What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

[baumy300]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

Yep. And believe me, cops will walk all around your house and do whatever they can to get a peek inside.


One big one I've seen a bunch of people do is letting a cop search your car when you get pulled over. People don't realize you can say no when a cop asks. I guess they think he's just being nice, but it's just like your house, they can't search without probable cause or a warrant.

You do realize that if we really, truly believe you have something in the car that's illegal, and you don't consent to our search, we can say that you're free to go but that we can also impound your car and get a warrant, right?

Our trainers from Chicago do that all the time. Once someone exhibits numerous signs or just acts shady as can be without letting police search their vehicle, they run the risk of having it impounded and searched anyways. Granted this is usually only when we are almost certain that there is something illegal in the car. Surprisingly we are right a lot more times than not.

It is also something that is very uncommon too. This is normally when people get caught in a lie, seem to have a modded interior with a seemingly obvious hidden compartment, etc...

Just clearing that up so people don't think us "bad guys" will impound every car we are not allowed to search.

[Cebby]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

You do realize that if we really, truly believe you have something in the car that's illegal, and you don't consent to our search, we can say that you're free to go but that we can also impound your car and get a warrant, right?

How is that legal at all?

Has there been as SCOTUS case that upheld this?

[totalownership]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

Well, because the goal is either deterrent or rehabilitation , and we have a system which does neither. And in this day and age of background checks, young guys get out of jail (misdemeanants, minor offenses), are branded for life and will either do manual labor or fail their probation 'cause they can't get hired. It's the re-entry aspect of the system where we fail as a society.

BINGO!

[baumy300]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

How is that legal at all?

Has there been as SCOTUS case that upheld this?

I thought so at first as well, but we were told by a few different Chicago PD and I believe St. Louis PD officers that gave a training seminar here that in a case where signs (I won't get into them) are displayed, questionable things in plain view (such as indicators of a hidden compartment on a vehicle) differing stories by the vehicles occupants (if there is more than one obviously) etc... are present we do have the authority to detain the vehicle.

Now, like I said, this is rare and no one I know has ever done it. The reason it is rare is because we have to be practically positive that if we impound this vehicle and get a warrant that we are not just doing it because of a little hunch. We have to have some serious evidence and serious PC from what I understand.(By evidence and PC I mean we have to basically see that the door/center console/radio/etc has been modded and is or was holding something it shouldn't be. And modding like that is illegal in a lot of states to begin with)

I would not personally do this because I am not entirely sure on how it works even after a 2 day seminar, but I do know that other officers have done this in bigger areas and have gotten the warrants as well.

In short - Granted the state laws are different in places other than IL or MO, yes, it is legal from what we have been told.

EDIT: If any officers from some areas where this happens or has happened know what I'm referring to, please elaborate or correct me on any of this if I'm wrong.

[Chaos81]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

You do realize that if we really, truly believe you have something in the car that's illegal, and you don't consent to our search, we can say that you're free to go but that we can also impound your car and get a warrant, right?

It's entirely possible the laws have changed because of 9/11 and everything else that's gone on, but my experience about ten years ago tells me otherwise. Could also be a state law thing, as this happened in Kansas.

Just clearing that up so people don't think us "bad guys" will impound every car we are not allowed to search.

Who said anything about "bad guys"?

[totalownership]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

What else is a lawyer going to tell you?

If your accused of a crime then yes...id seak council, if you feel you are innocent or not.

But i mean this thread suggest no one should talk to them ever.....and we wonder why murders in broad daylight never get solved in some places.....

Naw trust me man we don't need anyone in this thread to suggest not talking to police to have an effect. They did that one pretty much all by themselves.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

I want to say you can't do this. I am fairly certain you need a search/arrest warrant, consent, or exigent circumstances.

If you can see underage drinking, drug use, ect in plain view, then you have the ability to arrest them with probably cause and can obtain a search warrant later, if need be.

Moral of the story, don't do something illegal. If you do, at least have the smarts to do it where no one can see you doing it. A police officer has to be able to see you doing it in plain view, that means through a window, while standing at the front door, being in your backyard, anything.

[55]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

I believe Dislimb posted this in the NFL forum earlier this year. I forget the topic of discussion, but I watched the full video (it's 45 minutes) and it gave some pretty valuable information.

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I've had a few encounters with police in my lifetime, and honestly, I get nervous even if they're really just asking questions and I'm not in any sort of trouble. This video showed me how to be more calm and how to deal with the police. It's amazing how many people don't know their simple rights.

That video can teach most folks nearly everything they need to know to successfully dismiss themselves from police encounters in a very effective fashion. It covers your rights when driving a motor vehicle and getting pulled over, your rights when stopped by the police when you are on foot and your rights when the police knock on the door of your home. It is a 45 minute video that everyone should watch at least once. Knowledge is power!

[Stumbleweed]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

Well, because the goal is either deterrent or rehabilitation , and we have a system which does neither. And in this day and age of background checks, young guys get out of jail (misdemeanants, minor offenses), are branded for life and will either do manual labor or fail their probation 'cause they can't get hired. It's the re-entry aspect of the system where we fail as a society.

Yep, which is why the War on Drugs is such a monumental failure and a crime against the citizens of the world. Beyond the injustice of actually locking people up for behavior that primarily affects themselves and their family/friends, it's creating an entire class of nearly unemployable workers and another class who are destined to be low wage for their entire lives.

Way to help the economy guys... funnel increasing amounts of taxpayer money into the corrupt prison-industrial complex (which has its slimy tentacles all over politicians), waste money on court appeals and holding people in jails/prisons, create a class of workers who can't contribute to the economy in meaningful ways, as well as another (usually related) class who absolutely cannot find work (or are so damaged from being inside the god-awful prison system that they aren't mentally prepared or capable of work) who feel they have little choice other than to fall back into their illegal methods of making money to survive.

Ugh, nothing makes me sicker than that. Ruining people's lives over behavior that affects no one but them and their close circle. The worst is when they get people who grow weed (for example) for personal use, but the large amount gets them charged with "distribution"... such a travesty. That should never happen unless there's proof of selling drugs to someone else.. so ridiculous.

Anyway, great post.

[55]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

Yep, which is why the War on Drugs is such a monumental failure and a crime against the citizens of the world. Beyond the injustice of actually locking people up for behavior that primarily affects themselves and their family/friends, it's creating an entire class of nearly unemployable workers and another class who are destined to be low wage for their entire lives.

Way to help the economy guys... funnel increasing amounts of taxpayer money into the corrupt prison-industrial complex (which has its slimy tentacles all over politicians), waste money on court appeals and holding people in jails/prisons, create a class of workers who can't contribute to the economy in meaningful ways, as well as another (usually related) class who absolutely cannot find work (or are so damaged from being inside the god-awful prison system that they aren't mentally prepared or capable of work) who feel they have little choice other than to fall back into their illegal methods of making money to survive.

Ugh, nothing makes me sicker than that. Ruining people's lives over behavior that affects no one but them and their close circle. The worst is when they get people who grow weed (for example) for personal use, but the large amount gets them charged with "distribution"... such a travesty. That should never happen unless there's proof of selling drugs to someone else.. so ridiculous.

Anyway, great post.

That may just be the single greatest post that wasn't about sports that I have ever read on these forums. Kudos to you, my friend.

[Ruffy]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

That may just be the single greatest post that wasn't about sports that I have ever read on these forums. Kudos to you, my friend.

I disagree.

[Whitesox]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

I disagree.

Me too. I love how people think that taking drugs only affects them and their "close circle". What about all the people that are killed by people driving under the influence? Perhaps they were talking the dog for a walk, going to the grocery store, picking up little johnny from soccer practice, or anything else for that matter. What about those peoples' "close circles"?

How about all the people killed by stray bullets during gun fights over drugs? The don't have "close circles" that will be affected?

The officers who lose their lives because of crack and heroin dealers? They have families too. Drugs are bad. Period.

And if a weed dealer is supporting himself by dealing weed, then I doubt he is capable of doing real work anyway, and belongs in a place where he cannot deal to 13 year olds.

[Whitesox]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

If you are going to watch one..make it this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xRG5Z4cZrU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ7DMNTHbvM

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5AjNZgmAGU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8ZpyiCSo-A

Sorry embed is not working. Do you get it yet? If you don't there are thousands of these types of clips on the web.

[mKoz26]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

Me too. I love how people think that taking drugs only affects them and their "close circle". What about all the people that are killed by people driving under the influence? Perhaps they were talking the dog for a walk, going to the grocery store, picking up little johnny from soccer practice, or anything else for that matter. What about those peoples' "close circles"?

How about all the people killed by stray bullets during gun fights over drugs? The don't have "close circles" that will be affected?

The officers who lose their lives because of crack and heroin dealers? They have families too. Drugs are bad. Period.

And if a weed dealer is supporting himself by dealing weed, then I doubt he is capable of doing real work anyway, and belongs in a place where he cannot deal to 13 year olds.

This. 100%. Drugs can effect anyone. Period. Illegal drugs are NEVER good.

And anyone dealing drugs to make a living is a scumbag. That's just about as bad as doing 'hits' for a living. Scum.

[Jukeman]

Re: What Are Some Rights Citizens Have When Dealing With The Law?

Me too. I love how people think that taking drugs only affects them and their "close circle". What about all the people that are killed by people driving under the influence? Perhaps they were talking the dog for a walk, going to the grocery store, picking up little johnny from soccer practice, or anything else for that matter. What about those peoples' "close circles"?

How about all the people killed by stray bullets during gun fights over drugs? The don't have "close circles" that will be affected?

The officers who lose their lives because of crack and heroin dealers? They have families too. Drugs are bad. Period.

And if a weed dealer is supporting himself by dealing weed, then I doubt he is capable of doing real work anyway, and belongs in a place where he cannot deal to 13 year olds.

Its more about money than drugs.....

I know just as many incidents where people where killed(innocent poeple too) because of a fight over woman...

If we had a better system none of this would happen

Do you really think people WANT to sell drugs???