Recently, there has been a lot of tension because of recent events with police officers and people of color. Being a person of color, I understand the fear and anger that lives among the black community as a result of both recent and historical events that have resulted in the unlawful killings of people of color at the hands of law enforcement. I believe that one of the most powerful things on this earth is knowledge. Therefore, I would like to use my platform to provide information on how to navigate encounters with the police in hopes of saving a life.
All of the information provided below was found on the ACLU national website and the South Carolina ACLU website. ACLU stands for American Civil Liberties Union.
If you are stopped by the police on foot
-If you are stopped by the police on foot, you have the right to remain silent and inform the officer that you wish to do so.
-Stay calm and remember not to run. Do not resist arrest and do not argue with the police.
-If the police ask to search you, you do not have to consent to a search of yourself or any of your belongings.
If you are stopped in your car
-If you are stopped in your car, pull over to a place that is safe and public. Be sure to turn the car off, let your window down, and place your hands on the steering wheel.
-When asked, show the officer your license and proof of registration, and insurance.
-If the officer asks to search your car, you may refuse but they can search against your will if they believe there is evidence of a crime.
-Both the driver and the passenger have the right to remain silent and the passenger may ask if they can leave.
If the police come to your home
-You do not have to let them in if they do not have a warrant.
-Remember to ask the officer(s) to show you the warrant because they can only search for items listed on the warrant.
-If the police have an arrest warrant, they can enter the home of the person listed on the warrant if the believe the person of interest is inside.
If you are arrested
-Do not resist
-Say that you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer.
-If you cannot afford a lawyer, you have a right to receive a free lawyer.
-You have a right to refuse to say anything or sign anything without the prescence of your lawyer.
-You have a right to make a local phone call. If you call your lawyer, the police cannot listen to your conversation.
What to do if you are witnessing police abuse/brutality
-Stand at a safe distance and use your phone to record what is happening. Remember that you have the right to record events that are happening in public places.
-Police offers do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy when performing their job but the civilians they are interacting with do have privacy rights. Be sure to notify the civilians that you are recording.
-Without a warrant, police officers cannot demand to view pictures from your phone.
-Police are not allowed to delete videos or photos from your phone under any circumstances.
-Be reminded that taking photos and videos is your right under the First Amendment.
-Even if you are able to record the incident, be sure to write down everything you remember including the officer's badge number, name, the agency the officers work for, the patrol car numbers, and any use of weapons.
Donate to the ACLU : https://action.aclu.org/give/now?ms_aff=NAT&initms_aff=NAT&ms=web_horiz_nav_hp&initms=web_horiz_nav_hp&ms_chan=web&initms_chan=web
Reference Links: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/stopped-by-police/#ive-been-arrested-by-the-police and https://www.aclusc.org/en/know-your-rights/what-do-if-you-are-stopped-police
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