Police officers have a very hard job. Respecting them is an important part of admiring the civil service they partake in day after day. While there are bad apples, and many of these make the headlines, unfortunately, they give a bad name to thousands of officers that are good-natured, and believe in the principles of the job.
Of course, only an officer can know what the experience of working in that role is, even though some of us believe ourselves armchair experts due to our viewing of many police procedurals. Luckily one time I got stopped, I discovered this law firm handles speeding tickets in Alexandria who helped me out.
That being said, there is no reason as to why you cannot defend yourself against police officers while also being respectful of their duty and behaving co-operatively in their presence.
Provided you are polite, acquiesce to their verbal instructions and communicate with them about whatever issue that might be, 99.99% of the time you will have a positive experience, or at least a neutral one.
That being said, being prepared for that 0.01% is not harmful, and it can potentially save you a great deal of trouble.
Consider the following advice carefully:
Use Great Lawyers
If brought in for questioning, or if wishing to reverse a penalty placed against you, it’s best to lawyer up as well as you can.
Even if you are completely innocent and have nothing but respect for the police, police are looking to trip you up and catch inconsistencies in your story, and without much experience in this setting you may put your foot in your mouth.
Politely requesting a lawyer before you speak to them after acknowledging you understand your rights is something that is your legal right, and you should exercise this to the fullest degree.
This can help you avoid wrongful judgement, or to defend yourself if necessary. Mostly though, excellent lawyers can help you counter a speeding ticket you do not believe was justified. It’s assistance like this that can smooth out any untoward experiences.
Use A Dashcam
A car dashcam can help you record the audio of any police interaction should you become pulled over by them.
Additionally, it is worthwhile to have porch cameras with this functionality enabled should they knock on your door.
It is not uncommon for forceful officers not working by the book to perhaps mislead someone they are talking to, and so having this proof of your interaction can help everything stay on a level playing field.
Do Not Escalate
Rarely, but sometimes, you may find that you are frustrated by the actions of the police.
Perhaps you are being questioned for a theft you yourself were the victim of. Perhaps someone, such as a scornful ex, is throwing accusations at you that are baseless. Deal with your emotions. Never, ever, ever aggressively use them against the police.
Do not raise your voice. Do not escalate the situation.
Keep things at a calm zero. This, more than any other advice given, is the best way forward. It can help you avoid adding issues to your interaction that were completely unnecessary to begin with.
With these three things, you’re sure to respectfully defend yourself against police officers well.
