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Top 10 Things Not To Do If You\’re Arrested

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No one wants to get arrested, but it happens. People get arrested for different reasons. If you get arrested, you do not want to make dumb mistakes that could get you into more trouble or get you hurt.

These include a lot of things, and we\’ve summed up a few of them today. Read our list of the top 10 things that you should never do. Pay attention to the information because if you ever find yourself needing to know it, it will certainly come in useful.

These are the things that you should absolutely not do if or when you are arrested:


1. Don\’t talk.

If you can avoid talking to any authorities, it\’s the way to go. When arrested, you are read your rights (or at least, you should be, mention a lack of a reading to a lawyer). You should be advised that you can remain silent. Take full advantage of that fact.

Don\’t try to speak too much. Don\’t try to prove your case, or tell the officer that you are innocent. (They\’ve likely heard that one before, and they\’re not going to turn around and let you go because you\’ve said that, unfortunately.) Talking is not the priority and you know the line– what you say can be used against you. ANY of what you say.

Everyone protests innocence and that\’s something that happens daily. Once you start talking, you are risking saying something that incriminates you or adds to the situation and makes it worse. Getting testy verbally with the officer or even just asking too many questions for their liking is a mistake. Don\’t open up a conversation. Stay silent and don\’t talk!


2. Don\’t run.

Running is just not the thing that you want to do. You will get caught in the short term, whether it is on foot or by them catching up to you in the cars. They\’ll likely issue a warrant for your arrest and when that gets you brought in, the charges that you will be facing will likely be even higher and serious than they were in the first place.

You could not only face more charges but in a trial case, it may work against you by indicating that you yourself acted as though you were guilty. Also, it increases the odds you may get hurt, whether by falling, running into something, or a cop putting a dog after you, tackling, or drawing a gun or taser.


3. Never resist arrest.

Another thing that you\’ll want to avoid doing– resisting arrest. Don\’t touch the officer. Do what they say. You can\’t fight the situation, but you can fight for your case later. Do not bring the fight to the officer because you will lose.

Do not make physical contact or threaten to, even if you are upset about what is happening. Try to be peaceful and do not resist. Go along willingly and do what you can later– it could be the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony.


4. Do not believe police– they lie.

The police can lie and it is legal. They are allowed to lie if it gets the person they are grilling to finally make their admission. They go through training to lie, using the \’Reid Technique\’. This involves lying about possessing anything from DNA to video tape footage to witnesses. Anything to get the confession. They\’ll separate two people and say to the other that their acquaintance confessed and try to get you to do the same. Assume that everything they say is a lie.


5. No searching.

Don\’t let the police search. They may ask but don\’t have this right to do so. In order to search, they must ask for and get your consent. Say out loud that they do not have your consent to perform a search. If they do it regardless, the evidence can later be potentially thrown out. Allowing them to search also lets them find an item or incriminating evidence you didn\’t even know about but could still get you in worse trouble.


6. Do not look at locations that you don\’t want the police searching.

Police training dictates that they observe you as well as react to what you are doing. They understand you\’re nervous, and they\’ll see if your eyes go to the places that they do not want searched. Look down, saying nothing.


7. Don\’t talk back to the cops.

No matter what the situation is, when you\’re arrested, don\’t talk back to the police. Avoid having an attitude and do not get testy! Don\’t threaten them, as they are the ones that will add on charges and could get you a felony in a case where it would have been a misdemeanor.


8. Do not let the police inside your home and do not exit or step outside.

Police may feel that they are arresting you and may come in because they don\’t require an arrest warrant. But make clear that you are saying they cannot enter, you\’re fine talking where you are, and say that they must have a search warrant if they want to enter your home.


9. If you\’re arrested outside of your residence, don\’t agree to an offer to return home for things.

They may offer this to you. They could say that you might want to get things, wash up or change, speak to a loved one. Once inside, they could start ripping your house apart on a search. Don\’t let them get your vehicle or consent to them being in it either.


10. Do not say anything.

Don\’t convince the police. They\’re not deciding your case. You\’ll be charged by other people. If you have to talk to anyone, talk to an experienced criminal lawyer and save it for your attorney.

Do not do any of these things and always use good judgment! Contact an experienced criminal lawyer to have legal advice if you are arrested, just to be safe. Do not say anything incriminating over a station or jail phone if you are calling a lawyer from there. If not, make a consultation and hear out their advice.

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