Never, ever talk to the cops

[ddrew]

This has been discussed a lot, and there are always people that claim saying nothing is best, but in reality this will piss a lot of cops off, and get you into some shit that could have been avoided with some choice lying. Not everyone is a masterful liar though.

Which part of "anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law" do you not get oh great master?

You spin your BS next time you have a run in with them, I'll stick to saying next to nothing, and allowing my attorney to do the talking since that's his area of expertise, not mine.

 

[Pythagllio]

^^^A great example of the fear at work, determined to fuck over TwoOhSix!. Sorry old man, that is exactly wrong. There's no need to be confrontational, or get angry, or say anything other than 'I prefer not to answer any questions' or 'I prefer not to engage in conversation'. Also, here's a set off magic, meaningless words: 'with all due respect'. If you toss that one in it will avert approaching 100% as the cop will perceive it as your paying homage to his authority. The funny thing is I can say 'with all due respect' to the biggest lowlife loser drunken stumblebum.

 

[TwoOhSix!]

I agree that it's a wise thing to do and more people should take note of their right to remain silent, I'm just trying to tell you that there are instances when this could land you in jail, whereas if you would have politely lied, you'd be fine.

Are you really saying that this should be your course of action 100% of the time? A good rule to stick by sure, but there are exceptions to every rule.

 

[BeAn]

duh..........

 

[SmokyMtnToker]

It is NOT our concern is a cop gets pissed off...better pissed off than pissed ON..and thats what can happen when a cop exceeds theirm authority. People who are too weak to tell a cop the facts and remain silent also are too weak to file a complain against the cop or SUE him for violation of rights. It does NOT take a lot of money to file a lawsuit, and just the notice and appreaing will make a cop sweat bullets.

In most cases, the vast majority, the cops will NOT violate your rights openly and egregeously after you let them know your stand. most will leave you alone and go no further. The ones that DO go past the legal point risk losing the case AND getting sued or complained about will have to face your lawyer and his superiors when you win the case and file the proper official complaints and or file a lawsuit for damages for the illegal detantion or arrest.

Cops fear ONLY the force of law being turned back on them...or brute force physically ..and if they think that you are a weak mark they might try and intimidate you. I have NEVER had a cop try and bluster me after I read them the riot act in a polite manner about my rights. I tell them that I do NOT give consent for any searches ..and I will NOT answer any questions. Cops will not stand around wasting their time when they figure out that you are not going to be swayed...and that you are likley someone that will not take illegal actions laying down.

Those who say you should answer the cops questions and try and play the game are WRONG!! Ask any lawyer!! That should settle it: What would a lawwyer say? They ALL say that you should NEVER answer any questions and should NEVER give consent. No matter what. So who will you listen to? Some stoner that thinks that pissing the cops off is somehow a danger to them ...or a lawyer that has to defend the people every day that have answered the cops and end up screwed.

IT NEVER, EVER, EVER pays to talk to the cops...just say the minimum and wait and see what happens...likely you will drive away...if not you are better off having said nothing...so there really is only ONE intelligent choice...true?

 

[Pythagllio]

I agree that it's a wise thing to do and more people should take note of their right to remain silent, I'm just trying to tell you that there are instances when this could land you in jail, whereas if you would have politely lied, you'd be fine.

Are you really saying that this should be your course of action 100% of the time? A good rule to stick by sure, but there are exceptions to every rule.

Yes, I'm saying 100% of the time, never, ever talk to the cops. You are presuming the results based on nothing but what is in your head...or perhaps you have some studies which show that not talking to the cops lands you in jail? I can sure as heck produce the stpries of 10s of thousands of people that not only went to jail for the night, they got convicted based on their statements, used as evidence against them. For example, the story in the OP where the driver handed the cop probable cause to make an arrest by admitting to committing a civil infraction in another state and ended up busted. If you want a plan which guarantees you never going to jail after having interacted with a cop you are going to be waiting a long, long, time.

The cops aren't your friend. They're not trying to have a friendly conversation. They're trying to trick you into whatever they can get out of you. They know that the little voice inside your head insists that 'if you had politely lied, you'll be fine', even though you have no factual basis for such an assertion.

 

[TwoOhSix!]

It is NOT our concern is a cop gets pissed off...better pissed off than pissed ON..and thats what can happen when a cop exceeds theirm authority. People who are too weak to tell a cop the facts and remain silent also are too weak to file a complain against the cop or SUE him for violation of rights. It does NOT take a lot of money to file a lawsuit, and just the notice and appreaing will make a cop sweat bullets.

In most cases, the vast majority, the cops will NOT violate your rights openly and egregeously after you let them know your stand. most will leave you alone and go no further. The ones that DO go past the legal point risk losing the case AND getting sued or complained about will have to face your lawyer and his superiors when you win the case and file the proper official complaints and or file a lawsuit for damages for the illegal detantion or arrest.

Cops fear ONLY the force of law being turned back on them...or brute force physically ..and if they think that you are a weak mark they might try and intimidate you. I have NEVER had a cop try and bluster me after I read them the riot act in a polite manner about my rights. I tell them that I do NOT give consent for any searches ..and I will NOT answer any questions. Cops will not stand around wasting their time when they figure out that you are not going to be swayed...and that you are likley someone that will not take illegal actions laying down.

Those who say you should answer the cops questions and try and play the game are WRONG!! Ask any lawyer!! That should settle it: What would a lawwyer say? They ALL say that you should NEVER answer any questions and should NEVER give consent. No matter what. So who will you listen to? Some stoner that thinks that pissing the cops off is somehow a danger to them ...or a lawyer that has to defend the people every day that have answered the cops and end up screwed.

IT NEVER, EVER, EVER pays to talk to the cops...just say the minimum and wait and see what happens...likely you will drive away...if not you are better off having said nothing...so there really is only ONE intelligent choice...true?

LOL, how can you make such blanket statements? NEVER EVER EVER? I appreciate where you all are coming from, but just as I base my opinions on my own experiences and those of others, you have no factual basis for your statement either. Yes, you can show me the 1000s of retards that opened their mouth about the wrong thing and got popped, how does that prove that it NEVER EVER EVER pays to talk to cops? It doesn't. It's anecdotal evidence.

Please tell me how politely conversing with an officer about his job or the weather is going to land me in jail? Are they going to use the fact that I made a comment about a nice sunny day in court?

I'm just trying to prove a point here. I've read other ICMaggers say they've gotten out of many sketchy situations by just joking around with the cops and getting on their good side. I've done the same.

Now, if they start asking you specific questions that answering them could get you into trouble, by all means, politely reply "With all due respect sir, I can't answer any more questions without a lawyer present" or something to that effect.

Up until that point I fail to see how I'm incriminating myself in any way.

Obviously you never let them search...

 

[TwoOhSix!]

The cops aren't your friend. They're not trying to have a friendly conversation. They're trying to trick you into whatever they can get out of you. They know that the little voice inside your head insists that 'if you had politely lied, you'll be fine', even though you have no factual basis for such an assertion.

Again, you have no factual basis for "Say nothing 100% of the time and it will be ALWAYS be your best course of action".

Most people are very stupid and might get tricked by a cop into saying something incriminating. Those people can STFU. Personally I am able to think before I speak, and I won't be telling anyone "Yeah I smoked yesterday."

 

[masterKahn]

Do NOT drive around with grow equipment in plain sight.
Do NOT admit to smoking weed ever!
DO NOT carry photos of your grow room around with you!!!
DO NOT speed with weed in the car EVER!!!
DO NOT speed with any of the above in your car!!!!
Before transporting anything sensitive check all turn signals, brake lights, and head lights and use all of these when appropriate.
DO NOT have loud music blaring!
EVERYONE in the car MUST wear their seatbelts!
No stickers on your car.
Know every rule of the road and follow them. If you plates are from out of state be on guard, cops love pulling over people from different states. Have a very valid cover story that you know by heart.

"I was visiting my grandmother in California."
"I'm on break from school and wanted to see some sights."
Make sure your cover story is 98% true. Go visit your grandma then your guy, just don't tell the cops about your stop at the guy's house or the sacks in your trunk.

if they want to search say your very busy/tired and want to get on your way. Ask over and over if you are free to go and the second the cop says yes LEAVE.

Cops look for patterns and people who are scared. They just stress people and see what comes out. If you play your role they won't expect you. If your young and in school just be the dumb college kid, very polite and outgoing, be prepared to talk about your studies. Bore them until they go away. If your middle aged act dorky like some soccer mom/dad and complain about liberals. It's all a bluff, cops are looking for scared criminal looking people.

The worst thing is these STUPID people did all this in the worst state for pot smokers/growers in the nation. If you smoked 30 days ago you can get a DUI and they admitted to smoking the day before in Cali where they got some HID lights for lettuce?! Because Florida has such a short growing season you can't grow lettuce outside?!?! I bet you could grow lettuce year round in Florida. Anf they had a paper trail of kilos of pot mailed through the US postal system, that's alot of felony charges all by itself.

 

[SmokyMtnToker]

C'mon now...lets get real. How much conversation with cops is about the weather or the game scores? We are NOt, of course, saying that you cannot be civil with a cop or talk about common issues not related to the law....but in practice your scenario is RARE, if not unheard of. If a cop stops you for some reason, he is NOT likley going to ask about the weather!!

And, whatever questions he asks that SEEM innocuous are intended only to get you to answer even MORE questions. Why do you think most cops say;" Where are you going tonight?". They don't really care where you are going, they want to trip you up, or your passenger, so they can use that as ' reasonable grounds' to proceed further. It is always to give them more of a grip on you.

So, even seemingly innocent remarks can lead to some trouble. For example, if your passenger, who the cops isolated away from you, says that you are going to the store, and you say you are going home, the cops will say that is suspicious and try to get more and more info so they can end up searching you. There is NO SUCH THING as innocent talk to a cop; HE has an agenda, even if you do not.

I am NOT saying to be gruff, or impolite, or agitated....for some reason many people, especially the timid and weak, will relate standing up to a cop to being upset or radical. That is exactly what the pigs want us to believe. All you have to do is politely, calmly,in a measured tone, tell the cop that your attorney has forbidden you from answering ANY questions at all,and he also told you to never give consent. Place it on the LAWYER. Most cops will NOT go beyond the legal bounds when you let them know in this manner that:

A. You have an attorney ( even if not true, he cannot know this)...and

B. You are not going to capitulate, give in, be intimidated or otherwise be coerced into changing your mind.

With these two factors present, and there being no obvious violation, the cops in most all cases will back off rather than bite off a problem they don't want to deal with later in court. They will seek easier prey.

So, NO GOOD can possible come from answering questions by a cop...so why do it? Even if no BAD happens at that moment, that is no reason to play their game. Lack of bad is not the same as good. And good is when the cop drives away, pissed off perhaps, but with you having NOT been searched or having to give up your precious Rights.

I told a cop once that it was insulting to the soldiers fighting overseas to ask people to throw their rights away just so they can make a petty bust. It is UN-Patriotic !!Asking for consent is a slap in the face to any real patriot. If you can get a cop in conversation sometime, away from his job, ask him how he thinks one of the Founding Fathers would react if some cop asked THEM to throw a Constitutional Right away!! The very idea was unthinkable....give up those Rights won with blood and suffering? No way copper!!

No matter what, unless you are a masterful and confident legal scholar, it is best if you NEVER answer ANY questions asked by a cop. Cops ALWAYS have an ulterior motive, even when it seems innocent. the vast majority of people are NOT prepared to determine which questions are really innocent and which are merely leading to more intrusive behavior on the part of the cops. Keep your mouth shut and make the cops obey the law.

 

[Pythagllio]

Again, you have no factual basis for "Say nothing 100% of the time and it will be ALWAYS be your best course of action".

That's called a straw man argument. That's just because I never claimed the above. TwoOhSix! spins this from whole cloth, knocks it down, and claims to have won the argument. Congratulations TwoOhSix!, you've beaten this particular straw man to a pulp.

 

[TwoOhSix!]

Not a straw mans argument, it was simply my position from the beginning, that in SOME albeit more rare instances being friendly to a cop can produce a better end result than refusing to answer any questions. You seem to claim that you should never, (100%) of the time refuse to answer questions.

I have a problem with blanket statements like that. I enjoy debating...however I think we've reached the end of productive discussion, lol.

We have different opinions, obviously. I respect your position and I know many lawyers preach this stuff, I'm sure it works great.

 

[nephilthim]

I could give a fuck about some fat brureaucratic sloppy pig getting upset,and it all depends on your circumstance.if you are driving or are doing something where they could write you a ticket not smart.
never open the door they have no right to force entry and don't know if your home or not,even if they do you need to
excecute a search warrent to legally gain access.
the whole point if you make a statement consent to
a search as you have shown to have done in the past you abrogate your rights as a citizen. so go ahead open the door consent to a search,but blame your own ass when the hammer falls.
when i was 14 I feigned fear and intimidation by two detectives pulling me out of class investigating an alleged crime of my brothers.after looking scared and meek while they went through their schpiel they concluded with;"do you have any comments or statements you would like to make concerning this incident regarding your brother?"
I looked at them meek,scared doe eyed and afraid, responding "yes I have a statement I would like to make"
they responded with a hastened rush to put pens to previously concealed small notebooks,and replied pens ready:"please continue"
smiling my demeanor changed from scared little boy to laughing clown as i said simply smiling," I decline to make a statement at this time thank you."
now as I concluded my statement lausghin g at the vice prinipal and the two detectives I had this biggest grin on my face of course raising my eybrows with a couple winks at those two.
laughing to my self I noticed some time had elapsed,having nothing further to say I went into my pantomime of hands rolling forward in a gesture of yes you have some to further to enlighten me?so about the time I had the jeopardy theme song rolling thru my head while I was mouthing and a 1 and a two.my vice principle stated I could go back to class.
feeling my distrust in authority figures at that moment heightened to a fever pitch I could no longer resist the parting comments:
wow it was really nice meeting you two I hope you had a really pleasent drive coming over here and I hoped you learned a lot from your visit today.as for myself I think I have to go back to class and try and learn something.
so you two have a really nice day o.k.
and as I was called a few years ago: we would like to ask you few questions concerning blah blah blah.to which I responded I have nothing further to say to you do not call me or this number ever again."don't you even want to deny it?"(sound of phone slamming down on reciever)or "can you hold one minute please?"(sound of phone slamming down on reciever)

 

[grobart]

Every fucking time I hear or read about this shit, it pisses me off.

The officers are trained to fuck with people. You are under ABSOLUTELY ZERO obligation to even open your mouth to an officer, if he asks you questions (barring certain exceptions).

This means that if you're walking down the street, minding your business, and a cop stops next to you and starts asking you questions... just keep walking. If they stop and prevent you from moving, either constructively or actually, they have seized you and they are subject to the Fourth Amendment.

The only way to prevent this shit from happening is to not even open your mouth in the first place. And, if you do, just do what I do, pull out your Westlaw Pocket US Constitution and just start reading it outloud.

Back in college, some cops attempted to fuck with me because I was driving a car that costs more than their annual salary. They pulled me over and came to the door. I knew they were fucking with me b/c they were University pigs. I put my window down (which you don't have to do either), grabbed the constitution from my visor and started flipping through it. Pigs saw that, didn't say a word, got in their car, turned off their lights, flipped a bitch and took off in the other direction. I filed a complaint with the Chief of Police and the University Chancellor. Both of those fuckers got written reprimands.

 

[Verite]

Chatty interrogation is a game police play to get you to incriminate yourself into giving them probable cause.

By law you are under no obligation to play this game .. play at your own risk.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

... and what is the deal with being in Cali the day before, that is a long ass drive, and very quickly aproximately.

...that damn thing's turbo charged!
IS MY BABY ALIVE?
She been wango'd to death!

... I concluded it was for not answering that he was the father.

I don't think anybody advocated not identifying yourself. Especially if the cods are already dispatched to a call and specifically it's you they're looking for. [/quote]

Chatty interrogation is a game police play to get you to incriminate yourself into giving them probable cause.

By law you are under no obligation to play this game .. play at your own risk.

So true. It takes a gift to gab and relay just bullshit. If you're one of those folks that loves to jibber, they'll jabber yer ass from experience. I bet one in a thousand can really piss em off good but the rest better play it safe. Listen well and don't answer faster than you can think. Lots of folks will spew a gold nugget in a bag of bull if given the opportunity.

Remember this. A cop will ask the same shit different ways. Even if you're talking bullshit, a contradiction is just that. I mean, if I say I'm a Braves fan and fuck up and talk about my Phillie's, they'll turn the heat up. Inconsistent statements are not your friend. (OK, stupid analogy but the situation still goes.)

 

[Cinderella99]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq28qCklEHc