Don't Talk To The Cops

by

Benjamin Styles

People panic when they get into a situation with the police and they do what most people do when they are panicking - they run their mouths. And usually, I’d imagine most of the time, in fact, they get themselves into trouble.

They say something stupid, they contradict themselves by changing their story, or they seem to change their story, and they make everything worse for themselves in the process. They might even do something truly stupid like trying to lie to the police, who are quite well trained in how to spot a lie or to reveal it later after the fact.

Cops are recognized as having greater authority in courts of law, and their word carries more weight than that of a common, everyday citizen. This is necessary because the courts need officers of law who can serve as trustworthy observers who can offer up accounts of events and what they found. Without this, most court cases would stagnate in obscurity as each side struggles to determine what ‘really’ happened during whatever incident triggered the legal action.

But cops aren’t perfect. Some are bad, most aren’t. But even the best officer, with the most Stirling personal virtues, can still arrive on a crime scene, look at the evidence, listen to testimony, and still come to the wrong conclusion. Cops are trained officers of the law but they aren’t superhuman and they aren’t infallible.

This is why we have lawyers.

Lawyers tend to get a bad rap, mostly because they charge so much for their services. But I tend to view them positively. At least, more positively than most people do.

Lawyers are part of the ‘system of checks and balances’ that keeps our society running. The lawyer can perform essential functions for you during a legal incident (quite helpful, especially if you happen to find yourself in handcuffs). They can explain what is going on, give you a list of your options, and recommend which course(s) of action is best for you.

But I notice a lot of people try to forego all of this by talking to the police. I suspect most of the time they think they can just ‘talk their way out of it.’

If you find yourself in a situation with police, even a minor one even, and there is even the hint of legal trouble later on. Ask for a lawyer.

Unless you hold vital information that could lead to the liberation of someone who is believed to be in pending mortal danger, anything else should warrant you asking for a lawyer. Do not speak to police, especially at length, without legal counsel.

This should never be interpreted as an insult to the police. They have their powers and authority in society. Citizens have their lawyers. Lawyers exist for a reason and their vocation is meant to be used.

The birth of the Internet has spawned several new ways to get in touch with lawyers or to further educate yourself on what your legal options are. Avvo.com is a great place where you can post questions, get offers from legal teams, and read the answers to similar questions from other people.

You can also look up websites that quick-list your rights as a citizen and help to explain the basic laws within your own state or country.

Use them.

Don’t be stupid. Don’t wait for trouble to arise before you tackle the question of what exactly your rights and legal options are.

And for the love of God, don’t flap your jawbone mindlessly!