# Dealing With Cops in the Real World



## Dameon (Aug 22, 2010)

There's lots of stuff out there about dealing with the police, but it all seems to be from the "knowing your rights" standpoint. That's well and good for most people, but frankly, I haven't found it very useful. For those of us that live in the real world, here's some important stuff to know about dealing with cops while on the road:

1) Know Your Rights
Know that you have none. That cop can violate every right you have and either find a legal loophole, or just rely on the fact that you can't afford a lawyer while he will be provided one by his union if it comes to a court confrontation. It's all well and good knowing that you don't have to show your ID unless you're breaking the law. The reality is that the cop can take you to jail for absolutely nothing, and while you're there you can acquire some mysterious injuries and your gear can vanish.

2) Know the Law
Know that the law doesn't matter. If that cop is inclined to, he can and will write you a ticket for anything. What's it cost him? He gets paid to go to court and testify that you did something you didn't do, and who is the judge going to believe? You don't have to be doing anything to get a ticket for something, and police WILL write you a ticket for something you didn't do. I've had it happen many times. I've had copies of the laws that cops say I'm breaking, and had police refuse to read them or flat out tell me they don't care. The law does not protect you, it protects rich people.

3) Know the Police Mentality
Most police are bullies. Decent cops generally see how corrupt their fellow officers are and quit being police (I've run into several ex-cops who told me that was why they quit). You are not dealing with a rational person most of the time you're dealing with a cop, you're dealing with a bully who sees somebody that can't legally defend himself and wants to flex their giant ego. The more you fight, the more they're going to enjoy it, because they know they will win, and in their mind fighting them justifies more extreme measures on their side. I've rarely been able to rationally discuss a situation with a cop, because they rarely are interested in thinking rationally.

4) You Are Dangerous
Police see every person they deal with as a dangerous individual that might go psychotic and attack them at any moment. Keep your hands away from your pockets if you don't want to get beat, tazed, or shot. If a cop asks if you have a knife, for god's sake, do NOT reach for it to show it to him even though that's the natural response. Say yes, and tell them where it is. Ask before putting your hands in your pocket for anything, and tell them what you're getting out of your pocket. "My ID's in my wallet in my back pocket. Want me to get it?" Remember, some cops are just looking for an excuse to be able to say in court that they shot you because they thought you were reaching for a weapon.

5) Give Them Your ID
Because they're just going to come up with some bullshit law you're breaking anyway, and haul you off to jail if you don't just show your ID and get it over with. It's worth it to put up a bit of resistance if you've got warrants or something, but most of the time, it's just not worth it. It'll make them feel better to find out you're not a wanted criminal (actually, it'd probably make them feel better if you were a wanted criminal). Really, they just mostly want an excuse to run your ID anyway, and if you put up a fight over it, it just pisses them off.

6) Watch Your Mouth
Seriously, you're just pissing them off and making them more likely to write you a ticket. Your ego might feel better for telling a cop off, but I'd rather let my ego take a hit than go to jail. Talking shit to cops is fun, but is most likely to wind up in jail time, and possibly some "accidental" or "preexisting" injuries.


This may seem like a defeatist attitude, but frankly, when you're dealing with cops, you're almost never going to win. Rights and laws are for people who can afford lawyers. If a cop wrongfully arrests you, it does not hurt them in any way. If a cop beats the shit out of you, they might get suspended for a day or two (a cop caught on video in Denver beating the shit out of a guy for no reason got a whole 3 day suspension). If they shoot you, they might get a medal.


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## Dirty Rig (Aug 22, 2010)

thanks for posting this, dameon. i feel like ive been trying to articulate that for years.


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## liz79 (Aug 22, 2010)

this will probly help out a lot of people, ive been caught in drug houses twice and almost got tickets for them, but when you cooperate they actually kinda just let it go unless its really serious


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## Diagaro (Aug 22, 2010)

Yea. This is all true. Over and over again I'll get fucked with and when in the company of others they either do something that I need to get on them for (backtalking or fiddling with stuff in the car, there pack or pockets and i tell them to shut the fuck up or do nothing) or after the police leave they wanna say I bitched down. But its like you say they can and will do whatever they want and there is nothing you can do about it. the less of a neusance you are wile they are around the better off you are - and never, NEVER be afraid to go to jail its nothing - unless you have a job and house and financial responsibilitys that will unravvel wile you are on vacation. ME? I have nothing that they can take from me, I just don't like hastled.

Oh and if your in a car remember to keep your hands on the steering wheel if your the driver roll your window down turn on your dome light (if your window dosent work your already a criminal cause you have an improper working car) tell your passengers to remain quiet adn do not touch anything or move at all and speak only when spoken to chances are if everybody playes there part proper and your car dont look like a hoopty you will drive away without getting the car searched - i have circumnavigated searches with pounds and pounds of bud in my car, drunk as hell with underagers as passengers AND WITH NO DRIVERS LICENCE OR INSURANCE SEVERAL TIMES!!! this is tried and true standards for dealing with cops.


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## Dial (Sep 6, 2010)

Always keep a box of doughnuts in case you need to bribe a cop


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## Beegod Santana (Sep 6, 2010)

This is one of the best posts I've ever read on dealing with cops. Once in my life the whole "no, I don't consent to a search," deal worked, and I considered it the grace of some god I'm pretty sure doesn't exist.


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## Pheonix (Sep 7, 2010)

k-9 police know they can get their dogs to give a false alert with a simple "get it" or "find it" command and that will give them the probable cause they need to search the car. this is almost always caught on tape from the cruiser parked behind the car so if you can find an ex-cop to be an expert witness and point out the diliberate false alert in court you have a chance of getting all evidence found in the search thrown out in court.

but remember the cops don't care if you get convicted or not thats not their job. their job is to arrest you the DA has to worry about convicting you. so don't bother telling the cops the law cause thats not their concern.

and once you've been arrested shut your mouth, don't let yourself be interigated without a lawyer present. most people incriminate themselves because they don't know when to shut the fuck up and ask for a lawyer.

remember the goal is to avoid the conviction in court not the arrest. jail is much better than prison.


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## madewithpaint (Sep 7, 2010)

all too true.


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## Beegod Santana (Sep 7, 2010)

pheonix said:


> k-9 police know they can get their dogs to give a false alert with a simple "get it" or "find it" command and that will give them the probable cause they need to search the car. this is almost always caught on tape from the cruiser parked behind the car so if you can find an ex-cop to be an expert witness and point out the diliberate false alert in court you have a chance of getting all evidence found in the search thrown out in court..


 
Last time I had to deal with this type of situation was in Tennessee 5 yrs ago and the going rate to get an expert witness to point out a false alert was $8000. Needless to say my friend and I couldn't find that type of cash and where fined and incarcerated. Thankfully I was the one who got the fine and my friend didn't serve very long, could've been ALOT worse though.


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## wokofshame (Sep 7, 2010)

Not consenting to searches has worked many a time for me. Never ever consent to a search. If they search you without consent even a shitty half-drunk pretender (public defender) can get the evidence they collected thrown out in court on the grounds of illegal search.


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## Pheonix (Sep 7, 2010)

I feel sorry for the people that are so intimidated by the cops that they let the cops victimize them but get pissed off at the people that are so intimidated that they try to tell other people to let themselves be victimized as well.


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## Beegod Santana (Sep 8, 2010)

MURT said:


> Not consenting to searches has worked many a time for me. Never ever consent to a search. If they search you without consent even a shitty half-drunk pretender (public defender) can get the evidence they collected thrown out in court on the grounds of illegal search.


 
I ALWAYS refuse to consent to a search. Only once has it worked in a scenario where the cops really wanted to search me. I've had arraignments where the police report read had NOTHING to do with what actually happened. It really depends on who's watching, where you are and what you're doing. I've never had my pack searched getting pulled off a train, but hitching on tour I've had it happen more times than I can count. These days I'm pretty good at dealing with the cops and they mostly leave me alone. Even so, just a month ago I was pulled over by a cop for no reason, told that my car looked suspicous (ie I was living outta it) and detained me for a half hour while they searched my car. They came up with nothing and let me go. Yes I know that with alotta time and $ I could probably get that asshole in trouble, but its really just not worth my time.


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## Pheonix (Sep 8, 2010)

I used to have a pair of pants that I sewn 65 pockets onto and every time I got arrested or detained with them on they never searched them just did a quick pat down and with a large alice pack that weighed as much as I did it took them 4 hours to search and inventory. the thing is I did a real good job at making them not want to search me.


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## shwillyhaaa (Sep 8, 2010)

A buddy of mine was thrown into jail and had a patch that wasnt completely sewn on with some mushrooms and a nug of pot in it.... they never found it and returned the jacket to him once he was released...with all the drugs still in the patch
so this inspired me to have a half sewn on patch on my current jacket to stash little bags of ganj, cause thats pretty much the only drug i do on a regular basis


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## Pheonix (Sep 8, 2010)

I've had them give me back my roaches that were in my tobacco pouch and they even opened up the pouch to make sure it was tobacco and probably just assumed they were cig butts or maybe they were hidden and buried.


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## ary (Sep 9, 2010)

if youre relatively young, i find sayin u are on break from college n tryin to see the country works pretty good for lowerin the cops guard/overall air of douchbagness...just make up a school from ur state or somethin, most likely the cops got a kid in school, hitched back in the 60s when it was hip, whatever... its helped me out a lot, even getin pulled off trains
ps.....tho they can do anythin anywhere, careful in philly, just passed a law givin the cops the right to search citizens on the street without probable cause...sure the law exists elsewhere, too, justa heads up....


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## gingerbreadman (Nov 30, 2010)

i also never concent to serches, sure most of the time they make up some bullshit to say they have probable cause. but fuck it, if i give concent im def gunna be convicted of what ever i have. if i dont, at least i have a chance of geting the charg droped. besides rights are like mucels: you have to excersize them in order for them to stay strong.


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## xRastaxRuggzx (Dec 22, 2010)

Ive had cops mysteriously find six inch long stems that were allegedly sitting right on the driver's seat after I got out, been given a misdemeanor panhandling ticket for tying my shoe on the median, got in trouble for tons of fights when I was younger bc my stepdad was a racist peice of shit cop, and tons of other shitty situations, but unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that these pigs can nearly get away with anything.


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