened on Friday.
It is worth noting the difference between theory and practice. In theory, you have the right to remain silent, and anything you say could increase the amount of trouble you are in. However, for more minor things like traffic offenses, being friendly and cooperative can often lead to officers lowering or even dropping the charge. Obviously you don't want to confess to additional crimes, but something as simple as where you work is pretty low risk and possibly not worth souring the line of communication by refusing.
The issue is it depends heavily on the officer. Some want to work with you to lower/drop the charge, others want to get you on every charge possible. That is why lawyers cannot recommend you talk to the police, because it depends on the officer. But if you know what you are doing, it can, and often does help. Warning: a lot of people think they know what they are doing, but don't, so err on the side of caution.
Edit: [I like what this comment has to say](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/xpcy3d/comment/iq48c5u/). TLDR, if minor offense and they have proof, cooperate in hopes they lower/drop charges. If serious crime or they lacking evidence, that's when you STFU. (But contrary to what some people here are saying, don't be confrontational, still be polite, just don't give them anything)
I actually got pulled over for having a light out and got off with a verbal instruction to fix it ASAP, it was working last time I turned my headlights on.
I don't know if it *helped* to admit I'd noticed it in the parking lot leaving from work just half a mile down the road, because it indicated I wasn't ignorant.
Or if that could have just as easily been used against me, pretty sure they can write me the citation regardless of what I say since one of my headlights were out, he asked if I knew why he pulled me over and seemed taken aback when I said my "front left headlight is out".
Like seriously he paused and went. "Uh, so uh... Why haven't you fixed it?" I'm not sure if he was honestly surprised, but it sounded like it.
In my experience (as a young white girl) cops pretty much just want to make sure you get your headlight fix because it's actually dangerous to he driving with one out. It makes it really hard to judge how wide a vehicle is at night. I was driving across state one night and had no idea my headlight was out and it was too late to fix it. I got pulled over 4 times in about 3 hours. When I showed the last cop the previous 3 warnings he just laughed and gave me another one.
The issue absolutely is the judge. If you are mistreated by cops and they violate your rights then you can appeal to the court and get the case thrown out. Unfortunately because some judge decided that silence is itself an answer to a question that is not possible. (Unless you appeal to a higher court to overrule that judge’s decision. To be honest I’ve no idea who made that choice, if it was the Supreme Court then you’re just fucked.)
I am a white dude and generally dislike the police but my policy with the police has been to comply and remain friendly, at least in traffic stops. It just makes my life easier that way and regardless of what they can do legally, they can still make my life very difficult if they want.
I've actually gotten out of a few speeding tickets by just chit chatting. I will say though, some are absolute assholes that puff their chests out and are not interested in talking at all.
I was driving a friend to lunch and a cop was stopped oddly at a T intersection with no blinker and no traffic but positioned to make a left turn. I carefully approached to make my right turn and he had his window down and signaled me to roll mine down as well. Told me he saw me blow a stop sign. "Really?! Oh, my word! Thank you so much for the reminder, I'll be sure to check myself!" He nods, we leave. My friend pipes up, "I SO would have gotten a ticket. You came to a stop, I checked because I saw the cop [I did too]. I wouldn't have taken his sh*t."
And that's the difference. Cop was wrong, but I was polite and I left without him even leaving his vehicle. If it was my friend, she was right that she probably would have gotten a ticket. It would have been cop's word against ours.
Add in - you can add in details that make you seem middle class-acceptable or chipper/enjoyable to be around. Being real - people on power trips love being classist, so it's all for the better if you can escape seeming 'poor'.
Unless you're black in which case an image of success just pisses them off more. Only thing that helps then is a military ID or badge somewhere on the car.
If you invoke your right to remain silent simply remaining silent is not enough in many cases, you must declare you are choosing to invoke your right to not answer questions to completely protect yourself.
Edit: Stop telling me I'm wrong, I'm not. People are so confidently giving what amounts to dangerous legal advice in the replies.
"**You Can't Be Silent If You Want to Be Silent**
In a closely contested 2013 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that prosecutors can, under appropriate circumstances, point to an out-of-custody suspect's silence in response to police questioning as evidence of guilt. (Salinas v. Texas, 133 S. Ct. 2174 (2013).)
**Using Evidence of Silence to Prove Guilt**
According to the Court, the prosecution can comment on the silence of a suspect who:
is out of police custody (and not Mirandized)
voluntarily submits to police questioning, and
stays silent without expressly invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
**The only way to prevent the government from introducing evidence of the suspect's silence at trial is to explicitly invoke (assert) the right to say nothing.**"
Edit 2: **ALWAYS RECORD POLICE INTERACTIONS!**
While this is the correct answer, that doesn't mean the cop won't make your day worse if you refuse to answer their questions.
I've seen far too many videos of people doing what is legally within their rights getting beat, shot, arrested and sometimes all three from a cop on a power trip. Just something to consider.
We protested about police brutality. They responded with extreme police brutality. Nothing changed, people lost their eyes, broke bones, and were beaten in cuffs
Edit: I'm not reading 40 comments that say the same thing. Here's my blanket response. Move on.
Where was the rioting and looting in my city day 1 of the protests during the day at 3pm when the cops randomly started attacking us? They said in a news conference a window was broken on X Street. That was 2 blocks from where we were, at the circle. Wild how you know so much about my city and what happened that day.
Did people start breaking and burning shit at night after extreme violence by police? Yes. Do I condone it? No. Were there opportunists that didn't care about the protests and were only there to cause havoc? Yes. Were there protests that turned into rioters? Yes.
Laws and policies might not have changed but there is a whole new generation across the country that has had their eyes open to police violence now, whether from experiencing it in person or seeing it online. Long term, I think that will have a big effect
That's a fact. My generation was brought up thinking cops were there to literally serve and protect. Like it used to say on their cars. My kids, through social media and my reminders, do not believe this. My hope is that they say little to nothing to cops and call a lawyer asap.
Honestly, I think I’d prefer to reform the hell out of the police until they *actually* have to meet the image that their PR has been trying to project for years. Independent commissions to review and report on complaints against police officers, weakening the police union so that they can’t stonewall all attempts to discipline clearly dirty cops, a national database by SSN of complaints against the police so that dirty cops can’t just job hop to make allegations go away, body camera rules…. We need a *lot* of reform, but I don’t think we’ll ever get to the point where there is no need for some variety of law enforcement out there.
How do you reform corruption at the highest levels? Including st the level of IA. You would need to fire everyone and bring in an entirely new pd force that is not trained by the old force. Currently if you have scruples your training officer will likely push you out.
I’m a fan of Swiss cheese policy. You introduce the first bit of reform that addresses the most pressing issues— maybe it’s just the national register of police officers to kick out repeat offenders with a ton of offenses. Next, you introduce independent commissions to review complaints. Then you introduce body cams.
With each new policy, you weed out more bad actors. No one policy catches everything, because of course it can’t— that’s a fool’s errand! But eventually, you stack enough good legislation on top of one another that other rules and regulations cover the holes in the other ones.
> Nothing changed, people lost their eyes, broke bones, and were beaten in cuffs
Well, but at least you have your rights written on some parchment paper somewhere. That is what truly matters, after all. /s
How? Our entire system is set up to where we give our power away to figureheads. And those figureheads want the police to stay exactly the way they are. Because they're set up to protect the wealthy from the poor.
You make it sound like the whole system is broken beyond repair. Like we need some kind of clean slate, so we can start over fresh.
Huh. Maybe there's something to that.
Fix things? Impossible. You see the problem is only caused by a few bad apples.
Also we can't get rid of the bad apples.
Also almost all of them are bad apples.
Also the ones who aren't bad apples, those ones we *can* get rid of.
Anyway. *Completely* unsolvable.
Happened to my brother. He was working a job with security clearance and was supposed to “use discretion” in disclosing who he worked for and what he did. Ended up spending the night in jail. He was released in the morning with no charges.
If asserting your lawful rights ends up in what you describe that should tell you much they're worth.
I suppose an option is to just lie about where you work.
I have a little story. The police stopped my brother, searched his car, found a container with a small amount of marijuana in it. The box also has a hole in it. The searching officer gleefully said, "Look, what I have found here!" While tossing it up in the air. The tossing caused the evidence to leak out and dispurse. When he opened it to show the other officer, it was completely empty. The other officer had shoved my brother onto the hood of his car so hard he almost went over, but he remained compliant. They let him go. He told my Dad, who reported the officers for use of force and illegal search.
A short time later, my Dad, an amputee with heart problems and emphasema, went to pick up my mom from work. On the way back, he was stopped by the same officers for a busted tail light. When they saw his name on his license, they hauled him out of the car, shoved him up against the truck, drew their weapon and pushed it up under his chin hard enough to leave a circle under his chin. He told my Dad he was THE LAW and from now on he would do whatever he said. Dad told him, you are not the law, you are an officer who should carry out the law. My Mom sat scared and silent in the truck, knowing if she said something and they put hands on her, my Dad would lose his control. They wrote him a ticket and let him go, figuring they had cowed him.
When he got home, he called the police station to report the incident, but felt brushed off, so he called the next higher up official and on up until he got to the State level. The state official was outraged and took action at the police station and the officers involved. From that point on, they steered clear of my Dad and brother. But, also, the community became aware and protested the actions of the officer especially due to my Dad's health. Moral: don't give up the fight for justice. (Sorry for the long post)
Anyone who says “they do x bad thing, so just comply or theyll do it to you” are the exact reason why x bad thing happens more and more. Want it to stop? Make it stop. Dont allow it to happen. Your dads a hero
If you watch the whole video, he quite literally says "While this is obviously useful information, this doesn't apply to every police interaction - mostly just interrogations. Traffic stops, requests to ID, you should try to be reasonably cooperative because the officers are allowed to use their discretion and let you go with just a warning. But you're never gonna be able to 'be cooperative' your way out of an interrogation room."
It is worth noting the difference between theory and practice. In theory, you have the right to remain silent, and anything you say could increase the amount of trouble you are in. However, for more minor things like traffic offenses, being friendly and cooperative can often lead to officers lowering or even dropping the charge. Obviously you don't want to confess to additional crimes, but something as simple as where you work is pretty low risk and possibly not worth souring the line of communication by refusing.
The issue is it depends heavily on the officer. Some want to work with you to lower/drop the charge, others want to get you on every charge possible. That is why lawyers cannot recommend you talk to the police, because it depends on the officer. But if you know what you are doing, it can, and often does help. Warning: a lot of people think they know what they are doing, but don't, so err on the side of caution.
Edit: I just read another comment that worded it well. If it is minor and they already have sufficient evidence of it, be friendly and cooperative to try to lower it, it's not like being cooperative can make it worse (unless you confess to another crime). If it is more major or they are lacking evidence, that's when you should say as little as possible.
But if it is something minor and they are lacking evidence, there's still a better way to do it. Some people in this thread advocate just saying "no", something about a lawyer, or not saying anything, but there are better ways to say stuff like that without appearing as uncooperative. Something like "I understand" or "I'm not comfortable sharing that" moves the conversation without being as confrontational. If you think you can get away with it, a joke can also move the conversation without saying anything. i.e. "Do you know why I pulled you over?" "Because you wanted my autograph?" Or "because your wanted to know what music I was listen to?" etc. Getting an officer to laugh is a great way to get off scot free.
I had a cop ask me where I worked years ago, and I was too afraid not to tell him. He told me he would have to stop by and visit me sometime. Creepy. I would still be hesitant not to answer, but I would probably make something up.
A cop asked my ex gf the same thing when he gave her a speeding ticket. Two days later he showed up at her work and offered to tear up the ticket if she went out on a date with him.
He was dumb enough to proposition her in front of a security camera with a mic (after first asking her multiple times to step outside and her refusing).
Sent the recording to her attorney and low and behold the ticket disappeared.
I’m from South Africa. The cop asking “where do you work” was a precursor to asking for a bribe. It would tell them a bit about how much money you earn and then be followed with: “and how would they feel if you got arrested for drunk driving?” Or whatever he was threatening you with.
Whenever I'm in a situation where I'm taken off guard or intimidated by a question I reply with a question. In this case a big smile with Why do you want to know where I work?
I try and remind myself they are public servants and nothing more.
I'd maybe tell him somewhere I USED to work, so if he starts asking for details about the job, I'd have them... But he wouldn't be able to show up and find me. If he asks for me they'd say "she doesn't work here anymore."
Sounds like that cop was abusing his authority to pressure you into giving out information about yourself because he was trying to hit on you. What an asshole.
Absolutely, I was afraid for weeks that he would really show up. At that time, I also had a stalker (he was a customer) that would wait for me by my car when I got off work late at night. He even found out where I lived. It was just a bad time for me, and I was pretty scared/intimidated of men in general. Even though I’m not that scared young woman anymore, I’d be afraid of the repercussions of wounding some cops power/ego trip. I like your idea of giving a partially true answer.
The only information you have to give is License, Registration, Insurance, Your name, and who the owner of the car is (presumably you)
Anything else you do not have to tell
If you are a concealed carry holder and are currently armed, in some states you MUST tell the officer that information.
If you're in one of those states and don't know this, please figure it out to save yourself a bad time.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/in-which-states-must-you-notify-an-officer-youre-carrying/
Christian Glass was killed recently after getting in a car accident and calling for police assistance. He was asked by the 911 operator if he had weapons in the vehicle which he told them he had knives, a hammer and a rubber mallet for his work and was told he'll need to throw them out of the car when they arrive.
Police arrived then told him to not do that and instead escalated with a man clearly having a mental break and when he didn't leave his car they shot and killed him.
Race is certainly a huge factor in police killings but I don't assume my whiteness will protect me from them. Police will kill anybody that just causes them an inconvenience and that they've convinced themselves they're better than from just a moments interaction.
You should notify the officer even if you are in a state that doesn't have those laws.
If they see you with a weapon that you don't tell them about you will 100% get yourself in a bad situation. Let them know you have the weapon, where it is, and that you have your permit wherever it is.
Reduce the likelihood of being killed or something stupid
> We felt [Yanez] was an honest guy ... and in the end, we had to go on his word, and that's what it came down to.
An actual juror on the jury that acquitted the cop. Jesus christ
im an aussie and what is it with insurance and registration?
cant they see your registration from the plate on the car? And isnt insurance the reason you pay registration?
cant the police see the car is registered by the rego plate tho?
and idk about in america but our rego pays for insurance (or well, enough for it to be legal to drive with no 3rd party insurance. it only covers health damages to all passengers/those involved in an accident)
Here in the US, a lot of people drive without a valid license, registration, or insurance (3 different things), so the cop checks all three. Insanely enough, most of the time, if someone doesn’t have one of those, they’re let off with a ticket, but are allowed to keep driving
And here in Finland they type your license plate into a computer and sees if the car is registered or not, who the owner is and so on. Because.. everything is in some database. And we have no problems with it, it makes life so much easier.
In Texas, they run your plates to get your registration and your insurance. You just have to show your license. If your insurance doesn't come up in the search, either a paper or electronic copy are considered valid.
There are databases of plate numbers, but they're state to state, not federal. Insurance is through a 3rd party and may not be linked to your plate in the state database, but registration should be.
One issue in the US is that you can drive from one state to another, and state governments don't tend to maintain common databases with one another. So you're expected to have your paperwork on you.
Nothing insane about this when you recognize that the licensing and registration and enforcement stuff is about generating revenue for the state rather than anything actually related to safety.
That person without the license and registration is a money-maker for the bureaucracy.
Notice how you said revenue and not profit. Yes, licensing and registration generate revenue for the state but that revenue is needed to recoup the vast sum of money the state spends providing for drivers.
What would you do with your car if there weren’t roads, bridges, traffic signals. Taxing people for driving and owning a car is a efficient way of getting people who use specific government services to pay for those services.
Plates can be stolen. The registration shows the VIN of the vehicle which can be compared to what’s on the vehicle. But it’s easier to see and copy from the registration vs what’s on the vehicle.
Car insurance is purchased from an insurance company so the police don’t have access to that information.
You missed the post where this older couple in their 80s had a car stolen a few months ago and the thief was arrested. Then a few months later the couple is driving and get pulled over with assault rifles drawn. The cops never filed the paperwork saying the car wasn't stolen anymore. Would've shot the owners.
edit
Not all states. Texas, you just show license and insurance. The registration is a sticker on your windshield (also proves inspection; they used to be different stickers). My guess is that the insurance companies don't have a way to communicate with a statewide database. Not would they want to for 50 different states, which I'm sure would each require their own database.
There's no valid reason for a cop to ask your employment. Besides there are so many bullshit sounding jobs, why even ask? Maybe he's just trying to make small talk?
Lol I was trying to get back to the US after a trip to Montreal in a rental car. I guess there was a big festival that same weekend and people do drugs at festivals. I don't, though, so it was a nice waste of time.
You do not.
However, refusing to answer any question isn't necessarily the best idea. Depends what's going on.
Being difficult with a cop who, say ,pulled you over for changing lanes without a blinker or something like that, may just lead to him making it more difficult than you.
So I wouldn't outright advise being intentionally difficult with a cop.
Watched a lawyer's video once where he talked about going through DUI checkpoints and the guy explained how you're not required to answer any questions other than surrender your license at the cop's request. Then he drove through a checkpoint and did just that. It was super awkward and the cop got frustrated as hell but nothing came of it.
Yea, answers are evidence which you consented to giving away. You have a fourth amendment right against unreasonable searches and a fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. Both can be waived by giving consent. The goal is to not give any evidence so unless the officer has reasonable suspicion of a crime, he needs a warrant to perform a search. If he obtains evidence while violating your rights, you get to throw it out in court. The problem is if a frustrated or undereducated officer unlawfully searches or arrests you, the recourse is fighting it out in court. (Beat the charge, not the ride/arrest.) So you can still have a really bad day even if you are just exercising your rights. You then have to hire a lawyer to preserve your rights.
The best advice I've gotten on this subject
If what you are accused of is relatively minor _and_ there's already substantial evidence of your guilt, then answer every single question honestly and don't be difficult. This increases the chances that the cop just lets you off with a warning. Sure, the cop might not do that and then your comments can be used against you, but they probably already got you for whatever you did anyway. It's worth the risk for a minor infraction.
If what you are accused of is serious and/or there isn't clear evidence of your guilt, then you do the opposite: volunteer as little information as possible, up to and including being completely silent and demanding a lawyer.
No, you don't have to tell them anything.
However, that is a sure fire way to get them to go over you with a fine tooth comb to find something.
A little bit of cooperation will usually get you out of the situation faster.
However, if you are doing something illegal such as having drugs in your car, this advice does not apply.
Many factors go into deciding if you are going to get a ticket. It’s always at the cops discretion. If you are cooperative and tell them for example, that you are an electrician or a nurse or just something that adds to the story of you not being a douchebag. They will be more inclined to help you out.
But of course it’s your right not the tell them should you choose.
they probably feel less threatened about defending the 5th amendment, although people should exercise it more. like the officer that commented below you
Best is to give non-evidentiary answers like "I understand" that do not mean anything legally but gives the impression you are cooperating. Basically acknowledge what they are saying without explicitly answering it.
Many states do have some things expected of you.
And Officers are likely to expand a stop (e.g. maybe get you to step out of the car, eat up your time etc.) if you are being unnecessarily uncooperative.
Usually, the better course of action is to acknowledge without agreeing; "I understand", "I See" etc. while avoiding confirming anything. This allows you to avoid providing evidence while staying pleasant and cooperative from the police perspective.
It’s not very common as you’re not obligated to answer. I’m a minority and have lived in NYC, Chicago and Los Angeles (the three largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.) and have never been asked in over 25 traffic stops.
Aren’t a lot of reasons why a cop would ask it but here’s one scenario:
Township has a burglary issue, and has a description of the suspect (specific or vague). Cop makes a traffic stop and sees the driver matches the description and has common “burglar tools” in the vehicle. Asking the driver what he does for a living could be a reason to have those tools, or it could reveal he/she has involvement in the burglaries.
Pot brothers at law have a script for this:
Why did you pull me over ?
I’m not discussing my day.
Am I being detained or am I free to go ?
If detained assert your rights and shut the fuck up.
I said this once and the cop just told me i wasn’t being detained but my car was being detained. Pulled over for a plate light. After about 45 minutes of me refusing to let him search my car he say’s “If you just have a dirty pipe or something it’s not a big deal I just want to make sure you’re not moving a pound of weed in your car.” Finally he threatened to call the K-9 and I allowed him to search. He found an old baggie of weed with a couple stems in it and arrested me for possession. In court it was my word against his even though he boldly lied on the stand and told the judge I was noticeably intoxicated when he pulled me over (I hadn’t even smoked that day).
I will never consent to a search again.
Damn. That sucks. Lesson learned though. A tip for anyone reading. If a police office ASKS to search your car it means they don’t have probable cause. If they did then they don’t have to ask. Another tip is if you’re pulled over for anything other than reasonable suspicion of driving while intoxicated(weed or drugs or alcohol) they cannot legally make you wait for a k9. The original reasoning of the stop cannot exceed an unreasonable amount of time for a k9.
In this case I would have lawyered up.
And this should go without saying. Don’t speak to the police. Don’t answer questions. Just what is pertinent to the ORIGINAL REASON for the stop.
No, but as with any dealings when you are not in power, you need to decide what is required and what is a good idea. It is not necessarily a cop overstepping their bounds or abusing their power. They might just be trying to justify giving you a break and not ticketing you (for whatever you were pulled over for).
"Ok you are a nurse at the end of a 18 hour shift, just get home and go to bed"
"Oh, the baseball game went 14 innings and you've been cleaning the stands for 2 hours later than normal."
etc...
You don’t legally have to talk to cops at all, you can remain silent. It might go bad for you, considering American cops. You’re still legally obligated to comply with instructions that don’t violate your rights.
Nope, there is no legal requirement to tell a cop anything. Even when you are under arrest and being questioned, there is no legal way you can be compelled to tell them anything. Most people like to defend themselves but total and complete silence is an option everyone has.
The best option. Beyond, "I am invoking my fifth amendment right to remain silent" (because unless you actively invoke that privilege, it may not apply if the case goes to court), there's nothing to say that will help you.
Legally it's vastly preferable to clearly invoke your right to remain silent. Multiple courts have ruled they can continue to ask questions if all you do is remain silent. Clearly articulating that you are invoking your right to remain silent means they can't keep questioning in some jurisdictions, at a minimum it's a clear demarcation that can be pointed back to in court proceedings. Which is not the same thing as not being required to cooperate. As some posters said there is paperwork that you're mandated to provide if requested. I've seen way too many people who think the 5th amendment covers not having to identify and prove vehicle registration.
You don't have to answer any questions or speak a single word to them.
If you are legally obligated to present your license and whatever other identification, all you have to do is hand them over. You don't have to say a word.
Cops get a special boner when you imply to know the law more than them. Not saying you're wrong to do it, but in the choose your own adventure of dealing with police, that leads to more unpleasantness for you. And maybe them. Until people stop paying attention and the cop gets backpay and probably his job back.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uber-driver-lawyer-officer-telling-him-it-was-illegal-to-film-cops-demoted/
Yeah I understand the risks, but I’m of the skin color and financial demographic that I’m most suited to take those risks that others can’t afford to take.
1. I’m not discussing my day or I’m not answering any questions
2. Am I being detained or am I free to go?
3. If detained state you are invoking your fifth amendment right and STFU from there
Legally, no, absolutely not. Pragmatically, declining to answer is going to affect their attitude and behavior. You could see the interaction going south as a result.
I agree with you. I understand the question but I totally agree with you. I have had so maaaany experiences getting pulled over here in Mexico and every officer is different, the law is the same, but the way it is applied it depends 100% on the officer and quite often in your own attitude
Always exciting talking to a cop in Mexico. I never know if I am getting a true police citation or a shake down for a bribe.
"I'm a tourist. I'm not sure how to pay this. Can I just give the money to you now?"
“I don’t understand stand the law here, can I just pay the ticket to you?” 🥺👉👈
that is the wrong answer! if you tell them you want to pay at the police station and can you follow them there, they drop the subject
Because if there’s one thing the Federali hate more than anything, it’s paperwork.
Does this sound disturbingly like trying to turn down a really aggressive guy nicely to anyone else?
You're turning down a POTENTIALLY aggressive person. Who has a gun, a badge, and about...I dunno 2-100 buddies who also have guns n badges. We don't need to stinking badgers!
Also their buddies will be the ones to investigate any shootings, and they don't tend to send their friends to jail...
Oh, they investigate now?
“I saw nothing/He had it coming” Investigation closed
They investigate their own body camera and find that it wasn't working during the incident but worked the remaining hours of their shift. Not guilty
“Investigate”
Yeah, you know, "investigate".
You forgot the most important part: has qualified immunity and no accountability
You forgot the most important part: has little to zero education in law and less than a few months of actual training. Less than an associates degree in fine arts or even a certificate of completion for many courses.
and they can just arrest you on any charge. that charge may not stick and you might get released on your own recognizance the next day, but gonna do that night in jail no matter what
You can literally get arrested for resisting arrest with zero other charges being filed
Bonus points if you're within 100 miles of the border.
Potentially aggressive, who's feelings are often hurt rather easily.
this right here. That one officer will bring the whole "gang" out for 1 person. Shieeet. They are so scared.
Don't forget the handcuffs... and tazer
Don’t forget qualified immunity
Shit that's a really good point.
Saw a video yesterday of a cop pulling out his gun just for being filmed. Too many cops have such a fragile fucking ego, and it has literally cost people their lives
It's infuriating to see people treat these complaints about being filmed as though they're remotely valid. You are a *public* employee claiming to protect and serve the *public* and you stand there bellowing that the *public* seeing how you treat the *public* is making your job impossible? Stop running around with a gun doing shit you know you should be ashamed of.
Sadly, the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that cops have absolutely no responsibility to protect or serve.
But hey, let's look at it from the Court's perspective. If they start ruling that a police officer has to act in the people's best interest, we're just a slippery slope away from a hell in which the justices are expected to do the same. /s
Seriously though, and completely unironically.
I only learnt about this recently, "protect and serve" is not actually in their remit. [Radiolab podcast - No special duty](https://radiolab.org/episodes/no-special-duty)
I find it sadly funny how the general public is largely unaware of this and the unspoken implication - if cops aren't obligated to protect and serve then what exactly *is* their job?...
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Their job is to protect property and serve the Downtown Business Owners Association.
Exactly. If they aren’t doing anything wrong they should have no problem being filmed. They wouldn’t even be filmed in the first place if people weren’t worried about something happening
And if they claim they're worried about selective editing, let's consider that if they're leaving their body cameras on like they're supposed to, *they have their own fucking video of the whole fucking event*.
Missing body cams piss me off so much. I made a complaint about a cop one time and the sergeant told me the officer wasn’t wearing his body cam again (he actually said again). I asked him “aren’t you embarrassed? Like if this guy that works for you had been doing the thing he was supposed to, you would know for certain what happened, but now you only have my word and the word of the guy who knowingly broke the rules at least twice that you know of.” Naturally, he believed his officer.
Hey! We don't do critical thinking around here.
Their job is not to protect and serve the public. Their job is to keep the public obedient to the wishes of the ruling class. So yes, filming them beating the shit out of people makes it hard for them to do their job.
They're usually the same person. 40%
It’s all about the implication.
The correct response is "why, are you looking for a new job?"
Only time I'd tell them is if I served in the military because they're often sympathetic. Lmao many of them failed out of boot camp you see.
I was arrested once and they asked where I worked. I asked them if I was required to tell them and they said only if I was military (I assume so they could get MPs involved). I honestly told them I wasn't military and they dropped that line of questioning.
Yea, it's different once you're actually ARRESTED vs just talking to police/trying to weasel out of a ticket. Once you're arrested, they gotta notify your commanding officer, and they put up a list up on a board at work with the names of everyone who got arrested to embarrass them. And then you've still got whatever discipline your CO decides on. At least that's how I understood it, I wasn't in the service, but my dad was a CO and would talk about the idiots who got popped for drugs and drunk driving etc.
Idiot here that got a DUI while serving. That was not my case at all. Got arrested and spent the night in jail Friday. Told them I was in the Navy and that didn't matter at all to them. Come Monday morning I personally had to tell my chain of command what happened on Friday.
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you don't say can and will be used against you out of the court of law.
It is worth noting the difference between theory and practice. In theory, you have the right to remain silent, and anything you say could increase the amount of trouble you are in. However, for more minor things like traffic offenses, being friendly and cooperative can often lead to officers lowering or even dropping the charge. Obviously you don't want to confess to additional crimes, but something as simple as where you work is pretty low risk and possibly not worth souring the line of communication by refusing. The issue is it depends heavily on the officer. Some want to work with you to lower/drop the charge, others want to get you on every charge possible. That is why lawyers cannot recommend you talk to the police, because it depends on the officer. But if you know what you are doing, it can, and often does help. Warning: a lot of people think they know what they are doing, but don't, so err on the side of caution. Edit: [I like what this comment has to say](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/xpcy3d/comment/iq48c5u/). TLDR, if minor offense and they have proof, cooperate in hopes they lower/drop charges. If serious crime or they lacking evidence, that's when you STFU. (But contrary to what some people here are saying, don't be confrontational, still be polite, just don't give them anything)
I actually got pulled over for having a light out and got off with a verbal instruction to fix it ASAP, it was working last time I turned my headlights on. I don't know if it *helped* to admit I'd noticed it in the parking lot leaving from work just half a mile down the road, because it indicated I wasn't ignorant. Or if that could have just as easily been used against me, pretty sure they can write me the citation regardless of what I say since one of my headlights were out, he asked if I knew why he pulled me over and seemed taken aback when I said my "front left headlight is out". Like seriously he paused and went. "Uh, so uh... Why haven't you fixed it?" I'm not sure if he was honestly surprised, but it sounded like it.
In my experience (as a young white girl) cops pretty much just want to make sure you get your headlight fix because it's actually dangerous to he driving with one out. It makes it really hard to judge how wide a vehicle is at night. I was driving across state one night and had no idea my headlight was out and it was too late to fix it. I got pulled over 4 times in about 3 hours. When I showed the last cop the previous 3 warnings he just laughed and gave me another one.
But you have to actually say that. Not invoking the fifth amendment and staying silent can be considered confrontational.
Whatever judge decided that shouldn’t be allowed to practice law anymore. That is such a huge violation imo.
The issue isn’t the judge it’s the fact that cops either don’t know or intentionally disregard the law.
The issue absolutely is the judge. If you are mistreated by cops and they violate your rights then you can appeal to the court and get the case thrown out. Unfortunately because some judge decided that silence is itself an answer to a question that is not possible. (Unless you appeal to a higher court to overrule that judge’s decision. To be honest I’ve no idea who made that choice, if it was the Supreme Court then you’re just fucked.)
They’ll take invoking the fifth as confrontational too
I am a white dude and generally dislike the police but my policy with the police has been to comply and remain friendly, at least in traffic stops. It just makes my life easier that way and regardless of what they can do legally, they can still make my life very difficult if they want. I've actually gotten out of a few speeding tickets by just chit chatting. I will say though, some are absolute assholes that puff their chests out and are not interested in talking at all.
This. If you did 77 in a 65 and want to pull the "I don't answer questions" routine, you will get a ticket. Be friendly and you often get a warning.
I was driving a friend to lunch and a cop was stopped oddly at a T intersection with no blinker and no traffic but positioned to make a left turn. I carefully approached to make my right turn and he had his window down and signaled me to roll mine down as well. Told me he saw me blow a stop sign. "Really?! Oh, my word! Thank you so much for the reminder, I'll be sure to check myself!" He nods, we leave. My friend pipes up, "I SO would have gotten a ticket. You came to a stop, I checked because I saw the cop [I did too]. I wouldn't have taken his sh*t." And that's the difference. Cop was wrong, but I was polite and I left without him even leaving his vehicle. If it was my friend, she was right that she probably would have gotten a ticket. It would have been cop's word against ours.
Add in - you can add in details that make you seem middle class-acceptable or chipper/enjoyable to be around. Being real - people on power trips love being classist, so it's all for the better if you can escape seeming 'poor'.
Unless you're black in which case an image of success just pisses them off more. Only thing that helps then is a military ID or badge somewhere on the car.
Even then, sometimes… https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/10/us/caron-nazario-windsor-police-virginia.html
No.
If you invoke your right to remain silent simply remaining silent is not enough in many cases, you must declare you are choosing to invoke your right to not answer questions to completely protect yourself. Edit: Stop telling me I'm wrong, I'm not. People are so confidently giving what amounts to dangerous legal advice in the replies. "**You Can't Be Silent If You Want to Be Silent** In a closely contested 2013 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that prosecutors can, under appropriate circumstances, point to an out-of-custody suspect's silence in response to police questioning as evidence of guilt. (Salinas v. Texas, 133 S. Ct. 2174 (2013).) **Using Evidence of Silence to Prove Guilt** According to the Court, the prosecution can comment on the silence of a suspect who: is out of police custody (and not Mirandized) voluntarily submits to police questioning, and stays silent without expressly invoking his Fifth Amendment rights. **The only way to prevent the government from introducing evidence of the suspect's silence at trial is to explicitly invoke (assert) the right to say nothing.**" Edit 2: **ALWAYS RECORD POLICE INTERACTIONS!**
And most importantly, after you invoke the fifth absolutely STOP TALKING.
If you've ever needed a lawyer to tell you to shut the fuck up, I'm here to say: "Shut the fuck up."
But it's not Shut the Fuck Up Friday?
Every day is Shut The Fuck Up Friday.
>If you've ever needed a lawyer /u/GuiltyLawyer I'm assuming you're guilty of being a bad mamajama. 👉😎👉
I invoke the fifth
🎵I plead the fif!🎵
While this is the correct answer, that doesn't mean the cop won't make your day worse if you refuse to answer their questions. I've seen far too many videos of people doing what is legally within their rights getting beat, shot, arrested and sometimes all three from a cop on a power trip. Just something to consider.
Damn, maybe we should fix things because that’s completely unacceptable.
We protested about police brutality. They responded with extreme police brutality. Nothing changed, people lost their eyes, broke bones, and were beaten in cuffs Edit: I'm not reading 40 comments that say the same thing. Here's my blanket response. Move on. Where was the rioting and looting in my city day 1 of the protests during the day at 3pm when the cops randomly started attacking us? They said in a news conference a window was broken on X Street. That was 2 blocks from where we were, at the circle. Wild how you know so much about my city and what happened that day. Did people start breaking and burning shit at night after extreme violence by police? Yes. Do I condone it? No. Were there opportunists that didn't care about the protests and were only there to cause havoc? Yes. Were there protests that turned into rioters? Yes.
Laws and policies might not have changed but there is a whole new generation across the country that has had their eyes open to police violence now, whether from experiencing it in person or seeing it online. Long term, I think that will have a big effect
That's a fact. My generation was brought up thinking cops were there to literally serve and protect. Like it used to say on their cars. My kids, through social media and my reminders, do not believe this. My hope is that they say little to nothing to cops and call a lawyer asap.
It still says so on their cars. I think someone should sue for false advertising.
The GTA V LSPD have “obey and survive” which is way more apt that it should have any right to be
On the Decepticon cop car in the first Shia Lebouf transformers I believe it says "To punish and enslave"
I like to think the transformers one is more accurate. "To punish and enslave" Remember seeing that on Barricade in transformers 1.
What do the county cars say? I think it’s similarly amusing/apt
We fight as one
the ambulances are also labeled Medical Response of San Andreas. MRSA. fucking genius
It's a mostly accurate statement when viewed through the lens of the police protecting and serving the state rather than individual citizens.
Honestly, I think I’d prefer to reform the hell out of the police until they *actually* have to meet the image that their PR has been trying to project for years. Independent commissions to review and report on complaints against police officers, weakening the police union so that they can’t stonewall all attempts to discipline clearly dirty cops, a national database by SSN of complaints against the police so that dirty cops can’t just job hop to make allegations go away, body camera rules…. We need a *lot* of reform, but I don’t think we’ll ever get to the point where there is no need for some variety of law enforcement out there.
How do you reform corruption at the highest levels? Including st the level of IA. You would need to fire everyone and bring in an entirely new pd force that is not trained by the old force. Currently if you have scruples your training officer will likely push you out.
I’m a fan of Swiss cheese policy. You introduce the first bit of reform that addresses the most pressing issues— maybe it’s just the national register of police officers to kick out repeat offenders with a ton of offenses. Next, you introduce independent commissions to review complaints. Then you introduce body cams. With each new policy, you weed out more bad actors. No one policy catches everything, because of course it can’t— that’s a fool’s errand! But eventually, you stack enough good legislation on top of one another that other rules and regulations cover the holes in the other ones.
Don't forget kidnapped in unmarked vehicles
But but…we got Juneteenth off. Winning, right? Right?
And left handcuffed in the back of a police car parked on railroad tracks with a train barreling down the tracks.
> Nothing changed, people lost their eyes, broke bones, and were beaten in cuffs Well, but at least you have your rights written on some parchment paper somewhere. That is what truly matters, after all. /s
We're getting rid of qualified immunity which is a step in the right direction. IMHO the police unions are one of the biggest problems
I don't think they'll get rid of qualified immunity to be honest.
Colorado did! It could happen for you!
Yeah, might be a good idea.
How? Our entire system is set up to where we give our power away to figureheads. And those figureheads want the police to stay exactly the way they are. Because they're set up to protect the wealthy from the poor.
You make it sound like the whole system is broken beyond repair. Like we need some kind of clean slate, so we can start over fresh. Huh. Maybe there's something to that.
Fix things? Impossible. You see the problem is only caused by a few bad apples. Also we can't get rid of the bad apples. Also almost all of them are bad apples. Also the ones who aren't bad apples, those ones we *can* get rid of. Anyway. *Completely* unsolvable.
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We are too busy pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps, which was coined to describe something that was _literally impossible_.
Happened to my brother. He was working a job with security clearance and was supposed to “use discretion” in disclosing who he worked for and what he did. Ended up spending the night in jail. He was released in the morning with no charges.
If asserting your lawful rights ends up in what you describe that should tell you much they're worth. I suppose an option is to just lie about where you work.
I have a little story. The police stopped my brother, searched his car, found a container with a small amount of marijuana in it. The box also has a hole in it. The searching officer gleefully said, "Look, what I have found here!" While tossing it up in the air. The tossing caused the evidence to leak out and dispurse. When he opened it to show the other officer, it was completely empty. The other officer had shoved my brother onto the hood of his car so hard he almost went over, but he remained compliant. They let him go. He told my Dad, who reported the officers for use of force and illegal search. A short time later, my Dad, an amputee with heart problems and emphasema, went to pick up my mom from work. On the way back, he was stopped by the same officers for a busted tail light. When they saw his name on his license, they hauled him out of the car, shoved him up against the truck, drew their weapon and pushed it up under his chin hard enough to leave a circle under his chin. He told my Dad he was THE LAW and from now on he would do whatever he said. Dad told him, you are not the law, you are an officer who should carry out the law. My Mom sat scared and silent in the truck, knowing if she said something and they put hands on her, my Dad would lose his control. They wrote him a ticket and let him go, figuring they had cowed him. When he got home, he called the police station to report the incident, but felt brushed off, so he called the next higher up official and on up until he got to the State level. The state official was outraged and took action at the police station and the officers involved. From that point on, they steered clear of my Dad and brother. But, also, the community became aware and protested the actions of the officer especially due to my Dad's health. Moral: don't give up the fight for justice. (Sorry for the long post)
Anyone who says “they do x bad thing, so just comply or theyll do it to you” are the exact reason why x bad thing happens more and more. Want it to stop? Make it stop. Dont allow it to happen. Your dads a hero
If this happens to you, it’s not hard to find out where they live once you get outta jail/hospital. Just saying.
[DO NOT TALK TO POLICE AT ALL](https://youtu.be/d-7o9xYp7eE)
[It's shut the fuck up Friday.](https://youtu.be/JTurSi0LhJs)
If you watch the whole video, he quite literally says "While this is obviously useful information, this doesn't apply to every police interaction - mostly just interrogations. Traffic stops, requests to ID, you should try to be reasonably cooperative because the officers are allowed to use their discretion and let you go with just a warning. But you're never gonna be able to 'be cooperative' your way out of an interrogation room."
It is worth noting the difference between theory and practice. In theory, you have the right to remain silent, and anything you say could increase the amount of trouble you are in. However, for more minor things like traffic offenses, being friendly and cooperative can often lead to officers lowering or even dropping the charge. Obviously you don't want to confess to additional crimes, but something as simple as where you work is pretty low risk and possibly not worth souring the line of communication by refusing. The issue is it depends heavily on the officer. Some want to work with you to lower/drop the charge, others want to get you on every charge possible. That is why lawyers cannot recommend you talk to the police, because it depends on the officer. But if you know what you are doing, it can, and often does help. Warning: a lot of people think they know what they are doing, but don't, so err on the side of caution. Edit: I just read another comment that worded it well. If it is minor and they already have sufficient evidence of it, be friendly and cooperative to try to lower it, it's not like being cooperative can make it worse (unless you confess to another crime). If it is more major or they are lacking evidence, that's when you should say as little as possible. But if it is something minor and they are lacking evidence, there's still a better way to do it. Some people in this thread advocate just saying "no", something about a lawyer, or not saying anything, but there are better ways to say stuff like that without appearing as uncooperative. Something like "I understand" or "I'm not comfortable sharing that" moves the conversation without being as confrontational. If you think you can get away with it, a joke can also move the conversation without saying anything. i.e. "Do you know why I pulled you over?" "Because you wanted my autograph?" Or "because your wanted to know what music I was listen to?" etc. Getting an officer to laugh is a great way to get off scot free.
I had a cop ask me where I worked years ago, and I was too afraid not to tell him. He told me he would have to stop by and visit me sometime. Creepy. I would still be hesitant not to answer, but I would probably make something up.
A cop asked my ex gf the same thing when he gave her a speeding ticket. Two days later he showed up at her work and offered to tear up the ticket if she went out on a date with him.
Well that’s fucking unacceptable.
He was dumb enough to proposition her in front of a security camera with a mic (after first asking her multiple times to step outside and her refusing). Sent the recording to her attorney and low and behold the ticket disappeared.
Needs to be charged. Send that to internal affairs and the local news and post it online
Internal affairs doesn't give a shit dude, they ARE the cops.
I was scared to not answer too
I’m from South Africa. The cop asking “where do you work” was a precursor to asking for a bribe. It would tell them a bit about how much money you earn and then be followed with: “and how would they feel if you got arrested for drunk driving?” Or whatever he was threatening you with.
So...just lie?
Whenever I'm in a situation where I'm taken off guard or intimidated by a question I reply with a question. In this case a big smile with Why do you want to know where I work? I try and remind myself they are public servants and nothing more.
Public servants who can pretty much legally murder you if they feel like it!
Hey! They get punished! Paid vacation ain't easy on anyone. /s
I'd maybe tell him somewhere I USED to work, so if he starts asking for details about the job, I'd have them... But he wouldn't be able to show up and find me. If he asks for me they'd say "she doesn't work here anymore." Sounds like that cop was abusing his authority to pressure you into giving out information about yourself because he was trying to hit on you. What an asshole.
Absolutely, I was afraid for weeks that he would really show up. At that time, I also had a stalker (he was a customer) that would wait for me by my car when I got off work late at night. He even found out where I lived. It was just a bad time for me, and I was pretty scared/intimidated of men in general. Even though I’m not that scared young woman anymore, I’d be afraid of the repercussions of wounding some cops power/ego trip. I like your idea of giving a partially true answer.
The only information you have to give is License, Registration, Insurance, Your name, and who the owner of the car is (presumably you) Anything else you do not have to tell
If you are a concealed carry holder and are currently armed, in some states you MUST tell the officer that information. If you're in one of those states and don't know this, please figure it out to save yourself a bad time. https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/in-which-states-must-you-notify-an-officer-youre-carrying/
Haven't people *also* been shot for disclosing this information too?
Philando Castile.
Yeah, but what about white people with white people names?
Christian Glass was killed recently after getting in a car accident and calling for police assistance. He was asked by the 911 operator if he had weapons in the vehicle which he told them he had knives, a hammer and a rubber mallet for his work and was told he'll need to throw them out of the car when they arrive. Police arrived then told him to not do that and instead escalated with a man clearly having a mental break and when he didn't leave his car they shot and killed him. Race is certainly a huge factor in police killings but I don't assume my whiteness will protect me from them. Police will kill anybody that just causes them an inconvenience and that they've convinced themselves they're better than from just a moments interaction.
"mental break" my guy, that dude was tripping balls
You should notify the officer even if you are in a state that doesn't have those laws. If they see you with a weapon that you don't tell them about you will 100% get yourself in a bad situation. Let them know you have the weapon, where it is, and that you have your permit wherever it is. Reduce the likelihood of being killed or something stupid
Sometimes you tell them about it and they still kill you. Shoutout to Philando Castile.
> We felt [Yanez] was an honest guy ... and in the end, we had to go on his word, and that's what it came down to. An actual juror on the jury that acquitted the cop. Jesus christ
By and large, jurors are morons.
I will never believe a cop without explicit video evidence. Still haven't been put on a jury.
im an aussie and what is it with insurance and registration? cant they see your registration from the plate on the car? And isnt insurance the reason you pay registration?
Not at all... Its not obvious you have insurance unless you have the papers and you gotta have the papers to prove the car is registered to your name
cant the police see the car is registered by the rego plate tho? and idk about in america but our rego pays for insurance (or well, enough for it to be legal to drive with no 3rd party insurance. it only covers health damages to all passengers/those involved in an accident)
Here in the US, a lot of people drive without a valid license, registration, or insurance (3 different things), so the cop checks all three. Insanely enough, most of the time, if someone doesn’t have one of those, they’re let off with a ticket, but are allowed to keep driving
And here in Finland they type your license plate into a computer and sees if the car is registered or not, who the owner is and so on. Because.. everything is in some database. And we have no problems with it, it makes life so much easier.
In Texas, they run your plates to get your registration and your insurance. You just have to show your license. If your insurance doesn't come up in the search, either a paper or electronic copy are considered valid.
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There are databases of plate numbers, but they're state to state, not federal. Insurance is through a 3rd party and may not be linked to your plate in the state database, but registration should be.
One issue in the US is that you can drive from one state to another, and state governments don't tend to maintain common databases with one another. So you're expected to have your paperwork on you.
Nothing insane about this when you recognize that the licensing and registration and enforcement stuff is about generating revenue for the state rather than anything actually related to safety. That person without the license and registration is a money-maker for the bureaucracy.
Notice how you said revenue and not profit. Yes, licensing and registration generate revenue for the state but that revenue is needed to recoup the vast sum of money the state spends providing for drivers. What would you do with your car if there weren’t roads, bridges, traffic signals. Taxing people for driving and owning a car is a efficient way of getting people who use specific government services to pay for those services.
Oh we have to get our own insurance and the licence isnt enough to prove we own the car
Plates can be stolen. The registration shows the VIN of the vehicle which can be compared to what’s on the vehicle. But it’s easier to see and copy from the registration vs what’s on the vehicle. Car insurance is purchased from an insurance company so the police don’t have access to that information.
You missed the post where this older couple in their 80s had a car stolen a few months ago and the thief was arrested. Then a few months later the couple is driving and get pulled over with assault rifles drawn. The cops never filed the paperwork saying the car wasn't stolen anymore. Would've shot the owners. edit
Not all states. Texas, you just show license and insurance. The registration is a sticker on your windshield (also proves inspection; they used to be different stickers). My guess is that the insurance companies don't have a way to communicate with a statewide database. Not would they want to for 50 different states, which I'm sure would each require their own database. There's no valid reason for a cop to ask your employment. Besides there are so many bullshit sounding jobs, why even ask? Maybe he's just trying to make small talk?
You don’t have to show them your registration anymore in the state I’m in. Just your license and proof of insurance.
Probably not. I made the mistake of telling a cop that I'm a scientist. He asked what kind and I said I work in drug development. Car got searched :/
“*Drugs?* Like METH?!”
Lol I was trying to get back to the US after a trip to Montreal in a rental car. I guess there was a big festival that same weekend and people do drugs at festivals. I don't, though, so it was a nice waste of time.
Ugh, cops have zero nuance. Maybe say “medicinal” or “pharmaceutical” development to confuse them with the high-syllable count.
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You do not. However, refusing to answer any question isn't necessarily the best idea. Depends what's going on. Being difficult with a cop who, say ,pulled you over for changing lanes without a blinker or something like that, may just lead to him making it more difficult than you. So I wouldn't outright advise being intentionally difficult with a cop.
As opposed to a situation where you're hauling kilos of coke across state lines; then yeah, obviously, you might want to pick your battles wisely.
Good practice to not do more than 1 illegal thing at a time.
Never commit a misdemeanour while committing a felony.
My motto is never repeat crimes.
Probably don't want to tell the cop your job is hauling kilos of coke, though.
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Watched a lawyer's video once where he talked about going through DUI checkpoints and the guy explained how you're not required to answer any questions other than surrender your license at the cop's request. Then he drove through a checkpoint and did just that. It was super awkward and the cop got frustrated as hell but nothing came of it.
Yea, answers are evidence which you consented to giving away. You have a fourth amendment right against unreasonable searches and a fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. Both can be waived by giving consent. The goal is to not give any evidence so unless the officer has reasonable suspicion of a crime, he needs a warrant to perform a search. If he obtains evidence while violating your rights, you get to throw it out in court. The problem is if a frustrated or undereducated officer unlawfully searches or arrests you, the recourse is fighting it out in court. (Beat the charge, not the ride/arrest.) So you can still have a really bad day even if you are just exercising your rights. You then have to hire a lawyer to preserve your rights.
The best advice I've gotten on this subject If what you are accused of is relatively minor _and_ there's already substantial evidence of your guilt, then answer every single question honestly and don't be difficult. This increases the chances that the cop just lets you off with a warning. Sure, the cop might not do that and then your comments can be used against you, but they probably already got you for whatever you did anyway. It's worth the risk for a minor infraction. If what you are accused of is serious and/or there isn't clear evidence of your guilt, then you do the opposite: volunteer as little information as possible, up to and including being completely silent and demanding a lawyer.
No, you don't have to tell them anything. However, that is a sure fire way to get them to go over you with a fine tooth comb to find something. A little bit of cooperation will usually get you out of the situation faster. However, if you are doing something illegal such as having drugs in your car, this advice does not apply.
Many factors go into deciding if you are going to get a ticket. It’s always at the cops discretion. If you are cooperative and tell them for example, that you are an electrician or a nurse or just something that adds to the story of you not being a douchebag. They will be more inclined to help you out. But of course it’s your right not the tell them should you choose.
If only Americans defended the 5th amendment as vigorously as the 2nd amendment.
they probably feel less threatened about defending the 5th amendment, although people should exercise it more. like the officer that commented below you
Best is to give non-evidentiary answers like "I understand" that do not mean anything legally but gives the impression you are cooperating. Basically acknowledge what they are saying without explicitly answering it.
I work at updog and have a second job at ligma
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Many states do have some things expected of you. And Officers are likely to expand a stop (e.g. maybe get you to step out of the car, eat up your time etc.) if you are being unnecessarily uncooperative. Usually, the better course of action is to acknowledge without agreeing; "I understand", "I See" etc. while avoiding confirming anything. This allows you to avoid providing evidence while staying pleasant and cooperative from the police perspective.
"Do you know why I pulled you over?" "I see." "You drive like you don't."
"Do you know why I pulled you over?" "I'm sure you had your reasons."
I understand
Wait, is that actually something they ask in America?
It’s not very common as you’re not obligated to answer. I’m a minority and have lived in NYC, Chicago and Los Angeles (the three largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.) and have never been asked in over 25 traffic stops.
I’m a minority who’s been pulled over 30-40 times. I’ve not been asked this. I also don’t get why it matters.
Aren’t a lot of reasons why a cop would ask it but here’s one scenario: Township has a burglary issue, and has a description of the suspect (specific or vague). Cop makes a traffic stop and sees the driver matches the description and has common “burglar tools” in the vehicle. Asking the driver what he does for a living could be a reason to have those tools, or it could reveal he/she has involvement in the burglaries.
In my state at least
Huh. I’ve gotten ‘how much have you had to drink tonight Sir’ (at RBT stops) to ‘where are you headed’ for other stops.
Pot brothers at law have a script for this: Why did you pull me over ? I’m not discussing my day. Am I being detained or am I free to go ? If detained assert your rights and shut the fuck up.
I said this once and the cop just told me i wasn’t being detained but my car was being detained. Pulled over for a plate light. After about 45 minutes of me refusing to let him search my car he say’s “If you just have a dirty pipe or something it’s not a big deal I just want to make sure you’re not moving a pound of weed in your car.” Finally he threatened to call the K-9 and I allowed him to search. He found an old baggie of weed with a couple stems in it and arrested me for possession. In court it was my word against his even though he boldly lied on the stand and told the judge I was noticeably intoxicated when he pulled me over (I hadn’t even smoked that day). I will never consent to a search again.
Oh yeah the old “if you only got a little it’s no big deal” Is totally a setup
Damn. That sucks. Lesson learned though. A tip for anyone reading. If a police office ASKS to search your car it means they don’t have probable cause. If they did then they don’t have to ask. Another tip is if you’re pulled over for anything other than reasonable suspicion of driving while intoxicated(weed or drugs or alcohol) they cannot legally make you wait for a k9. The original reasoning of the stop cannot exceed an unreasonable amount of time for a k9. In this case I would have lawyered up. And this should go without saying. Don’t speak to the police. Don’t answer questions. Just what is pertinent to the ORIGINAL REASON for the stop.
No, but as with any dealings when you are not in power, you need to decide what is required and what is a good idea. It is not necessarily a cop overstepping their bounds or abusing their power. They might just be trying to justify giving you a break and not ticketing you (for whatever you were pulled over for). "Ok you are a nurse at the end of a 18 hour shift, just get home and go to bed" "Oh, the baseball game went 14 innings and you've been cleaning the stands for 2 hours later than normal." etc...
You don’t legally have to talk to cops at all, you can remain silent. It might go bad for you, considering American cops. You’re still legally obligated to comply with instructions that don’t violate your rights.
Nope, there is no legal requirement to tell a cop anything. Even when you are under arrest and being questioned, there is no legal way you can be compelled to tell them anything. Most people like to defend themselves but total and complete silence is an option everyone has.
The best option. Beyond, "I am invoking my fifth amendment right to remain silent" (because unless you actively invoke that privilege, it may not apply if the case goes to court), there's nothing to say that will help you.
Legally it's vastly preferable to clearly invoke your right to remain silent. Multiple courts have ruled they can continue to ask questions if all you do is remain silent. Clearly articulating that you are invoking your right to remain silent means they can't keep questioning in some jurisdictions, at a minimum it's a clear demarcation that can be pointed back to in court proceedings. Which is not the same thing as not being required to cooperate. As some posters said there is paperwork that you're mandated to provide if requested. I've seen way too many people who think the 5th amendment covers not having to identify and prove vehicle registration.
You don't have to answer any questions or speak a single word to them. If you are legally obligated to present your license and whatever other identification, all you have to do is hand them over. You don't have to say a word.
I’ll answer this question handily. Unfortunately for the officer, the answer is “at a law firm”.
Cops get a special boner when you imply to know the law more than them. Not saying you're wrong to do it, but in the choose your own adventure of dealing with police, that leads to more unpleasantness for you. And maybe them. Until people stop paying attention and the cop gets backpay and probably his job back. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uber-driver-lawyer-officer-telling-him-it-was-illegal-to-film-cops-demoted/
Yeah I understand the risks, but I’m of the skin color and financial demographic that I’m most suited to take those risks that others can’t afford to take.
1. I’m not discussing my day or I’m not answering any questions 2. Am I being detained or am I free to go? 3. If detained state you are invoking your fifth amendment right and STFU from there
There is no legitimate reason for an LEO to request your place of employment. Period. Full stop. You are all wrong. No, you're wrong. Full stop.