The Do’s And Don’ts of Interacting With Law Enforcement

An encounter with the police can be scary and confusing. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong, the way you interact with law enforcement could bring down negative consequences on you. This is why, no matter what the nature of the interaction is, you should always obey the following rules for encountering police. Here at the Law Offices of Richard. J. Fuschino Jr., we help individuals navigate the often overwhelming situations of criminal arrests and dealings with law enforcement. Keep reading to learn how to best handle these situations.

Pull Over

If you’re in a vehicle and a police car signals for you to stop, you should immediately pull over. Lower your window as soon as you’re stopped. Make sure you keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times. You should wait patiently for the officer to come to a full stop and approach your window. Never get out of your car. If you get out of your car it’s often interpreted as a sign of aggression or an attempt to run.

Come to A Complete Stop

It’s very important that you come to a full and complete stop. You must put your vehicle in park. If your vehicle begins to roll, or you accelerate at all, it can be interpreted as leaving the scene and fleeing the police. If this happens it can complicate your situation and put you in danger as well as the officers and others on the road.

Keep Hands Visible

If you want a smooth and peaceful interaction with the police, you need to keep your hands visible at all times during the encounter. It’s best to grasp the top of the steering wheel until the officer asks that you retrieve your license and registration. If you need to reach into a glove box, inform the officer of this before making that move.

Be Still and Calm

It’s important that you don’t fidget or start searching for other things in your vehicle while waiting for the officer or speaking to them. This could make them feel threatened and it could negatively escalate the situation. You should also remain calm as much as possible.

Be Honest

If you want to have a smooth and uncomplicated interaction, be honest. If you lie about anything, even something unrelated to the incident, it could affect your credibility, so be honest. Lying about anything can result in a charge of obstruction of justice.

Notify Officer of Weapons

If there are any weapons in the vehicle, inform the officer immediately even if you have a concealed carry permit. 

Use Your 5th Amendment Right

You should use your right to remain silent. If you don’t want to say anything you don’t have to. What you say during the encounter can be used against you, so choose your words wisely or stay quiet. You need a lawyer present before you talk. A criminal defense attorney in Bucks County, PA can help.

Never Resist Arrest

If you are getting arrested, it’s important that you don’t resist physically in any way. Even if you are innocent, you should not physically resist. Once you contact a criminal defense attorney, you’ll be able to tell your side of the story.

If you’re looking for a DUI attorney in Philadelphia or representation for another type of criminal arrest, please contact us at the Law Offices of Richard J. Faschino Jr.