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What To Do If The Police Stop Your Car – Step-by-Step Ways To Protect Yourself! You see patrol car lights behind you – you are being pulled over and you can feel your heart beating and not sure what to do 1. What To Say? a. Basic advice – be ready with your insurance and DL and be nice and cordial with the officer. If you act nice, not irritated, there is a better chance you will be released quickly and escape a ticket or further investigation. b. What if the officer talks rude to you? i. If the officer is raising his voice at you – lower your voice – never match aggression with aggression! ii. Remember – the goal is to end the encounter iii. Being respectful and compliant with basic requests will go a long way. iv. That being said – never waive your rights! c. What if the officer asks you questions? i. Remember – this is the investigative phase of a case and everything you say can and will be used against you and the officer is NOT required to Mirandize you before asking you questions 1. Miranda – only kicks in if you are in custody and being interrogated ii. Basic questions are fine to answer iii. Beware direct questions demanding a yes or no answer that could be interpreted as you admitting to something. 1. For example – if you admit to drinking, you are likely going to jail or being cited 2. How To Act? a. What if the officer asks you to get out of the car? i. Option 1 – become upset and demand a justification as to why – if you do this, the officer is likely to escalate the encounter and look for any reason to arrest you or cite you. If you complain enough, many officers will claim you are being threatening and arrest you for harassment of a public servant or think you are becoming combative and charge you with resisting arrest/detention. ii. Option 2 – Be respectful and comply with the requirement to get out of the car but respectfully say that you will be happy to answer any questions as long as your attorney is present with you b. What if the officer says you don’t have a right to an attorney right now? i. Tell him you don’t know all of your civil rights, which is why you need to have your attorney present so that your constitutional rights are protected. This is the reasonable stance of any citizen armed with the knowledge they can exercise their constitutional rights – remember – you are on video – let the officer look unreasonable and you look reasonable. 3. What If Officer Asks To Search Your Car? a. Option 1 – Allow the search i. If there is nothing you are concerned about in your vehicle, you can always allow the officer to search your car. ii. Just beware – consent cures all – the moment you consent, the officer will search everything and it can all be twisted and turned and used against you! You DO NOT get extra credit because you consented to a search b. Option 2 – Exercise your right to deny the search i. Officers must have probable cause to execute a search of your vehicle. Just because they don’t like you or they have a “hunch” you are a criminal is not sufficient to execute a warrantless search. ii. If they search your car without your consent and without probable cause, anything they find as a result of that search will be thrown out in court by your lawyer filing a motion to suppress and presenting case law establishing the illegality of the search 4. What If You Are Arrested? a. Most Important – DO NOT RESIST AND DO NOT RUN! Nobody likes the idea of being wrongfully or illegally arrested for something you did not do! However, you will make your situation ten times worse by resisting the officer placing you in handcuffs or running from the scene. b. Ask why you are being arrested but then say nothing else – do not fall into the trap of talking the entire time and believing you can talk the officer out of arresting you. You will look the person who did nothing wrong if you are calm and collected while the officer is jumping to conclusions to arrest you. c. Remember – you are being recorded the entire time both by the body cam of the officer and in the patrol car during your ride – everything you say will be used against you. d. After your arrest, your goal is to be quiet and compliant with booking in and out so that you will be released as soon as possible. e. Then you hire a lawyer to fight! FOR YOUR FREE EBOOK: WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME IN TEXAS CLICK HERE 00:00 What To Do If The Police Stops Your Car In Texas? 00:53 What Should You Say When The Police Stops Your Car? 02:15 What To Do If The Officer Begins To Ask You Questions? 02:45 Miranda Rights 04:22 How To Act When The Police Stops Your Car? 06:26 What To Do If The Officer Asks You To Search Your Car? 08:30 What To Do If The Officer Searches Your Car Without Your Consent? 09:12 What To Do If You're Arrested?
